23ª HIGHPOINT, NORTH HILL, LONDON, N.6.

8th February '61

Dear Langston,

the last bulletin I had from you came from snowbound New England and these lines come from rain and gale -bound London, miserably grey in spite of the yellow crocusses in many frontgardens on our road and snowdrops bravely peeping out of my neighbour's rock-garden. (Gosh I sound like a genuine Victorian !)

Thank you for introducing us to Charlotte Holloman. Unfortunately I had to lecture both of her concert nights but Isa went to the Embassy recital and loved her voice and presentation and she came to luch with us up here and we both enjoyed her company so much. I am enclosing a few press-cuttings (from the US Embassy Music Bulletin) which may interest you. I am particularly pleased that only one ( but what can you expect: the Daily Mail... ) mentions the artist's colour. In days not so long ago that would even have been included in the press announcements.

Langston: have you any poems in honour of or even mentioning Negro sports personalities or achievements?
I am preparing a poetry programme which is meant to be a sort of 'rollcall' of the Race. Poets about great personalities named and unnamed ones. However there is so little that is worth while about the great sportsmen !
My hope is your contribution... Where can I find them and if not published, please have a look in your files!

To-day the KingKong cast are arriving in the pouring rain. I wish it had been snow. Todd's kids are so disappointed about the absence of that white misery in London. We are all getting enormously excited about the opening night. Press co-operation is beyond expectations. Full page in Observer and NOT like MRA who had a full-page advert last Sunday and a nice slice of column on the next page, editorial, said in a few more words: We have no hesitation to accept your money but we don't like you ! Bravo Observer.

Help us all to keep fingers crossed for the 23rd Feb.

Good luck, good wishes,

TELEPHONE: MOUNTVIEW 6422

28th July 1961

Dear Langston,

Your fourth of July letter about Marion Palfi
was sent to me while Isa and I were lazing in Norway.
It was a wonderfully surprising vacation. We'd always
carefully avoided the North for sheer prejudice in view
of bleakness, cold, dreariness, bareness and what not.
We've found it all completely contrariwise: four weeks
of uninterrupted sunshine, invigorating air, great beauty
of scenery full of colour, warm, extrovert people, most
palatable food. Everything that makes for a perfect
vacation. Back at the grindstone now. And pleased about it too.

No, I don't know Marion Palfi's latter - days
work. Only her work of ten years or more ago. The photos
sound very exciting. I wonder whether she has any contacts in
London with the Institute of Contemporary Arts? They would be
the most likely interested party. They had Cartier Bresson
and similar exhibits in recent years.

In Amsterdam she would almost certainly find
Sandberg, the Director of the Amsterdam Municipal Museum
of modern art interested. However she may know him herself.
Could you ask her how her contacts stand both in London
and Amsterdam? Or would you rather I wrote to her?

Thank you so very much for sending me the
ASK YOUR MAMA copy. As soon as I'll be through the worst
of the avalanche that awaited me on my desk as a welcome
home, I'll try our luck with it in view of BBC or live
presentation.

I am looking forward to Zeke Mphalele's call
although I may have missed him. I'll ring Todd and ask him
where Zeke is hanging out. He is sure to know.

Good luck for the search for a star for
TAMBOURINES. Can't you make one if there isn't one
for the grab???

Good luck to all the other jobs you're
tackling and lots and lots of thanks for the OVERVIEW, for
MAMA and for remembering me in general.

Very best and a happy summer to you,

from: Rosey E.Pool, 23a Highpoint, North Hill
London N.6 - England

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East, 127th Street
NEW YORK 35

My dear Langston,

How's the summer-writing going? I know
you're in the thick of it, so I won't keep you too long.
However : after a recent broadcast The Hand and Flower
Press ( a poetry press of very good reputation ) asked
me to edit a new anthology of American Negro Poets for
them. We've come to terms: starting at the height of the
Renaissance, fairly long introduction to show the
continuation of it all, focus on new writing, if
possible unpublished material.

The reason for the present intrusion into
your hermitage may easily be guessed:

1. May I include 1 to 3 of your poems or
fragments of larger works.

2. Have you, yourself any suggestions, or
a preference selection.

3. Could you let me have some unpublished
poetry which you'd particularly want to include.

Publication is planned for late December 1961
or very early January 1962. So it's the same old song: a
frantic hurry and so much correspondence involved
and no one to do it for me but poor Rosey E. herself.

I've heard from Marion Palfi and will see
what can be done this end and in Holland.

Have you found a star yet for TAMBOURINES?
Who'd ever guess that would be such a job!

Work happily,

23^ HIGHPOINT, NORTH HILL, LONDON, N.6.

16 September '61

Dear Langston,

this a bulletin about my anthology and an S.O.S.
The selection is well under way. My publisher has a-
greed to some 40 authors ( among them the very young
aspiring poets as well as the more mature generation,
the height of the first Renaissance writers and the
famous like yourself - I hope - ). I can take up to
4 poems per author, also fairly long ones. So that
makes life a lot easier for an anthologist.

I know of course I have to approach your publishers
for permission to include your published poems. Will I
have to wait for publication of ASK YOUR MAMMA ? Because
I'd love to include a fragment. It's Langston at his
VERY VERY BEST, that... a joy to read and re-read and
discover new accents and implications every time.
I was happy to find a companion in my happiness over it
in John Killens who spent a day in London en route for
Africa. He sends his happy regards.

Langston, is there any UNPUBLISHED material of yours
which you'd allow me to include in BEYOND THE BLUES? I assume
with a man as much in demand as you are, there can hardly
be anything that remains unpublished for long...

By the way... I love SIMPLE'S HAMLET MONOLOGUE. Has
that been published at all? OF COURSE... it has..

I have a hell of a job in locating a few young ones
I'd like to have in the book. Do you know where LeRoy Jones
hangs out, and Oliver Pitcher, the actor? I wrote to LeRoy J.
at 324, East 14th street, N.Y. 3 and to Pitcher c/o his
publishers Troubador Press, 96,Jessie Street,S.Francisco.
I think however that Oliver P. is in New York.

The sorest point is William Browne whom I found right
at the end of my tour and even met. His address was 11,
Hamilton Terrace,N.Y.26.I have - very worth while- work from
him but I doubt that he still lives there. Never a reply to
mail. Do you know him at all?

And finally: have you an idea where Julia Fields is now?

Please forgive a busy woman to ask help from an equally
busy man, but I'm near despair and almost suffocating under the
avalanche of correspondence,

TELEPHONE: MOUNTVIEW 6422

September 21, 1961

Bosey: I've been in the country working on a very urgent deadline, my NAACP book, which is now almost done, about a week more to complete it---so I haven't been near my files to send you what you need for your book, and it will take a little doing to look everything up. But I will as soon as I can, and perhaps may be able to send you carbons of some of the best poems by younger poets. I have lots of stuff but my secretary wouldn't know what to choose, so have to do it myself, soon as I get back home to stay. Am just in for a day now and find your note.....Addresses: LeRoi JONES is as you have. OLIVER PITCHER, 247 East 2nd Street, New York.

A friend of mine, the most beautiful Africanesque woman in New York, Mrs. Dupree White of the UNAW and the NAACP, is flying to London Saturday, to be at the Parkview Hotel, Inverness Terrace, on the 24-26, maybe a bit longer. Very charming and vital. You'd like her. Please give her a ring. I've given her your address, but didn't find your phone number then. I'd like her to meet Todd, too.

Hastily,

Best ever,

Langston Hughes

20 East 127th Street,
New York 35, N. Y.,
October 19, 1961.

Dear Rosey:

I've just turned in two book manuscripts to the publishers, last week THE STORY OF THE NAACP, and today THE POEMS OF BLACK AFRICA, which I edited---both overdue---so I've hardly been out of the house the past month. But I did have dinner with Arthur Spingarn last week, as he read the NAACP book for me. As always, we spoke of you, and he has an envelope all addressed to you on his desk, but has been having an eye infection lately, and cannot see to read or write hardly at all, but is getting better.

I'm so glad Dee White got to meet you. A card from Munich says she enjoyed her visit with you and Isa so much. She met friends of mine in Paris and Rome, too, and seemingly she is still in Europe. The next time you go to Paris you must meet Collette Lacroix who is with LA VIE AFRICAINE, 23 rue du Sentier, Paris 2e, who speaks English well, was a great friend of Richard Wright.

ASK YOUR MAMA was sent you a week or so ago, so I hope you have received it by now. Enclosed are four poems not as yet published anywhere:

VALUE
GRANDMA
PAIR IN ONE
OFFICIAL NOTICE

The others have all been in magazines, but not in books---except for GEORGIA DUSK which is in my SELECTED POEMS, but there is a slight revision in the version I'm sending you. It is also a lyric in the prologue of my opera, THE BARRIER...From my books you may, of course, use any poems you wish. But you must also get (as I'm sure you know) permission of the publishers. Perhaps this can be done through Hughes, Massie, in London, who are agents for my New York agents. If you want to use poems from SELECTED POEMS, the best known ones are THE NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS; I, TOO, SING AMERICA; NOTE ON COMMERCIAL THEATRE; MERRY-GO-ROUND; FREEDOM TRAIN; THE WEARY BLUES, and LIFE IS FINE; and MOTTO and NIGHT FUNERAL IN HARLEM from MONTAGE OF A DREAM DEFERRED, perhaps.

I tried to phone LeRoi Jones for you, but his phone was cut off. His new paper booklet of poems is just out: PREFACE TO A TWENTY VOLUME SUICIDE NOTE, Corinth Books, 32 West 8th Street, New York 11, $1.25, and I would've sent it to you, but don't see it in the Harlem shops, and I haven't been able to get downtown for weeks. If you haven't heard from him and want it, I'll get it for you. Oliver Pitcher had a booklet three or four years ago: DUST OF SILENCE, Troubadour Press, New York & San Francisco. Paul Vesey (Samuel Allen) had a book published in Germany; but a lot of his poems were in BLACK ORPHEUS, (Nigeria) last year. Mari Evans, Gloria Oden (C. O. Oden) and Audre Lorde are good poets. Did I send you their addresses? Here's one in my book (but the others are outside N. Y.) Miss Gloria C. Oden, 120 East 4th Street, New York 3, N. Y. She had a poem in SATURDAY REVIEW just last week.

I like your title, BEYOND THE BLUES. This very far out poet might interest you, if you don't know him: Ted Joans, Apt. 1A, 310 West 14th Street, New York 14, N. Y. He has just published an amusing satirical picture-collage-cartoon book on the Village: THE HIPSTERS.

Newnegro Poets

October 21, 1961

Dear Rosey!

Now William Browne in the phone book. I don't know him or where to find him. And have no word of Julia Fields since she went back South for the summer! she said. But here are some of the better younger poets, I think, you might like:

Miss Mari Evans, 810 Blake Street, Indianapolis 2, Indiana.

