Scarce First Printing of 4 Langston Hughes Works, 1933-1949

Hughes, Langston

Magazine

Langston Hughes. 4 magazines that published Hughes’s poems, short stories, and plays before they were collected in his books; some were never published in any other form. 1933-1949. Regarded as one of the leading literary figures of his time, Langston Hughes’s works centers around the the African-American experience, encompassing race relations, the beauty of blues and jazz, and the black artist’s experiences in the white-dominated world of modern art. Many of the stories and poems that appear here were later reprinted in some of his books; for instance “Poor Little Black Fellow” and “The Blues I’m Playing” (printed in American Mercury and Scribner’s) were included in his 1934 book of short stories, The Ways of White Folks. An exceptional collection of magazines that demonstrate the wide appeal and long career of one of America’s most popular literary figures.

Many of the writings here (such as “Dr. Brown’s Decision,” later included in Hughes’s Laughing to Keep from Crying) explore the relations between black and white people, especially the dynamics between black artists and intellectuals and their wealthy white patrons – a balancing act with which he was all too familiar. Covers have light toning and wear to extremities, expected from light handling. Magazines all in very good condition with very good interior text. Scarce.

Included magazines:
The American Mercury (November 1933, Vol. XXX, No. 119, “Poor Little Black Fellow”)
Scribner’s (May 1934, Vol. XCV, No. 5, “The Blues I’m Playing”)
The Anvil ( May-June 1935, No. 11, “Dr. Brown’s Decision”)
One Act Play Magazine (July 1937, “Soul Gone Home”).

Item #16384

Price: $1,850.00