7

American Society of African Culture

15 EAST 40TH STREET, NEW YORK 16, N.Y. • OREGON 9-9255

HORACE MANN BOND
President

MERCER COOK
Chairman of Executive Council

JOHN A. DAVIS
Executive Director

WILLIAM T. FONTAINE
Secretary

JAMES W. IVY
Treasurer

JAMES T. HARRIS, JR.
Assistant Executive Director

Cable Address:
CORACIWA, NEW YORK

A Special Memo and Reminder

February 12, 1959

To all invited participants of the Negro Writers' Conference:

On behalf of Mr. John O. Killens, Chairman of the Conference, and the American Society of African Culture, may we urge you to attend the Negro Writers' Conference, February 28th and March 1st. For your convenience, you will find enclosed a copy of the agenda, a registration form and a return envelope.

In conjunction with the Conference, we would like to exhibit some of the *works of the participants*. Would you be kind enough to send or to bring with you copies of your publications, if they are available.

If you should find the registration fee or the request for your publications inconvenient at this time, PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS STOP YOU FROM ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE.

We are looking forward to seeing you on February 28th.

SPONSORED BY THE COUNCIL ON RACE AND CASTE IN WORLD AFFAIRS

HORACE MANN BOND
*Presidents*

MERCER COOK
*Chairman of Executive Council*

JOHN A. DAVIS
*Executive Director*

WILLIAM T. FONTAINE
*Secretary*

JAMES W. IVY
*Treasurer*

JAMES T. HARRIS, JR.
*Assistant Executive Director*

September 25, 1959

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I shall be quite frank with you in saying that we are
having a very difficult time in getting the members of our
association who are scholars, writers and artists to pay
their dues.

Of course the usual procedure in this regard is to mere-
ly drop people who do not pay by the end of the second
billing. However, so many distinguished persons such as your-
self have failed to pay their dues that should we undertake
this step we might very well cripple the organization beyond
repair.

I am writing this letter to ask you to send your check
immediately in the enclosed envelope since I am sure you
would not want to share responsibility for the liquidation
of the American Society of African Culture.

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127th St.
New York 35, N. Y.

COPY

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AFRICAN CULTURE

15 East 40th Street
New York 16, N.Y.

January 4, 1960

MEMORANDUM: To Authors, Selected Papers, First Negro Writers' Conference

FROM: Cynthia A. Courtney

SUBJECT: Publication of Selected Papers

We are finally in the process of printing the selected papers from the Writers' Conference. For the protection of the organization, we plan to copyright this booklet and register the copyright. In order that all things may be legal and formal, we would appreciate your signing and returning, immediately, the enclosed form.

Best wishes for 1960 from all of us.

HORACE MANN BOND
*Presidents*

JAMES W. IVY
*Treasurer*

January 21, 1960

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

Dear Mr. Hughes:

In reference to my memorandum to you of January 4th, I have not received an agreement form from you. Could you please send it back to me immediately? In case you have misplaced the memo and form, I am enclosing copies.

CAC:c
Enclosures - 2.

HORACE MANN BOND
*President*

JAMES W. IVY
*Treasurer*

February 5, 1960

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127th St.
New York 35, N.Y.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I am writing to invite you to a small, informal breakfast meeting with one of Africa's most admired leaders, Mr. Julius K. Nyerere, President of the Tanganyika African National Union and the Tanganyika Elected Members Organization. Mr. Nyerere is presently visiting this country under the State Department Leader Grant Program.

The breakfast will be held on
Monday, February 15th
9:00 - 11:00 AM
Biltmore Hotel
Room 138

The Society is honored to have the opportunity to have this meeting with Mr. Nyerere. Please let us know if you will be able to attend by signing the enclosed form and returning it immediately, or by calling the office (OR 9-9255) as soon as possible.

JAD:jdc

17

15 EAST 40TH STREET
NEW YORK 16, N.Y.

MEMORANDUM

TO: LANGSTON HUGHES
FROM: CYNTHIA A. COURTNEY, PROGRAM ASSISTANT
SUBJECT: Z.M. MOKAE

ENCLOSED YOU WILL FIND A LETTER FROM A YOUNG ACTOR
FROM JOHANNESBURG, REQUESTING TO STUDY DRAMA IN THIS COUNTRY.
YOU WILL ALSO FIND OUR REPLY IN WHICH WE INFORMED HIM THAT WE HAD
NO FUNDS FOR THIS TYPE OF SCHOLARSHIP AID.

SINCE WE KNOW OF YOUR GREAT INTEREST IN THE THEATER AND
THE NEGRO IN THE AMERICAN THEATER, WE THOUGHT THAT THIS INFORMATION
WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO YOU. IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR THIS
YOUNG MAN, WE WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD LET US KNOW OF THEM EVEN
IF YOU SHOULD WANT TO CONTACT HIM DIRECTLY.

["MARCH 7, 1960", "DEAR MR. MOKAE:", "THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECENT LETTER AND REQUEST FOR AID\nTO COME TO THIS COUNTRY TO STUDY DRAMA. WE FOUND YOUR LETTER\nMOST INTERESTING AND VERY ENCOURAGING.", "WE REGRET THAT OUR ORGANIZATION DOES NOT OFFER ANY\nSCHOLARSHIP AID TO STUDENTS AT THIS TIME. WE ARE CERTAINLY IN-\nTERESTED IN EVENTUALLY GATHERING FUNDS IN ORDER TO BRING STUDENTS\nSUCH AS YOURSELF TO THIS COUNTRY FOR ADVANCED STUDY. IN THE MEAN-\TIME, ALL I CAN DO IS SUGGEST OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO WHOM YOU MAY\nAPPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP GRANTS. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IN YOUR APPLI-\NCATION YOU LIST IN AS MUCH DETAIL AS POSSIBLE YOUR EDUCATIONAL\nBACKGROUND, YOUR GRADES, AND REFERENCES BOTH ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL.\nYOUR APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO: THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN\nINSTITUTE AT 1234 20TH STREET, NW, WASHINGTON, D.C., AND/OR THE\nINSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION AT 1 EAST 67TH STREET, NEW\nYORK CITY.", "I HOPE YOU WILL PERMIT US THE LIBERTY OF CIRCULATING YOUR\nLETTER AND OUR ANSWER TO SOME OF OUR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS WHO ARE IN\nTHE THEATRE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY FOR THEIR SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHAT YOU\nMAY DO. WITH ALL BEST WISHES TO YOU AND MAY WE WISH YOU GOOD LUCK IN\nFINDING A MEANS TO CONTINUE YOUR STUDIES OF DRAMA.", "MR. Z.M. MOKAE\n322F-16TH SECTION\nMEADOWLANDS, JOHANNESBURG", "CAC:BW"]

March 20, 1960

Dear Miss Courtney:

I very much wish there was something
I could do in regard to the young African,
Mr. Makee who wishes to come to this
country to study drama. But I have re-
ceived upwards of 100 letters from
Africans seeking aid of one kind or
another and appealing to me directly.

Obviously as poor as I am it is impossible
for me to help needy students here who
I know, let alone, abroad. Certainly I
wish that I could.

Miss Cynthia A. Courtney
American Society of African Culture
15 East 40 Street
New York 16, N. Y.

June 10, 1960.

Mr. John A. Davis
American Society of African Culture
15 East 40th Street
New York 16, New York

Dear Mr. Davis:

Your letter requesting Mr. Hughes to participate in the panel on African Culture and Negritude for your June Conference arrived after he left New York for San Juan.

I regret to inform you that Mr. Hughes is already committed for the dates of the Conference, June 22 - 26, and therefore will be unable to participate on the panel.