Mr. Bobb Hamilton, 521 F. D. R. Drive, Apt. 1B, New York 2, N.Y.

Mr. Alfred Spellman, 209 East 5th Street, New York 3, N. Y.

Mr. Charles Anderson, 3037 California Street, San Francisco, California.

Mr. Julian Bond, 672 Beckwith Street, S. W., Atlanta 14, Georgia.

Mr. Percy Johnston, Howard University Box 609, Washington 1, D. C.

Miss Audre Lorde, 5 Monroe Street, Mount Vernon, New York.

Mr. Roscoe Lee Browne, 500 Riverside Drive, New York 27, N. Y.

Mr. Conrad Kent Rivers, 8138 South Ingleside, Chicago 19, Illinois.

Mr. Mance Williams, 2037 Indiana Avenue, Gary, Indiana.

Mr. Raymond Patterson, 112-40 - 205th Street, Hollis, L.I., New York.

Mr. Allen Polite, 440 East 77th Street, New York 21, N. Y.

Mr. Durward B. Collins, Jr., 213 East 11th Street, New York 3, N. Y.

I've addresses of about 50 others, but these are, I think, the most interesting---some completely lacking in negritude---several on the fashionable beatnik side---but not bad in that genre. Some quite dark in color, but one can't tell their writing from whites---which maybe is what integration is supposed to do---erase the color line from waitingrooms to writing. Do you reckon? Anyhow, if you want to show what they're writing these days, you should include the non-racial ones, too.

Sorry to be so long digging out these addresses for you---but it took a bit of looking up and two publishers have been on my neck for weeks. Just got both manuscripts posted off recently, as I told you in my last note. Now have only two short writing deadlines yet to meet by November 1. So back to the salt mines!

Tell me, is KING KONG going to get to us in the US? And how is Todd and wife? And Bloke---who is my favorite Bantu. I hope you have received ASK YOUR MAMA by now, but since Knopf merged with Randon House their shipping room seems all fouled up and very slow.

CHERIO-000-00-0!

23ª HIGHPOINT, NORTH HILL,
LONDON N.6.

21st October '61

Dear Langston, Thank you, thank you so much, so very much indeed. This whole page should be full of expressions of that kind, because that's how I feel.

I've just written to Gloria Oden and Ted Joans. (LeRoi Jones did write to me). If you can find the addresses of Mari Evans and Audre Lord, I'd be happy to have them. I'm racing towards deadline date and shall have to go into retreat next week because of the introduction.

We are worried about Arthur. His letter to us said his eyes are o.k. again, yours still mentions he can hardly read or write. I do hope it will heal up all right.

Wasn't the review of your AFRICAN TREASURY in 'The Observer' wonderful! I'm looking forward to the POEMS OF BLACK AFRICA very much indeed.

ASK YOUR MAMMA has not yet arrived here, but then the printed paper mail is sometimes very slow.

Oliver Pitcher wrote too. I am in regular contact with Sam Allen.

Can't you give yourself a trip to London for the pleasure of all your friends here? I haven't seen Todd or heard from him for a long time but see his

TELEPHONE: MOUNTVIEW 6422

CHOCOLATES FOR MY WIFE will be out early November.

110

Thanks, agai, it's again, yar, I'd like to see that.

3rd November 1961

Dear Langston : well, I feel almost like Lady MacBeth :
" I've don't ". The MS of BEYOND THE BLUES is in the
hands of the publishers, introduction and all, 55 poets
and if a few latecomers still send worth while material,
I could still add them until mid-week, next week.
Spellman, Lorde came in to-day. Thank you for that last
lot. Some of them, I had indeed not met, personally or
by letter ( just got Mari Evans in. the women are a very
original crowd, highly personal sounds ).

Now some gossip : the most exciting : Dr. Davis and AMSAC
have invited me to the Lagos Festival in December. So, all
being well and-D.V.- as one says in this country, we'll
meet once again and can discuss a wealth of subjects on
my mind, on all our minds. I can't begin to tell you how
thrilled I am at this, my first visit to Africa. I feel
all at once: deeply grateful, honoured, unworthy, humble
and... very white ... Tom Blair to whom I talked last
night suggested Man Tan, which I won't ever use, no one
should after Ted Joans's biting : Why Try - I think
the right shade will come from within, i.e. I hope it will
show.

Todd is unfindable. No definite news about the show either.
The latest was a Hylton press hand-out: February '62 in
the U.S. I'll be seeing a crowd next week who may know
about Todd's whereabouts.

Bloke also is an elusive Pimpernel. He's changed addresses
four times lately, his agent told me, is now ' somewhere
in Soho' and I'll track him down this weekend and tell
you the latest as soon as I know myself. That may be en
route for Lagos.

There's something more : BBC Third Programme have accepted a
poetry programme I suggested : THE MUSIC OF POETRY - POETRY
ABOUT MUSIC. All work by Negro-Americans. Your Trumpet
Player will be in it. Your Billy Holiday too.
We have no date yet because of clearing of copyrights
which always takes some time. However : should we be able
to sort all that out and should BBC show some talent for
organization... I'd love to have you READ on that programme.
Recording could be made on your return from or you way
to Lagos (the same applies to Earle Hyman, whom I'd adore to
have for a reader. He is splendid in protest poetry ).
So far no one has a clue as to travel arrangements, I gather.
Will you please let me know as soon as you have knowledge of
your routing and what time you might spend in London?

I'm writing to Earle too this weekend.
Sam Allen said in a letter he'd phoned you several times
in N.Y. but never found you home... he's in Washington,
VERY busy.

Another exciting project: a live stage poetry reading of
A ROLL CALL OF AMERICAN NEGORES ( poetry mainly about
Negro history subjects, achievements in arts and
politics, poems by Afro-Americans including Dr. Dubois
- his Prayers of God will be read -. We must do with
West Indian, African and English readers. Sorry no
American voices available. Muriel Smith is again appearing
here for moral re-armament !! She wouldn't... and we
wouldn't for that matter have her in, under the circumstances.
Great pity.

The event is to be a one Sunday night (19 November)
at Unity Theatre, a non professional, non-profit making
institution of the left wing kind. In this programme how-
ever professional readers and professional direction. I'll
try and make you a tape.

No time for the wicked. Good luck, good cheer, good health,

First fold here

Please address

Sender's name and address:

Rosey E. Pool
23a Highpoint
North Hill
London N.6
England

AN AIR LETTER SHOULD NOT CONTAIN ANY ENCLOSURE; IF IT DOES IT WILL BE SURCHARGED OR SENT BY ORDINARY MAIL.

Second fold here

BY AIR MAIL
PAR AVION
AIR LETTER
LONDON 45PM
NOV 1961

AEROGRAMME

USA

Mr. Langston Hughes

20 East, 127th street

NEW YORK 35

N.Y.

USA

SIXPENCE POSTAGE

23ª HIGHPOINT, NORTH HILL,

LONDON N.6.

4th January 1962

A very happy New Year to you, dear
Langston!

I wonder whether you've returned home...
I can assure you if I hadn't had to

attend a get together for a television
programme I'll be recording on the 24th
(for Holland) I'd certainly not have
left Africa yet.

I spent a very happy and stimulating
week at Ibadan, drove 'for bush' quite
a bit, and had a final 14 hours at
Accra - not a minute of the precious
hours wasted either.

Three days in Paris in mild weather
were a wholesome preparation for arctic
London.

Now back to the mill.Plenty of work,
interesting too; Canadian Broadcasting
asked me to do a talk for them (to be
broadcast in Canada "Personally speaking"
programme) about the Lagos Festival.

I'll keep AMSAC informed of date.

Enclosed the programme of the 'Unity'
reading. Sorry no proper programme left,
so I typed mine out.

You suggested I'd remind you of :
a copy of the Hospital Midget story
(mine having gone astray with BBC)
script of 'Shakespeare in Harlem'.

What are the Easter Gospel plans doing?

Please do keep in touch,

TELEPHONE: MOUNTVIEW 6422

27a Highpoint
North Hill
London N.6
MOUntview 6422

Herengracht 458
Amsterdam C.
Netherlands
Phone 248741.

7th February '62

Dear Langston : many, many thanks for that extremely interesting NEW NEGRO book.

I'm knee-deep in all sorts of jobs and projects, just a little more hectic than usual. It suits me.

Enclosed a page of a letter we recently received from a New York friend who is a psychiatrist, mostly unbearably Freudian in his evaluation of all and everything. I don't know whether his enthusiasm was raised by your show or whether there was yet another Negro Christmas presentation. In any case I felt this might amuse you. Please don't bother to send back, just wastepaper basket.

Good writing, good luck, good everything to you,

23a Highpoint, North Hill, London N.6

29.3.1962

Dear Langston : this is official.

VPRO Television for whom I am working in Holland were sincerely and keenly interested in BLACK NATIVITY. For television in Holland, to be filmed viz. video taped at Spoleto.

The procedure in Holland involved "claiming" a certain subject or show in order to prevent two TV companies doing the same thing. So: VPRO have 'claimed' the show. (Holland TV is a state-run thing, no commercial interests at all; split up viewing time for a number of - viewing - clubs, time allocated proportional to their membership. This is an old Dutch game. Silly but only understandable out of the clan-set-up of that small country. There is only ONE channel though and all transmit via that one channel from the same studios. Just for your information.)

They are now asking me (Programme Director Joes ODUFRE will handle this. I do most of my work together with him) for as much information as possible. On the same lines as I asked you in my previous letter. Photos, script if available, press cuttings, details of the Spoleto production (dates !!) and ARE YOU REPRESENTED BY AN AGENT IN THIS CASE OR WITH WHOM DO WE DISCUSS TERMS ETC.

I am thrilled at the idea of collaborating in this project. I think the narration will have to be translated into Dutch and narrated by a Dutch (possibly coloured) actor. We have not one Negro actress in Holland. The only slightly non-white one we can boast of is a demi-persian girl! However, there is one quite good West Indian actor, Otto Sterman, who should be very good in narration. We may however keep the original narrator in and dub in Dutch text off picture. These are all worries of later days. We'll sort ourselves out somehow.

First thing now is to have your reply to this note.

Good luck to us,

22nd March 1962

My dear Langston,

Thank you so much for the note written on Saint Patrick's day "Oh what a country, the like I've never seen ! They put men and women in prison for the wearing of the green ... "

Isa and I went into a travel agent's right away yesterday to enquire for the best way to Spoleto! I feel we might indeed come there to see 'it' and you and Vin and all. I'm looking forward to the script of THE GOSPEL GLORY too.

