New York Tenant Councils
on Rent and Housing

45 ASTOR PLACE • NEW YORK 3, N. Y. • GRamercy 3-1882

**Chairman**
PAUL L. ROSS

**Vice-Chairman**
HELEN HARRIS

**Vice-Chairman**
BONITA WILLIAMS

**Executive Secretary**
HERBERT BEARMAN

**Treasurer**
VIRGINIA ROSEN

December 17, 1948

Mr. Lengston Hughes
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York, New York

Dear Mr. Hughes:

The New York Tenants Council is again planning its annual production—the Cavalcade Of Negro Art. The Cavalcade demonstrates the contribution of Negro artists to the culture of our country.

You probably remember last years production, also given for the benefit of our Harlem committee—the United Harlem Tenants and Consumers Organizations. As you know, the rent and housing situation in this city is deplorable, and even more so in Harlem where landlords have always made the fattest possible profits. This years Cavalcade will be addressed to the fight against discrimination in housing, and particularly against discrimination in Stuyvesant Town.

The Cavalcade will be held Saturday evening, February 12th, at Washington Irving Auditorium which seats 1500 people. This date will mark the opening of National Negro History Week. The Cavalcade will be a three part event—Art Exhibit, Fashion Show and prominent artists from entertainment and other fields. In addition we will present a pictorial exhibit of housing in Harlem.

Will you help us make the Cavalcade the success it must be by participating with us on this occasion? We can work out the details at a later date. We are anxiously awaiting an affirmative answer, and look forward to having you with us.

412

BOARD OF EDUCATION
OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK

NEW YORK VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL FOR BOYS

21 WEST 138TH STREET, NEW YORK CITY

SIDNEY LAKE, Principal

Edgecombe 4-0560

July 29, 1943

Mr. Langston Hughes

63 St. Nicholas Ave.
4.Y.C.

Dear Mr. Hughes,

A course in Inter-cultural Relations has been authorized by the Board of Superintendents of the New York City schools for the school year 1943-44. It will be offered as an In-service course for public elementary and high school teachers every Tuesday afternoon from 4:10 to 5:55 o'clock at Junior High School 136, 135 Street and St. Nicholas Avenue, New York City.

The purpose of this course is to acquaint the teachers with the cultural and educational contributions which Negro Americans have made to American life. It is hoped that our future citizens will thereby have greater respect for the importance of the Negro as a citizen in our Democracy,

Therefore, I wish to include you as one of our speakers. I suggest that you speak to the teachers on the subject, "The Contributions of Negroes to Poetry and Literature in General".

You are at liberty to present the subject in your own way for forty minutes. There will be time allowed for questions.

You may select about six Tuesdays after October 26th on which your service is available. Then I will select the Tuesday which is most suitable for our program, and it will therefore be mutually agreeable.

We are looking forward to having you with us.

ELW/fn

Yaddo,
Saratoga Springs,
New York,
September 18, 1943.

Dr. Edward L. Washington,
N. Y. Vocational High School,
New York City, N. Y.

Dear Mr. Washington,

Any Tuesday in November would be agreeable for me to come to the course in Inter-cultural Relations at which you ask me to speak. I am sorry to have been so long in answering your letter, but I was not sure until now if I would be in New York this fall or not. Kindly let me know what Tuesday you select as soon as you can so I will not schedule anything else for that hour of the afternoon.

SIDNEY LAKE, Principal

Edgecombe 4-0560

September 20, 1943

Mr. Langston Hughes
Yaddo
Saratoga Springs
New York

Dear Mr. Hughes,

We are very fortunate in being able to
have you speak to us. Tuesday, November 16, is held for
you. The course is to be given at Junior High School 136,
St. Nicholas Avenue and 136th Street, Manhattan.

The title of your lecture will be "The
Contributions of the Negro to Literature". An hour and
a quarter is allotted for your talk, which you may offer
in two parts, with a brief intermission, if you prefer.
After the lecture there will be time for questions from
the audience. An outline of the course is enclosed so
that you may know what we are expecting to cover in the
course.

I trust that these arrangements are
satisfactory to you.

ELW:fn

634 St. Nicholas Avenue,
New York, 30, New York,
October 27, 1943.

Mr. Edward L. Washington,
N.Y. Vocational High School,
21 West 138th Street,
New York City.

Dear Mr. Washington,

I have tried twice unsuccessfully to get you by phone, I judge
due to the rationing program and the new books being issued.

I very much regret to inform you that my southern lecture tour
has now been extended to include the entire week of November 15th
and I will not be returning to New York until the 28rd, then
only for a few days when I go back South to Hampton and North
Carolina State College for readings of my poems. On November 16th
I am speaking at Kentucky State at Frankfort. I am very sorry in-
deed then that I cannot be present for your program, but if I can
help in any way to find a substitute, I am happy to do so.

To fill my place on the subject of the Negro and Literature, I
might suggest any one of the following persons, all excellent
writers who could do a good job on the topic:

Mrs. Jessie Fauset Harris, 247 Orange Road, Montclair, N. J.
(who teaches in New York City)

Mr. Ralph Ellison, 306 West 141st St., New York, N. Y.
(critic, short story writer, former managing editor
of the NEGRO QUARTERLY)

Mr. Countee Cullen, 435 Convent Ave., New York, N. Y.

Since I notice that you have the topic down twice on your program,
better make clear just what phase you wish the November 16th speaker
to cover. I greatly regret I will not be here to take part, and I
trust I may be of service to you at some other time.