5

April 17, 1953

Mr. Henry W. Nxumalo
Drum
176 Main Street
P.O. Box 1067
Johannesburg, South Africa

Dear Mr. Nxumalo,

I was very happy to have your recent letter.
And I have certainly enjoyed the few issues of
DRUM that I have seen in this country. Miss
Kwankwa writes that she will see that I get a
copy every month. Certainly I would be pleased
to have it, and will do a column about the
magazine in the CHICAGO DEFENDER for which I
write.

I would be delighted to act as a judge for your
short story contest, and I am sending you a
picture under separate cover as well as a sheet
of biographical information about myself.

Last night I spoke to one of our best young Negro
writers and journalists who says that he would be
happy to contribute to your magazine:

Mr. Alvin Cooper
178 Stanton Street
New York 2, New York

If you will let me know what sort of articles you
might like, perhaps I can do something for DRUM
myself, and I will also speak to other writers
regarding contributions.

All my good wishes to you,

Sincerely yours,

Langston Hugé

Africa's Leading Magazine

176 MAIN STREET, JOHANNESBURG, P.O. BOX 1067

TELEPHONES: 22-0773/4, 22-6491 TELEGRAMS: "DRUMBEATS"

Langston Hughes, Esq.,
20 East 127th Street,
New York 35, N.Y.

24th April, 1953.

Dear Mr. Hughes,

We were delighted to get your letter and hear that you are willing to act as a judge for our Short Story Contest. Henry Nxumalo will be writing to you himself, to thank you.

I have written to Mr. Alvin Cooper about short stories for DRUM and am hoping that we will be able to build up contacts with good American Negro writers in the States. So far we have published mostly crime and love stories, written in a straightforward exciting style up to 3000 words in length. I am sure though that stories against American Negro background would be of interest to our readers in this country. We cannot of course publish any stories in which there is any strong feeling of inter-racial strife.

I shall very much look forward to hearing from you and will be most grateful for any contacts you can give me with American Negro writers.

I will be sending round a circular about our short story contest to newspapers and when I have it ready I will send you a copy for your information. I hope we will be able to get fairly wide publicity for it.

With kind regards and many thanks,

Africa's Leading Magazine

June 12, 1953

Mr Langston Hughes
20 East, 127th Street
NEW YORK, N.Y.
U. S. A.

Dear Mr Hughes,

I must apologise for the delay in replying to your letter of
April 17. I had to wait for your picture and biographical information
to arrive before writing. These failed to arrive in time for the
announcement in our pages, however, and to catch up with the deadline
I had to reproduce a picture which appeared in *Newsweek* a couple of
months back and milk Who's Who In Colored America, for your biographical
sketch. (I hope you won't mind.) In the meantime my colleague, Peggy
Harding was writing to you about writers and stories. I am most grateful
for your kind cooperation in agreeing to act as a judge for our short
story contest and for the write-up you are doing on us in the *Chicago
Defender*. I have arranged for a copy of DRUM to be sent to you regularly.

Mr Alvin Cooper has sent us a good story which I think we will
be able to use. Personally, I feel a little hesitant to ask you to do
anything for us at present until my editor, Anthony Sampson, comes back
from holiday early next month. As a 2 year old magazine our rates are
not very high, and I should like to suggest giving you special assign-
ments on a special, acceptable rate.

Incidentally, I have been wondering if there is any chance for
an African in these parts to break into the *Defender*. I acted as South
African correspondent for *The Pittsburgh Courier* from 1946 to 1947. It
wasn't a profitable proposition I must confess; and seeing that George
Padmore--whom I met in London in 1944--and yourself work for the *Defender*,
it just occurred to me that perhaps some Negro paper like it might use
a South African column.

Looking forward to hearing from you again,

Very sincerely yours,

HENRY W. NXUMALO,
ASSISTANT EDITOR.

notesent
zengetack
& Martin
7/3/53

July 3, 1953

Mr. Henry W. Nxumalo,
DRUM, PO. Box 1067,
Johannesburg, S. A.

