Box 1 Folder 1
"The New Negro Poet" by May Randall, 1920s, 286 pages
Photocopy of her M.A. thesis fo the University of Chicagio
Overview of the May Randall Theses Project:
Box 1 Folder 2
Biographical sketch of May Randall by Ingrid N. Kelley, 2 pages
Box 1 Folder 2
Photograph of May Randall
Box 1 Folder 2
Table of Contents, 1 pages
Box 1 Folder 2
Biographical Index of Poets, 13 pages
Box 1 Folder 2
List of Poets and Their Documents, 7 pages
Box 1 Folder 2
Surviving correspondence received by May Randall from poets or their representatives, 1 compact disks; 700 mb
Box 1 Folder 2
List of Folders 201-204, 2 pages
Permissions:
Box 1 Folder 201-1
Letter from Comhill Publishing Company. Letter denying permission to reprint any poems of its authors, 24 June 1930
Box 1 Folder 201-2
Letter from M. Randall to the Editor of Palms asking forpermission to reprint "Black Madonna" by Albert Rice. Permission statement was typed a the end of letter and it was returned to M. Randall
Box 1 Folder 201-3
Letter from Elmer A. Carter, Editor, Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life, dated July 16, 1930, giving permission to use poems published in Opportunity and providing addresses for other poets
Box 1 Folder 201-4
Letter from M. Randall to Prof. N. I. White, Trinity College, Durham, NC, with Prof. White's reply handwritten on her letter and returned. M. Randall had written seeking information about reprinting rights for two poets
Research Correspondence:
Box 1 Folder 202-1
Typewritten list of poets and poetry from Caroling Dusk by Countee Cullen
Box 1 Folder 202-2
List of poems from Ebony and Topaz: A Collectanea, (Published by the Journal of Negro Life/National Urban League, 1927 and edited by Charles Johnson)
Charles Spurgeon Johnson, Editor of Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life:
Box 1 Folder 202-3
Letter dated April 19, 1928 in response to M.
Box 1 Folder 202-3
"Spring in New Hampshire" Letter dated April 23, 1928, with further information about the McKay book
Box 1 Folder 202-3
Letter informing M. Randall that he is sending Ebony and Topaz
Box 1 Folder 202-4
Jean Blackwell, Curator, Schomburg Collection at the NYC Public Library, providing information about publications by negro authors available through the Schomburg Collection, 16 December 1952
Review of May Randall Manuscript:
Box 1 Folder 203-1
Letter (undated) from Betsy Greenbaum with extended review of M. Randall's manuscript and concepts. No information on Google about Betsy Greenbaum, but her address on W. 12th St. NYC suggests connections with the Jewish intellectuals who gathered there in the 1930s
Box 1 Folder 203-2
The Board of Education of the Methodist Episcopal Church, dated July 29, 1930, letter dated July 29, 1930 from Merrill J. Holmes enclosing a carbon of a letter of recommendation he sent to Harcourt, Brace and Company for publication of M. Randall's manuscript
Box 1 Folder 203-3
Letter from Robert Morss Lovett (her academic advisor) saying he had recommended her manuscript to W.D. Howe at Scribners'
Correspondence with publisgers regarding publication of the manuscript:
Box 1 Folder 204-1
Houghton Mifflin Co., September 1930
Box 1 Folder 204-2
Scott Foresman and Company, 17 September 1930
Box 1 Folder 204-3
Harcourt, Brace and Company, Inc., 22 July 1930
Box 1 Folder 204-5
The Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute, 11 August 1930
Box 1 Folder 204-6
The University of North Carolina Press acknowledging receipt of manuscript, and letter dated October 25, 1929 declining publication, 2 July 1920
Box 1 Folder 204-7
The Abington Press, letter from John Langdale declining publication, 29 July 1930
Box 1 Folder 204-8
The Christopher Publishing House, 14 August 1930
Box 1 Folder 204-9
