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Xerox University Microfilms
300 North Zeeb Road
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106
LD3907
,G7 G loster, Hugh M orris, 1913
1943 American Negro fic tio n from Charles
.G6 W. Chesnutt to Richard W right... New
York, 1942.
v,3l7 typew ritten leaves. 29cm.
Thesis (Ph.D .) - New York u n iv ersity ,
Graduate school, 1943.
Bibliographys p .300-317.
A95037
Shit I,
Xerox University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106
THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED.
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rm t CHABLEfi V. CKES1TUT? 70 pJCEURD ISIfflW
Bufk Harris Qloatnr
fcM ltud Sb partial ftjlfillaont of tha roqulrooonts
for Vbm dagroo of dootor of phliooopbqr at lor Tork
TJniT«*sity.
1
ZBTBOmCTZOfi
la a "Foreword" to Bmny Uarteiok* s the Fbragsroand of kmrIowa
Fiction (1954) Harry Hayd on Clark states that "theiw 1* no battar index
to the American wind during tha last forty years than the American novel*"
the validity of this statemnt ia wall illustrated in Americas legro fic
tion, for tha think lag and experienoo of twanti eth-oentury Bagroes are
reflaotad ia their novel* and short stories. Ia tide body of writing
are sdrrorad tha psychology and interests of Bagrae*, their • oh ieramenta
and aspiration a, sad the problewi Brising from their Juxtaposition with
the white oajorlty of the country*
Though generally looking enduring beauty and universal appeal,
American Segro fiction reveals authors who, in literature as in life ,
era forced by osvironaantal pressure to beeoao raoe-oons oious and to
preoooupy themselves with tha problems of adjustment to a resisting and
sonatinas antagonistic enviromsent. *ith racial considerations motiva
ting saoat of their work, they writs ohiefly about their status as a
segregated, oppressed, ridiculed, and exploited minority in tits Aawriean
eeelal order* In degrees and manners varying with their individual
tsapera—nts, environmental surrounding, and philosophies of life , they
not only treat suoh injustiees as discrimination, disfranohi sement,
peonage, and lynch lug, but also voles the ashiareaents, potantlelities,
and aspirstioas of their people*
In Vlas' of tha fast that a reliable aesaio of Begre life end
thought in tha United States is to be found in navels sod short stories
by l ogin authors, this study of the theses, attitudes, and nlIleus of
' - H < *')H
11
Kagio flo tim lfti fmw Charles Chasmitt to Richard Wright and of tha
relation of their published works to tha broader cultural life of the
country should be of considerable social and literary value*
In the first place, this study should be of value to students
of dedal history beoause it shows how the Begre siod—oosKlitioned by
ties, plao% and oi rcuaatanee—has reaotod to the problems of a raoial
minority in the United States* While sons of the best transcripts of
Xegre experience have beec rads by shite authors, such of the mass of
writing shout the American Segro has been mere external oowaontary and
superficial opinion, often flavored by racial or sectional bias and some
times saore of a rationale of the color nr obi as than an expression of Segro
oharaeter* This study, undertaking to praeant the legro as his can in
terpreter, furnishes first-hand eridenoe of what he thinks ofA nerioa
and how he reacts to shat Aaerieat hinks of him*
In the second plaoe, this investigation should be of value to
students of literature beoause it demonstrates that Segno novels and
abort stories, which are often discussed and sometimes disdained as
alien creations, are really part and parcel of the aain body of hear loan
authorship* AM la frequently conditioned by racial temper and minorl by-
group emphases, the flotion of Segross nevertheless reflects the planta
tion tradition. Sordid sa, real!an, naturalism, priaitlvlsa, Freudianisa,
regionaliam, proletarian!sm, and other trends in American literature*
Along with Ms whits confrere the Segro artist gropes for literary
maturity, universal values, and a significant expression of national life*
gnwy—nts in wodern begin literature, aoreover, are neither spasmodic nor
frsgnentsury, but are inextrioable patterns in the warp and woof of the
Ansriean literary fabric*
ill
la this work the writer hu pem&tted no theory econo ado,
political, soaial, or philosophlool—-to in/luenoe his approach. As far
aa possible, he has let the Bagro fiction ist apeak for himself* As this
iorostigatioa is ooneerned not so amah with literary oritiei®} as with
racial expression, artist!o «rral»jaticm has been avoided exoopt for the
oooaaional employment of teres indiost ing the quality of an author's
work* the method has been to prooeed direotly to the themes, attitudes,
and milieus of the writings under axaai nation.
