The 30 Minute Rule begins September 16 at 7:00 PM EDT. An Initial Bid Must Be Placed By September 16 at 6:00 PM EDT To Participate After 6:00 PM EDT
TLS, one page, 5.5 x 8.5, personal letterhead, January 28, 1965. Letter to Miss Sayer, in full: "Thank you very much indeed for your most thoughtful letter—one of over 100 that came as a result of my first TAXI column in the POST. The second column, excerpts from letters, will I think indicate to you that there ARE drivers who (and certainly with reasons) do NOT pick up Negroes, or wish to go to Harlem—where I live. It is a special problem for us, over and above whatever problems whites may have in that regard. (As a Negro socialite lady, wife of a wealthy Harlemite, said (amusingly boastful, I thought) 'There I am standing in my $10,000 mink coat, and can't get a cab to go home to Harlem!'…
Why I warned cabbies about the OFF DUTY signs is that altercations have developed that might lead to rocks or bricks—and I am not myself making a threat or suggesting this. It is simply liable to happen—so better cabbies who do NOT want Harlem passengers, skirt it for their own sakes…Of course there are bigger issues, like Mississippi, and I write about them all the time. But a continually repeated SMALL thing like cabs and color in New York, can be (and is) intensely irritating—particularly if you are in a hurry to get somewhere. Just as in the proverb, "a straw broke the camel's back" the Harlem riots grew out of a million 'petty distresses' as you put them.
Unfortunately, while reaching for the stars, one has to live on earth—and in Harlem. And I agree with you, to fight only BIG dragons would be wonderful—but roaches and mice and leaking sinks are what most of those 'inciting' street corner speeches are about—that cause dragons to spout fire all over all of us. I wish there were space in the POST to publish parts of your beautiful letter, though. And thanks again." Hughes has underlined several words in the letter. In very fine condition.
Written just six months after the Harlem riots of July 1964, this unusually substantive letter finds Hughes reflecting on racial discrimination in everyday New York life and the frustrations that fueled urban unrest. Responding to a reader's comments on one of his New York Post 'TAXI' columns, Hughes discusses taxi drivers' reluctance to serve Harlem passengers and argues that the riots grew from a million "petty distresses" rather than any single grievance. Writing as a Harlem resident, he offers a thoughtful firsthand perspective on race relations and daily life in mid-1960s New York.
From the personal collection of a lifelong collector, teacher, and traveler with a passion for world history. His collecting years ranged from the 1970s to the present day, meaning that several of the premier pieces have not been on the market in decades.
This item is Pre-Certified by PSA/DNA
Buy a third-party letter of authenticity for
$25.00
*This item has been pre-certified by a trusted third-party authentication service, and by placing a bid on this item, you agree to accept the opinion of this authentication service. If you wish to have an opinion rendered by a different authenticator of your choosing, you must do so prior to your placing of any bid. RR Auction is not responsible for differing opinions submitted 30 days after the date of the sale.
Third-party authentication service applies only to signatures and handwriting, and does not cover the addition of sketches, artwork, musical quotations, etc.
