Dear Langston:

My address is 1424 Davis Avenue.
That is a box on the corner at the back of our
lot. 1620 Graves is our house number but the
mailman does not come to our door. 1205 is my
Sister-in-law's number where T originally got
my mail. She has a telephone 44388 where T can
also be reached. but officially my mail comes
to 1424 Davis Avenue. All of this is to say
we have not moved. We're still in the same
place.

Margaret Walker Alexander
1424 Davis Avenue
High Point, North Carolina

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127th Street
New York, N. Y.

23

October 11, 1948

Dear Langston:

I have been home a week today. As usual it has taken some time to arouse myself out of my natural confusions. People were so kind to me in New York, however, and I had such a happy wonderful trip and such a good week that I am fully determined to turn over a new leaf and write every single person a letter.

Well, in a way I had luck with the novel and in a way I didn't. Mr. Perry said he found the novel interesting and absorbing reading and he would be glad to give me a substantial advance, a contract, and guarantee at least ten thousand dollars initial advertising, BUT it was still in too rough and crude a condition to warrant his showing it to Mr. Wyn and giving me the money then. If I would come home and perfect at least three chapters not in rough first draft but in final draft that he was sure I would receive the money immediately as he has no doubt but that I can do a fine job and I have a wonderful story. Well as usual I got angry and left in a huff saying I would not send it back and I would take it elsewhere. He said he thought I was not being fair considering his interest of four years and that he was sure no other House would take it as it was but would insist that I do more work on it commensurate with my real ability (as he thinks it is.) He also said I was not being fair with myself nor with him. that I would have to buckle down and work hard and prove that I was willing to work. Well, you know that hit me hard in the middle but once away I realized how true all he said really was.

My agent at NCAC says she is willing to try to peddle it herself if I will send it back to her, but I am going to try Perry again I suppose and then if he refuses the second time I'll give it to her. I guess I'll be gray when it finally gets published. but I struggled with FOR MY PEOPLE for five years of really hard work. and I guess I can do it.

I left New York Sunday night at 9:50 and made a mad race for the station as usual. I didn't bother you any more because I did not want you to get apoplexy wondering if I were trying to borrow another dollar and sponge on you. Honestly, Langston, I am deeply grateful and I hope you realize it; I could not have managed to stay there three days if it had not been for you. That week cost one hundred dollars and Alex and I are still wondering where it all came from. Well, twenty-five dollars came from you and I sent to Daddy for fifteen which he sent in time for me to buy my ticket and the rest was from Alex. Alex was ashamed that I had asked you and Daddy, that I should have wired him for more and even though he did not have it he would have managed to borrow it somewhere but I found him weak and ill and I really don't regret not asking him to strain any more.

24

I went to see Charles White on Sunday afternoon because when I called the hospital Friday morning for directions on how to get out there they told me visiting hours were on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday so I waited till Sunday. Charles was looking fine and getting along very well. I was so pleased to hear what great improvement he said he had made. What was best of all he seemed as happy and content as one could wish or expect under the circumstances. He is truly a creature of his environment. He asked me to tell you to send him something to read, anything you have and everything you can manage to send. He had a New Yorker and I imagine he has a subscription, he has a radio and I think his girl friend supplies him with lots of books on Art and literature, but I am sure you can think of something good to send him. He says he is going to stay until they give him that little paper releasing him and the way he looks it won't be another nine months before they do. He was not even coughing and he didn't seem to mind the Catholic nuns either. As usual everybody seems to like him because he is a likeable chap. I know you are not going out there, but please send the reading stuff.

I did go to the movies once in New York which was my first movie in about two or more years and I saw Finian's Rainbow and I went to St. Mark's Church on Sunday and it was a beautiful service, so I really had a grand time in New York. I went to the Radio Show, Break the Bank, on Friday night, a perfectly stupid show typifying the moronic mentality of the average American white people.

I went out to see Jacob and Gwen Lawrence Saturday night and he told me he is doing the pictures for your new book and seemed surprised you didn't tell me. I said maybe you did, but as usual I never remember a thing you have said once I get away. I always promise myself the next time I see Langston Hughes I won't talk so much and let him talk some, but of course it's no use promising. My tongue is really something.

The Faircloughs took me out for a lobster dinner and they were very lovely. She looked quite pretty and happy and kissed me again which made me feel so good and relieved. She really had me wrong. I also had dinner and spent an evening with the Carters. I managed to see about a half dozen other people from the Village to the Bronx so altogether it was a good week. Alex says he hopes I am content to stay here and write for the next two or three years and that the next time I go to New York he will surely go with me which will be wonderful.

