
The Opportunity Reader
Stories, Poetry, and Essays from the Urban League's Opportunity Magazine
Sondra Kathryn Wilson(Author)
Modern Library Inc (Publisher)
Published on 29. June 1999
Book
Paperback/Softback
576 pages
978-0-375-75379-4 (ISBN)
Description
Modern Library Harlem Renaissance
In 1923, the Urban League's Opportunity magazine made its first appearance. Spearheaded by the noted sociologist Charles S. Johnson, it became, along with the N.A.A.C.P.'s Crisis magazine, one of the vehicles that drove the art and literature of the Harlem Renaissance. As a way of attracting writers such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, Johnson conducted literary contests that were largely funded by Casper Holstein, the infamous Harlem numbers gangster, who contributed
several essays in addition to money.
Dorothy West, Nella Larsen, and Arthur Schomburg were among Opportunity's contributors. Many of the pieces included in The Opportunity Reader have not been seen since their publication in the magazine, whose motto was "Not alms, but opportunity."
The fertile artistic period now known as the Harlem Renaissance (1920-1930) gave birth to many of the world-renowned masters of black literature and is the model for today's renaissance of black writers.
In 1923, the Urban League's Opportunity magazine made its first appearance. Spearheaded by the noted sociologist Charles S. Johnson, it became, along with the N.A.A.C.P.'s Crisis magazine, one of the vehicles that drove the art and literature of the Harlem Renaissance. As a way of attracting writers such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, Johnson conducted literary contests that were largely funded by Casper Holstein, the infamous Harlem numbers gangster, who contributed
several essays in addition to money.
Dorothy West, Nella Larsen, and Arthur Schomburg were among Opportunity's contributors. Many of the pieces included in The Opportunity Reader have not been seen since their publication in the magazine, whose motto was "Not alms, but opportunity."
The fertile artistic period now known as the Harlem Renaissance (1920-1930) gave birth to many of the world-renowned masters of black literature and is the model for today's renaissance of black writers.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Random House USA Inc
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 34 mm
Weight
805 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-375-75379-4 (9780375753794)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Sondra Kathryn Wilson, Ph.D., is a researcher at Harvard University's W. E. B. Du Bois Institute. She is the literary executor of the James Weldon Johnson estate, and the editor of several volumes of his work. She is also the editor of Modern
Library's The Crisis Reader. She lives in New York City.
Library's The Crisis Reader. She lives in New York City.