20th Century African American Poetry

October 24, 2014

By Nancy Kuhl

Resources for Professor Elizabeth Alexander’s 20th Century African American Poetry class, fall 2014
 
Books
 
The Book of American Negro Poetry, [c1922], edited by James Weldon Johnson
JWJ Zan J632 922b Copy 1 & Copy 2 – Presentation copy to Carl Van Vechten; inscribed revisions by author.
 
Outline for the Study of the Poetry of American Negroes / by Sterling A. Brown; prepared to be used with The Book of American Negro Poetry, edited by James Weldon Johnson            
JWJ Zan B815 931P         
 
New Negro Poets, U.S.A. Edited by Langston Hughes; foreword by Gwendolyn Brooks.
JWJ Zan H874 964N
 
Anthology of Revolutionary Poetry.
JWJ Zan H874 Zz929A – From the Library of Langston Hughes; Hughes’s annotated copy with draft poems
 
Langston Hughes, The Book of Negro Folklore.
JWJ Zan H874 958B copy 2 – Annotated by Hughes for Natt Hentoff, including comments about sources and censoring
 
Langston Hughes, Fine Clothes to the Jew
JWJ Zan h874 927fc – Langston Hughes’ reading & performance copy
 
Gwendolyn Brooks, Street in Bronzeville
JWJ Zan B791 945s          
 
James Weldon Johnson, God’s Trombones  with drawings by Aaron Douglas (pictured)          
JWJ Zan 927G    
 
Complete Photo Story of Till Murder Case: First and Only Complete Factual Photo Story of Till Case,
Memphis, TN: Wither’s Photographers, 1955.
JWJ Za C739 955co
 
 
Manuscripts
 
From the Langston Hughes Papers: Notebooks and notes and photographs
JWJ MSS 26 Box 458; Box 512
 
Gwendolyn Brooks, Manuscript notes.
JWJ MSS MISC Group 5
 
Gwendolyn Brooks, Correspondence with Langston Hughes
JWJ MSS 26 Box 23
 
From the Richard Wright Papers, Drafts of Blue Black Blues
JWJ MSS 3 Box 84
 
From the James Weldon Johnson Paper, Drafts of God’s Trombones
JWJ MSS 49 Box 59
 
From the James Weldon Johnson Paper, Drafts of The Book of American Negro Poetry
JWJ MSS 49 Box 55
 
From the James Weldon Johnson Paper, Correspondence with Sterling Brown regarding The Book of American Negro Poetry
JWJ MSS 49 Box 4
 
Cave Canem Events Photographs
JWJ MSS 130   Box 25
 
 
Broadsides/Posters
 
Amiri Baraka, “Answers in Progress” (LeRoi Jones).
JWJ ZZan1 C1
 
Nikki Giovanni, “Beautiful Black men: (with compliments and apologies to all not mentioned by name).”
JWJ ZZan1 C1