Angel Mo' and her Son, Roland Hayes

MacKinley Helm; (Roland Hayes)

Published by Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1942

About this Item

Octavo, tan cloth, with cover portrait of Hayes, lettered in brown; soiled covers. First edition, with portrait frontispiece. A presentation copy, inscribed: "To Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth I. Brown. In gracious remembrance of their goodness on more than one memorable occasion; and in recognition of the great work they are doing in the field of Education. From gratefully yours, Roland Hayes, 11.5.42," on the front endpaper. Kenneth Brown, the president of Denison University (Granville, Ohio), with a pamphlet, "Education for Democratic Living," by Brown, dated February 1943, as well as a pencil notes, laid-in. [Together with] Autograph letter signed by Hayes to Brown, November 20, 1942, approximately 250 words, unpublished ----- During the summer of 1942, Roland Hayes, the critically acclaimed Black tenor, was struck and jailed by a Rome, Georgia, policeman for essaying to intercede with a while shoe store clerk on his wife's behalf. News of the incident reverberated widely. Erelong, Hayes's friend Kenneth Brown sent condolences. "After my misfortune," Hayes acknowledged to the university president on November 20, "I felt not a little sorry for my wife, my first daughter and myself for a while. -- Then it came to me that possibly this was a plan of the Divine and that we were being used to His purpose: 'Without the crushing of the grape there can be no wine.' It took me quite some hard times to recuperate from that experience sufficient to function normally again. [The Hayeses decided to sell their Peach State farm and abandon the South.] And when finally I did climb up out of its cloud of misery, I found that much time had passed and -- decided to [show] you my appreciation." A powerful presentation copy and highly revealing letter, professionally matted and framed, ideal for display.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1677443822645

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Angel Mo' and her Son, Roland Hayes
• Publisher: Boston: Little, Brown and Company
• Publication Date: 1942
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Near Fine
• Signed: Inscribed by Author(s)