I am sure Mr. Hughes will be pleased to learn that you are requesting advance copies of AN AFRICAN TREASURY for display at the Conference and would request that I send you his thanks and best wishes.

HORACE MANN BOND
*President*

JAMES W. IVY
*Treasurer*

OCTOBER 3, 1960

MR. LANGSTON HUGHES
20 EAST 127TH STREET
NEW YORK 35, N. Y.

DEAR MR. HUGHES:

WE ARE RETURNING TO YOU YOUR CHECK
OF SEPTEMBER 26. THE CHECK WAS MADE OUT
INCORRECTLY.

WOULD YOU PLEASE RE-SUBMIT TO US
ANOTHER CHECK IN THE AMOUNT OF $4.50.

THANK YOU.

RG:RG
ENC.

HORACE MANN BOND
President

WILLIAM T. FONTAINE
Secretary

JAMES W. IVY
Treasurer

November 4, 1960

Dear Mr. Hughes:

The response to AMSAC's call for assistance from members and friends for the Independence BOATRIDE was so gratifying that we were encouraged to believe that many had been hoping for opportunities to give concrete testimony to their fraternal feelings toward our African visitors, guests and new residents.

As you will no doubt agree, the Christmas season is one which we in this country (whatever our religious persuasion) utilize to give particular expression to our sentiments of goodwill and desire for peace. It is, therefore, most appropriate that the Society has been asked to sponsor, during this season, an event which would serve this purpose. After a spot survey amongst members and friends, we have decided to sponsor a Christmas Party. (See insert overleaf)

The purpose of the party (as for all of our entertainment events) is to provide an opportunity for enjoyment, but most importantly to provide an atmosphere congenial for the development of many deep and lasting friendships between Americans and our African friends.

We wish to emphasize this point in order that Americans at the Christmas Party may fully appreciate the fact that they are hosts and the Africans are our guests. It is to be hoped that each American will take some initiative in getting to know our African guests, in inviting them to their homes, and in offering to them such advice and services as may appear useful.

The Executive Committee and staff of AMSAC are confident that the Christmas Party will be an event that you will long remember. There will be internationally renowned entertainment, excellent refreshments, a splendid setting, exciting company, and some real surprises.

Princeton, N. J.

January 16, 1961

Gentlemen:

Mr. Langston Hughes regrets that due to
out-of-town lecture engagements, he will
be unable to attend the Reception in
honor of Mr. James T. Harris, Jr., on
Tuesday, January 24th, from six-thirty
to nine p.m., at 15 East 40th Street,
Suite 200, New York City.

April 24, 1961

Mr. Langston Hughes regrets that he will be unable to attend the reception in celebration of the independence of Sierra Leone, on Saturday, the twenty-ninth of April, from five-thirty to seven-thirty o'clock. He appreciates your kind invitation and sends you his best wishes.

30

July 29, 1961

Dear Mr. Davis:

Bertram Doyle who lived here at my aunt's house where I reside for about two years has asked me to drop you a note of reference in regards to his possible employment with AMSAC. To the best of my knowledge Mr. Doyle is amiable, reliable, intelligent, and serious minded. As a teacher in a nearby school, from all I've heard about him, he was well liked.

Cordial regards to you.

HORACE MANN BOND
*Presidents*

JAMES W. IVY
*Treasurer*

October 20, 1961

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Thank you very much for accepting our invitation to serve on the Drama and Literature panel at our celebration in Lagos, Nigeria for the opening of our West African Cultural Center, December 18-19, 1961. I am enclosing a statement which generally outlines the proposed program for the celebration. We are asking each participant on your panel to give a ten minute critical and evaluative talk on his subject and if possible, to discuss the relationships between the Contemporary Drama and Literature of the American Negro and the African. The remaining time will be spent in open discussion. Will you be good enough to send me a copy of your talk on or before November 15, 1961?

According to plans, we are leaving by plane for Lagos on December 14, 1961, and returning to New York on December 21, 1961. All participants are providing their services without remuneration; however, AMSAC is paying for all transportation and living expenses and will make the necessary arrangements. Special hospitality will more than likely be provided by West African officials.

Prior to our departure, AMSAC is giving its Annual Christmas Party at the Riviera Terrace on Monday, December 11, 1961, from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. This party, as you may know, is given in honor of the African Ambassadors to the United States and the African Delegates to the United Nations. This year, the party also will serve as a bon voyage for you and the other participants in the Lagos Celebration. We are expecting 900 guests and have already engaged Count Basie and his orchestra. Please put this date on your calendar.

November 10, 1961

MEMORANDUM

TO: Participants in the Lagos Festival

FROM: Yvonne O. Walker, Lagos Festival Coordinator

SUBJECT: Arrangements for Transportation to Lagos

We are in the midst of making travel arrangements for our trip to Lagos and, as soon as they are completed, I will send you the details.

In the meantime, please make immediate arrangements to get a passport or to get your passport renewed if this is applicable in your case. Attached is a statement of requirements for a passport and of innoculations necessary for entering Nigeria. Please note that AMSAC will reimburse you for all expenses connected with getting a passport if you will send an itemized statement to me.

It will not be necessary for you to get a visa. I am obtaining this for you in a blanket application from AMSAC to the office of the Nigerian Consulate General.

May I hear from you as soon as possible with regard to the status of your passport?

Attached - I.

November 13, 1961

MEMORANDUM

TO: CHR - LAGOS

FROM: JAD - NYC

SUBJECT: Library of Langston Hughes

Under separate cover, via air cargo, we are sending you a complete
library of all of his publications given to us by Langston Hughes. I hope
that you will see that they are appropriately exhibited at the opening on
December 18 and 19. They are all appropriately inscribed. Many of them
are out of print and, therefore, qualify as rare books. They are for your
permanent library after the exhibition.

I think it would be a good idea for you to write Langston at
20 East 127th Street, New York 35, N. Y., and also issue a press release
upon the receipt of the books. Not only will the press release call atten-
tion to your library and the opening of the Center, but it will serve as the
beginning of a series of press releases building up to the December 18-19
opening.

How goes it?

JAD:cc

Copy to - Langston Hughes.

HORACE MANN BOND
President

WILLIAM T. FONTAINE
Secretary

JAMES W. IVY
Treasurer

November 13, 1961

Dear Langston:

I am writing to express my deep appreciation for the gift of 22 of your books inscribed for our Lagos Library and as a part of our exhibit at the opening of our Lagos office.

We have bought all of your books that we can for our library here but, of course, some of them are out of print. Would it be possible for you to do anything about this (says the man already having been given a very fine gift)?

JAD:cc

AGREEMENT

between

Langston Hughes
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AFRICAN CULTURE (AMSAC)

I, Langston Hughes residing at
20 East 127th Street, New York 35, N. Y.

do, in consideration of the opportunity afforded me by AMSAC to manifest my
interest in the interrelation of African and American Negro Culture by parti-
cipating on African soil with African performing artists, and in further con-
sideration of the agreement of other American Negroes to so participate hereby
agree to serve as panelist

at the Celebration for the Official Opening of the AMSAC Cultural Center in
Lagos, Nigeria on December 18 through 19, 1961. I agree to travel by plane
with the group of participants in the Celebration who are scheduled to leave
New York December 14, 1961 and return to New York on December 21, in accor-
dance with time specifications stipulated for me in the official Program and
Schedule of Events for the Celebration.

In consideration of non-payment for my services, AMSAC agrees to make
arrangements and assume full financial responsibility for all travel, housing
and food occasioned by this trip, including $100,000 insurance covering travel
by common carriers.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal
this 23rd day of October 1961.