The author gratefully acknowledges indebtedness to the follow*
ing in.the preparation of this *olun»i to Dr. Osoar Cargill of the
Department of Saglish of Sew York Onirareity for guidance and encouragement
from ths beginning of the study to its completion* to the librarians of
the Sehoefeurg Collection of the Hew York Public Library, Atlanta Univer
sity, Fisk University, Harvard University, Hosard University, Lehoyns
College, Sew York University, and the Library of Congress for helpful
cooperation and for the uae of their resources in Hegro bistory and
literature} to the General Education Board and the Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity for fellowship grants * and to Hiss Mildred Burch and Mrs*
Louise Torr anee Gloster tor clerical assistance*
iT
COSTEBTS
CHAPTER PA68
I THE BACEGBOTKD OP ASO&ICiS SHJRD FICTItW, 1866-1914. . . . . 1
laoo attraction and Diafranohla— at • . * .......................... 1
Tha Plantation Tradition and Nordician. • • • • • • • • 6
Am tfaahington-DuBoia Controv«r«y • • • • • • • • • • • 11
II THE CAMFAIGS AGAIBST RKFRE8SI0BISM ASD THE PLAHTATIOI TRADI-
TIOB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Saanry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
III TEE BACIQBOUKD OP THE HBGS0 RE2iASC28C».................... 106
The tSorld Vi*r 106
Tha Gnrrsy Moraamt ............................ 107
Istaraat in Afrioan Art and Hiatory . . . a . . . . . . 109
Saw Interest is tha Kogro by thita M tar». . . . . . . Ill
Intermingling of Colored and bhite Tfiritw'a • • • • • • 116
lagn Autfaora and Their Publishers. • • • • • • • • « • 117
Berlwu Tha %aooa of tha Eaa Regro . . . . . . . . . . 119
17 TEE HE6B0 REBASCEBCE............................................ . . . 1 2 8
Pre-Harlan Trends ..................................................... . . . . 1 8 4
Southern Realism ..................... .188
Color aad Casta Among tha Bourgeoisie . . » . • • • • . 148
Propaganda. . . . . . . . . . . . ...................................... . 161
Tha Van Veohten 7ogue .................... 176
ftarlaa Realism* 197
Vast Indian Realism ........................ . 206
Tha Mid-Waatarn Snail Tom ...................................................... 810
Satire. • • • • • 814
Tha Cloaa of tha Segro Baoaaeeoes • • • • • • • • • • • 818
Suanmry • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • 281
▼ TBS DEPRESS103 DBCADEi IBS BACKCSOUID OP 8BCBT TBEED6* • • 886
Tha Depression. 226
Prolatarianiaa. • • • ........................ SSI
Son-Rarolutiorary Intarraelaliam. 289
TPaatmet of tha Sagro by TShite Writm-a ...................880
Sffaat of Prolatarianiaa and Intar racialism Upon Kegr*
Literature . ....................................• • • • • • • • • . 8 8 7
71 HECEST TBSSlXv • ....................................................... • • • • • • • • 8 8 9
HUtorioal Plotlon........................ • • 241
tfbrld bar Fiction ....................................849
Proletariam Fiction . • • • • • • • • • • • • . . • • • 168
TeXk Italian. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 271
▼
VI HBCE8T THEM* (Conttcuad)
Tha Barlaa Smr«« • • • • • • • • • * • • • • • • • • • 281
Family Chronlcla. • • • . « . • • • • • • • • • • • • • 288
Tha Migrant Vorker. « • • • • ■ • • • • • • • • • • • • 289
Sunaury.......................... 291
VII COSCLUSIOI............................................................................... .293
Hatroapaot* • • • • • • • • • • « • • • • • « • • • • • 293
Proapaot. . .................. 296
