NAACP Civil Rights Advocacy and Black Intellectual Life in The Crisis Magazine, 1968–1970

The Crisis Magazine Archive

Periodical

Moon, Henry Lee (ed.), The Crisis: A Record of the Darker Races, 1968–1970, documenting African American political thought, civil rights advocacy, and cultural production during a transitional period between the Civil Rights Movement and the rise of Black Power. The material operates in Cultural/Representational Mode, illustrating how the official publication of the NAACP articulated debates surrounding protest, education, racial violence, and artistic expression, and providing insight into mid-twentieth-century Black intellectual and institutional discourse. Founded by W.E.B. Du Bois in 1910, The Crisis functioned as a central platform for civil rights advocacy and cultural commentary, and these issues reflect its continued role under Henry Lee Moon during a period of ideological and generational shift.
Moon, Henry Lee (ed.). The Crisis: A Record of the Darker Races. Various issues. New York: NAACP, 1968–1970. Archive of six issues, including five Softcover issues (each approximately 30–50 pages, measuring 7.5 x 5.25 inches) and one hardcover 60th anniversary issue (approximately 75 pages). Issues included: [1] Vol. 75, No. 3 (March 1968), featuring “Death on the Campus: The Orangeburg Story” by Warren Marr II on the police killing of students at South Carolina State College; [2] Vol. 75, No. 7 (Aug.–Sept. 1968), including coverage of the NAACP convention and critiques of mass education; [3] Vol. 75, No. 10 (December 1968), with poetry and commentary on racial representation in consumer culture; [4] Vol. 76, No. 1 (January 1969), addressing self-defense, legal cases, and cultural figures; [5] Vol. 76, No. 9 (November 1969), documenting campus protest and public health communication; [6] Vol. 77, No. 9 (November 1970), a special 60th anniversary hardcover issue containing historical essays by Henry Lee Moon, writings by W.E.B. Du Bois, editorials by Roy Wilkins, and literary contributions by Langston Hughes, Arna Bontemps, and Margaret Walker. Across issues, content includes essays, poetry, reportage, and institutional commentary.
These issues span a critical moment in African American history marked by the aftermath of major civil rights legislation, the rise of Black student activism, and increasing engagement with questions of self-defense, cultural identity, and political strategy. Coverage of events such as the Orangeburg Massacre and campus protests situates the publication within ongoing struggles over state violence and educational access, while literary and artistic contributions reflect continued investment in Black cultural production. The 60th anniversary issue underscores the publication’s institutional legacy while revisiting earlier intellectual frameworks alongside contemporary concerns. Light wear and minor toning consistent with age; overall very good condition. A focused periodical grouping illustrating the evolution of NAACP discourse and African American intellectual life in the late 1960s.

Item #21741

Price: $625.00