Accepted, AMERICAN
SOCIETY OF AFRICAN CULTURE
by:

JOHN A. DAVIS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DATE:

HORACE MANN BOND
President

WILLIAM T. FONTAINE
Secretary

JAMES W. IVY
Treasurer

November 28, 1961

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

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Thank you for the offer of filling in our collection of
Langston Hughes. Here is what we have:

An African Treasury

The Big Sea

Famous American Negroes

The First Book of Jazz

Histoires De Blanc

I Wonder As I Wander

Laughing to Keep From Crying

A Pictorial History of the Negro in America

The Poetry of the Negro

Simple Speaks His Mind

Simple Stakes a Claim

The Sweet Flypaper of Life

Tambourines to Glory

Listed in our catalogue are also: *The Dream Keeper*,
*Fields of Wonder*, *The Langston Hughes Reader*, *A New Song* and
*Selected Poems*, but, no doubt, some fans took them off the
shelves.

We would, of course, appreciate any copies you might have
of the ones we are missing.

Jim Baker asked me to tell you that a recent letter from
Ezekiel Mphalele informed him that your *African Treasury* has
been banned in South Africa. "How crazy can you get", quote
Mpahlele.

BA:fg

43

Mr. Langston Hughes

20 East 127th Street

New York 35, New York

15 EAST 40TH Street
New York 16, New York - OR 9-9255

November 21, 1961

Dear Langston:

This is to acknowledge and thank you for your contribution of $12.50 for our Fifth Annual Christmas Party at the Riviera Terrace on Monday, December 11, 1961.

We look forward to the pleasure of your company. Enclosed is your guest card(s).

Guest Card number(s)

#20

HORACE MANN BOND
President

WILLIAM T. FONTAINE
Secretary

JAMES W. IVY
Treasurer

MEOROANDUM

TO: Participants in Lagos Festival
FROM: Yvonne O. Walker
SUBJECT: Insurance Policy for Trip to Lagos

We were unable to get one insurance company to underwrite as much as a $100,000 policy for you. We must now use two separate companies.

Please fill out the enclosed forms and return them to me immediately in the enclosed self addressed envelope.

Returned
Dec. 7,
1961

HORACE MANN BOND
*President*

JAMES W. IVY
*Treasurer*

December 7, 1961

MEMORANDUM

FROM: Yvonne O. Walker

SUBJECT: Nigerian Visa Application Form

Please fill out the enclosed form and return
same to me immediately in the enclosed self addressed
envelope.

47

HORACE MANN BOND
President

WILLIAM T. FONTAINE
Secretary

JAMES W. IVY
Treasurer

December 8, 1961

Cable Address:

CORACIWA, NEW YORK

MEMORANDUM

FROM: Yvonne O. Walker

SUBJECT: Press Conference - Cocktail Party
Wednesday, December 13, from 3 to 5:30 p.m.

Arrangements have been made for a press conference with you here at the AMSAC office beginning at 3:00p.m. on the day of the first group's departure for Lagos. It is requested that you be present irrespective of your scheduled departure date.

Those who are leaving for Lagos on December 13, are requested to come to the party with bag and baggage and ready to leave. A special limousine will pick us up here at the AMSAC office and leave for Idlewild promptly at 5:45 p.m.. As you know, our plane leaves at 8:00 p.m. but we must have our passports checked, etc.. If for any reason your arrival at the AMSAC office will be later than 3:30 p.m., please let me know.

HORACE MANN BOND
President

December 28, 1961

WILLIAM T. FONTAINE
Secretary

JAMES W. IVY
Treasurer

TO: All Artists and Panelists, Lagos Festival and Seminar

Dear Langston:

This unfortunately has to be a kind of round robin letter since there are so many of you and so few of us to type letters. However, I mean it personally when I say that you were wonderful people. Your performances were "bang up" without exception. In spite of all kinds of difficulties which are inevitable in the management of a program of the size and variety of ours over so great a distance, you took it all in stride.

In closing, I want to note especially the pride which you took in your work. The ladies without exception were beautifully dressed and gowned, and the men too were smartly turned out — all under difficult conditions. You were terrific!

JAD:cc

HORACE MANN BOND
*President*

JAMES W. IVY
*Treasurer*

MEMORANDUM

December 28, 1961

TO: Participants of Lagos Festival
FROM: Carmel Simmons Carmel Simmons

This is just a reminder that you should take
Aralen or other malaria-depressant pills for at least two
weeks. Best regards.

CS:fg

51

P.M.B. 2823
Lagos, Nigeria
January 6, 1962

Dr. Horace Mann Bond, President
Mr. Calvin H. Raullerson, Director
Mr. Langston Hughes, Member
American Society of African Culture
15 East 40th Street 4/6 Oil Mill Street
New York, New York Lagos, Nigeria

Dear Sirs:

If this letter reaches you, it is because an inner voice of
persistence has convinced me to air my reactions in a fashion unusual
to me. This inner voice will have persuaded me that even if the con-
tents of this correspondence are considered invalid and worthless
or more repetitions of already made analyzations, I will personally
rest easier for having written. I write to you Dr. Bond and Mr. Rauller-
son as members of the Executive Board of the Society and to you, Mr.
Hughes, since you are the only AMSAC member who participated in the
Lagos Festival to whom I have had the pleasure of introduction. I
pray that the body of this letter is received in the same spirit of
good will with which it is sent.

AMSAC has assumed a terrific responsibility when it purports to
diffuse the cultural achievements of the American Negro to the
West African society. In the fullfillment of this objective, this
organization may touch more West Africans (initially or solely) than
many (if not all) other American agencies. History may record AMSAC
as a major influence in the development of African-American relation-
ships. Even if the results are not quite this significant, the present
impact of the Organization's program is of great importance. The awesome
obligation assumed is to the American society in general and to the
Negro citizen in particular, for all will share in the benefits of the
Society's successes and the consequences of its failures. I feel person-
ally affected as I am American, Negro and present in Africa because of
an interest in the place of my origin.

The enclosed artical by the widely read "Peter Pan" of Nigeria
is evidence of the feelings of the body of people I have contacted
since the AMSAC Festival performances. Included in this group are
Americans, Negro and white, Nigerians and Europeans. Invariably the
conversations turn to the recent programs. While all do not agree with
the specific critisms of the writer (and I do not either) we do concur
that the AMSAC productions were disappointments.

( 2 )

The crime of placing some of our most recognized and proficient American Negro artists in embarrassingly unreceptive situations is quite a serious one. Not only does it affect the estimation of our present achievements, but it reflects on our past and forecasts future attitudes. My heart bled as I saw persons whom I greatly admire and whom (by reasons of geography and/or finance) I have never been able to see in America, be received in a manner hardly befitting the talent, time and hard work involved in the attainment of their present statue. I can only hope that the artists who "gave their time" will have found the many other avenues of compensation within their visit to Nigeria.

Let me point out here that I hold no injurious feelings toward the audiences who expressed their dissatisfactions in such disturbing manners. It is the inherent right of an audience to react in an audible fashion. I am aware (for I have been concerned with programing on a much, much smaller basis) that it is the objective and the DUTY of the sponsor to gear his program to the respondent. This procedure is mandatory in any good practice whether the concern is medicine or law, or education or entertainment. The not-so-simple matter is COMMUNICATION, the lack of which was the major shortcoming of the AMSAC Festival.

