1954 9 Jun |
The passing of Alain LeRoy Locke (b. September 13, 1885, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.) in New York. He was laid to rest in Congressional Cemetery in Washington DC.
Locke graduated from Harvard University and was the first African American to win a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship (1907). Despite his intellect and clear talent, Locke faced significant barriers as an African American. In spite of the fact that he had been selected as the first African-American Rhodes Scholar, Locke was denied admission to several colleges at the University of Oxford because of his race. He finally gained entry into Hertford College, where he studied from 1907 to 1910. Locke also studied philosophy at the University of Berlin during his years abroad. He subsequently received a doctorate in philosophy from Harvard and taught at Howard University.
Locke declared his belief in the Bahá'í Faith in 1918. He is thus among a list of some 40 known African Americans to join the religion during the ministry of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.
In 1925 he published The New Negro: An Interpretation of Negro Life. It was an anthology showcasing African American artists and is generally considered a seminal moment in the founding of the Harlem Renaissance and he became known as the "Dean of the Harlem Renaissance" which sought to advance African Americans through race relations, the arts, and social thought, leaving behind European and white American styles and celebrating the black experience.
See Alain Locke: Four Talks Redefining Democracy, Education, and World Citizenship edited and introduced by Christoper Buck and Betty J Fisher in World Order Vol 38 No3 p21-41. [Uplifting Words; Wikipedia]
[Uplifting Words; Wikipedia]
See his article "Impressions of Haifa". [BW3p527-528]
See also his article "The Orientation of Hope". [BW5p527-528]
See Alain Locke: Bahá'í Philosopher by Christopher Buck.
See Alain Locke: Faith & Philosophy by Christopher Buck
- See the review by Derik Smith in World Order Vol 38 No3 p42-48.
See Bahá'í Chronicles.
See Bahá'í Teachings.
See Uplifting Words.
The Bahá'í Faith and African American History: Creating Racial and Religious Diversity, Chapter 3: "Alain Locke on Race, Religion, and the Bahá'í Faith" by Christopher Buck.
The US Postal Service issued a series of stamps entitles Great Literary Movement: The voices of the Harlem Renaissance Forever on 21 May 2020.
Find a grave.
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Alain Locke; In Memoriam; * Philosophy; Race amity; Race unity; Harlem Renaissance; African Americans; Philadelphia, PA; New York, USA |
the first African-American Rhodes Scholar, |