Langston Hughes' The First Book of Negroes First Edition by Hughes, Langston

Hughes, Langston. The First Book of Negroes. New York: Franklin Watts, 1952. First edition, fifth printing. Octavo, 7.5" x 8.75" inches. 66 pages. Original unclipped illustrated dust jacket. Interior illustrations in black, white, and green. Langston Hughes authored this "First Book" in children's book series put out by Franklin Watts, exploring Black life in America and beyond, through the frame of a young boy named Terry Lane. Hughes weaves together fragments of history, from the culture of African tribesmen, to Harriet Tubman, to distinguishing between Terry's growing up in the urban North and his cousin's Southern, rural origins. Interestingly, the tone is rather light when describing the more horrifying aspects of black American history. This is in no doubt part to the fact that Hughes had recently come under fire of the House Un-American Activities Commission during the McCarthyist frenzy, when any critical portrayal of American history could be tarred as a Communist conspiracy. The publisher, Franklin Watts, even required Hughes to put out a declaration that he had no affiliation with the Communist Party in order to market the work. Despite being a children's book, this work is peppered with Hughes' poetic flourish and insight, while also bearing the imprint of its historical conjuncture. This copy's interiors are bright with vibrant illustrations. Original dust jacket has some chipping along edges and 3 small tears (1/2 inch to 1 inch). Spine has some minor sunning. Book in very good condition.