Lewis Grandison Alexander
Encyclopedia
Lewis Grandison Alexander (July 4, 1900 - 1945) was an American poet, actor, playwright, and costume designer who lived in Washington, D.C.
and had strong ties to the Harlem Renaissance
period in New York. Alexander focused most of his time and creativity on poetry, and it is for this that he is best-known.
, hokku
, and tanka. Alexander went on to study at Howard University
in Washington D.C. where he was an active member of the Howard Players, the school's theater group. He later continued his studies at the University of Pennsylvania
. Alexander expressed a special interest in Japanese forms and he is one of few Black American
poets to write in these styles. "The FIRE!! poems of Hughes, Helene Johnson
, and Lewis Alexander deserve recognition as important modernist verse because they make key forms of modernist poetry
- free verse
, imagism
, and dramatic monologue
- into racial critique"
, Gwendolyn Bennett, and Countee Cullen
. Alexander wrote an article on the topic of Japanese hokku that was published, along with two of his poems, in the December 1923 edition of The Crisis
. He was published several times in Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life, a popular literary magazine associated with the Harlem Renaissance edited by Charles S. Johnson
, from 1925 to 1929. The first of these appearances occurred in a trio of African-themed poems alongside poems by Langston Hughes and Claude McKay
. Alexander's most popularly anthologized work, a short poem entitled "Negro Woman" was published in Opportunity at least twice and appears in multiple anthologies In 1927, Alexander, along with many other poets (most notably Langston Hughes) and writers set out to create a literary quarterly expressing the Black experience in America. Unfortunately, Fire!!
only produced one issue due to the burning of the magazine's headquarters. In this one issue, Alexander published two poems: "Little Cinderella", a poem often thought to be about a young, black prostitute, and another short verse entitled "Streets".
Alexander was also published outside of the United States. In October 1926, he appeared in a special issue of The Palms, a poetic journal based in Guadalajara
, Mexico. This special issue, edited by Countee Cullen included two poems by Alexander, "A Collection of Japanese Hokku" and "Dream Song".
, he was an active participant in the Harlem Renaissance movement. His location outside of Harlem helped to spread the inventive new thinking that flourished at the time in New York
. After writing extensively in Washington, Alexander moved around the country and joined whichever literary circle that existed in his new city. In Philadelphia, he was associated with a group of young writers who were commonly published in the small-time "Black Opals" literary magazine. In Boston he appeared in the "Saturday Evening Quill".
Alexander was influential at the University of North Carolina
where he served as honorary editor for special issues of The Carolina Magazine, the official literary publication of the students of the University, which featured black poets and writers. With Alexander's help (he selected works from Crisis and Opportunity writing and poetry contest ), the magazine continued to publish Negro Poetry Numbers and Negro Play Numbers. The continued issues of Negro Poetry Numbers were dedicated to Alexander.
After participating in the theater while attending Howard University
, Alexander joined the play writers circle of Washington D.C. There, he directed all the plays put on the Randall Community Center in Washington as well as all the plays put on by the Ira Aldridge
Players. He studied and toured with The Ethiopian Art Theatre/Players
. During their 1923 tour, in which they opened for Broadway, Alexander appeared in Oscar Wilde
's Salome
and The Comedy of Errors
.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and had strong ties to the Harlem Renaissance
Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the "New Negro Movement", named after the 1925 anthology by Alain Locke...
period in New York. Alexander focused most of his time and creativity on poetry, and it is for this that he is best-known.
Early life, education and style
Lewis Alexander was born July 4, 1900 in Washington D.C. As a child, he was educated in the Washington public school system. Little biographical information is available on Alexander until, at the age of 17, he began writing poetry; he took special interest in Japanese forms including haikuHaiku
' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
, hokku
Hokku
is the opening stanza of a Japanese orthodox collaborative linked poem, renga, or of its later derivative, renku . From the time of Matsuo Bashō , the hokku began to appear as an independent poem, and was also incorporated in haibun , and haiga...
, and tanka. Alexander went on to study at Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
in Washington D.C. where he was an active member of the Howard Players, the school's theater group. He later continued his studies at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
. Alexander expressed a special interest in Japanese forms and he is one of few Black American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
poets to write in these styles. "The FIRE!! poems of Hughes, Helene Johnson
Helene Johnson
Helen Johnson, who was better known as Helene Johnson was an African American poet during the Harlem Renaissance. She was also a cousin of author Dorothy West.She spent her early years at her grandfather’s house in Boston...
, and Lewis Alexander deserve recognition as important modernist verse because they make key forms of modernist poetry
Modernist poetry
Modernist poetry refers to poetry written between 1890 and 1950 in the tradition of modernist literature in the English language, but the dates of the term depend upon a number of factors, including the nation of origin, the particular school in question, and the biases of the critic setting the...
- free verse
Free verse
Free verse is a form of poetry that refrains from consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.Poets have explained that free verse, despite its freedom, is not free. Free Verse displays some elements of form...
, imagism
Imagism
Imagism was a movement in early 20th-century Anglo-American poetry that favored precision of imagery and clear, sharp language. The Imagists rejected the sentiment and discursiveness typical of much Romantic and Victorian poetry. This was in contrast to their contemporaries, the Georgian poets,...