Alex says he considers your money and Daddy's his debt but we just can't pay right now. Can you wait for that money from Bucklin Moon? We are trying to figure Christmas for the children and Alex has been broke ever since I got here, but we are very happy and simply trust God to help us out of this embarrassing predicament. Alex's little business is going slowly, but I know eventually he will do well if we can only have patience through this crack.

I am taking your advice and sending out poems, infact I have already started on a list of twelve. Will you please send the address for TIGER'S EYE? Thank you very much for a copy of the Caribbean poems. I think they are more than beautiful, they are exciting. They have the kind of eloquence and imagery and music that make me wonder if I can write poetry after all.
Alex says tell you hello, kindest regards from all of us to you and the Harpers.

(over)

I went to the Theatre with a woman named Jennie Pollard who says she knew you in Cleveland where she worked with the Gilpin players. She is studying the Theatre at New York University and lives at 961 St. Nicholas. She is Mrs. Pollard was Jennie Outlaw. Her husband is in St. Louis and they have two children. She would like nothing better than to see you but is timid about imposing or annoying you, says you might not remember. Iassured her you would as you never forget the least of us. She belongs to that Outlaw family from Chicago and Washington. I'm sure you must know some of them as who down't?

Also Winnie Mason Chenet says a Haitian poet who is in the Anthology was trying to find you. He was in Washington then. I presume by now he has turned up. Hope so anyway as I'm sure you'd be glad to see him too. Did I do something wrong saying that?

Sincerely,
MWA

P.O.Box 7250
JACKSON COLLEGE

FOR NEGRO TEACHERS

JACKSON, MISS.
Box 7250

LANGUAGE ARTS AREA

July 22, 1952

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127th Street
New York 35, New York

Dear Langston:

No doubt you are wondering how plans for the Festival are shaping up. I am enclosing a schedule or Calendar of Events so that you may see how the program looks at this date. You can see that we have scheduled you for several different things, namely, (1) to help judge our literary contest. I am asking Arna and Robert Hayden to assist you. (2) To take part in our panel discussion and Symposium. We have narrowed our workshops to one general workshop on Thursday. (3) To read poetry for our Alumni dinner on Friday afternoon. I had originally scheduled you to be the Master of Ceremonies for the reading of poetry at the dinner since I am sure you know all the poets and could introduce them very well, but now we are not planning as elaborate an affair as our new dining hall may not be finished by that time.

Could you send a glossy print of one column size for publicity purposes right away? Also send along any news releases or material suitable for publicity purposes. Summer school closes here in two weeks and we will be on vacation for a month. I plan to be away from the College for about two weeks and hope to go to Chicago between August 15 and September 1.

I would very much like to have invited Ralph Ellison to come down also, but our money has run out and we are operating on a much smaller budget than originally expected. Of course, he may not have accepted.

37

THE LITERARY FESTIVAL OCTOBER 19-24, 1952

CELEBRATING THE DIAMOND JUBILEE OF JACKSON COLLEGE

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
(Tentative)

THEME: SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS OF LITERATURE BY NEGROES IN AMERICA

Sunday, October 19 4:00 P. M. Vesper Speaker: Sterling Brown, "Seventy-five Years of Literature by Negroes in America."

Monday, October 20 7:30 P. M. Panel Discussion, "The Role of the Writer in a Changing Culture."
Langston Hughes Poet
Arna Bontemps Novelist
Era Bell Thompson Journalist
Owen Dodson Dramatist

Tuesday, October 21 7:30 P. M. Panel: "Functional Education and the Creative Writer."
Robert Hayden, Melvin Tolson, Sterling Brown, Langston Hughes, J. Saunders Redding.

Wednesday, October 22 10:00 A. M. Assembly Hour
Guest Speakers: J. Saunders Redding, "The Negro Novelist and the Southern Scene."
Awarding of Prizes for the Literary Contest.

4:00 P. M. Opening of the Book Fair Autograph Party

7:30 P. M. Symposium: "The Contemporary Novel and the Negro--Thames and Writers."

All guest novelists participating.

38

Thursday October 23 9:00 A. M.

General Workshop
Journalism: The Negro in the News and the History of the Negro News-paper--
"Seventy-five Years of the Negro in Drama."
"The Craft of Writing."
Era Bell Thompson, Owen Dodson, Carolyn Hill Stewart, Mary Elizabeth Vroman.