Paul did publish a paperback on the Spirituals in Holland, recently also one on the Blues but did not do much translation in that field. However I feel, if Dutch choral groups would be interested at all, they would do the singing in English. I have optioned for a programme on the Centenary of Emancipation for Holland and there may be a possibility for getting choral groups interested to contribute.

However : for the time being I am concerned about BLACK NATIVITY. Could you not, after Spoleto consider a television version of it for Holland. I think I could get the station for which I work interested. Perhaps they would even want to do it as a recording (i.e. videotape recording ) from Spoleto.
Please Langston, let me have all available 'bla' for them: how long does the entire NATIVITY run? To how long do you think we could cut? Can you let me have a programme and possibly a few photos or a script . You know best what is required to give people who are sympathetic but unknowledgeable an idea. I'd simply adore doing that with Dutch narration.

Indeed I know about your two BBC Third interviews. They cancelled one of my programmes about the new Afro-American poets as a result of it ! Not BBC's policy to have too much colour and too much USA culture in their planning ! However we're trying to get another programme into the 'Home Service' which I like anyhow better than longhair Third... I'll listen to you in April.

Paul is now at 7, Wedderburn Road, London N.W.3 but is in touch with his former address when they lived with Peter Abrahams' first wife Dorothy.

No news from Bloke at all. I'll make another effort to find his newest abode this week via Todd who also is almost invisible. London has a trick of swallowing people beyond finding.

Rosey Pool

121

March 27, 1962

Rosey: So you'll have all the information:

I'm sending you by boat mail a script,
programs, and clippings of BLACK NATIVITY.....

The head producer here in New York, in case of
business, is:

Michael Santangelo,
Westinghouse Broadcasting,
122 East 42nd Street,
New York 17, New York.

For direct contact with the Spoleto Festival:

Mme. Anna Venturini,
Festival of Two Worlds,
Via Margutta 17,
Rome, ITALY.

The first act of BLACK NATIVITY (the only part
with a story line) runs about 45 minutes, but
can be cut or lengthened song-wise. The 2nd
act---which is really a gospel concert---for
radio or TV can be omitted. Or to make a full
evenings show, act 1 of NATIVITY can be com-
bined with the GOSPEL GLORY---from the Cradle to
the Cross, Life of Christ story---of which I also
have another version, using instead of NATIVITY
the miracles preceeding GOSPEL GLORY, calling it
A Passion Play, and involving no clearance of NAT
TY rights to present.

Thanks so much for getting me the BLUES disc. I
have already posted you a L. H. READER, and have
asked a bookshop to order a BLACK BOURGEOISIE
for you. WAYS OF WHITE FOLKS is out of print and
very hard to find. Should I hear of a copy for
Sale, I'll get it for you.

It told AMSAC you might be here in the fall.
they said, FINE, they'd be interested in possible
lectures. I'm also advising Arna.

t ever,

Langston Hughes

April 6, 1962

Dear Rosey:

I sent Zeke an ASK YOUR MAMA and
SIMPLE a couple of weeks ago to Paris. But
am posting now, as you request, antoher MAMA
to him by air at the Transcription Centre.
If the Centre is to pay for it: $5.00---as
the Airp Postage is $2100......Why didn't
you just lend them your copy??????

My NEWPORT BLUES record just came
Thanks a lot. Now that I know what it is, I
must try to collect my royalties.

Guess you know Arthur Spingarn is
heading London way again soon. His sister-in-
law, Amy, is already there, visiting Hope and
her Indian husband.

Tell Zeke I wrote him to Paris
accepting the invitation to East Africa in Ju-
From there, I can return homeward via Spoleto

I trust you got my note with the
various Spoleto business addresses in it.

And WHERE is my favorite Bantu------
Bloke? Swolled up the City of Spades?....Rol
Italiaander is back in U.S. doing a U.N.C.F.
Southern college tour....And AFRICAN IMAGE i
here. Most readable and provocative book, te
Zeke. Also have AMSAC Newsletter with your
Lagos talk in it. Real nice. I've asked the
to send copies to Mari Evans, Anderson, Duren
as I know they will be pleased at being quote
......Ask Breman if has any news at all of War
Cuney. I'm worried about him, no see for mon

4th April 1962

Very dear Langston, thank you so much for the letter with further details of BLACK NATIVITY, BORDER LINE, and the Luchow's card. You are the most considerate and kindest man on earth. There now. Is that enough for a Wednesday morning above the London fog (beyond the blues...)

Yesterday I visited Dennis Duerden at his new office
TRANSCRIPTION CENTRE, 4/5 Norfolk Street, London W.C.1
He works together with Zeke Mphahlele(by the way- his
new book THE AFRICAN IMAGE is just out. Would you like
me to send you a copy? Very good reviews here.) and
the Congress for Cultural Freedom, making radio pro-
grammes for Africa.

I am writing this note on behalf of Zeke to ask you
please to send him a copy of ASK YOUR MAMA and bill
him or the Transcription Centre and send it either
to Zeke c/o the Centre or to me. By airmail, please.
On the above mentioned bill. I'll see him next
Thursday (the 12th of April) again at the Centre.
We're doing programmes... guess... Negro poets of
the USA. Right. Africa too.

["124", "April 16, 1962", "Dear Rosey:", "The best of the Ghana poets\nis now in London:", "Frank Parkes,\nc/o Miss Fetitia Reindorf,\n21 Colonial Mansions,\nAllsop Place,\nLondon, N. W. 1.", "A very bright young man whom I met in\nLagos.", "Arthur Spingarn is currently\nheaded your way, and I think would enjoy\nmeeting Parkes, too. (In my anthology as\nFrancis Kobina Parkes).", "Arna Bontemps read a very good\nbrief paper on the NEGRO RENAISSANCE on\nFriday at the Market Place. Ask\nhim to send you a copy.", "Vinnette's play closes tonight.\nA \"suces d'estime\" like most of my shows.\nWhere is the $??? banks $??? $??? $??? $??? $??? $

BLACK METROPOLIS--Cayton-Drake
FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM - Frankl
FREEDOM RIDE - Peck

BOOKS SENT:
May 7, 1962

LETTER FOR LETTER

16th April 1962

Dear Langston, the READER arrived last week. Many thanks. Thanks too for Simple's SHELTER AND GRANDMA problems. What a guy he is. And that's so wonderful about him. Jesse B. is a reality to me and I'd never dare to intervene with any of his and Joyce's decisions! The logic of that latest solution is foolproof. I've just seen Lionel Barth's latest musical BLITZ, about the waryears in London, dripping with sentimentality, Jewish milieu in the cosmopolitan Eastend, gosh weren't we Cockneys wonderful in those years... I couldn't stomach it. The only thing I did enjoy were two songs: one composed on the names of the inhabitants of one apartmenthouse ( all nations and races) and one sung by mother Blitzstein on the theme: if you're worried or in trouble: bake a cake! They were the only genuine things in the rotten show. Barth may praise himself lucky I need not revue the show in London but I've slipped a remark about it into my talk for BBC home service on Liberation Day! I hope they'll not cut it!

Joes Odufré has taken the BLACK NATIVITY business in hand.

Keep fingers crossed! Thanks for that material too. It's already in Holland.

ZEKE M. sends his best to you, His wife too. We had a wonderful long chat at the cocktail party of the new transcription centre.

They got MAMA all right and wanted their own copy for their own reference. You bet your dear life mine won't be out on loan

I'd never see it back! I only lend replaceable books!

Guess who served us our drinks: BIOKE! Full of apologies for not having turned up nor written to you for so long.

He's got an address again: flat 2, 17 BERWICK STREET, London W.1 Right in the heart of Soho.

You know I've never set eyes on Rolf Italiaander, don't even know any of his work!!

I too am fascinated by AFRICAN IMAGE. It came to me as a present from Dorothy Porter with whom I spent a very hard working day and a fine leisurely one recently on her way between Africa and Washington.

Paul Breman has no news from Waring Cuney either. He sent me last week a copy of Georgia Douglass Johnson's booklet: SHARE MY WORLD Privately printed for her by Waring's brother in D.C.

I've just written to him again. He either sends one two letters a day (that's literally true!) or none for months.

I had a letter from Livingstone College asking me to make up my mind real soon. They expect me mid September, want me there until January 1963 and suggest I'd better then take on another semester at Tougaloo where they want me too. It's very tempting and still a difficult decision, especially as Isa hates to be by herself for so long a time! However I think it will be 'yes' this weekend.

127

May 14, 1962

Dear Rosey:

I'm so glad you sent me Bloke's address because today's mail brings a long letter from him (and some poems). Seems like he has been having a very hard time--strike difficulties where he worked, etc... and no regular work, with not enough to eat. (Don't tell him I told you). So, although he didn't ask for anything (or even hint) I have just sent him a few pounds that might help a little. Let's not let that talented little Bantu starve to death in "the free world." Seems like he is on the verge of being evicted. Will 20 pounds I've aff-mailed keep that from happening? I've no idea what rents are in Soho.

He tells me he's been invited to Uganda, too. So I'll probably see him there. I'm still trying to get my route and ticket. No word re details from the head folks, so far, just an invitation and confirmation. I'll sure stop in London on the way back, so hope to be seeing you.

Where and how is Arthur?

Please try to check up Bloke--
without saying I told you anything at all.
You always did look like an angel to me--
the kind that glows in the dark.

Toujours,

Dr. Hughes, Litt. D. (When nee

Most sad: I was away from London,
doing tv jobs (Wales) both Saturdays
of your Third Progr.interviews.
I know lots of people who listened,
and particularly liked the second with
the dogs story. Arthur listened with

Paul
Br.
and
family

17th May 1962

Dear Doctor Hughes, if necessary I can be formal
too, and Langston beware: I'm wanting to be ad-
dressed by my professional title too. So there.

Sorry: I beg to differ; you are the angel that
glows by day and night.

Thank you for letting me know about Bloke. I'll
see him over the week-end and I am sure I'll find
a way to keep him alive for all of us. One can always
find an 'outlet' for his work.

I only saw him in the company of Frank P. and once of
Frank and Arthur (Isa says she just posted a picture
off to you of that memorable occasion when Frank read
to us, very pompously, very long subject poems).

Arthur is very well indeed. We see a lot of him, I
usually go into the hotel lobby for a chat before
starting my lectures at the Holborn College. He is
much less tired and younger than last year. Isa says
so too, and she sees him with a medical eye. If there
is such a thing.

I've accepted Livingstone, so I'll make my way to the
States some time late in August or very early in Sep-
tember, via New York and Washington of course.

Am I right in my idea I read somewhere about the annual
AMSAC conference being in September, in D.C.? In any
case I wrote to AMSAC about the threat of my visit.

Spoleto is my very serious concern. I feel Isa and I
will make our way there in any case but my television
people in Holland are most sincerely considering the
job which depends to some extent on the possibility of
co-operation with Italian TV. Our Dutch head-man is
going to Spoleto to see the first performance, I gather
and then finalize his arrangements with the Italians
and the Americans concerned.