BUUOSEAFBT. . . .....................................................................................................800
1
CHAPTER 1
THE BAGKC.HOGHD OF AMERICAS JfKGRO FICTIOH, 1865-1914
Boocastruetlon sad Dlsfranohlesasat
At t» close of the Civil War tha Hoi tad States was confronted
•with one of tha most perpleadng problaas of it* history* Tha death knall
had baan sounded for tha agricultural rdgiae, and an entire aoolal and
ooonotaio systsra was in ruins* Hot only ware tha atataa of the Confeder
acy to ba raatorad to thair former places in tha Union, but radical re-
adjttetaeafc and reorganisation had to bo aoooa; lishod in the lives of 1fce
inhabitants of tha South* "Hare undoubtedly,* as 3onJ*»in Brevity has
observed, "was a diffioult situation—one calling for the highest quality
of stateaaanahip, and of sportsmanship on tho art of the vanquished*"^
Tha results of tha Civil *<ar loft tha Southern aristoeraay
bitter and poverty-stricken* In numerous instanoes Confederate soldiers
returned hoasi to find their mass and children slok and undernourished,
their residences devastated or plundered, their live stock reduoed or
eonfisoated, their slaves released fros further obligations as bondMB,
thair ourranoy and inreetaeste rendered worthless and unnegotiable, and
their relatives and friends tsainsd or kiUad during the ocnfliet* Approx-
iaatoly four aillioa slaves had baan aansslttad by a stroke of the presi
dential pan, oany oitias had bean shelled and burned# transportation
facilities had bean pat out of eeasaiaelor, and considerable private
property had bean seised by Federal authorities**
' 'nBenjsada Brwrier. A Boelal History ef the Aserisaa Hap» (Haw York.
1921), p* 268*
*Ib|d*
2
Further aggravating the f oraar slaveholder* ware the aotivitio* of
"carpetbaggers" end "scalawags** the meteoric aeo®;danoe of Hsgroes and
poor whites* and the passing of political power and national leadership
to the farmers and industrialists of the Sorth*
The plight of tdie freedaen was not nuoh bettor than that of
their fomer rasters* Though liberated by the Thirteenth Aca«mdaent,
v.
given oitisenshl-'by the Fourteenth* and protected in the right to vote
by the Fifteenth* tho esc-boxxtaec were bewildered and alienated by the
oiroutaatar.cee of their near status in society* Like the dispossessed plan
tation owners, they were living in a land whose social and economic founds*
tlons had been wreoked* In a sow to educate these people and to prepare
then far eitisenahip, Northern philanthropists and missionary agenoles
sent teachers into the South and established schools for their training*1
"This philanthropic soheae*" as Woodson has noted* "presupposed that edu
cation in the classical field was the urgent need of Eegrooa* in that it
was, essential to a proper understanding of the robloras of government*
and that when this was supplied* tbs masses thus enlightened would have
an advantage by whioh they oould triuaph over all opposition*" In a
further effort to pretest the Hegro and bring order out of ohaoa* the
govemaent established the Freedasn's Bureau which, as BuBois states*
"set going a eystm of free labor* established a beginning of peasant
proprietorship* secured the recognition of black freedaen before courts
of lsar* and founded the free eoassca school in the South*"5
, i« ■ ........................................................................................... -----------
Carter 0* Woodson* The Beers la Our History (hashingtai* 1941),
p* S6S*
5lbid>* p* « 1 .
Sr. S* B* IfciSois* The Souls of Blaok Folk (Chicago* 1902)* p* 35*
