Description
Inscribed to Lloyd K. Garrison, grandson of abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, the first edition of An African Treasury, selected by Langston Hughes.
Octavo, xvi, 207pp. Original hardcover, title in brown on beige cloth spine. Second state binding with cartographic endpapers. The first printing with no additional printings listed on copyright page. Solid text block, faint dust remnants to top edge, otherwise fine. In the publisher’s dust jacket, $3.50 retail price on front flap, some sunning and chips to spine, short closed tear to front panel, a near fine example. (Blockson 6859) Housed in a custom black clamshell, title in gilt on curved morocco spine.
Inscribed by Langston Hughes on the front free endpaper: “Happy Holidays to the Lloyd K. Garrisons – Sincerely, Langston Hughes, New York, Christmas, 1960.”
This exceptional association copy connects Black author and civil rights activist Langston Hughes to Lloyd K. Garrison, famed Wall Street lawyer and grandson of abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. As a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s legal committee, Garrison served as counsel to Hughes in 1953. Hughes was subpoenaed by Senator Joseph McCarthy, who called him to appear before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations for suspected communist influence in his work. Following the testimony, Hughes moved from outright political pieces to a more lyrical style of writing.