Anyhow, I won't make my seeing NATIVITY dependent on
their decisions although of course I'll hammer and hammer
on it until they get down to brass-tacks.

Can you let me have an extra copy of NATIVITY or just the
text of the NARRATION because I want to do the translation as
soon as possible as another reminder to be presented to
whom it concerns in Hilversum.

Please keep me posted as to your various travels and
the London date. We'll get EVERYBODY together here up at
23a, a true gathering of the clan.

Very fondly,

129

August 9, 1962

Dear Rosey:

Arna and Alberta are in New York for a few days on vacation and send regards to you.

I hear tell you've been in Holland. I sent Vinnette a note care of you, but have not heard hair nor hide of her. Indirectly, I hear BLACK NATIVITY is to open in London shortly. If that be true, and you see any ads, advance notices, or reviews of it (bad or good) please clip and send them on to me post haste, otherwise I'll never know. The management is most uncommunicative---never been known to write a letter.

It sure was nice seeing you and
Isa in Spoleto---but all TOO briefly. I
hope to see much more of you when you come
to the States this time.

I've been up in the country working
on my TAMBOURINES script with the Theatre
Guild folks, so haven't seen Arthur yet, but
trust I will soon.

Meanwhile, cordial regards,

Sincerely,

Langston Hughes

23ª HIGHPOINT, HIGHGATE, LONDON, N.6.

TELEPHONE: MOUNTVIEW 6422

12th August 1962

My dear Langston, as always it was good to hear from you.
Thanks also for the NEW YORK POST cuttings.

Yes indeed BLACK NATIVITY is all over Piccadilly Circus -
and so is the cast. We're off to a run-through this after-
noon. The usual pre-opening tensions work as predictable,
Vinette as always in her best and most creative depressions.
We comfort and feed her, in mind and body, as well as we can.
Cuttings from the SUNDAY OBSERVER and THE STAGE will get to
you under separate cover. They are samples of the general
outlook of advance publicity. There was a fair deal of TV
promotion I understand with Alex mainly as pin-up boy.
The preparation period of only one week considered, advance
box office sales are satisfactory, I gather.
Of course I'll send you all the printed matter I can lay
eyes and hands on. Isa is taking pictures this afternoon,
prints will be sent to you as soon as out of the darkroom.
Also of the outside of the theatre with posters up and
names in lights. And to all of it, dear Lang: the very best
of luck! Isa and I will think of you especially Tuesday
night in our stalls seats. We're taking a party of fifteen
friends, among them Shirley Graham and if the doctors will
permit W.E.B. who has made a miraculous recovery after the
major operation he had barely three weeks ago.

Frank P. phoned and seemed worried about his MS, I gave him
Bloke's address and assume all this has sorted itself out
meanwhile. I haven't seen or heard from Bloke but hear he's
around and in fact Sam Allen who spent a very pleasant evening
with us on Friday (Vinette dropped in too that night)
was guided through London by Bloke.

A quite different matter: in March I translated your BLESSED
ASSURANCE into Dutch, had just finished it when a social-
psychiatrist friend from Holland visited us, and asked me
(I read the story to him) could he have it for the monthly
VRIENDSCHAP (Friendship) which he edits, a fairly parochial
but very well run periodical whose major attention is
focussed on aspects of homo-sexuality (which is not a
criminal offense in Holland!). I told Benno Premtsela then
I could not get hold of you because you were wandering
about Africa, but would approach you as soon as possible.
Someone must have slipped up somewhere. I gather the man who
subbed for Benno during his absence in the States. I had sent
them the complete story, intro and picture and got the
papers I am sending you now last week. Sorry, it was not my
fault this appeared without your previous permission. It is dif-

134

August 14, 1962

Dear Rosey:

It is most kind of you to give me news of
BLACK NATIVITY. That company (and management)
are about the most no-writingest people ever,
so I have to depend on outside sources for in-
formation mostly---although I did get a note
from Vinnette the other day. And Sam Allen
phoned last night to say the run-through, he
thought, was magnificent and that he saw you
and Isa there.....I'd be most appreciative if
you would send me the major reviews from this week
London papers. I have an overseas clipping ser-
vice, but they take weeks. Send bad and good M
both. British reserve (or is that a cliche?)
may not receive the show as unreservedly as did
the Italians....Meanwhile here TAMBOURINES seems
definitely underway for late autumn. I've just
come back from another script conference in the
country. And the Brooklyn church preparing THE
GOSPEL GLORY (the first Negro Passion Play) has
started its choirs to learning the spirituals.
So maybe by the time you get to New York, I'll
have something else for you to see. Hope so---
and I'll send you a pair in the "stalls." Else
in the front pews.....When and how are you coming
U.S.A. way? Did you decide on the boat trip?
If you land in Wilmington, N. U. I have a cousin
there, a dentist, Dr. Nathaniel Leary, in the
phone book, so give him a ring.....Arthur just
phoned and I am to have dinner with next week.
He's busy giving out copies of my new NAACP book.
They're planning a big Harlem autographing party
for it in September. But if I don't finish some
of the other books I am contracted for, I may be
in jail by then. But I can't seem to stay home
long enough to get any extensive writing done.
HELLO to Isa and tell her I'll be looking for the
photos.........Sincerely,

August 30, 1962

136

Dear Rosey:

So you are flying, not sailing.
It is good to know your schedule. And I
am sending you a note to Livingstone now,
in case this one misses you; also to en-
close Bessie Smith's song about Black
Mountain---just to let you know what you
are getting into.....I was once at Black
Mountain College and found it fascinating.
But Bessie did not have the college in
mind.....Were it not for you I would never
know a thing hardly about BLACK NATIVITY.
Except for Vinnette, nobody writes or sends
programs or clippings. I think they must
all be illiterates, or so filled with the
spirit that they have no time for earthly
things. Thanks to you for keeping me in-
formed! And the festivities sound great.
Wish I could have been there.....Regards to
Dorothy Porter.....See you Christmas.

HOWARD UNIVERSITY

WASHINGTON 1, D. C.

DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA

Sunday, 9th September (1961)

D.R.Babcock Hall
Livingstone College
Salisbury, N.C.

Very dear Langston,

your letters were more than welcome welcomers. Thank you
for them, especially for the BLUES. I recited it to myself on
several occasions when the air was heavy with the Spirit -not
unfortunately with spirits - and terribly important people
talking away about administrative and education worries of the
school. Well, it was good to get to know some people from that
angle. The air was good, the scenery beautiful and London was
frighteningly far away.

Washington was warm of friendliness and welcome, the stay
all too brief. This campus is still very empty. Freshmen coming
in early this week, others later, classes not starting before
the 17th. So far I don't even know my schedule, have only been
told vaguely I'll be teaching in 'humanities', with two hours
of 'creative writing ' a week and two hours of Chaucer included.
What level???? No idea. Well, it 'll sort itself out anyhow.
Empty schools are very sad institutions. I don't know how I'll
like the full one but at the moment I'm full of butterflies and
first night fever. My room is beautiful with plenty of air , two
windows with campus and trees to look out at, a very modern
one year old dorm. I've unpacked, have some of my books around me
( by the way : can you spare and send me a copy of your DREAM-
KEEPER, please. ), some pictures of Black Nativity. I'm home
in these four walls. I have yet to find my climate here, have
my doubts as to whether I'll find it at all, the comfort that
Washington is very near and New York not too far and the cert-
ainty this will be a most valuable experience whatever way
it'll work out.

Julia Fields phoned me last night which was a great joy. I'm
really longing to see her ( don't let Isa hear that : Poor darling
she was so sad when I left and must be lost at home, she never
lived by herself and we've never been separated for more than
6 weeks in those 13 years' and will find a way to get to Birming-
ham, Ala.

I know it still is a long way ahead but couldn't you plan Christmas in D.C.? Owen Dodson suggested that. He has ample accommodation for you, an entire apartment in fact and I have loads of homes in Washington.

And where will Mr. Hughes be Thanksgiving?
So far I don't even know whether I'll have to teach Saturdays.
If my weekends would be free life would smile at me indeed and
I could plan D.C. now and then or meeting Julia or you. Well,
one never can tell I may get so attached to my students I'd want to
stick to Livingstone all the time.

For the moment I've got the most glorious opportunity for
getting straight with correspondence and finishing a German crime
story Isa gave me for the plane.

Lots of love,

139

September 14, 1962

Dear Rosey: The same mail brings letters from both you and Vinnette. Nice!
Vinnette says the transition from the Criterion to the Phoneix was a happy one, with even one most helpful, including the London producer and their first audience there a wonderful one. Agatha Cristie's TEN LITTLE NIGGERS is playing nearby! And London weather is still London weather......Isn't Livingstone College where the Aggrey's were---or are? I was there reading my poems once or twice in years past..... Why don't you come to the National Poetry Festival at the Library of Congress October 22-23-24 and bring some of your literary-minded students? Gwendolyn Brooks, among others, reads her poems on the afternoon of the 23rd, myself on the 24th. For cards of admission write: Poetry Division, Library of Congress, Washington 25, D. C. Robert Frost is the speaker on Tuesday evening, October 23. All the poets will be at the Continental Hotel... Can't send a DREAM KEEPER right now as it is temporarily out of stock at the publishers, so I haven't any on hand myself. I've a SELECTE POEMS if you'd like that one. Or an L. H. READER.....TAMBOURINES seems definitely slate for rehearsals in late October. THE GOSPEL GLORY, Brooklyn church production, within the next two weeks. Meanwhile radio, TV, and boo parties are filling up my schedule for the NAACP book for the next month. So I'll be BUSY, busyBUSY, busyY as the pproverbial bee, if not more so.....Are you anywhere near Monroe, North Carolina, where all the excitement has been? If you go there, don't get kidnapped by the Klan. It's worse than Bessie Smith's Black Mountain!......Sincerely,

147

DAG HAMMARSKJOLD

Mr. LANGSTON HUGHES
20 EAST, 127th street
NEW YORK 35
N.Y.

Livingstone College,

31st October 1962

Dear Langston,

Lots of good thoughts fly
to you with this Halloween bird
and may New York be as glowingly
wise to the Passion Play as all
the world has been to Nativity.

I had a card this morning
from Clive who is in Israel with
Martha Grahame.

Can't we make arrangements for
Gospel Glow to lighten our
"Lyceum" performances?

I'll keep fingers crossed for
you all the night Friday,

lots of love,

150

Livingstone College

Salisbury, N. C.

N.Y.

Livingstone College

Salisbury, N. C.

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

10th November 1962

Langston - dear, I'm right up to my ears in mid-term red tape, reading of 3 times 150 assignments, among them one on each student's 'Africa orientation in the field of Humanities' The choice of books was their own. I see your 'First' of Africa and the Treasury very frequently among the chosen subjects.