Dear Mr. Nxumalo,

Thanks for your very nice letter which came while I was away for six weeks in California. No copies of DRUM have arrived as yet. Here's hoping.

I've transmitted to the editor of the DEFENDER, Mr. Louis Martin, your interest in possibly writing for them.

In Germany just now there is an intense interest in Negro literature, and two or three anthologies of American work is in preparation. But one editor is planning a world-anthology of poetry by Negroes and poets of color. He would welcome receiving books or manuscripts of poems by any African coloured or Negro writers. Whatever you could send him, or advise others to send him, should be addressed to:

Herr Janheinz Jahn,
DELEGATION DAHLMANNSTRASSE 42,
FRANKFURT MAIN,
GERMANY. (West).

He himself is a very good translator into German.

Lots of good wishes to you, as ever,

9

January 4, 1954

Mr. H. W. Nxumalo
Assistant Editor
DRUM
176 Main Street (P.O. Box 1067)
Johannesburg, South Africa

Dear Mr. Nxumalo:

This is to acknowledge for Mr. Hughes receipt of the manuscripts for the literary contest. Mr. Hughes will read them and send you his decision before the end of the month.

Will you please write and let him know whether you desire him to return these manuscripts, or may he discard them after he has read and sent you his decision.

Mr. Hughes sends his best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year to you and all of the DRUM staff.

hs

S. I've just read Abrahams'
TELL FREEDOM which is a wonderful
book indeed!

MATEI MARKWEI'S POMM
"TO L. H." ENCLOSED.

15

June 1, 1954

Mr. H. W. Nxumalo,
"Drum", Box 1067,
Johannesburg, S. A.

Dear Mr. Nxumalo,

Growing out of my interest in the excellent short stories it
was my privilege to read as one of the judges of DRUM's Short
Story Contest, I sppke to a leading American publisher a few
weeks ago about the possibility of an anthology of African
short stories and he was most favorable toward it, asking me
to assemble such a collection and it would get his most care-
ful attention. If it is published there would be the usual
pro rata anthology payment to each person whose work is used.
I wrote Peter Abrahams in London about it in March and have
just received his answer, promising to send some work of his,
but telling me that DRUM itself is also planning such an antho-
logy (which delights me) and that Mr. Sampson, the editor, is
now in London. So I've just written Mr. Abrahams to tell Mr.
Sampson I'd be happy to work with DRUM in any way agreeable
that we might get an American anthology of African stories
published here, too, which should certainly contain some, if
not all, of the excellent work DRUM has collected. I've
written friends in Liberia, Nigeria, the Gold Coast, and else
where where I know writers, newspaper folks, etc., asking
them to send me material, and would be glad to let DRUM see
any manuscripts I might get in case you-all didn't already
have them. But, since there is a great interest in things
African in our country just now (Alan Paton, whom I've met, is
here; Azikiwi arrived today; Nadine Gordimer's work and others
are widely read) I would very much like to see a volume of the
work of non-white African writers published, and it would help
greatly in the understanding of Americans concerning Africa.
So any help you could be to me in achieving this---by sending
me the names and address of any good African writers you know,
etc.--or whatever other help you might give, would be greatly
appreciated. (And certainly DRUM would get full credit and
acknowledgement, too, in the book) ......I've liked recent
issues of DRUM very much--and AFRICA is a honey. I'm going to
write a column about them soon in the CHICAGO DEFENDER. And I
I'll hear from you shortly......

June 16, 1954

Mr. Henry W. Nxumalo,
DRUM Publications,
176 Main Street,
Johannesburg, S. Africa.

Dear Mr. Nxumalo,

Thank you very much for your letter of June 10th which arrived yesterday. The airmails really travelled this time! Only about four days.