Allyn and Bacon letter from Charles E. Bacon acknowledging receipt of manuscript; letter dated July 24, 1930 from Charles Bacon, declining publication Jonathan Cape & Harrison Smith, Publishers, dated June 13, 1929, declining publication, 20 June 1930
Box 1 Folder 204-10
Charles Scribner's Sons, letter dated August 13, 1930 acknowledging receipt of manuscript; letter dated August 23, 1930 declining publication
Box 1 Folder 204-11
Harper and Brothers (no date). Letter to M. Randall refers to a manuscript titled "Behind the Dark Curtain," which may be an alternate publication title for her thesis
Lewis Alexander:
Box 1 Folder 0001
Two-page letter (no date) providing addresses for other poets and information about getting permission to reprint his work
Box 1 Folder 0001
Letter (no date) gives permission for reprinting poems and comments on work
George Leonard Allen:
Box 1 Folder 002
Three-page letter containing permission to use poems, biographical information, and referring to five enclosed poems, two of which remain with the letter:, 28 April 1930
Box 1 Folder 002
Poem: Morning Serenade (handwritten, no date)
Box 1 Folder 002
Poem: Futility (handwritten, no date)
Arna Bontemps:
Box 1 Folder 003
Letter (plus envelope, 2 sides) granting permission to use poetry and offering reference for biographical data, 29 April 1930
William S. Braithwaite:
Box 1 Folder 004
Letter (plus 1 side envelope), from Arlington Heights, MA, 7 July 1930
Box 1 Folder 004
Letter to M. Randall from John W. Luce & Company, Publishers (plus 1 side envelope) stating they had referred W.S. Braithwaite, 30 July 1930
Alpheus Butler (Wrote Philosopher and Saint, Exposition Press, 1951)
Box 1 Folder 005
Letter from Washington DC, including two printed announcements of his publications, 28 April 1930
Carrie Williams Clifford
Box 1 Folder 006
Two-page letter (plus envelope 2 sides), permission letter, July 1930
Joseph S. Cotter, Jr.
Box 1 Folder 007
Letter from Joseph Cotter, Sr. regarding his late son's works, and mentioning that he published several volumes of poetry as well, 5 March 1928
Box 1 Folder 007
Letter from Joseph Cotter, Sr. regarding publications of his late son's that he sent to M Randall, 5 March 1928
Countee Cullen:
Box 1 Folder 008
Letter (plus envelope, 1 side) in response to M Randall's request for information about poetry awards to black, 14 March 1928
Box 1 Folder 008
Poets Letter from Harper & Brothers regarding permission forms for C. Cullen's works, 22 April 1930
Box 1 Folder 008
Obituary of Countee Cullen—no date or publication, but could be from the NY Times
Waring Cuney:
Box 1 Folder 009
Letter (plus envelope, 1 side) granting permission to use four of his poems and any quotations she selected, 2 May 1930
Box 1 Folder 009
Letter providing contact information for several poets, 21 June 1930
Raymond Garfield Dandridge:
Box 1 Folder 010
Two-page undated letter from the poet following up his earlier posting of a copy of his poetry book
Box 1 Folder 010
Letter from his mother Ella Dandridge giving posthumous permission to reprint his poems (the poet died February 24, 1930), 27 April 1930
Blanche Taylor Dickenson:
Box 1 Folder 011
Letter giving permission to reprint poetry, 29 April 1930
W.E.B. Du Bois:
Box 1 Folder 012
Letter dated regarding enclosure (not included), 28 February 1928
Box 1 Folder 012
Letter dated July 8, 1930 giving permission to quote requested poems, 8 July 1930
Box 1 Folder 012
Letter listing addresses of three poets (plus envelope, one side) (all letters on The Crisis letterhead), 9 July 1930
Jessie Fauset:
Box 1 Folder 013
Two-page letter granting permission to use requested poems (plus envelope, 2 sides), 8 Jule 1930
Angelina Weld Grimke:
Box 1 Folder 014
Note card (plus envelope, one side), granting permission to use poetry and referring to source for bio data, 2 May 1930
Leon K. Harris:
Box 1 Folder 015
