(COPY SENT TO LIEBER)

August 24, 1944.

Mr. Moe Asch,
Asch Records,
New York City.

Dear Asch,

I am enclosing herein copies of my letters to Mr. Joseph Lesser of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., and to my literary agent, Mr. Maxim Lieber, 489 Fifth Avenue, concerning the poems to be released in our album. Would you kindly get in touch with Mr. Lesser regarding the poems from my books published by Knopf? As you see, I have asked Mr. Lieber to secure the other releases for us.

Within the week, I shall try to have the album notes ready for you. And whenever you wish to send out announcements of the album, I have an excellent address list which you may use. Also I can place publicity material with the various Negropapers and news syndicates as a news release.

I think it might be a good idea if we would place a small ad in the November issue of THE CRISIS, 69 Fifth Avenue, New York, announcing the album, as it reaches all the Negro schools and colleges, intellectuals, etc. who are likely to buy the album. It is possible that arrangements might be made through their mail-order book division to handle the records.

I'd like to place an order for a dozen albums myself right now, for various relatives and friends at Christmas.

I'll drop by the office as soon as I have a draft of the NOTES ready.

(COPY SENT TO ASCH)

August 24, 1944.

Mr. Maxim Lieber,
489 Fifth Avenue,
New York 17, N. Y.

Dear Max,

Asch Records wishes to release this fall an album of my recorded
poems in a limited edition, recorded by myself. I would appreciate
your taking care of the agreement with Mr. Moe Asch.

The album will contain thirty-one poems, fourteen of which are in
various Knopf books. I have sent Mr. Lesser at the Knopf office
a list of these poems, enclosing a carbon herein for you.

Of the other seventeen poems, these are in the booklet published
by The Negro Publication Society, JIM CROW'S LAST STAND, copyrighted
in my name, and now out of print. The firm is out of business, and
I do not believe we would need a release on these poems:

GOODMORNING, STALINGRAD
TO CAPTAIN MULZAC
STILL HERE
BALLAD OF THE LANDLORD
BIG BUDDY
NOTE ON COMMERCIAL THEATRE

Of the others unpublished in book form, the only ones on which we may
require a release is COULD BE BLUES published last year in ESQUIRE,
and LATE LAST NIGHT, both in the same issue.

THE BREATH OF A ROSE was first published ten years or so ago by
Schirmer's as a song with music by William Grant Still. It was later
used in my autobiography, THE BIG SEA, Knopf, who credit it to
Schirmer's, so I imagine the release would have to come from the latter.

All other poems listed on the enclosed list as "Manuscript", unless
your files prove otherwise, are free, the rights belonging completely
to us. I have asked Mr. Asch to get in touch directly with Knopf con-
cerning poems from my books. Whatever other releases are needed, you
can no doubt furnish him. Mr. Asch has promised an advance of $100.00
as soon as the records are processed. I am to write the notes for the
booklet accompanying the album.

(COPY SENT TO ASCH, LIEBER, LESSER) (address last sent 8/27/45)

August, 1944.

THE POEMS OF LANGSTON HUGHES
as
Recorded
for
Asch Album

Side Number: Poem#: (31) Where Found:

1. PORTER..................Fine Clothes To The Jew
BRASS SPITCONS............Fine Clothes To The Jew
KU KLUX KLAM..............Shakespeare In Harlem
MERRY-GO-ROUND.............Shakespeare In Harlem

2. HARLEM SWEETIES.........Shakespeare In Harlem
Sylvester's Dying Bed....Shakespeare In Harlem
Wake........................Shakespeare In Harlem
LITTLE LYREC...............Shakespeare In Harlem

3. NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS...The Weary Blues
MOTHER TO SON...............The Weary Blues
MA LORD.....................The Dream Keeper
I, TOO, SING AMERICA........The Weary Blues

4. FLORIDA ROAD WORKERS.......Manuscript
GOOD MORNING STALINGRAD.....Manuscript

5. TO CAPTAIN MULZAC.........Manuscript

6. THE WEARY BLUES...........The Weary Blues
TOO BLUE....................Manuscript
COULD BE BLUES..............Manuscript
LATE LAST NIGHT.............Manuscript

7. LITTLE SONGS...............Manuscript
SILENCE.....................Manuscript
BURDEN......................Manuscript
HAVANA DREAMS...............Manuscript
THE BREATH OF A ROSE........The Big Sea & Schirmer's
PRAYER......................Manuscript
BORDER LINE.................Manuscript
IN TIME OF SILVER RAIN.......Manuscript

8. STILL HERE................Manuscript
BALLAD OF THE LANDLORD......Manuscript
BIG BUDDY...................Manuscript
NOTE ON COMMERCIAL THEATRE..Manuscript

20 East 127th Street
New York 35, New York
October 6, 1948

Mr. Moe Asdh
Disc Records
117 West 46th Street
New York, New York

Dear Moe!

I have just completed a series of poems comprising a new book-length
work called MONTAGE OF A DREAM DEFERRED, Poems of Harlem in the Be-Bop
Era. Jacob Lawrence, who did the illustrations for my forthcoming
Knopf book of poems, ONE WAY TICKET, is also doing illustrations for
these, and my literary representative is quite enthusiastic about the
poems and expects to place sequences of them in the better magazines.
Some of these poems, so far as I know, are the first be-bop poems to
be written, and should, therefore, be of great interest to the younger
generation.

I regret that I have not had a chance to come down to see you since my
recent return from the West Coast. But you will recall that about a
year ago we were discussing the possibility of recording another album
of my poems. These poems, I think, would be ideal for that purpose
and, if the idea seems to interest you, I would be happy to come down
and discuss it with you and perhaps we could make the records before I
go away again.

All my good wishes to you.

LH:HHS

Chicago,

Nov. 12,

1954

Dear Moe,

Did you notice there's a typographical error
in the listing in your winter catalogue of my record,
which should be FP 740 RHYTHMS OF THE WORLD---not WORD.
The L got left out. (Page 29).

I'm still in Chicago. Seems like I can't get
away. But will be home early next week.