Eric Walrond

In "Harlem," Walrond compares Harlem, "the black capital of the universe", to the "primitive rhythms of the African jungle" (36). How do you think the culture, the styles, the business of "hot stuff", the "Houses of tolerance", and the cabarets of "Rawlins' Paradise" compare, or don't compare, to the African jungle? Is this actually representative of the "primitive" culture that made black culture popular in the 1920's?

The idea of nationality vs. nationlessness is a recurrent theme we will encounter throughout the course. But, as Walrond depicts, the idea of "home" is quite elusive: in "White Man, What Now?" he catalogs the various kinds of prejudices he encounters on his travels within the Caribbean, and in "The Negro in London" he compares the prejudices the black man may encounter abroad; How do the prejudices vary within the West Indies to England (to America, even). How are they similar? And as a follow-up, why is the "Negro artist" viewed differently than the seamen and other black immigrants that settle in England?

This idea of nationlessness can either create a divide or be a unifying force amongst black immigrants (whether in the Caribbean, America, or in Europe), and as exemplified in "Harlem," black culture is culled from a variety of influences, so how do the immigrants from varying backgrounds establish a divided or a unified culture?

And, for good measure (and for the postcolonial lovers), in both "The Negro in London" and "On England",  Walrond mentions how the British power seems to elicit a sense of pride in the mother country and bring about a sense of nationhood in its colonial rule over Barbadoes (amongst other islands), why do the British instill ideas of national pride in the West Indies, yet look upon a black immigrant with "cold indifference" (49). What might be the reason for the Brits to create a national identity in colonizing the West Indies, to declare a loud proclamation of national existence which does not actually exist (52)? Is it simply to make the inhabitants more "English" than "African" as Walrond exclaims in "White Man, What Now?" (47). What risks does it pose for the West Indians to blindly follow the culture of the English as opposed to creating their own sense of culture or connect back to African culture?  

Responding to Eric Walrond

“Harlem”

If Harlem is considered to be the “black capital of the universe” (36) by writers such as Langston Hughes and Eric Walrond, are they making such assessment at the expense of other people outside of Harlem?

How is Walrond's view of Harlem different from Montmartre?

Do you think Jim Rawlins is a sell-out for preferring to cater only to “white patrons” (38)?

On “White Man, What Now?,” “The Negro in London” and “On England.”

My problem with Waldron is that I do not know how to categorize him. In his short essays, he deals with fragmented identity, cultural displacement, otherness and hybridity, which are tenets of the postcolonial field. Is there a difference between African-American and Third World writers who write abroad? Should Waldron be cast as a “Harlemite,” even if he is dealing with the Empire?

Walrond writes: “It is indeed a paradox that London, the capital of the largest Negro Empire in the world—the cradle of English liberty, Justice and fair-play—the city to which Fredrick Douglass fled as a fugitive from slavery—should be so extremely inexpert in the matter of interracial relations. But in this respect London may be easily compared with New York twenty years before the big migration which resulted in the establishment of Harlem” (50). I do not agree with this statement because, historically, one cannot compare London with New York. Africans and Caribbean natives go to London for educational, economic and social opportunities to better their lives and to escape from political prosecution. African-Americans went to London during Walrond’s time because they want a place where they could feel or be seen as equals to the white man. But according to the quote, Africans and Caribbean were never seen as their equals in the eye of Englishmen. Do you agree or disagree with my analysis? Discuss?

Walrond describes “A gentleman [as] [a]nybody who is well-dressed. . . . [o]ne who is not intentionally rude” (52). Does that apply to blacks?

Follow up on my Survey.

Hey everyone, just wanted to say thanks for participating in my discussion of Hughes last week. After looking at the surveys, I thought it was interesting how many of you find happiness through: 1.sleep

2.family/friends

3.music.

Similar to Hughes, you guys aren't too materialistic which is good to know, so don't expect any birthday presents from me. Thanks again :)

"Harlem, USA" Exhibit at the Studio Museum

One more event!

The Studio Museum in Harlem has a pretty interesting exhibit going on right now. It is titled "Harlem, USA" and it will go on through March 13th, 2011. I realize that it's not focused on Europe (and therefore doesn't relate to class material entirely) but I still thought some of you might find it interesting since we often find ourselves supplementing the material we do have with Harlem-related topics during discussion. Here is the link to an article about the exhibit, as well as a link to the museum site, for those of you who might be interested.