Just before I learned from Peter Abrahams that DRUM was preparing an anthology, I wrote some 30 airmails to various parts of Africa—Liberia, Gold Coast, Nigeria, Basutoland, etc., (besides a dozen or so to South Africa)—using an excellent list of African writers which a translator in Germany who's preparing an anthology sent me, and another from an American journalist in Monrovia of writers he has met in Africa. I've had in this short time a half dozen replies, all promising material. I've no idea how many of these writers DRUM may have contacted also. And had I been aware of DRUM'S anthology, I would not have started a project on this end without consulting you. I don't believe the American market would support two similar African anthologies coming out at about the same time, if that should happen. Or rather, if they were competing for sales, it would cut down sales on each. So what I would propose to DRUM is that, if the American rights to the DRUM anthology are not tied up, you allow me to submit your collection to the publisher whom I have interested here; and if I have additional good material from African writers whom you have not been in contact with, should the publisher wish to add other stories to those you have assembled, this be permitted; and the publication of ONE really good big anthology of African stories by non-white writers be published in the U.S. to the advantage of all concerned. The business arrangements would, of course, be worked out to DRUM's satisfaction through the publisher and, on my part, with my representative, Ivan von Auw, Jr., of the Harold Ober Associates—one of the best literary offices in New York, who could see to it that the best possible contract is drawn up and protect DRUM's interest here—if you have no contract representative in this country. If DRUM has one, then he would, of course, look after the business end for you. But American anthology contracts are usually fairly standard as to terms and percentages, so this should not prove complicated. I do not know if you plan publishing in London or South Africa. But I should think a good London publisher could achieve wider distribution. But since tarrifs (or something) limit the sale of British books here, you should also have an American publisher. Certainly anything I can do to help, I'd be happy to try. In any case, to help writers of color get a wider audience all around the world is what I am sure we all wish. "TELL FREEDOM" will be published here in a few weeks and, being the excellent book it is, should stimulate further interest in African work. So it is a good time to submit an anthology of stories while the iron is hot.

Very best regards to you, and the hope that I shall hear from you soon. As ever,

January 20, 1955

Mr. A. T. S. Sampson,
DRUM Magazine,
176 Main Street,
Johannesburg, S. A.

Dear Mr. Sampson,

It is very interesting to have another group of DRUM Contest short stories to read. Certainly, as long as you may care to have me not as a judge, I will be glad to do so.

As a whole, I don't think the stories are as good as last year's—and the ones that are bad seem to me very bad indeed. But there are two that I think are excellent—Clarke's "The Departure" and Rive's "Black and Brown Song"; and "The Message of the Drum" by Nwangoro is good; "The Visitor" passable maybe. And the other four to me quite awful as short stories, unworthy of any sort of prize.

I'm not sure I quite understand exactly what you mean by "mark up each one out of 10" (since I only received 8 stories), but I guess you mean 10 points to be the highest rating. If that's correct, I would ratethe stories like this:

THE DEPARTURE Peter E. Clarke 10 points
BLACK AND BROWN SONG Richard Rive 9 points
THE MESSAGE OF THE DRUM L. O. I. Nwangoro 8 points
THE VISITOR C. O. D. Ekwensi 4 points
EXIT THE UNGODLY Yakoob E. Manjoc 3 points
POUNDS THAT VANISH Elliot E. N. Mkize 2 points
THE DREDFUL PROPOSITION William G. Louther 1 point
KILL THE BRUTES A. B. M. Serwadda 0 points

Certainly, my choice for the prize winners would be, in this order:

1. THE DEPARTURE

2. BLACK AND BROWN SONG

3. THE MESSAGE OF THE DRUM

If a fourth prize is being given, or a mention:

4. THE VISITOR

The remaining ones do not seem to me to deserve even a mention for either form or content.

Best wishes to you as ever, and my hope that you will continue this effort to stimulate good writing in Africa,

Sincerely yours,

22

April 4, 1958

Mr. Tom Hopkinson, Editor
Drum
Johannesburg, S. A.