This week I spoke at Price High, Abna Lancaster Aggrey teaches there, sends her best to you.

I gave her class ( they were host to the affair) the copy of DARK YOUTH OF AMERICA, the broad-sheet you sent me recently, with your best wishes. They were thrilled to bits, are framing it and reported it in the Salisbury News.

(Of course Black Clown adorns the display wall of Humanities room in our section Arts and Entertainments and linking the section "She does not know her beauty" (African art and other people's paintings of the brown man and woman). I wish you could see it. It's a joy how the kids take to it too.

Actually I was going to write you a brief and businesslike note. Langston, would you be an angel and review BEYOND THE BLUES? For the Crisis, I think or any other paper at your suggestion.

Crisis has a reviewing copy which I sent to-day, I thought Erica Marx had posted one to them but am afraid this wasn't done ahead of publication.

Vinette called me from N.Y. last week. However I'll stay here Thanksgiving, trying to get through the paper work so as to get Christmasbreak free of it.

I'm planning a roundtrip Detroit - New York (abt. 27th-30th December) then New Year's eve Washington with Owen.

Where will you be say 28th, 29th December? I'd love to try and have a poets' clan gathering somewhere in N.Y.

Lots of good things to you,

UNITED NEGRO
COLLEGE FUND
FOUNDERS 1944

152

Livingstone College
Salisbury, N. C.

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East, 127th street,
NEW YORK 35
N.Y.

December 1, 1962

Dear Rosey:

Two seats enclosed for you
for BLACK NATIVITY for the evening of
Thursday, December 27, at Lincoln
Center, New York. Certainly woulb be
nice if Isa were there. "Our" cast,
except that Vinnette may not be the
Narrator. That's not settled yet.

If you see the Wertz's in
Detroit, tell them HELLO for me.

I had a nice letter from
Julia Fields.

Last week I was in Califor-
nia to see my Uncle. But hope to stay
home for awhile now.

Deutch sent me two copies of
BEYOND THE BLUES....Bloke writes that
he finally got an advance on his life
story.....Arna Bontemps is doing a poe-
try anthology something like yours on
this side of the water.....BBC must be
re-running my interviews because they
have sent me more checques.....So---

January 13, 1963

Dear Rosey:

I'm just back from Detroit where I had a delightful evening with Jack, Jackson, and Irma. Your BEYOND THE BLUES is still under their Christmas tree, and numbers of people mentioned it to me in the city There were a couple of big parties for me, so I met most of the folks who had met you. My readings went almost as well as BLACK NATVITY! Overflow crowds---at University of Michigan they had to open up an extra room with an extension loud speaker for the people who couldn't get in. At Wayne, so many stars they moved to bigger auditorium in the MIDDL of my reading. Both talks were taped---and are available "for educational use" in case you'd like to get one. University Michigan Radio Division probably best, as it was tape without interruption. Also in Detroit taped an interview for United Auto Workers shows.

How sweet of you to send the Lond TV reviews, and excerpt from Joan's note. I Paris reviews were also awaiting me on my return home. // All absolute RAVES with one or center FRONT PAGE with BIG photos (PARIS-PRESSE) headed: A DOZEN BLACK ANGELS INVADE PARIS---"their wings rustling with gentleness and love---causing the opening night audience to explode with joy." Another refers to Marion as a "mystical Josephine Bake Alex and Princess get their share, but it is Marion hailed as a new star in Paris ---"Probably one of the most extraordinary personalities ever seen on the stage." (ARTS). // I hope the show runs there until Spring, in which case I'll go over to see it. Could I get a payin reading or two in England? (As a business I can deduct travel from income tax). (Late April, May or June). (OVER)

Tougaloo Southern
Christian College
Tougaloo, Miss.
(until 25.Feb.)

31st Jan.1963

My dear Langston, you'd be given a whack-o
birthday party tomorrow if you were liv-
ing in China. Anything with 'first' counts
double there. So: here goes: many happy
returns of the 1st of February and may life
be good to you for many more ...ty-first
birthdays.

I've settled in here. What a place! So alive.

I'm really glad to have made arrangements for the
brief period of four weeks at Tougaloo.

I'm doing two groups in creative writing.

Each one of them one hour every day in class.

Most of them come both hours and many come who
don't get 'credit'. I'm getting interesting
scribblings. One girl wrote a really worthwhile
brief short story. I'll send you a copy when
she's typed it. Subject: a Freedom Ride inci-
dent. She also wrote a paraphrase on John
Doone's Death poem as Jim Crow.

Therefore, request: can you spare us a copy
of your Hamlet-Jim Crow, please ?

Also: is there a spare copy of the Midget story
for us ?

I heard Jim Baldwin was in town yesterday for
James Meredith's decision. I always seem to miss
him by some minutes, had a bad cold and could
not go to Greensboro when he was there.

Now we're all eagerly tuning in on the news
to know whether Hughie Greene is going to try
his way in to Ole Miss to-day with Meredith.

Isa will be leaving London end of February,
we're both now counting weeks. Soon days.
She'll stay in N.Y. for a few days first, will
no doubt try to call you.

Lots of love, Always Rose

160

TELEPHONE: MOUNTVIEW 6422

1334 Sunset Lane, West Lafayette,
c/o Mrs. Walcrstein

Indiana

24th Feb.'63

My dear Langston, yes of course
I want to be at your party !
And I just can't wait to see
Isa now that her arrival is so
near. So just a minute ago when
I got your cable via Jackson I
wrote to Wilmington College, Ohio
where I was due to speak Monday
the 4th that I'm not coming !
Urgent business calling me to
New York...

I'll be leaving here Friday or
Saturday depending on some work
I've got to do here. So please
make the rumble SUNDAY.

Isa will be staying on arrival
at some hotel in First Avenue,
cable arrived mutilated: Beekman
Towers is what it looked like.
Is that plausible?

She'll contact you I guess.

Now I'm to write to her and first
find out when I can leave here.
I'm quite upside down and wish I
didn't have to lecture at Purdue
either!

Welcome to Bloke, Love and thanks
to you. (I spent yesterday with
Mari Evans - quite a girl!)

Nat yet at

162

Sunday

and

March 5, 1963

Dear Rosey:

I am posting notes today to Peter Abrahams in Jamaica and Mrs. David Wyke in Trinidad advising them of your coming, as well as to Jean Briere, Haitian poet in exile in Kingston, if I can locate his recent note to me. At any rate, inquire as to Briere's whereabouts, as he is a very likable fellow and a good poet. In Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, the is MMMM where you will find the Congresswoman (whose husband plays in the local symphony orchestra):

Dr. and Mrs. David Wyke,
2 Rapsey Street,
Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.

And in Jamaica the wonderfully humorous folk singer and raconteur:

Louise Bennett,
(Mrs. Roy de Coverly)
Gordon Town, Jamaica.

She is connected with radio and probably can reached at the station. Her husband has an office (or did have) at 5½ East Parade, Kingston. See Louise's full page photo in the current HOLIDAY magazine., in *Leader's* article. Peter's address is at the WEST INDIAN ECONOMIST in Kingston. Or at home:

Mr. Peter Abrahams,
Red Hills P. O., "Coyaba"
St. Andrew, Jamaica.

In Trinidad there is a very nice chauffeur-driver (who won't over charge) if he is still with the same taxi company; Daniel Philip, 5396-97 (taix stand number). And in Port-of-Spain you must see the Little Carib Theatre and meet Beryl McBurnie who runs it, a former dancer who has been often in the States and who started Jeffrey and Bosco Holder out. Tell her HELLO for me. The very good poet, Derek Walcott, also I think still lives there, and Beryl or Peggy Wyke would know where he is. Carlton Comma is the Librarian. Meet him and give him my regards at the Trinidad Public Library where I lectured.....I can't find Briere's address in Jamaica, but Peter will probably know him.....So have a good trip, and if you get a chance, you or Isa (delightful one!) drop me a card, but by air, otherwise it will be June before I get it. I'd say don't take that long drive to the Pitch Lake in Trinidad. Not worth it. Go to one of the beaches near Port-au-Spain instead. And in Puerto Rico, see the all-Negro village past the race track about 15 miles from San Juan, in a palm grove by the sea where they make the santos, Luisa Aldea, I believe it is called with outdoor fish-fry stands quite delicious and dancing on Sundays. (Puertorican restaurants are worst in world in San Juan. But it's almost worth a trip across the island to Ponce just to see the Alice-in-Wonderland Fire House there, and the day-time drive is rather pretty). But on the whole, Trinidad and Puerto Rico cannot compare in interest (for me) to Haiti or Jamaica---but don't tell the folks what I said. And in both places the cuisine is rather dull, I think, even at the "best" places. Enjoy yourselves.

Sincerely,

23^ HIGHPOINT, HIGHGATE,
LONDON, N.6.

TELEPHONE: MOUNTVIEW 6422

1st July '63

Langston - dear, welcome in
old Europe. Happiness to
you on your tour and SHALOM
since you're going to the
Holy Land.

Why not to London as Nativity
will be back in town as from to-
morrow???? We've been banking
on your visit this time.

Life is a little more hectic
than usual what with the
jobs that were waiting for me
here. We came back to London
just 3 weeks ago, seems 3 years;
Holland for me next week. Please
come to London this time. You've
never been up at Highpoint either
which is an unforgivable (almost)
omission.

I'll send the programme book of
the Aldeburgh Festival to your
home base or keep it until you
come here. You have a nice bit in
it since I took the title from
your poem.

Isa joins in loving thoughts
and good wishes.

PLEASE call us soon and here.
If you can't make London, make
Paris and tell us when

HOTEL CONTINENTAL

FACE AU JARDIN DES TUILERIES

3. RUE DE CASTIGLIONE

PARIS

TÉLÉPHONE :

OPÉRA 18-00

TÉLÉGRAMMES

CONTENTAL-PARIS

August 25, 1963

Dear Rosey and Isa,

I still have the most pleasant of memories of the delightful
luncheon with you at your very lovely apartment, and I only
wish the time spent with you both could have been longer. It
was certainly a pleasant surprise to find Julia there. If I
did not have to fly back to New York this week-end in a hurry
because of urgent cables concerning TAMBOURINES TO GLORY and
a possible film to be made in Africa, I would stop again in London
on the way home—but my next address will be New York, so write
me there. And if Isa managed to get any photographs of the BLACK
NATIVITY sign please send them to me in New York. Also there is
another favor that you could do for me if you have time. That is
to telephone Inez Cavanaugh at this number in London and ask her
to give you her mailing address for me since a friend in Paris had
only the telephone number. The telephone number is: GOD. 845.
Inez is a friend of Gordon Heath and was singing here at the Blue
Note in Paris when I came through last year. I understand she is
opening a small club in London which will specialize in American
Negro cuisine. I think you and Isa will enjoy knowing her.