It appeared that the affairs were designed with little functional knowledge of the greater audience. It seemed that the artists were staged without any briefings (a vital part of all U.S. governmental and other international programs) and were generally unprepared for their venture. It is to their credit as professionals that they were able to endure the resulting display of disapproval. The performances too often:

1. required an American and/or worldly frame-of-reference (i.e. Elsa Maxwell, from Maine to California, Charles Linburgh, "liberated" at College)

2. assumed a facility with "American English". Although English is the National language, it is a second one. At my church here, the sermon is rendered in English but is immediately translated by a second speaker. This church is located in one of the better Lagos suburban districts and is attended by persons who live and/or work in the area. American accents and word selection (as you know) are quite different from British.

3. did not clearly define the similarities of African and American Negro works. We recognize traces of West African heritages in our semi-African, semi-European, slavery and oppression born American Negro spirituals. We hear and see it in our jazz, our dance, our folklore and our religious ceremonies. Our language retains elements of it. ...hence the Ibo word "piccin" may be the base for "picinniny" as they both refer to small children. Again, we know what West Africa means to us for we have been intensely concerned. This is the place of our origin. We should not expect West Africa to respond with a sentiment it may not have yet acquired.

53

( 3 )

If communication is to take place, it must be established on clear cut and visible similarities. Our black faces, hereto a hindrance, are for once a decided advantage but are not the sole solution. The recent reported results of Manhattan's Institute of International Education on friction between African and American Negro students and perhaps the results of the AMSAC presentations attest to this fact. If programs geared to relationships are to reach beyond the elite, educated and worldly person, they must capitalize on a kinship with the familiar.

The response to general, not modern, jazz and the West Indian rendition of Brock Peters was overwhelmingly favorable. The keys to these successes were the very obvious relationships between American Negro and Nigerian rhythms and the similar aspect of quantity of volume. Visible related elements account for the success of Geoffrey Holder. They are a major factor in the continuous success of Lionel Hampton, for Mr. Hampton gives to his audience what all can understand and appreciate in most instances and particularly in the first instance. When a performer shows concern for his audience (by appealing to them at the outset) they in turn show concern for him. They will endure and tolerate his later deviation. Note the patience of the audience with Mr. Hampton's inserted modern jazz and the corresponding approval of Miss Simone, who began in a familiar vein.

To present "concert" music to an audience, anywhere, to which this music is foreign is to court disaster. To present "concert" music to this audience in a situation unusually utilized for recreation is to woo disaster. With these two combined factors, AMSAC won disaster for both American and Nigerian concert artists appearing on its show. I wish here to congratulate Miss Hinderas, who wisely selected "showy" and rhythmically vigorous selections from her repertoire. I only wish that she, Miss Flowers and others had had the opportunity to perform to audiences who could have benefitted. Such audiences are available here at the University-Colleges, the Colleges, and the Teacher Training Institutions. Program placement is vital in Africa and America.

If AMSAC continues to present high calibrated performers, the Society is relieved of many minor hardships of programming. These will be shouldered by the individual artist whose experience in the past is as serviceable in Africa as elsewhere. Without exception, every American Negro artist on the AMSAC shows provided contrast and variety within his act. AMSAC's responsibilities, it seems to me, lay in the selection and the placement of the artist and the briefing of the performer on his audience. Selection here is greatly influenced by placement. Placement at one time or another should include all social, economical and educational classes. An additional responsibility is organization where timing and movements of participants are of primary concern. The total preparations of AMSAC would then resemble, in miniature, the major initiation programs of most societies concerned with international relations. In order to do this in an effective manner, AMSAC, like them, MUST COME IN ON THE GROUND LEVEL. By virtue of the nature and far reaching effects of its program, AMSAC owes this to us Americans and to us American Negroes.

(4)

This Society must be certain that its practices are true to American ideals. In connection with this, I call your attention to the large reserve seating section which occupied the entire front area and was approximately thirty rows deep. Would you agree that such reservations at a public affair where individuals are led to believe that "price giveth preference" is the same type of discrimination we fight daily in the United States? I also wonder what useful purpose is served by reference to the trials and tribulations of integration. The daily papers constantly give vent to harsh feelings on this problem. Many people believe that black Americans walk all the streets with bowed and bloody heads. Was "back home" interpreted to mean "coming home" to stay? One person said to me after the AMSAC Monday night show that he expected the immigration offices of Ghana and Nigeria to be flooded with American Negrees as potential citizens. Did AMSAC performers (unbriefed) unwittingly emphasize and perpetuate this misconception?

Since the writing and during the inexpert and laborious typing of this letter, I have read three more articles on the AMSAC affairs. One was, seemingly, a defensive reply to "Peter Pan" from Miss Peirera, the second, a highly critical article by a musician, Steve Rhodes, and the third, a review of the art exhibition by Ulli Boier. I do not know Mr. Rhodes, but I have heard some recordings of Nigerian carols under his direction. The carols are interesting and well presented renditions and seem to be the work of a sensitive, dedicated and prepared musician. I would term Mr. Rhodes' attitude toward the AMSAC performances as "indignant". My conclusion of the enclosed review (art) is that the writer, although critical, is sympathetic (Oh!) and accessible (Whew!)

Gentlemen, whether you agree with my findings or not, I hope that you concern:

1. that the approaches to AMSAC presentations are in need of sharp re-examination

2. that your first hand knowledge of a developing people, the American Negro, should be of great value and service in the determination of practical means to your goals

3. that the hindsight obtained from these events will serve as guide in the formation of new advances.

The objectives of this Society are far too worthy and its membership far too learned and distinguished for this situation to be repeated.

I pray for your success in this worthwhile endeavor.

59

(4)

This Society must be certain that its practices are true to American ideals. In connection with this, I call your attention to the large reserve seating section which occupied the entire front area and was approximately thirty rows deep. Would you agree that such reservations at a public affair where individuals are led to believe that "price giveth preference" is the same type of discrimination we fight daily in the United States? I also wonder what useful purpose is served by reference to the trials and tribulations of integration. The daily papers constantly give vent to harsh feelings on this problem. Many people believe that black Americans walk all the streets with bowed and bloody heads. Was "back home" interpreted to mean "coming home" to stay? One person said to me after the AMSAC Monday night show that he expected the immigration offices of Ghana and Nigeria to be flooded with American Negroes as potential citizens. Did AMSAC performers (unbriefed) unwittingly emphasize and perpetuate this misconception?

Since the writing and during the inexpert and laborous typing of this letter, I have read three more articles on the AMSAC affairs. One was, seemingly, a defensive reply to "Peter Pan" from Miss Peirera, the second, a highly critical article by a musician, Steve Rhodes, and the third, a review of the art exhibition by Ulli Beier. I do not know Mr. Rhodes, but I have heard some recordings of Nigerian carols under his direction. The carols are interesting and well presented renditions and seem to be the work of a sensitive, dedicated and prepared musician. I would term Mr. Rhodes' attitude toward the AMSAC performances as "indignant". My conclusion of the enclosed review (art) is that the writer, although critical, is sympathetic (Oh!) and accessible (Whew!)

Gentlemen, whether you agree with my findings or not, I hope that you concurs:

89

GRAND CENTRAL

15 EAST 40TH STREET, NEW YORK 16, N.Y.
OREGON 9-9255 • CABLE: CORACIWA, NEWYORK

January 11, 1962

Dear Langston:

On Monday, January 15th, at 6:30 p.m., the American Society of African Culture is planning a reception-dinner at our office for the members of an economic mission from Senegal visiting the United States.

The group is headed by Mr. Karim Gaye, Minister of Technical Assistance and Cooperation, and includes Mr. Cheikh Hamidou Kane, Commissioner General of Planning and also a novelist among whose books is "L'Aventure Ambigue" published in February of 1961.