Dear Mr. Hopkinson:

I am writing you at the suggestion of Mr. M. Costello who tells me you are the new editor of "Drum" - an old friend of mine.

I am compiling an anthology of African writers (indigenous) and have already selected a number of the fictional pieces from "Drum". However, my present need is for factual material, such as articles dealing with the social, political, economic and other facets of African life.
I would be most appreciative of your suggestions and also grateful for any such pieces which you might send me by members of your staff or other good writers in this area.

May I take this opportunity to thank you for any help which you might be able to give me.

13

Africa's Leading Magazine

DRUM

JONESBURG • P.O. BOX 3413

TELEGRAMS: "DRUMBEATS"

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Please Note Our New Address:
SAMKAY HOUSE, 15 TROYE ST.
JOHANNESBURG

Our Telephone & Box Numbers
will remain the same.

24th April, 1958.

Mr. Langston Hughes,
20 East 127th Street,
New York 35, N.Y.,
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Dear Mr. Langston Hughes,

Thank you for your letter of April 4th.

We would indeed wish to help you in compiling your anthology. However, the position is that our proprietor, Mr. Jim Bailey, is preparing an anthology of Drum pieces for publication later this year, and our first concern must naturally be with our own book.

I think all I can suggest is that when the book has come out we will do everything we can to help you with your own.

I am sorry not to be able to give you a more
helpful reply.

30

DRUM

AFRICA'S LEADING MAGAZINE
4,000,000 READERS

15 Troye Street Johannesburg • P.O. Box 3413 • Telephone 22-0771 • Tel. Add: 'Drumbeats'

5th October, 1960.

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

Dear Mr. Langston Hughes,

Thank you for your letter of September the
30th. Yes indeed, a copy for Can Themba and one for
myself have arrived safely, and we are all delighted.

I had to lecture the other day on African
writers and made considerable use of your book in
doing so. Several people afterwards wanted to know
where they could buy a copy, so I hope that your
publishers are making arrangements to send some out here.
I am delighted to hear that the reviews have been good.

We much appreciate your kind words about
DRUM. We are just planning to start a short story
competition in West Africa with a £100 prize, and I hope
this may bring in some new writing.

Member of The Audit Bureau of Circulations of S.A. Ltd • Newspaper Press Union of S.A. • Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce

October 24, 1960

Dear Tom Hopkinson:

I am delighted to post you today by
boat mail an inscribed copy of AN AFRICAN
TREASURY, and pleased to hear that Bailey
intends to review it. Give him my very best
regards, and tell him to come back to see us.
Gollanč in London has expressed an interest
in publishing the book there, so I hope it
will soon be available in South Africa.

May I congratulate you on the wonderful
Nigerian edition of DRUM last month, with it's
stunning cover. The Harlem shops are all sold
out on it. I bought a half dozen copies myself
to send to friends outside New York.

First fold—Last fold you

Air Letter
Lugbrief
Aerogramme

Mr. Langston Hughes,
20 East 127th Street,
NEW YORK 35, N.Y.,
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Second fold—Tweede vou

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

Additional postage stamps must be affixed to
this form if it is addressed to certain
destinations abroad. Ask at the post
office counter.

DAAR MAG NIKS BY 'N LUGBRIEF
INGESLUIT WORD NIE! AS ENIGETS
WEL INGESLUIT WORD, SAL DIE
BRIEF BEBOET OF PER LANDPOS
AANGESTUUR WORD.

Addisionele posseels moet op hierdie vorm
geplak word indien dit na sekere bestem-
mings in die buiteland geadresseer word.
Vra by die poskantoortoonbank.

SENDER'S NAME AND ADDRESS
NAAM EN ADRES VAN AFSENDER

T. Hopkinson,
Drum Publications,
P.O. Box 3413,
Johannesburg, S. Africa.

To open cut here—Sny hier oop

To open cut here—Sny hier oop

32

DRUM

30th October, 1960.