With cordial regards to you both as ever,

Sincerely,

R. C. SEINE 56 B 10-367

23a Highpoint, N. Hill, London N. 6

1st October 1963

Very dear Langston,

we've at last tracked down that Inez Cavanagh. Quite by chance. Last Sunday Oscar Brown Junior came for dinner and told us he'd been to a restaurant where a wonderful woman had fixed him excellent rice and peas... of course it was Inez. She's at THE VILLAGE, 77 LOWER SLOANESTREET, LONDON S.W. 1 We haven't been to the place yet. It is rather out of our region and even after Ionescu's Exit the King at the Royal Court we had to hurry on to the Underground to get home before transportation in this city throws us into the reluctant arms of taxidrivers who do not fancy Highpoint late at night because there's little chance for a return fare. However we'll manage to see Miss Cavanagh sometime soon.

I'm just in the midst of Bloke's book. Fascinated by it, he can write and he can say what he has to say more impressively than any other South African I've read so far. Great book that.

My university work has started again. Several plans ahead for poetry readings. The usual winter run in London. More than half my mind is still in the States though. Last week Vera Foster visited here briefly (Tuskegee's Mrs. President) which made me feel again uncertain about having done right not to go back to Livingstone this semester. Well, I think one has to make up one's mind and can't have it both ways: Highpoint and one's friends and of course Isa and on the other hand almost absolute fulfillment in one kind of work plus human communication.

Please keep us informed about the progress of your work: Tambourines and otherwise.

Very fondly ( and that goes for Isa too)

5th November 1963

23a Highpoint, N. Hill
London N.6, England

My dear Langston, there are a few things I'm most anxious to know about. In the first place _TAMBOURINES_ . We had a letter from Alex Bradford (miracles do happen in our day and age) who told us about the great names leading the show. How did everything go? Please send me a programme, and if possible, have Clara Ward and Hilde Simms sign it. You will send a programme to the Azalia Hackley Collection of the Detroit Public Library, will you ? I normally keep them supplied with all that goes on here but hope my friends in the States will send their stuff directly.

Another thing : Isa is anxious to know too whether you ever received her pictures of the NATIVITY outsize ligh-ads in London. She sent you a whole lot of them I know.

November always seems to be a busier months than other busy ones. This year's no exception. BBC sound radio will follow the Queen's Christmas Message with a programme of Spirituals, Gospelsongs ( bits from Black Nativity too, I gather ) etc. this year. Linked by poetry by American Negroes on the subject of Christmas, general religious outlook, the Mother-Child atmosphere. I'm sorting out the poetry side of it. Anything you'd particularly like to have included ? I can only have eight poems in all, I think. One L.H. among them...

I visited Geoffrey Bridson in his office yesterday. He told me about his very ambitious project for next year and that he'll soon be in the States again to see you about that new idea of his. It's a very old one of mine but we have to face that: dear old BBC will take her material from her employees rather than from outside off-beat free-lances like myself... Still they all want my advice and... the material I collected over 35 years ! (Ow I'm an old woman, really). Bridson was very, very nice. I like him a lot too. I hope he'll be able to put those chats with me on a professional basis ! One's got to earn one's living even as a free-lance. I'm sure you could drop in a word sideways on that subject should it come up in New York and should it not have been put right before he leaves. I told him something about Mari Evans ( do you know she's advanced to 'assistant editor' of a house magazine of some old Indianapolis firm, the first Negro woman they ever employed, the first Negro ever in the office ! They gave her her 'status symbol' ..."the key to the white, closed John" ) whom he simply MUST have on that programme of his'n. Oh why is a ticket to New York still so expensive???? I miss all my friends in the States so much and often long for my students at Livingstone too. They keep in touch and I am happy about it.

Shirley Graham is visiting here just now in her quality as

5th April 1964

My dear Langston : this is a matter of some urgency.
I am <u>drowned</u> in preparations for a new book, i.e.
my Dutch publisher, the one for whom I did I SAW HOW
BLACK I WAS (together with Paul) some years ago, has
asked me for a new book.

It will be out before the Christmas season... I know
you can imagine the mess I am in. The introduction
of some 6000 words, I shall have to take with me to
Holland in ten days time. A race against time as you
know of too.

The book will contain all kinds of protest poetry, songs,
rhymes etc. linked by historical documents over a period
of 300 years... Focus : not so well known old artists,
and this generation.

Among other items by Langston Hughes (my agent is contacting
your publishers for all that ), I want to include two very
brief bits of ASK YOUR MAMA namely:

page 8: from And they asked me right at Christmas to

page 9: Make Haste !

Queries:

1. May I substitute (4th line from the end) Mammy Faubus, and make her into Mammy Barnett as you did in D.C.,1959 and other readings?

2. Please some very brief biographical data about Zelma Watson George. I am a poor ofay ignòramus, must confess I don't know....

The second bit runs from kaxxkimaexpage69xxkxthex@maxtek
beginning of Mood 10, page 69 to page 70 Voted for your Mama.

Queries:

Several names for whom I need a who's who from
you as this book is very much about great Negro
personalities and will supply very brief informat-
ion about them.

JOCKO LIL GREENWOOD
o.k., found her

INEZ MABEL.

FRISCO

BRICKTOP

In case we shall be allowed to include a further continuation of
that fragment until page 71, IS IN ORBIT, I shall also need:

ADELE RAMONA IRENE HELEN SMITTY

Very brief information is sufficient. If jazz musicians, full name
will help me to find them in Encycl. of Jazz

We're both well, I need to be for the state I am in just now!

Much love from Isa too,

April 8, 1964

Miss Rosey Pool
23 A Highpoint
North Hill
LONDON N.6
ENGLAND

Dear Miss Pool:

Mr. Hughes has asked me to reply to your note of
April 5th in which you ask for biographical information on
certain people.

1.) You may substitute Mammy Barnett for Mammy Faubus.

2.) ZELMA WATSON GEORGE, soprano. Created the role of Mme. Flora in Menotti's The Medium for Karamu House (Cleveland) production, December 1949 for 100 performances including a television showing in August 1950. Moved to The Arena (Edison Hotel) for 17 weeks in New York City where it was a smash hit. She has also distinguished herself as a musicologist and socialologist and holds a doctorate from Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

JOCKO is a popular disc jockey in Harlem; ERISCO was a dancer once famous in London and Paris; BRICKTOP (see THE BIG SEA by L.H.). ADELE is my former secretary; RAMONA is a friend; IRENE is a friend; HELEN a friend; SMITTY, also a friend.

I hope that this material can be of some help to
you in completing your manuscript.

23a Highpoint, N.Hill, London N.6

1st May 1964

My dear Langston, we're both very well, thank you, the under-

signed a little more energetically busy than usual. Hence this
letter. In points about my new book: I am the New Negro,
a bi-lingual anthology of poetry, songs, documents concerning
300 years of Resistance of the American Negro, with commentary,
introduction(6000words), biographies of people about whom
the poets write etc. Not a small job. To be published this fall
by the same people who did I SAW HOW BLACK I WAS, Daamen, The
Haguëm, Holland .

My agent (Robert Harben of London) is dealing with Hughes
Massie for your poems : Roland Hayes Beaten, Trumpet Player
and three short exerpts from Ask Your Mama.

1. I also want to include : FREEDOM RIDE, and CERTAINTY, neither of which are in your books so far I gather. May I, please?

2. Do you know whether Bette Darcie LATIMER is anywhere about where one can reach her (for to W.E.B. on his 80th birthday). It's in your Poetry of the Negro of course. Send old address

3. What do you think I need to do about James Weldon Johnson's LIFT EV'RY VOICE, which I want to include with the music? It was published by Edward B. Marks Music Corporation. Send Could your nice secretary find their address for me, please? I assume they are in New York?

No more today. Isa and I will be off on a three weeks vacation afloat (on a Yogoslav ship from Venice via Yogoslavia, Greece to North Africa then Malta, Sicily, home via Paris and Amsterdam), so the slogan is WORK.

I gave a poetry reading recently in Amsterdam and had TED JOANS in the audience! He rambles about Europe now, want to selltle in Denmark or so and paint.Writing, he says, comes too easily to him....

Isa joins in warmest regards,

13th May '64

Dear Langston, thank you so much for all the trouble taken on
my behalf. Imagine Bette Latimer is Mrs. McKinney, librarian at
Durfree Jr. Highschool in Detroit, lives there too: 16644 Parkside.
So to speak on my doorstep for months and I didn't get to know her.

Do you know Julia Fields is getting married. 17 June. I have no
idea who the man is. She merely wrote to tell Isa and me "my first
daughter will be called Isa Eva (that's my middle name) Lawrence"
so I gather the lucky man's name is Lawrence.

Every letter which I've been receiving these weeks has reference to
your latest much praised anthology which I've tried to buy in London
so far in vain. Could you please order one for me in New York and
tell me how much I owe either you or the bookseller. Lots of thanks
for the trouble. Now you'll be free from Rosey Pool botherations
as she's off on her vacation next Saturday DV.

Isa sends warmest regards,

N.Y.P.

Ordered
sent

13th November 1964

182

My dear Langston, however brief your visit in London has been, it was good to see you and to note your energy, your zest, your joie de vivre ever bubbling over ! Your party was like a tonic too.

My Dutch publishers of 'ik ben de Nieuwe Neger' ('i am the New Negro') are a little behind schedule with the book; official publication date should have been next Monday but the printing job was so complicated, they say, what with translations, commentary, poetry and prose set in different kinds of type and different width and what not. Well, as long as it will be out before Christmas I don't mind.

One of the reasons why I am writing to-day is to tell you I've now definitely accepted the invitation from Alabama A. & M. to be their 'lecturer-in-residence' for the 25th January '65 to end of May semester. They've arranged my timetable so considerably that I shall have to be on campus only Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and will be free for outside lectures, visits etc. the other days. I shall most probably do a course at Tuskegee simultaneously. Well, once one gets there, there hardly won't be a dull moment as usual.

I don't think I'll stop over in New York on the way out - that is unless the writers' conference at New School would be at such dates that I could attend without having to leave London too early in the month. I'm still writing for my dear life and for a Dutch publisher ; a textbook for the tuition of English to Dutch teenage girls whose need is something like a glorified woman's glossy magazine ! I'm enjoying the job too !

'In white America' is opening here (Arts Theatre) next Monday. Director Peter Coe.Earl Cameron in it and Gordon Heath and Bunny Clarke whose first professional 'legitimate' theatrical job this is, she was Owen's student at Howard and went into light entertainment and nighthclub work. Alvin is still successful dancing. His wife enjoys her London and sends you her warmest regards. We've just spent a pleasant evening together up here.