We hope that you can be with us. We are sorry not to have let you know earlier, but we were just apprised ourselves of the mission's visit.

JAD:fg

January 12, 1962

Mrs. Maye Grant
P.M.B. 2023
Lagos, Nigeria,
West Africa

Dear Mrs. Grant:

Thank you for your thoughtful letter of January 6, addressed
to Dr. Bond, Mr. Reullerson, and Mr. Hughes. I shall see that they
get copies of it.

Permit me to say that many of the points brought out were
carefully considered in the planning of the event. On balance it was
decided to expose the audience to classical music and modern jazz.
The classical artists understood fully what they were facing. It is
proposed to send them back, especially in smaller audiences in univer-
sities. They have been invited. Indeed I was under the impression
that Miss Hinderas was well received for this kind of "variety show".
Our first plan was to provide an indoor show for a selected audience,
but we were strongly advised by our friends in Lagos against ignoring
the people at our first and perhaps only public demonstration. I must
say that this has proved wise in one respect: at least I can recognize
the show and its reception from our recorded tapes - if not from some
of the newspaper columns.

We are an organization composed of American Negro intellec-
tuals, artists, scholars, and writers. There are always organizational
considerations that must be met when undertaking this kind of show.
One is not able to dictate. I would like to point out in regard to
your last paragraph that American Negro artists cannot be told what to
say; all Americans and especially American Negroes can understand this.
Certainly, neither I, nor Dr. Bond, nor Mr. Reullerson, nor Mr. Hughes
would dare to tell our artists what they must or must not say. We must
avoid imitating the techniques of our great adversaries.

While we are on this question of democracy, let me point out
that it was necessary to reserve a section for the diplomatic core and
their friends, Lagos being the capital of the nation and the Governor-
General being a host at our request. In addition our own performing
artists and friends, as well as Nigerian officials, expected a reserved
section. Distinction on the basis of social function and price is
typically American, although politically we believe that we are all
equal.

February 3, 1962

Dear Jim:

I didn't get your phone message until
midnight yesterday as I was downtown
all afternoon tape recording 3 inter-
views for BBC's London programs, and
then had dinner and went to the theatre.

I cannot write a piece on Africans and
American Negroes now as I haven't enough
material on the subject, and couldn't
think of enough to say on paper. Besides,
I have for two years promised the
WALANTIC a piece it requested on Kurt
Weill and our collaboration, which I have
not yet gotten around to writing. I have
about a dozen such long-promised and over-
due writing jobs on my calendar, and cannot
in fairness add any thing additional to
my calendar until I get caught up on past
agreements. Sorry. But thank you for
thinking of me.

With cordial regards,

15 East 40th Street
New York 16, N. Y.

April 2, 1962

Mr. John J. Akar
c/o President Luther H. Foster
Tuskegee Institute
Tuskegee, Alabama

Dear Johns

I have heard from Langston Hughes to the effect that
Arna Bontemps wants you to visit Fisk.

I am sending a copy of this letter to Arna Bontemps
so that he will know how to get in touch with you.

JAD:cc

cc to: Mr. Bontemps, Fisk Univ., Nashville, Tenn.
Mr. Hughes, 20 East 127th Street, New York 35, N.Y.

April 10, 1962

Miss Brooke Aronson
AMSAC
15 East 40 Street
New York City 16

Dear Miss Aronson:

Enclosed is a listing of the recordings
of Langston Hughes' works which you re-
quested. Mr. Hughes suggests recordings
of the following artists for the best
available records of American Negro music:

Marian Anderson, Roland Hayes, Camilla
Williams, Odetta, Belafonte, Josh White,
Fisk Jubilee Singers, Tuskegee Institute
Choir, Hampton Choir, Jimmy Bushing,
Bessie Smith, and the Folkways Documentary
 albums of Blues, and Jazz.

I suggest that you consult a Folkways
catalogue for additional recordings
since it specializes in folk recordings.

NOTE: You should write to Mr. Irving Silber at Folkways and inquire of a possible discount for your purchases.

ghb

76

The American Society of
African Culture

FIFTEEN EAST FORTIETH STREET, NEW YORK 16, N.Y. / OREGON 9-9255

April 27, 1962

Officers:

Horace Mann Bond
President

John A. Davis
Executive Director

Executive Council:

Horace Mann Bond

John A. Davis

St. Clair Drake

William T. Fontaine

Adelaide C. Hill

James W. Ivy

William B. Jones

Saunders Redding

Staff:

Calvin H. Raullerson
Associate Executive
Director, Lagos

James K. Baker
Assistant
Executive Director

Yvonne O. Walker
Business Officer

Dear Mr. Hughes:

We have just received a letter from Mr. Herbert Shore, consultant on African Theatre and Literature to the International Theatre Celebration, asking about the possibility of your serving on the Board of Judges for the Rosamond Gilder Awards.

The awards are being given this year for the two best translations of African plays from any language into English and for the best African play written originally in English but never published in the United States.

I have enclosed more detailed information on these
awards and their sponsorship.

Needless to say, we are quite enthusiastic about the
idea. Mr. Shore, who is chairman of the judging committee
and is connected with the Department of Theatre Arts at
Brandeis University, informs us that all plays entered in
the competition will be considered for publication and pro-
duction in the U.S.

His closing comment will be, I am sure, important to
your decision: "The number of scripts that would have to be
read for final selections would not be very large and I could
arrange to have them sent to the people involved at their
convenience."

We hope that you can give this matter favorable con-
sideration. I look forward to hearing from you on it.

BA:fg

Encs.

79

-3-

8. The Awards are $500 for the first place, and $200 for the second place. An award of $300 will be made for the best play written originally in English by a native African. A "native African" is to be interpreted as one who has lived his entire life in Africa, except perhaps for travel and schooling.

9. The translation of three one-act plays may be submitted in place of a three-act play. In this case, the one-act plays will be considered as one play in the judging. This also applies to playwrights who submit their own plays initially written in English.

10. Playwrights cannot be returned unless provisions are made for the payment of postage.

11. The translator should state under the author's name the country of the author, and the language from which the play has been translated.

12. The plays will be judged by theatre experts and by authorities on African culture. The place and date of the Awards will be made known later, perhaps at one of the American Educational Theatre Association meetings.

13. The judging committee's decision is final.

April 30, 1962

Miss Brooke Aronson
AMSAC
15 East 40 Street
New York 16, New York

Dear Miss Aronson:

Mr. Hughes is in California and is not scheduled to return until mid-May when he will be stopping only long enough to pack for his departure to Africa for the African Writers Conference at Uganda and from there to Spoleto, Italy, where his BLACK NATIVITY is being produced at the Festival of Two Worlds. He also has several writing commitments with urgent deadlines that he must attend within the coming year.

Mr. Hughes is judge for the Hospitalized Veterans Writers Project and the Umbari short story contest in Africa. He has received contest manuscripts which he has not been able to read as yet. He declined judge participation in the Wagner College literary contest, and so I do not think it is possible for him to accept participation on the Board of Judges for the Rosamond Gilder Awards. However, I will hold the letter for his attention on his return.

August 24, 1962

Dear Baker:

Thank you very much for sending me a copy of Bernard Fonlon's very nice letter from the Cameroons, he seems to be an avid collector of my work, and I intend to try and complete his collection by sending him shortly the books he has not been able to acquire.

This summer, I was able to spend more than a month in Africa and had a very interesting trip, indeed. As you no doubt know, I gave a reading of my poems at the AMSAC headquarters in Lagos to a must cordial audience. I hope to see you soon and tell you all about it.