8:00 P. M.
Lycum Feature: "The Divine Comedy," a verse drama by Owen Dodson and directed by Mr. Dodson
Carolyn Hill Stewart, guest star.

Friday October 24 ALUMNI DAY

5:00 P. M.
Alumni Dinner
Poetry read by Guest Poets
Gwendolyn Brooks, Robert Hayden, Langston Hughes, Arna Bontemps, Molvin Tolson, Storling Brown, Ruth Dease, Margarot Walker, Owen Dodson, Mosos Cari Holman.

8:00 P. M.
Pagoant: "The Spirit of Jackson College--75 Years of Progress."

September 27, 1952

Mrs. Margaret Walker Alexander,
Jackson College,
Jackson, Mississippi.

Dear Margaret,

Everything is in order for my visit to Jackson College. I have my train reservations, etc., and will be arriving in time for the opening Vespers on Sunday, October 19th to hear Sterling Brown. I'll let you know the exact time of arrival later, as I may meet Arna on the way down, and we'll come together, if he can arrange to do so. I will be able to stay through the Alumin Dinner on Friday.

My new little book of history and personalities for youngsters, The First BOOK OF NEGROES will just be coming out that week, so I'm asking the publishers to send you some material on it for display, etc. Also I'm asking all my publishers to send you a couple of dust jackets of my various books so the librarians may make posters and use them for exhibition purposes.

As usual, I will order sent ahead copies of my various books, too, that they may be available for persons wishing to secure autographed copies.

I'm also sending you a few of my songs, in case some of the campus musicians might like to sing one or two of them on some of the programs. In any case, be so kind as to turn them over to your music department. I had a card from Rogie Clark from Haiti, so I'm wondering if he'll be back by then.

Certainly I am looking forward to seeing you and the family, and my fellow writers, Arna, Sterling, Dodson (whom I saw recently and who is anticipating supervising his play there) and the others. While I'm on the campus I hope to have a chance one day to run out to Piney Woods and see my old friend there, Lawrence Jones, and again read some poems to his students. If you see him, tell him I am looking forward to this, not having been able to make it when I was last in New Orleans, as I had hoped.

I've taken an engagement at Tougaloo following your week, and one other date in the region is pending confirmation. I can only be away from New York a couple of weeks, so many literary deadlines on my hands to meet—have recently gotten four new book contracts. So I'll have a BUSY winter. No more lecturing the rest of the season, having to cut out my Negro History Week tour this coming winter, since a couple of the books are due to be finished in March. You're really the only person I'm speaking for this season!

I read one of your poems at Carnegie—the Margaret Bonds—William Marshall concert. *Times* review enclosed for your bulletin board.

Sincerely,

44

March 25, 1964

Miss Margaret Walker
314 North Dubuque
Iowa City, Iowa

Dear Miss Walker:

Langston Hughes has such a heavy schedule this year that his correspondence has gone unattended for some time. His gospel song-plays, TAMBOURINES TO GLORY, which had a short run on Broadway this season, and JERICO-JIM CROW, which is now enjoying its 12th week off-Broadway and the National Tour of BLACK NATIVITY, have created situations which robbed Mr. Hughes of almost all of his time. This in addition to several writing commitments have left him longing for longer days. Mr. Hughes is now in the West Indies on a Poetry Reading-Lecture jaunt, and so I am trying to catch up on some of his mail. He sends his apology and best wishes.

We received in the mail, yesterday, a new collection of poetry, KAIREE, by Chec Nado, a Senegalese writer. You might write M. Nado, 34 Avenue Washington, Grenoble, France, requesting a copy of his work and examine it as a possibility for your translation workshop project. That is, of course, if you have not already made a selection. I regret that we are so long in acknowledging your request and hope that it isn't too late to be of assistance.

With cordial regards to you and best wishes,

Sincerely,

(Secretary)

46

October 20, 1966

Dear Miss Walker:

They've changed the
rehearsal time to 10 A. M. on Saturday,
so I can't make it, having an AMSAO
Committee meeting then, which runs
through luncheon. So it would be better,
I guess, if we met another day. Would
5 o'clock on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednes-
day, October 24, 25 or 26 be convenient
for you at my studio, address above,
ring 3 bells as I'm on third floor? I
can't reach you by phone today, so phone
me, please, and let me know---LE. 4-7739
(private number, so don't give out). I
am looking forward to seeing you next week
if you can come......Best ever,