You've put a proper bee in my bennet with your enthusiastic announcement of the 1965 Dakar Festival! I have the programme now and can fully understand your enthusiasm too! I've written to Hank Raullerson at AMSAC and asked him whether he knew a way for me to attend ! His reply was : perhaps Langston knows.... I am of course as always between two or more chairs. I'm neither a Negro nor an American nor even British ( I understand there may be a British committee ) and have to rely on the 'recognition' as one who knows a little about" the Negro's creative genius" by one or the other authority in power, which methinks happens to be YOU.

183

ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE

NORMAL, ALABAMA

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
AND FOREIGN LANGUAGES

6th February 1965

Dear Langston, on my way here I stopped over at Fisk for a day, saw Arna and heard how busy you are. Still I want to have a chat with you now that I've parked myself here for a semester wondering all the time just what is Normal in Alabama?

The classes promise to be fine, students are already thawing up, they accept me and I'm happy about it. The class Survey of Negro Writing (3 hours) like my others is entirely voluntary. That particular one started with 8 registered participants ten days ago. This week at close of registration I have 30, as many as I am allowed to have and actually many more sit in without being registered and without getting credit for their work.

I also have 3 hours workshop creative writing and 2 hours of critical exploration of Negro Poets of the USA.

Isa is by her lonesome self in London, our friends comfort her, and I am expecting her in Washington for my (goodness me, 60th !) birthday in May. That's something to look forward to for both of us.

On my list of required reading for my Survey of etc. I put your TAMBOURINES and WAYS OF WHITE FOLK. Neither in our library. Do you by any chance have copies to spare on your shelves ? Orders via bookshops or publishers come through so very slowly I have found. They've ample funds here for the purchase of books so please bill them if you've got to get the books via publishers.

Have you heard from Arthur lately? I wrote him a letter before I left London, have no news from him. Is he well?

My office is rapidly becoming a clubroom as was at Livingstone ! Very best to you, fondly, Order

184

NORMAL, ALABAMA

2 March '65

Dear Langston, I'm so glad to know
that publishers do that sort of thing
even to you! I mean reprinting without
notifying you. In any case I'm reaping
the fruit of that omission. Thank you
very much indeed. Our librarian is won-
derfully co-operative, orders absolutely
everything I suggest and in several
copies too. That's about the only advan-
age there is to being in a state-run
college for Negroes.

Otherwise I wonder from say to day that
I'm still inside my own skin onburst,
so much happens or rather does not happen
here that brings me several times a day
to exploding point. Those 37 million
for education and tuition down the drain
because Mr. governor refuses to accept it
on the government's terms... Is this a
place where madmen run louse or what?

I promise I'll try to keep sane and I'll
try not to get into too much trouble if
I can help it. Five years of Underground
are sometimes very useful...

Fondly, always,

New York 10035

October 9, 1965

Dear Rosey: [Poole]

Miss Vinnette Carroll departed these shores last night via First Class BOAC Jet for Glasgow. Glory Van Scott, leading lady _Jezebel_ of my PRODIGAL SON accompanied her, whilst the rest of the company went Tourist on Icelandic---and probably haven't gotten to Scotland yet, it being a propeller of flight. Anyhow, after unheard/upsetments, they all finally got off, so you'll probably be seeing them in London after their appearances in the Provinces, most of the original company of a most ballistic production of the old Bible tale of the boy who had to learn the difference between right and wrong the hard way. If you see any notices about it before it gets to London, please clip and send me. It opens in Cumberland on the 11th.....HY to Isa!

(Bridson also advised)

188

October 22, 1965

Dear Rosey:

Thanks ENORMOUSLY for the review
of PRODIGAL---the only one I've gotten so
far from anybody. Bless you! But maybe now
I'll get more news, since the producer,
Stella Holt has recently left for London.
She's a most interesting woman---the only
blind producer I know of---who has done 31
plays off-Broadway (and my SIMPLY HEAVENLY
went to Broadway) in New York. I haven't
her hotel address in London, but if you'd like
to meet her, contact the Dorfman office. Or
ask Vinnette, if you see her. Vinnette, I
hear, flew back to New York for her mother's
funeral, but didn't contact anyone, and I
didn't know she was here until she had re-
turned to England.

Had dinner with Arthur Spingarn
the other day at Luchow's (where we ate that til
when you were here). He's getting abit more
ageable and wearing a hearing aid these days.

Re the Dakar Festival, AMSAC is
sort of the clearing house here, John A. Davis,
and I think the American contingent is just abc
already set up. Seems one big problem is hotel
to house people. Dakar only has three! I am
at a loss as to suggestions for you, except
that some periodical or radio or TV outfit
should send you as a reporter-observer---
maybe Radio Haversum in Holland. Try them.

I've got the WORST cold---as has
almost everyone here, sort of influenza weather.
Say HELLO to Isa............Sincerely,

CLASS OF SERVICE

This is a fast message
unless its deferred char-
acter is indicated by the
proper symbol.

WESTERN UNION
TELEGRAM

W. P. MARSHALL, PRESIDENT

1201 (4-60)

SYMBOLS

DL=Day Letter

NL=Night Letter

LT=International
Letter Telegram

The filing time shown in the date line on domestic telegrams is LOCAL TIME at point of origin. Time of receipt is LOCAL TIME at point of destination

CTC444 LGD063 PLG308 UINY HL GBLG 034 C450CDC DAF

37 INTL PD

CD LONDON VIA ITT OCT 29 1965 1230

LT LANGSTON HUGHS

20 EAST 127TH ST NYK25

NEGRO THEATRE WORKSHOP LONDON CONSIDERING YOUR BALLAD
OF THE BALLAD OF THE BROWN KING FOR CHRISTMAS
PERFORMANCE NOT COMMERCIAL PROBABLY CHURCHES PLEASE
GIVE PERMISSION AND SEND COPY TO ME LOVE

ROSEY

400P

THE COMPANY WILL APPRECIATE SUGGESTIONS FROM ITS PATRONS CONCERNING ITS SERVICE

190

November 4, 1965

Dear Rosey:

I'm rushing (as usual) this time to get off to Cleveland tomorrow for the 50th Anniversary of Karamu House and Theatre where they are performing my SIMPLY HEAVENLY (4th revival) and having a week of seminars on theatre, etc., with Fred O'Neal and other New Yorkers in attendance. Then I might go on to California for the performance at the San Francisco Opera House of my cantata, LET US REMEMBER about the martyrs (Jewish, cullud, and Gentile) of the past—with a hundred voices, Jennie Tourel, and symphony orchestra—of which I have not heard a note, as yet, but the composer, David Amram, who is a jazz man when not writing serious music, has probably done a very exciting score, ethnically and musically.

This is to tell you that I've airmailed both you and Mrs. Conners a score of THE BALLAD OF THE BROWN KING and granted permission for its use. Sam Fox Publishers have a London branch (or a representative there) from whom I think more copies may be obtained. The Dorfman office should know who they are, as I think they're negociating for publication of the PRODIGAL SONG. That show's now touring Belgium, I hear. Let me know when they're advertised for London—as nobody in the company ever writes. (I don't believe Vinnette knows how).

Best ever, and HY to Isa,

TELEPHONE: MOUNTVIEW 6422

18th April '66

My dear Langston, you are one of the nicest people I know on this earth but... you cannot claim being one of the best photographers ! Witness the enclosed. With undue modesty I say mine are a good, good deal better ! Come and see them soon in London.

In this foggy, rainy, miserable London weather I am green with envy to know you will be enjoying African light and colour for quite some time. Have a wonderful tour ! Both Isa and I certainly are happy about your good fortune.

I'm just back from a few days in Holland, broadcasting and talking about Dakar.

I've got a problem. To whom has the document for DuBois' lit.prize been handed. I wrote to Mercer Cook. He has no knowledge of it. If you are still in Dakar when this arrives, would you try to find out from the Festival Office.
I am writing to them at the Paris address to-day. I saw Shirley Graham in London a week ago. She left here, I have her address. She is now with her son David, so the document can easily be sent to her in Cairo, or to me and I'll forward it.

Travel happily, take good care of yourself. You are precious to us.

Fondly, always,

Just had a letter from Vinnette. Depressive as usual.

Isa

Normal, Alabama 35762

19th September '66

My dear Langston, here I am again - back to Normal -
for the semester.

I left Isa behind with an old friend, an ex-colleague of hers who is revisiting England after having lived in the States for ten years. The friend occupies our little spareroom downstairs and I am happy Isa has some one to share evenings with if she wants to and especially there will be someone to look after her if she should run into a low day or so. That puts my mind at ease. Our plans are the usual ones. I am expecting Isa in this country beginning of January or thereabouts after which we go visiting a bit and I will lecture around the West coast before we start going home via Mexico and possibly other South American countries.

Here at A. & M. there are some notable changes. Still an all black student body but about half a dozen white faculty who are happily integrated, both academically and socially I feel.

I feel again at home on my old hunting ground, will teach a world lit. class, a class in Negro writing, a creative writing workshop.

On my way here I had a few days in Washington, stayed with the Porters, saw a lot of people I am very fond of and that was a good start. One of Dorothy Porter's young assistants told me she is working on a Langston Hughes bibliography and had written to you. If you have a moment, do send her a line. She is going all to pieces with anxiety that you might be annoyed or something.

Now enclosed with this letter you will find a note written by a Dutch sculptor (married to a West Indian) to Marion Williams. She made a most beautiful statuette of Marion which I bought. A bronze about 8 inches high. It had all Marion's power. I got it at the occasion of a sale of art for the benefit of the S.African Defense and Aid Fund for victims of apartheid, which was held in Holland this spring. Nel van Lith, the sculptor, want to get her letter to Marion and also two photographs of the work which I am sending on to you by separate mail, hoping you will be able to detect either Marion herself or her agent.

It will be wonderful to hear from you and much wonderfuller to see you. I do indeed trust this trip will get me to N.Y. some time. Will you be gypsy-ing about again this winter?

Very best to you,

September 21, 196

Dear Rosey:

So good to have your letter! Why don't you stop by New York and see us once in a while? Arthur is O. K., I had dinner with him once since I've been back from Africa. Vinnette I tried phoning more than once but her answering service says she is out of town for several weeks. Maybe you know where she is....I will get the note to Marion Williams, if I can find her before she goes off (so I hear) to Japan. Her agent doesn't answer by phone today.

I'm going to see the opening of the POETRY show tonight to see what they do with my poems. Pauline Myers is opening in another one next week, as you'll see from enclosed. And later in the fall Equity Library Theatre is staging an adaption by Woody King of my poems. So, it's poetry coming into vogue? Or what?

