Description
Signed first edition of Faith and History by Reinhold Niebuhr, with an inscription to Black gospel composer Hall Johnson.
Octavo, x, 257pp. Full black cloth, title in gilt on spine. The first printing, with “Scribner’s A” on copyright page. Solid text block, dust remnant to top edge, small dampstain to bottom of fore edge, no impact to text. In the publisher’s dust jacket, retail price $3.95 retail price on front flap, lightly soiled panels, small chips to corners.
Inscribed on the front free endpaper: “To Hall Johnson / with high regard / Reinhold Niebuhr.”
Hall Johnson (1888-1970) was a composer of Black spiritual music. He created the Hall Johnson Negro Choir in 1925, which went on to perform on numerous soundtracks including The Green Pastures (1930), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Dumbo (1941), and Song of the South (1946). Among many other accomplishments, Johnson wrote “Run, Little Chillun,” the first Broadway show by a Black composer. It is recognized as one of the most successful musicals of the Harlem Renaissance.
Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) was a towering figure in American theology and political thought, known for his profound contributions to Christian realism. Niebuhr’s work had a significant influence on political leaders, including Presidents Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter, who were inspired by his ideas on the necessity of moral ambiguity in political decision-making. His writings include Moral Man and Immoral Society, The Nature and Destiny of Man, The Structure of Nations and Empires, and many more.