Mr. Langston Hughes,
30 East 127th Street,
NEW YORK 35, N.Y.,
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Dear Langston Hughes,

Thank you for your letter of October the 24th, which I was delighted to get. I do hope that Gollancz will publish your TREASURY in London. There are many people out here who would be glad to buy a copy.

I am grateful also for your kind words about the Nigerian edition.

All good wishes,

To open cut here—Sny hier oop

DRUM

25th March 1961.

Dear Mr. Hughes,

First, let me introduce myself. I am Casey Motsisi, a sub-editor on DRUM. I have always been a keen fan of yours and enjoy your style of writing. Frankly, I try to copy you and Runyon as much as I can in my own writings for the magazine. At the moment I am reading "Simple Stakes A Claim" which I just got from Robinson Matseke who I gave your address sometime back. He told me also that you were in Nigeria during the Ind. celebrations and that you and Zik went to school together, and are great chums.

But to come to the point. I was wondering if you could perhaps do me a favour. I have written what I want to believe is a novel. Fiction. I was wondering if you could try and flog it around for me and get some publisher who would be reckless enough to take a risk on it. A tentative title for the book is "Around The Townships" and alternatively just "Township." Of course, the book can't get published here. If you are willing to be saddled with this MS., please let me know soonest then I can send it over to you.

Thanks in advance.

P.S. Say yes.

Member Audit Bureau of Circulations of S.A. Ltd • Newspaper Press Union of S.A. • Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce

May 3, 1961

Mr. Tom Hopkins
DRUM
15 Troye Street
Johannesburg, South Africa

Dear Mr. Hopkins:

Langston Hughes, who has been away from New York a great deal this year on lecture tours, and who is now in California, has asked me to thank you for so kindly sending him "DOWN THE LOND SIDE" with your gracious inscription. He is delighted to add it to his library, and sends you his gratitude and all good wishes.

Same letter to Mrs. E. E. Cotton for "QUEEN OF PERSIA"

43

To send address list
Sent May, 1962

AFRICA'S LEADING MAGAZINE

DRUM

DRUM PUBLICATIONS (GHANA) LIMITED

P. O. BOX 1197, ACCRA

TELEGRAMS: "DRUMBEATS" TELEPHONE 3640

Mr Langston Hughes,
C/o Victor Gollancz Ltd.,
London.

April 17

Dear Mr Langston Hughes,

In the introduction to your African Treasury you say that you were inundated with material as a result of your requests for original work. I am now engaged on a much, much more humble anthology and I wonder whether you could help me. I am trying to collect a number of African short stories which could be used as a school reader for schoolchildren of between 15 and 16 years old. At present these kids are crammed with Emily Bronte, Dickens and Co. the idea is to give them something African, something new.

Maybe there were some authors whom you could not include in your Treasury which might just suit my book. Maybe there were some people you did not like disappointing, who almost made the grade. I would be very glad of their names and addresses.

We don't know one another but I have been on Drum in East, South and West Africa for some five years now. In Johannesburg I shared a desk with Casey Motsisi and smuggled him his liquor on Fridays.

All the best,

Yours

4,000,000 READERS

DIRECTORS: J. R. A. BAILEY (CHAIRMAN), MRS. E. SUTHERLAND, A. CASELY-HAYFORD, A. E. RYLEY.

20 East 127th Street,
New York 35, New York,

May 10, 1962

Dear Mr. Rake:

On my return from California a few
days ago, I find your note of April 17
sent me via Gollancz in London.

I would be happy to assist you in
any way I can regarding your teen-age
reader, which I think is an excellent
idea. Names of suitable writers that
come to mind are Eufa Theodora Sutherland,
whom perhaps you know, Benibengor Blay,
Cyprian Ekwensi in Niegria, and Peter
Kumalo Clarke (who makes charming draw-
ings, too) in South Africa. Maybe each
of them would do something special for
you.

