Mr. Langston P. Hughes:

Please present this receipt to one, Elmer Q. Brown on the
tenth day of February, the year of our Lord, Nineteen hundred and
thirty seven, in return for jibe birthday.

Tenk you kindle plizz.

Elmer Q. Brown

Signed& Countersigned
Elmer Q. Brown.

EQB/EQB

P.S.

Iss positivel on de app hend opp,you.

2256 East 86th.St.,
Cleveland, Ohio,
Fri.May 14,1937.

Dear Langston:

I received all of your letters and I'm glad to know that you liked the pictures. I'm also pleased and flattered with the reaction of the publishers representative and the Rosenwald people. I sincerely hope something does come of it.

I wrote to Arna in regards to illustrating his book, "The Frizzly Chick" As yet, I have received no word from him. However I'm expecting some word within the next few days. I also more than agree with you that this is an excellent opportunity to acquaint my work and my name with various publishers. Thanks kid for the suggestion.

I saw Dog Raynor the other day and he gave me the letter that you enclosed in his letter. I don't feel a bit discouraged by the fact that the Rosenwald people will be unable to purchase the book for their rural schools, because after I had read the quotations from the representatives' letter, I was encouraged more than ever. These people show genuine interest. That's something. Raynor is doing all-right, and he's still contemplating buying a car, H'm.

I didn't make the May Show. I offer no excuses. I did get on the Art project as I told you I would. I think that I'm going to have a chance to do the murals for the new airport that the W.P.A. built here. At least I'm sure that I'll get a chance to help. The designs that I've seen submitted by various artists on the project, leave very little or no room for improvement, as far as I can see. However it'll be fun trying.

When you write to me, write in care of Raynors' address-2250 E.84th.St. I'm leaving to go somewhere to-morrow. I don't know where as I haven't received a pay yet. I'll look for some word from you soon, until then-so long and I hope your Opera comes along O.K.

9

CLASS OF SERVICE

This is a full-rate
Telegram or Cable-
gram unless its de-
ferred character is in-
dicated by a suitable
symbol above or pre-
ceding the address.

WESTERN
UNION

(08)

A. N. WILLIAMS
PRESIDENT

1201

SYMBOLS

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Ship Radiogram

The filing time shown in the date line on telegrams and day letters is STANDARD TIME at point of origin. Time of receipt is STANDARD TIME at point of destination.

1944 OCT 30 PM 11 12

N335 13=CLEVELAND OHIO 30 1017P

LANGSTON HUGHES

=634 STNICHOLAS AVE APT 1B CARE HARPER=

JUST HOME FROM HOSPITAL PLEASE CONTACT ME AIRMAIL SPECIAL
AT 10515 MASSIE AVENUE=

=ELMER.

105 15

THE COMPANY WILL APPRECIATE SUGGESTIONS FROM ITS PATRONS CONCERNING ITS SERVICE

November 29, 1944

Dear Elmer:

I have been meaning to write you ever since I got your wire, but I
have been out of town on a lecture tour of high school assemblies
for the past five weeks. I am certainly sorry to hear that you have
been in the hospital. What was the matter, and are you all right
now? I hope so.

What I wanted to tell you is that

Mr. Arthur Zinkin
Musette Publishers, Inc.
Steinway Hall
113 W. 57th Street
New York, New York

is interested in the publication of our "Sweet and Sour Animal Book."
Mr. Zinkin is delighted with your illustrations but, as have all
other publishers, feels that they would have to be re-done in a sim-
pler medium to reproduce. He has the book now, and I have asked him
to return it to you directly and to write you himself exactly in what
medium he would like the new illustrations to be.

The Musette Publishers supply music recordings and books for children. They publish by the thousands and sell at a low retail price, largely through such agencies as Montgomery Ward and other large distributors. They have recently contracted to publish and record 12 children's songs of mine, which they put out on recordings in an illustrated album. It is possible that you might get other art jobs to do for them since practically everything they issue is illustrated, and they also have comic strip booklets and other things like that. It is this firm that first put out the child's story of the Bible in color strip style. You might write Mr. Zinkin in case you do not hear from him first, requesting that he return our book to you.

How is Ann? Also Jess and his family? Kindly give them my best regards
and write to me soon.

Mr. Elmer Brown
10515 Massie Avenue
Cleveland
Ohio

10515 Massie Avenue
2/13/45
Cleveland, Ohio

Dear Langston,

We have delayed this letter to you too long but I did want to tell you that your publisher must be handing out some stuff when he tells me that he cannot give the improvements for the drawings until there is a let up in the paper situation. Sounds like the well known brush off to me-so I thought. I'd write to tell you this -perhaps you can have your agent get in behind this old fossil and put our minds at ease.

I'm fine and so is Ann and so are Jess and Velle and all here whom you know. Es Fitzhugh is with the 92nd in Italy and many others are over there in the same outfit whom we must know. I am doing commercial art and find it interesting and lucrative so I have decided that to express my soul is one thing but I must not get about our stomachs.

I guess you knew about the first unit of new Karamu getting under way at last. I didn't go to the ceremonies but that's another story.

Come this way soon you bum and let us hear about this publisher.

Ann says hello and of course the house joins,

Elmer

EWB/svb