Black Manhattan

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1930. First edition. 8vo. 284pp. + xxxivpp. Index. Publisher's blue grey cloth titled and decorated in red and brown, minor wear, and very good copy indeed in a similarly attractive example of the dustjacket, lightly discoloured to spine and with some very light chipping to the extremities. Strong and bright. Internally clean. Found within this copy is a letter about Gertrude Bell's involvement with the anti-suffrage movement, from Lady Jersey to Lady Bell written in April 1927. The letter is in reply to a request for Lady Jersey's memories on this topic by Lady Bell, who was editing and publishing Gertrude Bell's writings. Lady Jersey was President of the Women's National Anti-Suffrage League. The letter begins "As regards the Anti-Suff in which Gertrude took such inspiring care, I fear nothing beyond memory remains." After detailing some recollections, Lady Jersey writes: "The last thing I clearly remember about Gertrude in this connection is that she and I as representatives attended a joint meeting of men and women at Lord Curzon's house...I hear a rumour that she ceased to be Anti-Suffrage - but I never discussed it with her again." Lord Curzon was then President of the National League for Opposing Women's Suffrage. A previously unpublished letter. The Gertrude Bell Archive at Newcastle University holds a document in its Miscellaneous section entitled "Copy of notes by Lady Jersey about GB's involvement in the Women's Anti-Suffrage movement", which may have been in part extracted from this letter. So, a first edition of an important social history of African American life in New York city, oddly coupled with a letter regarding the social history of women in Britain. A confluence of some significance to the book's previous owner, although one that remains a little mysterious to us.