At the moment I am about to go
through all my African material (as I
am compiling a new anthology of poetry)
and will be making up a new address list
(since some have moved) so when this is
done, in a week or so, I will airmail you
addresses of all the writers. I must get
this done soon, as I am invited to the
African Writers Conference at Kampala in
early June, and then I hope to stop in
Italy for my song-play, BLACK NATIVITY,
opening at the Festival of Two Worlds in
Spoleto on June 24. Maybe I will be in
Ghana sometime soon, too, not sure yet.
If so, I look forward to meeting you.

With cordial regards,

AFRICA'S LEADING MAGAZINE

DRUM

P. O. BOX 1197, ACCRA

Dear Langston Hughes,

It was very good of you to write so soon
in reply to my recent letter about my school reader. I am
already in touch with Efua Sutherland here and Cyprian
Ekwensi in Nigeria, as it happens they are both Drum
Directors! Unfortunately they are both important people
nowadays and its difficult to get them to turn out something
special. Still I am hoping that they will be able to help.

Peter Kumalo Clarke is one whose address
I have not been able to trace. Strangely enough during my year
in South Africa I frequently heard of him but was never able
to discover where he lived.

It really would be a great help if you
could let me have that special address list of yours. I
assure you I would appreciate it.

If ever you happen to be in Ghana you would
always be welcome to come along and stay or at the very least
to come and see us of an evening. I used to be Editor of Drum
over on the East Coast but on this side I have to confine
myself to management. All our editorial staff in both Nigeria
and Ghana are African. You may meet Cameron Duodu, a writer of
much promise. He is going to the Kampala conference. Unfortunately
I cannot make it.

Every good wish,

Yours sincerely,

Alan Rake.

SENT, May 28, 1962:

Address lists:

AFRICAN TREASURY

POETS OF BLACK AFRICA

4,000,000 READERS

DRAW

BY AIR MAIL
PAR AVION
AIR LETTER
AEROGRAMME

Mr Langston Hughes,

20 East 127th St.,

New York 35,

New York,

U.S.A.

Second fold here

Sender's name and address: Alan Rake, Box 1197,

Accra, Ghana.

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

Form approved by the Postmaster General, No. 71995/2E

May 28, 1962

Dear Alan Rake:

First off, let me give you the address of Clarke (who
doesn't use the name Kumalo any more): Peter Clarke, Flat 19, Block 5,
Waterfall Road, Simons Town, C. P., South Africa. He is, as you probably
know, an excellent artist, too---illustrated Mphahlele's stories, THE LIVING
AND THE DEAD recently). Another very good artist and illustrator is:
Jonathan Adeka, Public Enlightenment, Ministry of Information, Zaria, Nigeria,
in case you might be looking for an illustrator for your children's books.

Almost none of the many manuscripts of short stories and sketches that have
come to me from African writers seem suitable for youngsters, except some
of Mrs. Sutherland's, Benebengor Elay, M.P. in Accra whom you no doubt know,
Amos Tutuola's less horendous phantasies (if they like Grimm they should
like him) and some charming nature and hunting sketches by a West Indian
long-time resident of the Gold Coast: K. M. Neill Stewart, Otekelu, near
Odumase, Manya Krobo, Ghana. But there are others I think could write well
for young people if they wished, like: Richard Rive, 21 Selous Court,
Rosmead Avenue, Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa; and Ekwensi whom I
mentioned before. Frank Aig-Inoukwede, who writes in pidgin English,
should be able to do some amusing juvenile things in venacular. His
address: Ministry of Information, Ibadan, Nigeria. In any case, I am
enclosing for you my AFRICAN TREASURY address list, and that of my forth-
coming (October, 1962) POEMS FROM BLACK AFRICA list, if you might like to
write and see who would or could do something for you.