With Cordial regards to you,

Mr. James K. Baker
AMSAC
15 East 40 Street
New York, New York

C O P Y

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AFRICAN CULTURE

15 East Fortieth Street
New York 16, N. Y.

Oregon 9-9255

September 17, 1962

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

Dear Langston:

On Saturday, Woli Soyinka sent a cable from London showing his fervent enthusiasm for "Black Nativity," which a apparently he saw there. I am enclosing a copy of that cable for you, and I know you won't miss the last phrase "What chance Nigeria?" And this is why I am writing.

Apparently, from the brief time I spent there, Nigerians, and I understand Africans generally, love gospel songs and spirituals of the American Negro. You would know more about this than I do. But assuming you agree with this, and further assuming that we could interest a foundation in putting up the money specifically for the cast to appear in several West African cities, whom should we contact in the managerial or agency staff of the play, and what do you think of their receptivity to a West African tour?

LONDON 16 7 0125

LT JIM BANKER CORACIWA NYKUSA (JIM BAKER C/O COUNCIL ON RACE AND CASTE IN WORLD AFFAIRS 15 EAST 40TH ST SUITE 202 NSH)

ENTHUSASTIC ABOUT BLACK NATIVITY TELL LANGSTON CONGRATULATIONS
WHAT CHANCE NIGERIA

SOYINKA

January 18, 1963

Mr. Frederick O'Neal
American Society of African Culture
15 East 40 Street
New York 16, New York

Dear Fred,

I'm sorry to inform you that I shall
not be able to come to the meeting on Friday
evening, January 25th at 8p.m. because of
another commitment.

With all good wishes to you.

LH:r

February 9, 1963

Mr. James Baker,
AMSAC, New York.

Dear Jimmy:

I am delighted to learn from Miss Simmons that Bloke Modisane will be coming over in March. I am sure the students will like him. And I think perhaps some of the colleges other than Negro, like Michigan State where I found a strong interest in Africa last year, might like to have him speak. At any rate, I'm writing a few of them where I have contacts, in case Modisane has some free time in April. Also I spoke to Mrs. Sylvia Warner at the Columbia Artists Bureau that has been trying to sign me up (but I've got too much hard writing to do). They might book Bloke instead, if not this season, another.

I've just written Modisane inviting him to spend the few days before he takes off for the South here in Harlem, if he'd like to do so. We've a guest room, could make him comfortable, and see that he gets where he has to go around town---no car, but taxis and rapid transportation nearby. Also wines and lickers available. I'd like to give a party for him to meet our cullud writers: Ellison, Killens, Mary Elizabeth, et al---but perhaps that has better wait until he returns from his tour, since you-all will probably have plenty for him to do the first few days he is here. However, he is certainly welcome to stay at my house, unless there are other plans for him. (How come all the Africans like the Tudor so much?)

Note enclosed catalogue of POEMS FROM BLACK AFRICA.
Modisane is in the book, Wole, John Pepper Clark, etc.,
lots of AMSAC folks, so I've asked Indiana University
Press to send you-all a packet of their mailing pieces
which perhaps you wouldn't mind passing on to those who
might be interested. Advance copies should be ready in
about a month.

Tomorrow I'm off for the President's Emancipation reception Lincoln's Birthday in Washington. Hope I get back in time to meet Dadié, but since Washington used to be one of my old home towns, I'd like maybe to stay over a day or two. Anyhow,

Cordial regards to you,

97

February 21, 1963

Dear Member:

You are invited to a reception honoring authors of recently published books. The reception will be held Friday, March 1st, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at 15 East 40th Street, Suite 200.

Member authors to be honored are:

John Oliver Killens
<u>And Then We Heard the Thunder</u>

Elton C. Fax
<u>West Africa: Vignettes</u> (Revised Edition)

Herbert Hill
<u>Soon One Morning</u> (May publication)

H.E. Alex Quaison-Sackey, Ambassador of Ghana to the United Nations, whose <u>Africa Unbound</u> will be released in April, will be a <u>special guest author</u>. South African writer <u>Bloke Modisane</u> will be our guest speaker at this affair.

We hope you will be able to join us.

R.S.V.P. OR 9-9255

Mr. R. W. van de Velde

- 2 -

May 23, 1963

His accomplishments are all the more impressive when one realizes that he hasn't had the benefit of college or university training. The Parvin Fellows Program seems excellently suited to augment the knowledge and experience which he has gained on his own.

Although he presently resides in London in exile from his country, his intent and desire to return to South Africa as soon as possible is apparent in his works. I am convinced that his nation will benefit from his attainments. I am asking the following persons to send letters supporting this nomination:

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

Professor Saunders Redding, educator and writer
Hampton Institute
Hampton, Virginia

Mr. Ezekiel Mphahlele, Director
Congress for Cultural Freedom
104 Boulevard Haussmann
Paris 8, France

We hope the University will give Mr. Modisane serious consideration. Thanking you in advance for your attention to this nomination, I am,

JAD:CS:mb

115

November 19, 1963

Mr. W. McNeil Lowry, Director
Program in Humanities and the Arts
The Ford Foundation
477 Madison Avenue
New York 22, N. Y.

Dear Mr. Lowry:

Since I came to see you with Osceola Archer, Frederick
O'Neal and Leonard de Paur last September, we have had two meetings
of our group and Mrs. Walker has been to see you. My feeling at
this time is that AMSAC should have nothing further to do with the
proposal for a grant to establish an American Negro Theatre and I
am, therefore, withdrawing all of our connection with the matter.

I want to urge upon you that you provide a grant and the
technicians necessary to work with the committee of artists in
order to effect the proposal in such a fashion that you feel the
Ford Foundation can act upon it. I would hate to see the whole
project lost at this point after so much effort on our part to
satisfy the needs of the artists who have given so much for the
best interests of our country.

Let me state at this time those factors which I think
we agreed upon: First of all, it is very clear that the Negro
needs a repertorial theatrical group working in conjunction with
the professional theatre in such a fashion as to produce theatric-
cal talent. This does not exist anywhere in the United States at
the present time for Negroes, but exists in fair supply for the
white theatre. Presumably it will result in better supply for the
white theatre since the Ford Foundation has generously subsidized
such training. Considerable sums of money have been poured into
theatrical education at Negro universities, especially with regard
to facilities. This has never been productive, and if the past is
any indication of what will happen in the future, it will only be
moderately productive. Moreover it seems to me that the experiences
in the last few years, where the rather limited supply of Negro
writers, dancers, directors, scenic designers and playwrights have
attempted to get together as producing companies to crack the
off-Broadway market and, hopefully, the Broadway market, have proved
to be remarkably unsuccessful. They have highlighted the fact that
the supply of trained people is extremely limited. The experience
of the old American Negro Theatre proves that it is the only way for
the Negro to get training in all the theatrical and associated arts
to crack Broadway and to become integrated. As I said, I think you
and I and the group agree on all of this.

Page 2 - Mr. W. McNeil Lowry, Ford Foundation - 11/19/63

Beyond all this, it seems to me that our proposal falls most uniquely within the objectives of the Ford Foundation and within the objectives of the Program in Humanities and the Arts as stated by you on numerous occasions. The theatre as proposed will improve the image of America abroad. It will reveal the cultural contributions of American Negroes; it will establish close rapport with those persons interested in the art and culture of the Negro everywhere in the world, a goodly number of whom exist in Africa. It will widen the understanding of the American Negro and his understanding of himself. It will serve as an institution for the acculturation of the American Negro newcomer to the great urban areas in America, and especially for the American Negro youth. Lastly, it will increase American understanding of the cultural contributions of the American Negro and of the black man generally in the world.

