An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy by Gunnar Myrdal - 1944

127 pages with plates including frontispiece. Octavo (8 3/4" x 6") bound in original publisher's green cloth with pictorial decorative brown, black, white and gilt front cover, lettering in gilt. Illustrated with photographs by Hampton Institute Camera Club. Decorations by Margaret Armstrong. (BAL 4937) First edition, first state with red and black lettering tot title.Dunbar was born in Dayton, Ohio to parents who had escaped from slavery; his father was a veteran of the American Civil War, having served in the 55th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment and the 5th Massachusetts Colored Cavalry Regiment. His parents instilled in him a love of learning and history. He was a student at an all-white high school, Dayton Central High School, and he participated actively as a student. During high school, he was both the editor of the school newspaper and class president, as well as the president of the school literary society. Dunbar had also started the first African-American newsletter in Dayton. He wrote his… Read More

Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1830. Disbound, only parts of spine remaining from original 3/4 leather with red and black spine labels, original string ties(complete). 293 pgs, with light scattered foxing and toning. "The committee to whom were referred the memorial of the African Society for colonizing the free people of color of the United States; also, sundry memorials from the inhabitants of the State of Kentucky, and a memorial from certain free people of color of the State of Ohio, report:". SCARCE. A fascinating document. . First Edition. Disbound. Good/No Jacket, As Issued. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

xiv+317 pages with two page title. Octavo (8 1/2" x 5 3/4") bound in original publisher's green cloth with gilt lettering to spine with blind-stamped decoration to cover in original publisher's pictorial jacket. Singed by the author on former owner's book plate by the author, dates 2/14/65 on front end paper. First edition.Shadow and Act is a collection of essays by Ralph Ellison, published in 1964. The writings encompass the two decades that began with Ellison's involvement with African-American political activism and print media in Harlem, Ellison's emergence as a highly acclaimed writer with the publication of Invisible Man, and culminating with his 1964 challenge of Irving Howe's characterization of African-American life, "Black Boys and Native Sons", with his now famous essay, "The World and the Jug". Ellison described it as exemplary of his "attempt to transform some of the themes, the problems, the enigmas, the contradictions of character and culture native to my predicament, into what Andre… Read More

Early copy of "Esquisse d'un Tableau Historique des Progres de L'Esprit Humain" (Sketch for a Historical Picture of the Progress of the Human Mind) Suive de (followed by) "Reflexions Sur L'Esclavage des Negres" (Reflections on the Slavery of Negroes) by Marquis de Condorcet. 1822; Chez Masson et Fils, Libraires; Paris. The book is written entirely in French. Leather covers with decorative gilt borders and gilt decorations on the spine; marbled end papers and marbling on all page edges. With a Table of Contents at the back of the book.Condorcet, who denounced slavery, was a French philosopher and mathematician. His ideas, including support for a liberal economy, free and equal public instruction, constitutional government, and equal rights for women and people of all races, have been said to embody the ideals of the Age of Enlightenment and Enlightenment rationalism. In "Sketch for a Historical Picture of the Progress of the Human Mind" (originally published in 1795), he dealt with theoretical thought… Read More

Albany, NY: State University of New York Press (SUNY Press), 1997. 1st edition. Hardcover. Very Good/No Jacket (as issued). VG+. 8vo, xxx+610pp, pictorial boards (no jacket, as issued). Massive and groundbreaking study of this important African-American spiritual practitioner. Includes index, notes and bibliography. An unmarked copy of the legitimate original 1997 hardcover first printing (not the later print-on-demand version) from the collection of poet and esotericist David Meltzer. Minor outer wear and erased resale markings to front free endpaper.

[Washington, DC: Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, 1924].. 7,[1]pp. Octavo. Printed self wrapper. A couple of small rust marks to rear wrapper, otherwise fine. First separate printing of this address by the poet activist, given by Johnson at the VI International Summer School of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Chicago May 1924. In large part, Johnson's comments are made in reference to the causes and consequences of the US occupation of Haiti following the assassination of the Haitian President in July of 1915. OCLC: 26035710.

Pamphlet, 8vo, original wrapper, illustrated, 30 pp. Slight dark ring on cover, minor ink spot, some notations and pencil marks within, small stain on rear cover, normal aging and browning; otherwise very good. Romine lived in Pulaski, Tennessee for many years, and was an intimate acquaintance of members of the original Klan. According to Romine, the original KKK used its powers to protect "superstitious Negroes" and "the ignorant lawless white element, both being rendered unruly by atrocious political influences." He adds that in the Klan's original objective was to have fun. They did this with their "farcical imitation and ceremonies attending the reception of their new members." Interestingly, it is doubtful that subsequent Klan members understand that the practices of their group were started as a joke. Romine states that the Klan started to get serious when "carpet baggers" started stirring up the Negroes. According to Romine, while the majority of Negroes remained the kind hearted folk they… Read More

, 1954; Two handwritten signed letters from singer/ actor Todd Duncan (1903-1998) addressed to early television director Jerome Shaw. Duncan, the original Porgy in "Porgy and Bess," was Gershwin’s personal choice, singing the role more than 1,800 times. His first operatic performance was in 1945 at the New York City Opera Company as Tonio in Leoncavallo’s "Pagliacci." He taught at Howard University for over fifty years, during which time he continued a rigorous concert performance schedule, logging over 2,000 performances the world over. He was a recipient of the George Peabody Medal, the Donaldson Award, the New York Drama Critic’s Award for "Lost In The Stars," and numerous domestic and foreign honorary awards and degrees. The first letter, dated Feb. 1, 1954, is written on stationery from the Hotel Monticello, Longview, Washington, and is in the original addressed and stamped envelope. In it Duncan at one point makes a pun by advising Shaw not to be consumed by… Read More

New York: Random House, 1973. Uncorrected First Proof copy. Octavo. 190pp. Publisher's red paper wraps titled in black to front cover. Some light scuffing, and a couple of spots of grubbiness to the covers, but essentially a clean, tight copy. Internally clean, a pencil annotation "April..?" to the title page. A scarce proof copy of the first book on Black reparations and which Morrison guided into print as an editor at Random House. Written by a white professor at Yale, Morrison felt the book was "an important contribution to the fledgling reparations debate." A significant proof on its own, of a book that was an origin point for the intellectual debate about reparations for many decades, but also because it documents Morrison's incredible tenure and astute publishing history during her tenure at Random House. Necessarily scarce.

2007 First edition, first printing. Art front board cover, 11.25"x11." VG with no d/j. 119 pp. Romare is known for his collages. In 1977 he created 20 collages from episodes from Homer's Odyssey. O'Meally writes that the heroes in the collages are sympathetic to The African American experience. This is not the run of the mill coffee table book. This is a serious study of a truly significant artist/thinker. It is a beautifully put together book and exhibition.