Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Hughes, Langston, 1902-1967.
- Abstract:
- The collection consists mainly of manuscripts, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera to, by, and about African-American writer Langston Hughes (1910-1976). The bulk of the material dates between 1932 and 1934, the years that Langston Hughes traveled to and from the Soviet Union and Mexico. There are also correspondence and photographs to and about Hughes's friend African-American lawyer Loren Miller (1903-1967) and the Miller family.
- Extent:
- 124 pieces in 4 boxes.
- Language:
- English.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The collection consists mainly of manuscripts, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera to, by, and about African-American writer Langston Hughes. The bulk of the material dates between 1932 and 1934, the years that Langston Hughes traveled to and from the Soviet Union and Mexico. There are also correspondence and photographs to and about Hughes's friend African-American lawyer Loren Miller and the Miller family.
This collection is arranged in three parts reflecting three different acquisitions. Part I consists of a pocket diary kept while Hughes was in China and Japan in 1933 (HM 64076), manuscripts, correspondence, photographs, and ephemera to, by, and about Langston Hughes. Part II consists of photograph reproductions and another pocket notebook (HM 68429), kept by Hughes while in the Soviet Union, dating from 1932-1933. Part III consists of letters, ephemera and photographs primarily by Loren Miller and related to the 1932 Soviet Union trip. Langston Hughes was a close friend of Loren and Juanita Miller. Hughes and Miller traveled to the Soviet Union in 1932 with 19 other African-Americans onboard the ship Europa for a film project that never materialized. There are two photographs from onboard the Europa including a group photograph of 20 of the 22 who traveled to the Soviet Union (HM 64100).
Correspondence in Part I consists of: 5 letters from Langston Hughes to Loren Miller (HM 64082-64086); 1 letter to Juanita Miller (HM 64081); 2 letters from Si-lan Chen Leyda to Langston Hughes (HM 64088-64089); 5 letters from Maxim Lieber to Langston Hughes about selling some of Hughes' short stories (HM 64090-64094); and 4 letters to Langston Hughes from Josephine De Witt (HM 64070), L.B. (Lidiì'a Borisovna) Filatova (HM 64071), Jozsef Rem'enyi (HM 64097), and Agnes Smedley (HM 64097). There are 3 letters to Loren Miller from Bill Jordan (HM 64087); Helen O. (HM 64095); and Kenneth P. O'Donnell (HM 64096) inviting Miller to a civil rights meeting with President Kennedy in 1963. There is also 1 letter to Maxim Lieber from Elsie Weil about a Hughes' short story (HM 64099). Correspondence in Part III is primarily from Loren Miller to Juanita Miller and Nora Miller, with a few letters to and from other friends and family.
Manuscripts (in Part I) consist of Mother and Child [one-act play] (HM 64072); The Need for Heroes [essay] (HM 64073); "Once again..." (HM 64074); Oyster's Son [short story] (HM 64075); Professor [short story] (HM 64077); Reno Possess Only Negro Weather Man [essay] (HM 64078); The Sailor and the Steward [short story] (HM 64079); and "Wise Men" [poem] (HM 64080).
- Biographical / historical:
-
African-American author (James) Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri, to James Nathaniel and Carrie Mercer (Langston) Hughes. Throughout his career as a writer, Hughes lived in several countries around the world including a year in the Soviet Union (1932-1933). He is well known for such works as Weary Blues (1926), The Big Sea ( (1940), the Simple series including Simple Speaks His Mind ( (1950), and other works. Hughes died on May 22, 1967.
African-American attorney, judge and civil rights activist Loren Miller (1903-1967) was born on January 20, 1903, in Pender, Nebraska, to John Bird and Nora (Herbaugh) Miller. He married Juanita Ellsworth on February 19, 1933, and they had two sons Loren, Jr. and Edward Ellsworth. He practiced private law in Kansas from 1928-1929 before moving to California and opening a practice in 1933. Miller was a reporter for the California News from 1929-1933 and the publisher of the California Eagle from 1954-1964. He was a Municipal Court judge for Los Angeles from 1964 until his death. He was a member of the California Advisory Commission on Civil Rights and the vice president of the National Committee Against Discrimination in Housing. Miller died on July 16, 1967.
Langston Hughes was close friends with both Loren and Juanita Miller. Loren Miller, Hughes, and a troupe of African-American actors, students and writers traveled to the Soviet Union in 1932 aboard the ship Europa. They had planned to make a film called “Black and White,” about African-American life in America. The movie was never filmed due to funding. While Hughes remained on the Soviet Union and Asia, Miller returned home and married Juanita Ellsworth. Over the years, Miller acted on several occasions as legal counsel for Hughes.
- Acquisition information:
-
The items in Part I were purchased from Edward and Angela Miller in June 2002 (acquisition number 2244).
Part II is made up of two groups of material: Photographs of the Miller family, lent to the Huntington Library in November 2002 by Halvor Miller, Jr., cousin of Edward and Loren Miller, Jr., were copied and the originals returned to Halvor Miller. Another notebook kept in Russia by Hughes was purchased from Edward and Angela Miller in November 2003 (acquisition number 2319)
Part III includes three groups of material, correspondence, ephemera, and photographs. These items were acquired from Edward Miller in October 2006 (acquisition number 2402).
- Arrangement:
-
This collection is arranged in three parts, reflecting the three different acquisitions of the material.
- Part I (HM 64070-64101): Correspondence, Manuscripts, Photographs, and Ephemera (Box 1)
- Part II (HM 68429-68442): Pocket diary and Photographs (Box 2)
- Part III (HM 73900-73977): Correspondence (Box 3) and Ephemera and Photographs (Box 4)
Within each part, manuscripts and correspondence arranged alphabetically, followed by photographs and ephemera, which are arranged chronologically.
- Rules or conventions:
- Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
There are no restrictions on access except for the Hughes Pocket Diary, HM 64076. It is too fragile to be handled and has been permanently retired. A high- quality facsimile is available for use.
- Location of this collection:
-
1151 Oxford RoadSan Marino, CA 91108, US
- Contact:
- (626) 405-2191