Mrs. Walker has told me that you are still concerned about the possible attack that such a theatre would represent segregation at a time when the cry is integration. Let me assure you that only the most irresponsible people would take such a point of view, since such a theatre would be merely a springboard and the base from which the American Negro theatre and American Negro culture could make its contribution in the mainstream. In the meantime, American Negro artists and playwrights would operate fully wherever opportunities are open to them. The more gifts they are able to come bearing, the more likely they are to be received.

May I urge you to accept my judgment with regard to this. I have some experience and some status in the field of civil rights in the United States. At 21, fresh out of college, I established the first racial consumer boycott group in the United States and later, with the aid of William H. Hastie and Belford Lawson, won in the Supreme Court the legal right to carry on such activities. See U.S. Supreme Court Report on New Negro Alliance against Sanitary Grocery Company.

In 1941 I was the Assistant Director of the first FEPC in this country, right here in New York. I was the Director of Research and Planning for Mr. Roosevelt's FEPC, and a Commissioner of Mr. Herriman's SCAD here in New York. I was the person selected by all Negro leaders to advise Mr. Acheson's Office of Personnel on the employment of Negroes in the Foreign Service of the United States. I directed the non-legal research for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education case, and take some small credit in the Supreme Court decisions of 1954 and 1955. At present I am a member of the Board and of the Executive Committee of the Board of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. I was the first person to teach constitutional law to Robert Carter, the General Counsel of the NAACP, and take some small credit for the direction of his career. I have counted through the years as my intimate friends and close co-workers in many important battles Roy Wilkins, Clarence Mitchell, A. Philip Randolph, Theodore Brown, Will Maslow, Elmer Carter, Walter White, Lester Granger, Thurgood Marshall, Robert C. Weaver, etc. I am not unknown to Martin Luther King, Jack Greenberg and Whitney Young, all of a later generation. I have gone into this detail about my bona fides in order to assure you that the proposal which I hope the Committee for an American Negro Theatre will carry on with you in the future is in the best interests of the American Negro and is, in fact, on a new frontier, and is the best way for achieving integration.

Sincerely yours,

John A. Davis
President

JAD/cc

FIFTH SOUTH EAST PORTION STREET, NEW YORK 16, N.Y. / GOTHAM 2-0000

Offices

John A. Davis
President

James K. Baker
Executive Director

Executive Council

Homer W. Lane, Jr.

William B. Brandt

St. Clair Drake

William T. Pontagie

Adelphi C. Crenshaw, III

Predator O'Connell

Soundstage Redding

Ossia

Calvin H. Rafferty
Associate Executive
Director, Lagos, Nigeria

Joseph C. Kennedy
Research Director

Yvonne G. Walter
Managing Director

Brooke Arzouman
Publications Director

November 20, 1963

Mr. W. McHale Lowry, Director
Program in Humanities and the Arts
The Ford Foundation
477 Madison Avenue
New York 22, N. Y.

Dear Mr. Lowry:

I am writing to follow up my letter to you of yesterday, for I am afraid that, even though that letter was very long, I did not make some things clear. Mainly, I did not make clear why I feel that AMSAC should not be in the picture any longer. It is because we have no talent for the tasks which yet remain to be done. AMSAC simply undertook to serve as a convener and catalytic agent for the group of American Negro theatrical artists which have done things for it. Like any administrators, we were able to assist in clarifying the idea and in developing the basic philosophy and plans for their presentation. We have no skill for making up detailed theatrical budgets. We certainly have no technical skills for developing a teaching program in the theatrical arts.

For all of these reasons, I have suggested to the group that they should incorporate themselves and that they should seek you for a great and for the technical assistance necessary to get their project in the kind of shape which would make it possible for the Ford Foundation to consider it on its merits.

With all best wishes, I remain

JAD/cc

SPONSORED BY THE COUNCIL ON RACE AND GENDER IN WORLD AFFAIRS

Officers:

John A. Davis
President

Executive Council:

Horace Mann Bond

William B. Branch

St. Clair Drake

William T. Fontaine

Adelaide Cromwell Hill

Frederick O'Neal

Saunders Redding

Staff:

Calvin H. Raullerson
Associate Executive
Director, Lagos, Nigeria

Yvonne O. Walker
Managing Director

Brooke Aronson
Publications Director

January 10, 1964

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

Dear Langston:

On Wednesday evening, January 22, at 8:00 p.m., three of the programs of a forthcoming television series on "African Writers of Today" will be shown at the AMSAC offices, 15 East 40th Street, Room 200. Because of your special interest in the arts and in the creative artists of contemporary Africa we would like you to join a small group of some twenty people who will view these films.

The series is being produced by National Educational Television (NET) under the direction of Henry Doré, who wanted a group of AMSAC members and friends to see a part of the series and discuss the programs critically with him. The series was filmed on the African continent and in England, where several South African writers are in exile. Lewis Nkosi, a South African writer who is currently doing a series of articles on the United States for the *London Observer*, acts as program host, interviewing writers on some of the programs.

Those programs that will be shown on the 22nd are an interview with W. E. Abraham, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Ghana (author of *The Mind of Africa*); a discussion among South Africans Ezekiel Mphahlele (novelist and essayist whose most recent work is *The African Image*), Richard Rive (short story writer), and Lewis Nkosi; and a lecture on the poetry of Nigeria's Wole Soyinka by David Rubadiri, a poet and teacher from Nyasaland.

We think that you will find the programs interesting and we know that NET will welcome your comments.

I would appreciate your letting me know whether or not you are able to attend. I look forward to seeing you then.

JKB:rz

121

January 21, 1964

Mr. David Rubadiri
e/o Soche Hill College
P.O. Box 496
Lusaka, Zambia
Nyasaland

Dear Mr. Rubadiri:

Through the courtesy of Mr. Henry Dore of National Educational Television, we were privileged to see, before their general distribution, some of the films which were done by NET on the African writer. You would be interested to know that our audience consisted of our Society's American Negro writers, among whom was Langston Hughes.

Indeed, it is Langston Hughes which brings me to this letter. In the course of your remarks, you stated to Lewis Mcoai that one of the major problems of a teacher of literature in your country was the lack of books. You then went on to specifically lament the fact that, for instance, you did not even have books of Mr. Hughes' poetry. We propose to immediately remedy that deficiency by sending some of Hughes' works to you under separate cover. Incidentally, I must tell you that I and the audience were much impressed by the films generally, and specifically, we were all quite taken with what you had to say and how you said it.

Now I think I should say a word about the American Society of African Culture (AMSAC). To save the time it would take in this letter, I am enclosing several copies of our Newsletter, our brochure and a catalogue of publications, with the thought that they might better express our purposes and program.

A few things I would wish to tell you here. First, we do send bookshelves of approximately fifty-old books by American Negro writers to various African universities and to intellectual groups in urban centers. If such a bookshelf would be useful to you or your school, we would be happy to oblige. As a matter of fact, when Mr. Alele Banda was here, we discussed, from the Ministry of Information's viewpoint, the placement of such a bookshelf in Nyasaland. Also, I must recall the pleasant and meaningful association we were privileged to have with Messrs. Chiume and Chipembere, both of whom were participants in our international conference of last April on the problems of Southern Africa.

I think perhaps this is enough for the moment, but I wanted to hasten after viewing the films, both to get you these books and

Mr. David Rubadiri

-2-

January 26, 1964

to at least briefly acquaint you with ANSAC. We have had word from quite
unofficial sources that you may be here in this country on assignment. If
this be the case, and we hope it will, we then can more adequately discuss
with you how our program could be better implemented in Nyasaland.

