CAROLING DUSK: AN ANTHOLOGY OF VERSE BY NEGRO POETS

At The Height Of The Harlem Renaissance

CAROLING DUSK: AN ANTHOLOGY OF VERSE BY NEGRO POETS

Edited by Countee Cullen with decorations by Aaron Douglas, with works by Paul Laurence Dunbar, W.E.B. Du Bois, Claude McKay, Jean Toomer, Anne Spencer, Langston Hughes, Alice Dunbar Nelson, Jessie Fauset and others

1927

First printing of this collection of Black poetry from the late nineteenth century to the Harlem Renaissance, compiled by one of the period's "most talented writers" (Finkelman, 526).

Near fine in very good dust jacket.

Price: $1,000.00

CAROLING DUSK: AN ANTHOLOGY OF VERSE BY NEGRO POETS

"Gee, boy, I love the way you hold your head, / High sort of and a bit to one side, / Like a prince, a jazz prince."

CAROLING DUSK, published two years after Countee Cullen's critically acclaimed first book COLOR, "was hailed as an important contribution to African American letters" (Finkelman, 525). In this collection, Cullen sought to contextualize the works of the 38 featured Black poets in the wider realm of US poetry, hoping that in the future, "there will be no reason for giving [these poems] the needless distinction of a separate section marked Negro verse" (xii), and that it would be a prelude "to that fuller symphony which Negro poets will in time contribute to the national literature" (xiv). Included are some of the biggest names of the Harlem Renaissance, with brief biographical passages: Langston Hughes, Jessie Fauset, Angelina Weld Grimké, Claude McKay, and more. It is a veritable Norton Anthology of the period's poetry.
CAROLING DUSK features a dust jacket and endpapers designed by Aaron Douglas, a pioneer of the African-American modernist movement. Douglas was "an integral part of the artistic culture of New York"; he blended Art Deco and cubist forms with the geometric shapes of African art to create stylish designs for publications by many of the leading lights of the Harlem Renaissance (Pritchett).

Read more: Paul Finkelman, Encyclopedia of African American History, vol. 1; Eleanor Pritchett, "The Book Art of Harlem Renaissance Artist Aaron Douglas."

The Object

New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1927. 8.25'' x 5.5''. Original black cloth binding with pink paper title onlays to front board and spine. Original unclipped ($2.50) pictorial dust jacket designed by Aaron Douglas. Red topstain, other edges machine-deckle. Patterned endpapers of dense pink vines, also designed by Douglas. xxii, [2], 238 pages, including index. Gift inscription, dated December 25 1927, to half-title. Jacket with light sunning to spine, some chipping around top of spine and rear panel top edge; remains of old tape repair to verso. Binding with a hint of bumping to spine ends, occasional finger soil to leaf margins. Sharp.

The Fine Print

We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.

We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.

All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.

All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Priority. International orders over $500 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.

International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.

We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.

If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.

Add to Cart Ask a Question