The Collected Writings: A Harlem Renaissance Reader

by Wallace Thurman, Amritjit Singh (Editor), Daniel M. Scott III (Editor)

This book is the definitive collection of the writings of Wallace Thurman (1902-1934), providing a comprehensive anthology of both the published and unpublished works of this bohemian, bisexual writer. Widely regarded as the enfant terrible of the Harlem Renaissance scene, Thurman was a leader among a group of young artists and intellectuals that included, among others , Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Bruce Nugent, Gwendolyn Bennett, and Aaron Douglas. Through the publication of magazines such as FIRE!! and A Forum of Negro Life , Thurman tried to organize the opposition of the younger generation against the programmatic and promotional ideologies of the older generation of black leaders and intellectuals such as W.E.B. Du Bois and Benjamin Brawley. Thurman also left a permanent mark on the period through his prolific work as a novelist, playwright, short story writer, and literary critic, as well as by claiming for himself a voice as a public intellectual. The Collected Writings of Wallace Thurman is divided into eight sections to highlight the variety of genres and styles Thurman practiced as he courageously pursued controversial subjects throughout his short and brilliant career.  It includes Essays on Harlem, Social Essays and Journalism, Correspondence, Literary Essays and Reviews, Poetry and Short Fiction, Plays, and Excerpts from Novel.

Filling an important gap in Harlem Renaissance literature, this collection brings together all of Thurman’s essays, nearly all of his letters to major black and white figures of the 1920s, and three previously unpublished major works.  These books are Aunt Hagar’s Children , which is a collection of essays and two full-length plays, Harlem , and Jeremiah the Magnificent . The introduction to the volume, along with the carefully researched introductory notes to each of the eight sections, provides a challenging new reevaluation of Thurman and the Harlem Renaissance for both the general reader and scholar. 

508 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2003

About the author

Wallace Henry Thurman (1902–1934) was an American novelist active during the Harlem Renaissance. He also wrote essays, worked as an editor, and was a publisher of short-lived newspapers and literary journals. He is best known for his novel The Blacker the Berry: A Novel of Negro Life (1929), which explores discrimination within the black community based on skin color, with lighter skin being more highly valued.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thurman Wallace was a prolific writer, publishing novels and stories during his short life. I searched out this volume for the handful of plays he wrote, mostly in collaboration with William Rapp, a white publisher. Only two plays survive – some are believed to be lost.

Although not as well known as the rest of the Harlem Renaissance writers (he died at age 32), his plays presented a view of African American life that was neither idealized or patronizing. The characters are well formed and on a whole they possess vitality and energy. The dialogue aims at reproduces the slang and manner of real speech, particularly in Harlem.

One wonders what Wallace might have done had he lived longer and had more time to hone his playwriting skills. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say his works near Eugene O’Neill’s plays at the time. (O’Neill’s experimentation in expressionism may give him a slight edge.)

That said, Wallace’s plays deserved to be performed and read more widely.

Harlem: A Melodrama of Negro Life **** – This is an unknown treasure. At a time when quality American theatre consisted of a handful of plays by O’Neill and a few musicals, Harlem provides an insightful and unvarnished view of life in Harlem.

It depicts the struggle between generations, the crippling effects of racism, and the challenges faced by southern blacks moving into the northern cities. It possesses vivid characters and language and an unidealized, unsensationalized portrait of the community’s people and their failings.

I don’t know if there are any grand themes in the work, but its wide range of lively characters make it instantly engaging.

Jeremiah, The Magnificant *** – This the story of the fall of a charismatic black leader, based on the life of Marcus Garvey. Jeremiah is a religious leader, hailed as an emperor among his followers.

Jeremiah is presented with all his charisma and his faults. He’s presented as genuinely committed to his cause, but his egotism and grand airs prevent him from seeing the perfidy of his flatterers.

Overall, the play is very good, but the complexities of Jeremiah’s role as spiritual leader could have been explored more deeply. And the villain, Grayson, is a bit flat. Other than greed, we don’t get much motivation from him. Unlike Harlem, the language is a bit “stagey” and less colloquial.

But this is still a powerful play with an unjaded and unromantic view of African American and mankind in general. It deserves to be more widely known.

[Jenifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating...Wallace Thurman, a gay black man born in Salt Lake City, one of the foremost members of the "Black Renaissance." Did much of his best writing back in Utah, though his opinion of the state/city/community was ambivalent. Shamefully unrecognized among American essayists, playwrights, novelists, and critics. READ WALLACE THURMAN.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually did all the proofing for the OCR'd pages for this book. This is the text that originally piqued my interest in the Harlem Renaissance.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took a class with Dr. Singh in college and both he and Thurman seemed to me like strong characters who were following unlikely passions in life. Fascinating.