Our best wishes to you personally, and again our congratulations to
you for your part in the film. The viewing of these films by the American
public will be a striking contribution to the rather unusual lack of know-
ledge of African thought and writing.

Sincerely,

JEDBIR
Ena.

James L. Baker
Executive Director

cc: Mr. Calvin H. Reullerson
American Society of African Culture
P.O. Box 2614
Lagos, Nigeria

Books under separate cover!

The Big Sea

An African Treasury

The Dream Seeker

Selected Poems

The Poetry of the Negro (ed. by Hughes and Aram Bontemps)

(We hope that all of these are still in print. We have
asked our book dealer to send you as many as possible.)

Officers:

John A. Davis
President

Executive Council:

Horace Mann Bond

William B. Branch

St. Clair Drake

William T. Fontaine

Adelaide Cromwell Hill

Frederick O'Neal

Saunders Redding

Staff:

February 14, 1964

Dear Langston:

I was so sorry to understand from your secretary that you could not make the luncheon with David Rubadiri for next Tuesday. The young man informed me, however, that you would like to have him at your home for drinks sometime later on. I am sure he will be delighted, but may I suggest that you contact him at the Canadian Mission to the UN, 750 Third Avenue, New York 17, phone YU. 6-5740.

He is going to be leaving New York for a while pretty soon, and maybe you should get in touch with him fairly soon.

JKB/cc

C
O
P
Y

STATE HOUSE
LAGOS, NIGERIA

11th February, 1965.

Dear Mr. Baker,

I am directed by His Excellency Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe
to thank you very much for your letter dated 5th February,
1965, and the copy of Mr. Langston Hughes's "New Negro
Poets: USA", which he was very pleased to receive,
especially since it had been autographed by the author.

His Excellency would be grateful if you would be
kind enough to extend his thanks to Mr. Hughes. He also
wishes to reciprocate the kind wishes expressed in your
letter.

Mr. James K. Baker
Director of African Programs,
The American Society for African Culture,
4/6, Oil Mill Street,
Lagos.

139

October 22, 1965

Dear Miss Bowles,

Thank you very much for sending me
a copy of the list of books AMSAC sent
to Prof Yong Choo Park in Korea. I am
sure the books will be put to good cul-
tural use as he is deeply engaged in
American translations, and has just sent
me a big anthology in Korean which he
edited, THE SELECTED WORKS OF NEGRO
LITERATURE, in which I am happy to be in-
cluded.

With cordial regards to you,

October 26, 1965

Mr. John A. Davis,
AFRICAN FORUM, AMSAC,
15 East 40th Street,
New York 16, N. Y.

Dear John:

I think these pieces are good and perhaps might be of interest to AFRICAN FORUM. They are by Mrs. Phyllis P. Jordan who had an article, THE WIDOWS OF THE RESERVES, in my anthology, AN AFRICAN TREASURY, before she and her husband became exiles from South Africa. Her husband, an authority on Bantu languages and formerly at the University of Cape Town, Dr. A. C. Jordan, is now teaching at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. But, being new to this country, and having kids in college, etc., I think are having rather a hard time. If you have suggestions for placing any of these articles in publications that pay, it would be a help. She hopes shortly to have enough pieces for a possible book. Her writing may need a bit of editing here and there, but on the whole I think what she has to say seeps into the reader, and I like it very much.

When are we having another Dakar committee meeting? 50-11 people have written me asking how they can get to the Festival---free. I'm telling them all about the AMSAC low cost tour.

Cordial regards to you,

Sincerely yours,

Langston Hughes

September 23, 1966

African Forum
American Society of African Culture
401 Broadway
New York, N. Y. 10013

Gentlemen:

Enclosed is my check for $1.50 for one
copy of AFRICAN FORUM, Volume 1, Number
4, Spring, 1966 which I would like you
to please send to:

Mr. Dragslav Andric
Takovska 22
Belgrade
Jugoslavia

Thank you.

April 2, 1960

Mr. James Baker
AMSAC
15 East 40th Street
New York City

Dear Mr. Baker:

AMSAC Newsletter Supplement Number 24
contains a reprint of BEYOND THE BLUES
which was read by Miss Rosey Pool at your
Lagos Festival. The article contains the
poems of three young Negro poets who are
contributors to Mr. Hughes' forthcoming
anthology, NEW NEGRO POETS. Mr. Hughes
requests that you send copies (at least
three to each poet, if possible) of this
issue of your Newsletter to the poets.
Their addresses are:

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

Mr. Charles Anderson, c/o Warder, 3037 California Street, San Francisco, Calif.

Mr. Ray Durem, Monte Everest 1328, Col. Independencia, Guadalajara, Jalisco, MEXICO.

Thank you.

Miss Rosey E. Pool
23-A Highpoint
North Hill
London N. 6, England

Dear Miss Pool:

I was so happy when last evening your and
our good friend, Langston Hughes, called to say that
you would be lecturing in this country beginning
next fall. We at AMSAC cannot think of a person
more appropriate then you to lecture on Negro poetry
to a Negro college audience. We take our proof, if
any is needed, from your Lagos presentation which has
been a highlight of our *Newsletter*.

Dr. Davis, Yvonne Walker, and all of us
join in wishing you the best.

JKB:fg

BC: Langston Hughes

P.S. We are certainly counting on the possibility
of having you speak to the AMSAC people here during
your stay.

JKB

15 EAST 40TH STREET
N Y C

HEMORANDUM

TO: CONTRIBUTORS, THE AMERICAN NEGRO WRITER AND HIS ROOTS

FROM: CAO

SUBJECT: PROMOTION OF BOOK

I. AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN NEGRO WRITER AND HIS ROOTS, WE SENT ONE COPY TO EACH OF THE CONTRIBUTORS. THIS WAS NOT MEANT TO BE THE LIMIT OF COMPLIMENTARY COPIES. WE ARE NOW SENDING UNDER SEPARATE COVER FOUR COPIES, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 5/AUTHOR. IN ADDITION, IF YOU SHOULD WANT TO SEND COPIES FOR REVIEW OR FOR GENERAL PUBLIC RELATIONS PURPOSES, WE WILL BE HAPPY TO TAKE CARE OF THIS WITHIN THE ALLOTMENT SET ASIDE FOR THESE PURPOSES. SHOULD YOU WISH ADDITIONAL COPIES BEYOND THOSE WE ARE NOW SENDING, THEY ARE AVAILABLE AT THE CONTRIBUTOR'S RATE OF 90¢.

II. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE YOUR SUGGESTIONS, IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY SUBMITTED THEM AS TO HOW TO BEST PROMOTE THE SALE OF THE BOOK. THE FOLLOWING HAS BEEN DONE TO DATE:

9500 BOOKSTORES, LIBRARIES, OPINION MAKERS RECEIVED FLYER AND COMPLETE CATALOGUE.

400 NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES AND JOURNALS IN THIS COUNTRY AND AFRICA RECEIVED REVIEW COPIES.

III. ON SUNDAY, APRIL 24, FROM 5 - 7 P.M. HERE IN THE OFFICE, ANSAC WILL GIVE A COCKTAIL PARTY IN HONOR OF THE AUTHORS. WE HOPE TO SELL MANY AUTOGRAPHED BOOKS THAT DAY. PLEASE RESERVE THE DATE -

APRIL 24, SUNDAY

5 - 7 P.M.

WILL YOU SEND US THE LIST OF PERSONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE INVITED TO THIS PARTY? WE NEED THE LISTS IMMEDIATELY AS THERE ARE ONLY THREE WEEKS LEFT!