Plays of Negro Life: A Source-Book of Native American Drama: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A hardcover book titled copy of Plays of Negro Life: A Source-Book of Native American Drama. The front and back covers depict abstract figures and floral elements silhouetted on a light purple background. The binding of the book is green with an off-white square at the top reading "PLAYS OF / NEGRO LIFE / SELECTED AND EDITED BY / ALAIN LOCKE / AND / MONTGOMERY GREGORY.” An adhesive bookplate is attached to the front pastedown page. The bookplate is in the shape of a book and depicts shapes, people and circus animals. It reads “Panam et Circenses” at the top and “Stacy May” at the bottom. Handwritten in black ink on the front free endpaper at center is “Stacy May / Citizenship [illegible] house.” The book has four hundred and thirty (430) pages and sixteen (16) illustrations.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1927
• Published by: Harper & Brothers, American, 1817 - 1962
• Illustrated by: Aaron Douglas, American, 1899 - 1979
• Edited by: Alain LeRoy Locke, American, 1885 - 1954
• Edited by: Thomas Montgomery Gregory, American, 1887 - 1971
• Type: hardcover books
• Medium: ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W x D: 8 7/8 × 6 1/8 × 1 1/2 in. (22.5 × 15.5 × 3.8 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (closed): 8 13/16 × 6 1/4 × 1 5/8 in. (22.4 × 15.9 × 4.1 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Drama (Theatre)
• Topic: Literature
• Object number: 2014.53.5
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Aaron Douglas Foundation/Licensed by Visual Artists & Galleries Association, Inc (VAGA), New York, NY Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.