Admission is free on Sundays (*hint*hint* it's the weekend!) and the suggested donation price for students with ID is $3 the rest of the week.

Best,

Tami

"To You, Mr Hughes," Saturday, February 26th, 2011

Hi guys!

This Saturday, February 26th, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is having an event called "To You, Mr. Hughes." Here is the description from the NYPL site:

"Don’t miss a dramatic musical tribute to Langston Hughes, poet laureate of Harlem, written and directed by Hazel Rosetta Smith, Help Somebody Theatrical Ministries. Tickets: Members, $16; Non-members, $20."

Since we discussed Hughes in class just this week, I thought some of you might be interested in attending (that is, if you don't already have something super duper planned for Saturday).

It will be on at 3 p.m.:

http://www.nypl.org/locations/tid/64/node/103121?lref=64%2Fcalendar

...as well as at 7 p.m.:

http://www.nypl.org/locations/tid/64/node/103122?lref=64%2Fcalendar

I know it's not free but check it out, if you're up for it.

Best,

Tami

Shirley Graham (Du Bois) & Eric Walrond at Versailles

Just peeking ahead to the material for March 3... This is a photo from 1930 of Eric Walrond and Shirley Graham, who would later marry W.E.B. Du Bois.  When I came across it in the Schlesinger Women's History Library at Harvard last year in Shirley Graham's manuscript files, neither the man nor the location were identified, only Shirley.  But because I had been researching Walrond, knew what he looked like, and knew he traveled with Ms. Graham in Paris that year, I alerted the archivist of her companion's name.  The location proved more difficult, but after consulting a couple of French historians it seemed clear that the Palace of Versailles is almost certainly it.  Although she's best known for having been Du Bois' wife, Shirley Graham was a really interesting person in her own right.  Walrond corresponded with her for a while after she returned to the U.S., where she taught music at Morgan State College in B'more.

Langston Hughes

"One of the most promising of the young Negro poets said to me once, "I want to be a poet--not a Negro poet," meaning, I believe, "I want to write like a white poet"; meaning subconsciously, "I would like to be a white poet"; meaning behind that, "I would like to be white." And I was sorry the young man said that, for no great poet has ever been afraid of being himself. And I doubted then that, with his desire to run away spiritually from his race, this boy would ever be a great poet. But this is the mountain standing in the way of any true Negro art in America--this urge within the race toward whiteness, the desire to pour racial individuality into the mold of American standardization, and to be as little Negro and as much American as possible." (The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain)

** Langston Hughes wrote this article, "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain", for the June 1926 issue of The Nation.

Langston Hughes argues that in order to be a great poet, one mustn't escape his identity, and that it isn't appropriate to distinguish oneself from one's color. If an artist does not acknowledge himself as being a Negro first and foremost, he denies a part of himself, and therefore denies his identity. This piece was my first introduction to Langston Hughes, and to this day I'm not quite sure I can buy what he says. I want to note, too, that this piece was written as a direct answer to George Schuyler, who wrote that an African American artist should compose work as an American, not an African American.

1. How should the Negro writer present himself to the public? Should he, like Langston Hughes, declare himself as being Negro before being a writer, or should one take Schuyler's route and declare himself a writer before a Negro?

I Thought It Was Tangiers I Wanted

1. What is the difference in tone when Hughes writes "I know now" (in the first 4 stanzas) verses "I thought" (in stanza 5)? There is a differentiation here between the act of thinking and the act of knowing, yes? While he travels and experiences, he notes that what he once thought he wanted is not quite true anymore.

2. As Michael Fabre discusses in his article (Langston Hughes and Alain Locke: Jazz in Montemarte and African Art), Hughes' first connection to France was being able to understand Guy de Maupassant & Alexandre Dumas, and first discovering his love for writing. How can this help us take on a different reading of the poem other than being happy with oneself? Is it fair to say that Hughes becomes disillusioned by the reality of this new environment?

Jazz Band in a Parisian Cabaret

1. In this poem, jazz becomes something which has the power to link. Jazz is not meant for one group to enjoy, but instead, it has this almost powerful force of creating unity. But is this unifier only able to work in France? Could Jazz in America have the same effect?