, and dramatic monologue
Dramatic monologue
M. H. Abrams notes the following three features of the dramatic monologue as it applies to poetry:-Types of monologues:One of the most important influences on the development of the dramatic monologue is the Romantic poets...
- into racial critique"
Poetry and publication
Alexander's notoriety as a poet can best be exemplified by his publications in many popular journals and magazines. Throughout his career, he was published regularly with other major Harlem Renaissance figures such as Langston HughesLangston Hughes
James Mercer Langston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form jazz poetry. Hughes is best known for his work during the Harlem Renaissance...
, Gwendolyn Bennett, and Countee Cullen
Countee Cullen
Countee Cullen was an American poet who was popular during the Harlem Renaissance.- Biography :Cullen was an American poet and a leading figure with Langston Hughes in the Harlem Renaissance. This 1920s artistic movement produced the first large body of work in the United States written by African...
. Alexander wrote an article on the topic of Japanese hokku that was published, along with two of his poems, in the December 1923 edition of The Crisis
The Crisis
The Crisis is the official magazine of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People , and was founded in 1910 by W. E. B. Du Bois , Oswald Garrison Villard, J. Max Barber, Charles Edward Russell, Kelly Miller, W.S. Braithwaite, M. D. Maclean.The original title of the journal was...
. He was published several times in Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life, a popular literary magazine associated with the Harlem Renaissance edited by Charles S. Johnson
Charles S. Johnson
Charles Spurgeon Johnson was an American sociologist, first black president of historically black Fisk University, and a lifelong advocate for racial equality and the advancement of civil rights for African Americans and all other ethnic minorities...
, from 1925 to 1929. The first of these appearances occurred in a trio of African-themed poems alongside poems by Langston Hughes and Claude McKay
Claude McKay
Claude McKay was a Jamaican-American writer and poet. He was a seminal figure in the Harlem Renaissance and wrote three novels: Home to Harlem , a best-seller which won the Harmon Gold Award for Literature, Banjo , and Banana Bottom...
. Alexander's most popularly anthologized work, a short poem entitled "Negro Woman" was published in Opportunity at least twice and appears in multiple anthologies In 1927, Alexander, along with many other poets (most notably Langston Hughes) and writers set out to create a literary quarterly expressing the Black experience in America. Unfortunately, Fire!!
Fire!!
Fire!! was an African American literary magazine published in 1926 during the Harlem Renaissance. The publication was started by Wallace Thurman, Zora Neale Hurston, Aaron Douglas, John P...
only produced one issue due to the burning of the magazine's headquarters. In this one issue, Alexander published two poems: "Little Cinderella", a poem often thought to be about a young, black prostitute, and another short verse entitled "Streets".
Alexander was also published outside of the United States. In October 1926, he appeared in a special issue of The Palms, a poetic journal based in Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
, Mexico. This special issue, edited by Countee Cullen included two poems by Alexander, "A Collection of Japanese Hokku" and "Dream Song".
Contribution to the Harlem Renaissance
Although Alexander did not live in HarlemHarlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, he was an active participant in the Harlem Renaissance movement. His location outside of Harlem helped to spread the inventive new thinking that flourished at the time in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. After writing extensively in Washington, Alexander moved around the country and joined whichever literary circle that existed in his new city. In Philadelphia, he was associated with a group of young writers who were commonly published in the small-time "Black Opals" literary magazine. In Boston he appeared in the "Saturday Evening Quill".
Alexander was influential at the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
where he served as honorary editor for special issues of The Carolina Magazine, the official literary publication of the students of the University, which featured black poets and writers. With Alexander's help (he selected works from Crisis and Opportunity writing and poetry contest ), the magazine continued to publish Negro Poetry Numbers and Negro Play Numbers. The continued issues of Negro Poetry Numbers were dedicated to Alexander.
Theater
Although he is best known for his work as a poet, Alexander was also a playwright, actor, and costume designer.After participating in the theater while attending Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
, Alexander joined the play writers circle of Washington D.C. There, he directed all the plays put on the Randall Community Center in Washington as well as all the plays put on by the Ira Aldridge
Ira Aldridge
Ira Frederick Aldridge , was an American stage actor who made his career largely on the London stage and in Europe, especially in Shakespearean roles...
Players. He studied and toured with The Ethiopian Art Theatre/Players
The Ethiopian Art Theatre/Players
The Ethiopian Art Theatre, originally called the Chicago Folk Theatre, and later the Colored Folk Theatre [was an African American Theatre Company] based out of Chicago, IL. They are also sometimes referenced as The Ethiopian Art Players. The Ethoipian Art Theatre was a significant but short lived ...
. During their 1923 tour, in which they opened for Broadway, Alexander appeared in Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
's Salome
Salome (play)
Salome is a tragedy by Oscar Wilde.The original 1891 version of the play was in French. Three years later an English translation was published...
and The Comedy of Errors
The Comedy of Errors
The Comedy of Errors is one of William Shakespeare's earliest plays. It is his shortest and one of his most farcical comedies, with a major part of the humour coming from slapstick and mistaken identity, in addition to puns and word play. The Comedy of Errors is one of only two of Shakespeare's...
.