Letter granting permission to use poetry (mentions enclosures which are missing), 24 March 1928
Box 1 Folder 015
Letter confirming accuracy of biographical sketch, 29 June 1928
Box 1 Folder 015
Letter granting permission to use poetry and including a revised version of the poem "The Steelmakers", 30 June 1930
Box 1 Folder 015
Typewritten poem, reversion of "The Steelmakers" by Leon K Harris (enclosed with letter of June 30, 1930 above)
Walter E. Hawkins:
Box 1 Folder 016
Two-page letter containing biographical information and considerable whimsy, 1 July 1928
Box 1 Folder 016
Letter from Brooklyn, NY (with envelope, one side) (typed on back of M. Randall's letter to him), 21 July 1930
Box 1 Folder 016
Letter from Brooklyn NY (with envelope, one side), 25 July 1930
Box 1 Folder 016
Short article about Walter Everett Hawkins by Prof. Robert T. Kerlin, no date, hand typed
Box 1 Folder 016
Short article about Walter Everett Hawkins by Thomas L.G. Oxley, printed in the Amsterdam News, February 15, 1928—hand typed copy
Box 1 Folder 016
Short typewritten bio—no date
Donald Jeffery Hayes:
Box 1 Folder 017
Letter (including envelope, one side), granting permission to use three poems and including brief biographical information with permission to use it, 9 July 1930
Leslie Pinckney Hill:
Box 1 Folder 018
Letter which had been enclosed with a copy of his book, Wings of Oppression, 19 March 1928
Box 1 Folder 018
Letter references enclosed bio (missing), 27 une 1928
Box 1 Folder 018
Letter to M. Randall from The Christopher Publishing House granting permission to reprint lines from "Toussaint L'Ouverture", 25 April 1930
John Wesley Holloway:
Box 1 Folder 019
Letter giving permission to use poems (hand written note on M. Randall's request letter), 25 June 1930
Box 1 Folder 019
Edited copy of bio returned to May Randall, 17 July 1928
Frank S. Horne:
Box 1 Folder 020
Permission letter (with envelope, 1 side), 30 April 1930
Langston Hughes:
Box 1 Folder 021
Two- page regarding poem "A Negro Speaks of Rivers", 2 April 1928
Box 1 Folder 021
Letter enclosing edited copy of his bio (probably sent to him for editing), 25 June 1928
Box 1 Folder 021
Edited bio, enclosed in letter of June 25, above
Box 1 Folder 021
Two-page permission letter (with envelope, 1 sided), 29 April 1930
Roscoe C. Jamison:
Box 1 Folder 022
Letter from William F. Neil of St. Joseph, MO (with envelope, 1 side) granting permission to use "Negro Soldiers" by the late R.C. Jamison, 12 July 1930
Box 1 Folder 022
Letter from William F. Neil offering further information and comment about his friend, R.C. Jamison (with envelope, 2 sides), 19 July 1930
Charles B. Johnson:
Box 1 Folder 023
Letter confirming and appending biographical information (including envelope, 1 side), 6 July 1928
Box 1 Folder 023
Bio included with letter dated July 6, 1928, above
Box 1 Folder 023
Letter granting permission to use poem "Old Things", 10 July 1930
Fenton Johnson:
Box 1 Folder 024
Letter from M. Randall to Jesse Binga seeking contact information for Fenton Johnson—letter was returned to M. Randall with contact info handwritten on it, 24 June 1930
Box 1 Folder 024
Two-page letter of permission and offering other information, 27 June 1930
Georgia Douglas Johnson:
Box 1 Folder 025
Two-page letter providing response to M. Randall's inquiries about poet contact information. Letter mentions Fenton Johnson, Carrie Clifford, Roscoe Jamison, Lewis Alexander, Nina Grimke, and references James Weldon Johnson and Countee Cullen., 19 March 1928
Box 1 Folder 025
Letter with edited biographical sketch enclosed, 25 June 1928
Box 1 Folder 025
Bio enclosed with letter dated June 25, 1928 above
Box 1 Folder 025
Letter granting permission to use poems, 26 April 1930
Box 1 Folder 025
Postcard (both sides), permission addendum, 26 June 1930
Box 1 Folder 025
