Winter Autograph, Art and Sports Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/26/2015
Unfortunately, while reaching for the stars, one has to live on earth and in--- Harlem
Thank you TLS on Langston's letterhead dated January 28, 1965 and signed by Langston to Miss Sayer in reference to her letter about his first TAXI column in the post. In full: 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 to Harlem…!why I warned cabbies Unfortunately, while reaching for the stars, one has to live on earth and in--- Harlemabout 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 if 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 in color in New York, can be (and is)
Intensely irritating---particularly if you are in a hurry to get some where. Just as the proverb, “ a straw broke the camels back” the Harlem riots grew out of a million “(petty distresses’ as you put them. . 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 us. I wish there where space in the POST to publish parts of your beautiful letter, though . And Thanks again. Sincerely, “Langston Hughes”
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