Alain L. Locke: Biography of a Philosopher

Synopsis

Alain L. Locke (1886-1954), in his famous 1925 anthology "The New Negro", declared that "the pulse of the Negro world has begun to beat in Harlem". Often called the father of the Harlem Renaissance, Locke had his finger directly on that pulse, promoting, influencing, and sparring. Leonard Harris and Charles Molesworth trace Locke's story through his Philadelphia upbringing, his undergraduate years at Harvard and his tenure as the first African American Rhodes Scholar. The heart of their narrative illuminates Locke's heady years in 1920s New York City and his forty-year career at Howard University, where he helped spearhead the adult education movement of the 1930s and wrote on topics ranging from the philosophy of value to the theory of democracy. Harris and Molesworth show that throughout this illustrious career -- despite a formal manner that many observers interpreted as elitist or distant -- Locke remained a warm and effective teacher and mentor, as well as a fierce champion of literature and art as means of breaking down barriers between communities. The multifaceted portrait that emerges from this engaging account effectively reclaims Locke's rightful place in the pantheon of America's most important minds.

Copyright:

2008

Book Details

Book Quality:

Excellent

Book Size:

442 Pages

ISBN-13:

9780226317762

Publisher:

University of Chicago Press

Date of Addition:

12/23/09

Copyrighted By:

Leonard Harris, Charles Molesworth

Adult content:

No

Language:

English

Has Image Descriptions:

No

Categories:

History, Nonfiction, Biographies and Memoirs, Philosophy

Grade Levels:

College Freshman, College Sophomore, College Junior, College Senior

Submitted By:

Daproim Africa

Proofread By:

Daproim Africa

Usage Restrictions:

This is a copyrighted book.