The African American cultural movement of the 1920s and 1930s, referred to as the Harlem or Black Renaissance, is well-documented in our collections. Alain Locke, whose collection of papers provides an exceptional view into the lives and works of many of the Harlem Renaissance participants, was known by some as the “father of the Harlem Renaissance.” His writings about contemporary African American and African literature and art established him as a leading authority on black culture. Just as important was his role as intermediary between patrons of the arts and the black artists and literati of the era. Among his many correspondents were Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Countee Cullen, Claude McKay, and Aaron Douglas.

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