It looks as if I might be in Accra at the end of June. USIS has invited me to the opening of the new American Library there; and Abari has invited me to their First Anniversary Celebration at Ibadan on June 24, following the Kampala Conference. If I get to Accra, it would be a pleasure to meet you. Finalization of these invitations have just come today---so I don't quite know how dovetailing both and travel plans will work out, and I haven't time to do much about them myself, having a MOUNTAIN of things to complete here in New York before taking off for Uganda on June 5th---only a week away. Don't know why they wait until the last minute to let one know what's cooking! As if visas and inoculations and whatnot can be gotten at the drop of a hat---or by telephone. Or messenger. If I come to West Africa, I will have to miss the opening of my BLACK NATIVITY at Spoleto's Festival of Two Worlds in Italy on June 24. But it will be there throughout July, so I can catch it later, and see the Vatican. The new American Ambassador is a friend of mine, a liberal Catholic from Arizona with a WHOLE lot of children---a quite charming family, very nice folks. (Ambassador to Ghana, I'm talking about, just appointed).

With cordial regards,

Sincerely yours,

Langston Hughes

May 28, 1962

Dear Alan Rake:

First off, let me give you the address of Clarke (who
doesn't use the name Kumalo any more): Peter Clarke, Flat 19, Block 5,
Waterfall Road, Simons Town, C. P., South Africa. He is, as you probably
know, an excellent artist, too---illustrated Mphahlele's stories, THE LIVING
AND THE DEAD recently). Another very good artist and illustrator is:
Jonathan Adeka, Public Enligbhtment, Ministry of Information, Zaria, Nigeria,
in case you might be looking for an illustrator for your children's books.

Almost none of the many manuscripts of short stories and sketches that have
come to me from African writers seem suitable for youngsters, except some
of Mrs. Sutherland's, Benebengor Blay, M.P. in Accra whom you no doubt know,
Amos Tutuola's less horendous phantasies (if they like Grimm they should
like him) and some charming nature and hunting sketches by a West Indian
long-time resident of the Gold Coast: K. McNeil Stewart, Otekpelu, near
Odumase, Manya Krobo, Ghana. But there are others I think _could_ write well
for young people if they wished, like: Richard Rive, 21 Selous Court,
Rosmead Avenue, Claremont, Cape Town, South Africa; and Ekwensi whom I
mentioned before. Frank Aig-Imoukhuede, who writes in pidgin English,
should be able to do some amusing juvenile things in venacular. His
address: Ministry of Information, Ibadan, Nigeria. In any case, I am
enclosing for you my AFRICAN TREASURY address list, and that of my forth-
coming (October, 1962) POEMS FROM BLACK AFRICA list, if you might like to
write and see who would or could do something for you.

It looks as if I might be in Accra at the end of June. USIS has invited
me to the opening of the new American Library there; and Mbari has invited
me to their First Anniversary CelMebration at Ibadan on June 24, following
the Kampala Conference. If I get to Accra, it would be a pleasure to meet
you. Finalization of these invitations have just come today---so I don't
quite know how dovetailing both and travel plans will work out, and I
haven't time to do much about them myself, having a MOUNTAIN of things to
complete here in New York before taking off for Uganda on June 5th---only
a week away. Don't know why they wait until the last minute to let one
know what's cooking! As if visas and innoculations and whatnot can be
gotten at the drop of a hat---or by telephone. Or messenger. If I come
to West Africa, I will have to miss the opening of my BLACK NATIVITY at
Spoleto's Festival of Two Worlds in Italy on June 24. But it will be there
throughout July, so I can catch it later, and see the Vatican. The new
American Ambassador is a friend of mine, a liberal Catholic from Arizona
with a WHOLE lot of children---a quite charming family, very nice folks.
(Ambassador to Ghana, I'm talking about, just appointed).

With cordial regards,

Sincerely yours,

Langston Hughes

48

May 28, 1962

Dear Casey Motsisi:

So sorry, man, to be so long
answering you (I have been travelling every-
which-a-where this past year and almost NEVER
home to answer mail which piles up like a
mountain). And I regret answering in the
negative concerning the novel you tell you
have written. I've tried placing books several
times for other writers--without success.
is a very time taking process--and something
only a literary agent can follow through on-
takes so much doing, contacting, letter-writ
and care. And I have no secretarial staff t
help me with such things, only one part-time
typist who cannot even keep up with my own
work and copying. So, I'm sorry I cannot be
of help to you. I very much wish I could.
You must find an agent, one with contacts in
both England and America who can submit your
book for you. (Perhaps ask Richard Rive how
he got his stories published in three or four
countries).