Letter from Albert & Charles Boni, Inc., publishers, granting permission to use "The Ordeal" by G.D. Johnson, 21 July 1930
Box 1 Folder 025
Letter from Harold Vinal Ltd, Publishers granting permission to reprint lines from "An Autumn Love Cycle", 20 August 1930
James Weldon Johnson:
Box 1 Folder 026
Two-sided letter (with envelope, 2 sides), enclosing edited biographical sketch, 19 July 1928
Box 1 Folder 026
Edited biographical sketch, 2 pages plus 2-sided postcard (possibly in M. Randall's handwriting)
Box 1 Folder 026
Letter from The Viking Press dated regarding reprinting rights, 25 April 1930
Joshua H. Jones, Jr.:
Box 1 Folder 027
Letter from Boston, MA, 26 June 1928
Box 1 Folder 027
Short bio—typewritten, edited, enclosed with letter dated June 26, 1928 above
Dorothy Kruger:
Box 1 Folder 028
Letter (with envelope, 1 side) stating that her work would not be eligible because she is "not a negro" (she is listed among artists of the Harlem Renaissance in several places, but there is no information available about her on the web), 29 April 1930
Alain Locke:
Box 1 Folder 029
Letter responding to request from M. Randall that he review her manuscript, 26 November 1928
James E. McCall:
Box 1 Folder 030
Letter (with envelope, 1 side), giving permission to reprint poems, and including a brief bio and a hand-typed copy of a poem, 10 July 1930
Box 1 Folder 030
Bio included with letter, 10 July 1930
Box 1 Folder 030
Poem included with letter titled "Winter in St. Antoine Street (Detroit, Mich.)", 10 July 1930
Claude McKay:
Box 1 Folder 031
Envelope fragment from letter from M. Randall that followed C. McKay around Europe
Box 1 Folder 031
Letter giving permission to use poems, 2 August 1930
Box 1 Folder 031
Letter from Workers Library Publishers, NYC granting "the privilege of reprinting Claude McKay's poem that appeared in The Liberator", 22 July 1930
Marjorie Marshall:
Box 1 Folder 032
Letter granting permission to use poems and including two poems on separate sheets, and a biographical sketch on a separate sheet, 10 May 1930
Box 1 Folder 032
Bio included with letter, 10 May 1930
Box 1 Folder 032
Poem "Desire" included with letter, 10 May 1930
Box 1 Folder 032
Poem "Remembrance' included with lettter, 10 May 1930
Box 1 Folder 032
Letter regarding contact information for magazine Black Opals, 29 June 1930
Alexander J. Nailor:
Box 1 Folder 033
Letter from Oakland, CA, 21 March 1929
Alice Dunbar Nelson:
Box 1 Folder 034
Letter (with envelope, 1 side) granting permission to use the poem "Prayer", 21 July 1930
Effie Lee Newsome:
Box 1 Folder 035
Letter (including envelope, 1 side), giving permission to use poems, 9 July 1930
Edward Silvera, Jr.:
Box 1 Folder 036
Letter (with envelope, 1 side) granting permission to reprint poetry and enclosing a new poem, 27 June 1930
Box 1 Folder 036
Poem enclosed with letter titled "Matrem Cano" (hand written), 27 June 1930
Jean Toomer:
Box 1 Folder 037
Letter from Horace Liveright, Publisher, NYC granting permission to quote several poems from the book Cane, 28 April 1930
Lorenzo Dow Turner:
Box 1 Folder 038
Two-page letter (including envelope, 2 sides) —general letter, 8 May 1929
Box 1 Folder 038
Four-page letter (including envelope, 2 sides) —answering May Randall's questions about availability of specific books, 23 March 1928
Box 1 Folder 038
Two-page letter saying he sent several books for her use and answering other questions, 7 April 1928
Lucy Ariel Williams:
Box 1 Folder 039
Letter (with envelope, 2 sides), including permission to reprint "Northboun;" a brief bio sheet, and two additional poems, 10 May 1930
Box 1 Folder 039
Bio included with letter, 10 May 1930
Box 1 Folder 039
Poem enclosed with letter titled "J'ai Peur (The Coward Speaks)", 10 May 1930
Box 1 Folder 039
Two-page poem enclosed with letter titled "Aunt Sooky Speaks", 10 May 1930