Folks are coming to town from every-which-a-where---England, Paris, Ethiopia---phone calls and notes from them in N. Y., but I've been so hard pressed on deadlines, I haven't been able to see most of them. Just turned in my big PICTORIAL HISTORY OF THE NEGRO IN AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT yesterday (six months overdue) and must start on another URGENT commitment tomorrow! But maybe someday, I will get out from under. One can't travel and get work done, too.

Arna Bontemps' new address for the winter is: 4939 South Dorchester Avenue, Chicago, Ill. 60620. He's teaching at University of Illinois there.

New book you must get: BLACK ON WHITE, A Critical Survey of Negro Writing by David Littlejohn, short, witty, and easy to read--and says WONDERFUL things about me.....Love,

Normal, Alabama 35762

24th Sept. '66

Very dear Langston - a great big tremendous enormous fabulous
THANK YOU
for all your kindnesses : the letter, the cuttings, the book.

I saw the BLACK ON WHITE in Washington at Owen's and was surprised Sam Allen did not know about it, Littlejohn says very nice things about him too and about Owen. I ordered the book for myself and for the library here of course.

I carry a heavy load this semester: special chapters of wordl lit., a course of 3 hours Negro authors, a creative writing workshop and... a class remedial english. I tried to get out of that because my voice is strange, my english differs from american etc. etc. but they have so many students and the freshmen english tests were so frightening that all of us have to play the game. So I teach english viz. the american lingua franca as a foreign language, try to imprint the value of the southern regional tongue to the young uns and make an effort to show them grammar and syntax and idiom of their OWN language as against the lingua franca. They are fascinated and so am I. Of course the fall down on dictation when you find out that feel and fill to them sound absolutely alike and so do mill and meal. It is enormously enlightening on both sides of the fence. I'm learning more than they do....

This week I'll be in Washington a few days. United States Inf. Agency invited me to appear on a TV panel with Senghor, Dr. Chiardi and Sam Allen. I am deeply honoured, flattered and excited, was indeed so flabberghasted and bowled over that I quite forgot to ask about channel and transmission time. I think we go on the air in W'ton at 4.15 Thursday 29th. However our public relationsman will find out for me. I'll stay with the Porters again. Perhaps something may turn up to do for me in N.Y? sometime during the semester and I'll be off like a shot : Don't you know some one who would have me lecture ? And pay my fare of course :

Isa does not sound too lost and forlorn in her letters which
comforts me. Ah yes, I do know about Vin. She is in Ann Arbor.
Directing Sartre's FLIES. She is a character in a million.

First chooses her play and has absolute care blanche to pick what
she likes, then she begins to doubt and gets into a terrible state
of depression and bombards Isa with letters in order to be told
off by her in what Vin called Isa's " no nonsense voice ".
We both love her so much that old Carroll grumpie.

Good bye for to-day dear Lang, it makes me feel good to know
you are on the same world as the one I inhabit, and I wish N.Y.,
were a little nearer to Alabama,

198

1st October '66
Buchanan Hall

Alabama A. & M.
Normal, Ala, 35762

Very dear Langston : it was a great additional joy to the Washington escapade to see you. Not such a joy to see you really very tired. Please look after yourself. Dorothy Porter was quite right : you are too precious to be doing too many kind things for people, things which can wait and not be harmed by waiting.... Gosh wouldn't old Kipling rotate this moment !

Upon my return here I feel a bit like
Cinderella after the ball. And not even
lost a slipper.

I am not coming to New York. Too far, too
expensive and I had to go back. The admin-
istration here are so co-operative, I am
so much a non-conformist on this campus
and do not want to arouse ill-feeling by
being away without an urgent reason.

Paul is in luck arriving just before the
Prize giving day. I had a note from him
just now saying I might leave word for
him with you. Of course I'm looking for-
ward to his visit. Of course I'm going to
hand him around on campus ! Please just
ask him to drop me a line or call me
to tell me when he's arriving. By bus from
Nashville I assume, so that he can be met.
The poor innocent maything we have such
a thing as public transport from bus to
college down here.

Now some sad news..... This is indeed
WAY BACK OF BEYOND. In my class on Negro
authors I read at first session two
brief pieces: Todd Matshikiza's - With
the Lid off - story from your anthology
and a - Simple - story. Without mention
of author or location. I wanted the kids

-2-

199

to identify locale and at least one author. They detected South Africa and Harlem but.... none of these eighteen young people was familiar with Jesse B.S. ! I was shocked, hurt and floored.

Now Mr. Hughes : I am planning and plotting for another writers gathering on this ole lonesome hill. Probably end of January.

If the administration approached you at my suggestion would you consider to come, even though it might be for one day only if your time is running short ....????? On this ground and in this part of these loosely united states your appearance here would radiate pride and strength and incentive for years to come. I know that. We've got a fine bunch of young ones down here but as you know very well victims of their education. This is a state college but things which are going on here show we can go ahead our own way if we have the guts. And several of us down here do have that.

I'm hoping to get Sam Allen down here for that conference, Margaret Burroughs, a young one like James Thompson perhaps; they all want Mari Evans back. I may try to rope in Lerone Bennett. If Julia Fields feels fit I do want her too as she is a child of this part of the world. Are you playing ?

Lots of fond thoughts,

201

October 22, 1966

Dear Rosey:

Immediate reply---so you won't be kept
waiting:

I remember pleasant visits to Normal
in the past, and so regret very much that
I cannot accept the kind invitation to come
to A. & M. this fall. My being out of the
country so much in past months has caused
my writing commitments to get so far be-
hind schedule that I must now remain at my
typewriter for a long time to come. But
please thank the Conference Committee for
thinking of me.

I am trying (after this month) to keep
my calendar absolutely clear until after
the New Year, so I can get some urgent (and
interesting) writing jobs done---which demand
a little peace and quite, and not running to
catch planes and trains all the time. (Among
us, between other deadline jobs, I am writing
a new play---this time a straight comedy
without music---which is fun to work on when
ever I get some inbetween moments).

Equity Library Theatre at Lincoln
Center is staging a montage of my poems en-
titled *THE WEARY BLUES* at the end of the
month, Woody King directing---some poetry
is being used a lot around New York these
days. I hear it looks good in rehearsals,
now underway.

Best ever---and if you see Paul again,
tell him I'll be in Virginia on the weekend,
when he's due back, but to come get his mail
at my place anyhow.

October 28, 1966

Dear Rosey:

Your proceedings of your WRITERS'
CONFERENCE is most interesting and handsome
looking, and the remarks of the participants
are all engrossing. Thanks a lot for sending
it to me.

If you can, please send a copy to Arna
Bontemps, 4939 South Dorchester, Apt. 3E,
Chicago, Illinois, 60615.

Also to my Japanese archivist at Howard:
Mr. Takao Kitamura,
1924 - 15th Street, N. W.,
Washington, D. C. 20009

And to the professor whose book on me Twaine
is publishing and teaches Negro lit at City
College: Dr. James Emanuel,
405 Nuber Avenue,
Mount Vernon, New York

And, of course, Mr. Donald Gallup, Curator,
James Weldon Johnson Collection,
Yale University Library,
New Haven, Conn.

for their Negro Literature Collection there.
Schomburg Collection should have one, too,
for their archives. It's a fine compilation.

I guess Paul Breman should get back to
New York this weekend, and I'll hear all about
his trip.

Cordial regards,

203

FIRST CLASS

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 EAST, 127 Street

To send
a book
to poet

New York 25
N.Y.

Normal, Alabama 35762

20 December '66

My dear Langston,

thank you so very much for the beautiful
book. I caught a share of the throat ailment
which is visiting this campus and had to stay
in bed for a day. What chance : So I could read
the book straight away. Many of the stories I
knew, many were new to me. You are so right
about the rare quality of Alice Walker's story!
Thank you especially for the inscription.

Catherine Lesley presented me to-day with
the enclosed poems. She is something like Julia
with regard to background and looks. A fawn
born in a sharecroppers shack on Route 1, Harvest
Alabama. She turns out some half a dozen poems
a week, works hard at them when she does not quite
like them, is much more intuitive and direct now
then she was a year ago, much blacker too :
Look what she did with your Mother to Son. What
ingenuity with the use of that word bare. Imagine
how she will walk that carpet bare - and she will,
good red carpet too. Can you send her a postcard
and one line of encouragement : Route 1, Box 25,
Harvest, Alabama 35749. I won't tell her I sent you
the Black Boy poems. Her younger brother (14, she is 19)
did the drawings. There are nine children I believe,
too poor to even have Catherine stay on campus. She used
to ride here with the agricultural workers, now has a ride
from a neighbour in a real car. They put that child
in business ed. because she has to earn a living as soon
as possible and does not want to teach, has not enough
patience for small children, she says. I am in touch
with Virginia Callahan, Humanities at Howard who thinks
they can find the necessary funds to have Catherine
change to Howard after graduation next year, funds that
would take care of all her expenses. She needs that too,
can always earn something extra as a secretary hour-wise,
that's her training.

How is Aunt T. ? I do hope she will be able to spend
Christmas at home. Please give her my warm regards, good
wishes and thoughts for a speedy and complete recovery,

Normal, Alabama 35762

14th January '67

My dear Langston, quickly the latest:

Isa is leaving London for NEW YORK Monday 6th February.

Arriving 3.40 p.m. New York time.

Rosey is planning to be in New York at least a day ahead
of that VC10.

Staying Beekman Tower as usual.

I do hope you'll be in town.

Please give me your current phone number so I can try
and get hold of you.

I'm very excited and although there's
still a hard working week ahead of me, exams and all,
I'm very much "packin' up, ready to go...."

Au revoir,

love,

1. We're leaving New York 11th February for Mexico.

2. Conference photo: Dr. Richard Morrison (A.&M.president) - Sam Allen - Mari Evans - Dudley Randall
Margt Burroughs - REP - Margt Danner

3. Leaving A. & M. Sunday 22nd January for Washington (c.o.Owen Dodson, Drama Dept.Howard).

January 17, 1967

Rosey:

You looked very elegant before the
Alabama Baha'i's.

And thanks for the fine Conference
photo.

I hope to be about February 6-11
and to see you-all. My phone is
~~1234567890~~
PRIVATE---don't give it to anyone,
PLEASE. For messages: TR. 3-4022.

Vinnette is directing RAISING IN THE SUN
FOR THE Newark Center of Performing Arts to
open at a Catholic center over there on
February 10th, formal dance following.

My Aunt is still seriously ill in the
hospital. Now her husband not well either.
And the plumbers coming in to tear up the
house tomorrow!

Good flight NORTH! Be seein you.

P.S. In washington, if you remember,
please ask Owen if he knows any
relatives, family or friends, or
anyone who can tell me when the poet,
LEWIS ALEXANDER, died. I need date
for my anthology. Or would Bureau of
Vital Statistics have it on record—
about 10 years ago, I think.