I'm off to Uganda this coming week
for the Writers Conference there, and a few
weeks in Europe--so you see, travelling a
lot as I do, I can't be responsible for any-
one else's manuscript. Suppose they get los
But I wish you well, and send all my best to
you for publication.

AFRICA'S LEADING MAGAZINE

49

DRUM

P. O. BOX 1197, ACCRA

June 3rd 1962

Dear Langston,

I really am delighted by the friendship you have shown me in getting me those lists and writing so promptly. I can only think that you must know what the collection of an African Anthology entails. You remember Peggy Rutherford thinking she could do her book in three months and taking four years over it.

I very much look forward to seeing you if you get here towards the end of June. Just let me know when to expect you in the meantime I will be working on the address list and all the other valuable information you have sent me.

With every good wish,

Yours ever,

Alan Rake.

4,000,000 READERS

50

August 30, 1962

Dear Alan Rake:

It was nice meeting you in Accra. But you didn't tell me (or if you did, I don't remember) about your new TOM MBOYA book. I found a handsome copy of it awaiting me when I got home to New York, sent from Doubleday's. Thanks a lot! I look forward to reading it soon. At the moment, there is such a MOUNTAIN of mail and things accumulated while I was away, that I've done nothing but stick to my typewriter since my return.

I stopped in Rome and Spoleto to see my plays: SHAKESPEARE IN HARLEM done by a group of colored actors left over from CLEOPATRA in Rome; and BLACK NATIVITY at the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, so crowded the author had to stand up to see my own show. Currently, it is in London and having an equal success, moving from the Criterion next week to a larger theatre, and giving a performance soon at Coventry Cathedral. Gospel singing gone High Church: If it runs a LONG time, maybe I can fly over to London and see it. My time and money ran out in Paris this summer, so I never got to London this trip. And I rather like the town.

Cordial regards to you,

Sincerely,

DRUM

AFRICA'S LEADING
MAGAZINE

DRUM PUBLICATIONS (PTY.) LTD.

JOHANNESBURG - SOUTH AFRICA

62 Eloff St. Ext. - P.O. Box 3413 - Johannesburg - Tel. 836-4041 - Tel. Add.: "Drumbeats"

27th May, 1966.

Langston Hughes,
c/o Saul Raden,
S. A. Koppe & Co.,
30 Rockefeller Plaza,
NEW YORK 20, N.Y.

Dear Langston,

I think I mentioned to you in New York our need for a
Negro columnist. We have fixed up with one but now require a
monthly column from a second columnist. It is difficult to arrange
from Africa, and I wonder if you could help me here.

I suggest the following:

1. A careful professional who will produce the column on time and avoid libel and any court cases.

2. Payment, 100 dollars a month for approximately 1500 words and any photos which go with the column.

3. Can be sent to John Sancton (Monitor Publishing Company, 7005 Kildare Road, Montreal 29, Canada), and an additional copy to Alan Rake (Drum Publications (U.K.) Ltd., 40/43 Fleet Street, London E.C.4).

I understand, Langston, that you are too busy yourself, but if you could appoint a second columnist for me who will write on Negro affairs and matters close to the American heart it will help to give the U.S. DRUM a more local feel.

My very best wishes, and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

J.R.A. Bailey
CHAIRMAN

Directors: J. R. A. Bailey (Chairman), J. M. Fairbairn, W. J. M. Hines, David Schneider, K. W. Stuart.

Alternate Director: R. R. Lammas.

Member of The Audit Bureau of Circulation of S.A. Ltd. — Newspaper Press Union — Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce