New York. 1999. November 1999. Avon/Bard. 1st American Edition. Very Good in

New York. 1999. November 1999. Avon/Bard. 1st American Edition. Very Good in Dustjacket. 0380976641. 302 pages. hardcover. Jacket design by Christine Van Bree. Jacket photos by James VanDerZee. keywords: African American History Harlem Renaissance Anthology America. DESCRIPTION-As part of the WPA Writer's Project, a number of gifted young authors such as Ralph Ellison and Dorothy West created a vibrant record of Harlem's daily life, nightlife and intellectual scene. Lost for years in tile vaults of The Library of Congress, here for the first time are richly atmospheric essays detailing an exciting place, an evocative period and a wonderfully diverse collection of people. Established to create jobs during the Depression, the Work Projects Administration sent writers into the neighborhoods and alleyways of Harlem to capture its distinctive voices during its most flamboyant, socially active and aesthetically vibrant era. It was a time when Harlem was Mecca, as vital as any world capital, surging with a tide of Negro migrants in search of the American Dream. The 1930s heralded the greatest period of self-discovery in African-American history after the Civil War and before the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. In this illuminating document we are introduced to a West Indian conjure man known for his infallible charms and herbal remedies; a dancer at the Apollo Theater who mourns the untimely death of the entertainer who inspired her; a domestic worker determined to fight for fair wages and better treatment. And we meet Matt Henson at his retirement from his government job, still denied official recognition for hi5 status as the first American to plant the United States flag on the North Pole. Enter the bars, the nightclubs, the beauty shops, the street markets, the employment offices and homes. Visit with fish vendors, war veterans, Pullman porters, prostitutes, and countless others. Come listen to the memorable sounds of swing music, the singing and shouting of church choirs, and the lonely plea of a mournful spiritual. A RENAISSANCE IN HARLEM is an essential addition to the historical record of the African-American experience, a startling re-creation of a lost era in the life of New York City, and a valuable look at the early writings of two masters of American literature. Filled with humor, compassion, outrage and hope, it is an uplifting celebration of a place and people integral to the American story. inventory #27386.