The First Book of Negroes is a children's book written and prepared by Langston Hughes (1901-1967), a child of the American mid-West and a student of American society throughout his life. His young adult life began in New York City, where he attended Columbia University and continued his personal goal of being a writer of poetry, prose and essays. Langston Hughes was a political activist in the pre-WWII era and throughout his entire life. His advocacy to eliminate racism in America was paired with his cultural goals of promoting African American self-expression in the arts, including jazz, other music, pictorial arts and writing both prose and poetry. This book is the first in a five-volume series Hughes wrote for children to educate them about the achievements both historically and in the present of African people and African Americans.1/ His childhood and adult experiences with racism in America motivated him to write this series of children's books - no bar to adults reading them as well - to educate the reader about the lives, talents and successes of African American people, and of their ancestors.
Political activism related to Communist and Socialist movements in the 1930's brought Langston Hughes to the attention of Sen. Joseph McCarthy's Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and he was requested to testify and answer questions. While his works and career were not obviously impacted by the McCarthy hearings and era, this first printing of The First Book of Negroes includes illustrations and descriptions of certain African Americans who were prominent figures in the arts and leftist politics, such as Josephine Baker, and such content was dropped from later editions. The self-made book man and publisher, Franklin Watts, Inc.'s purpose 2/ and the author's original intent was for public schools and libraries to purchase the book and thus the McCarthy era had certain impacts on its content that the publisher chose to remove as obstacles for wide distribution.
The art work of this book appears everywhere: the paper covers, front and back announce the arts and sciences. The inside of the front and back cover are brightly illustrated with people of different eras and cultures. The illustrations within the book show children of different ages, background, and heritage. The back of the book jacket has a photograph of Langston Hughes among children who stare out at the photographer - and at the book's reader. This scene is likely of Langston Hughes at a school he visited for a poetry reading or to give a writing class. "Aim for the stars, follow your imagination" are implicit in the art and content of this little book.
Thus Langston Hughes's The First Book of Negroes, 1952, first edition, first printing is an important example of American 20th c. children's literature and the American publishing industry in the McCarthy era. The book's author, immersed equally in poetry and prose, American society and politics wrote a book that fits a child's hand as well as a modern adult reader's experience.
The book perhaps is one Langston Hughes himself would have wanted as a child to read, as books were his childhood lifeline and writing his life's work.
Notes:
1. The publisher offered a series of children's books, published with the theme "The First Book of..." and The First Book of Negroes book jacket indicates that this title, notable for its social and historical content, is number 27 as printed on the book jacket spine. The book jacket advertised the series as a child's core curriculum.
2. FRANKLIN WATTS, FOUNDER OF BOOK PUBLISHER, AT 74 - The New York Times