The Best Man: Harold Jackman and the Harlem Renaissance

Now that I finally have a sabbatical, I am having so much fun writing. I am honoring Mr. Jackman with this book and it must be great. Actually, it must be published. I know that it will change how the Harlem Renaissance is viewed. I am just having so much fun . I sooooo want to share, but it is all in the book. I am frustrated by the amazing amount of  incorrect information has been published about Mr. Jackman. I can’t wait for the book to be published. I will post the TOC soon. J

Wow! I finally have time to revise my book. Figuring out how to present all of the information that I have uncovered has been difficult. When I get stuck, I watch a video of Mr. Jackman that I found. He continues to inspire me. I want to honor his enormous contributions with a  book that celebrates him. Harold Jackman should be seen as a teacher, model, writer, bibliophile, and community activist rather than being known only as Countee Cullen’s best friend (a statement which is usually followed by snickers, but Chapter 2 of my book will change that!) . I am in awe of how little time he had for himself. I feel extremely fortunate to have started this project when some of his friends were still alive and that I was able to speak with them.

I returned to my original title for the book because it just feels right.  Thanks for checking out the site. I hope to have a completely revised manuscript before I leave for France (mon vrai pays, le pays dans ma coeur).

August 18th is Harold’s birthday. Let’s remember his work with the Negro Actors Guild, the New York Urban League Guild, and his lifeswork, the Countee Cullen Harold Jackman Memorial Collection at Clark Atlanta University. Forthcoming is my book UNMASKING THE NEW NEGRO: HAROLD JACKMAN AND THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE. 

Here I am in Toulon. Harold was so excited to visit here. If only I could be sailing on Princess Murat’s yacht. July 8th is the 54th  Anniversary of Harold Jackman’s sudden passing. My health issues have delayed my book, but it is finished, I added a chapter on the friendship between Harold and  Countee and how their legacies are shaped by archives. Harold was an amazing person. The world will soon know how instrumental he was to the Harlem Renaissance.

It was great to spend several months in France last summer. I went  to give a paper at a conference on James Baldwin and discovered that I am secretly French. Never have I felt so at home! It was as if the real me was released.   Add my name to the list of Harlemites who found relative freedom abroad. The conference [James Baldwin: Transatlantic Commuter] was amazing!   I so enjoyed writing both the proposal and the paper (Harlem Boy and Harlem Girl in the Ivory Tower: James Baldwin as Professor) and the positive reception that it received overwhelmed me.  The conference was well planned and the participants were inspiring. Certainly the spirit of Mr. Baldwin was present.

I did not want to return to the US. Thank goodness I had the best French teacher in the world  when I was in the 9th grade at Western High School in Baltimore, Maryland. Mrs. Delores Bullock (now Cassell) taught me learn French in such a way that I have never translated. I just speak French and have done so since she taught me so many years ago. If only everyone had such a vibrant and passionate teacher! Mrs. Bullock had such a beautiful voice! She sang a lot and we had to sing as well (certainly not as well as she did).   She gave me a wonderful gift and  I have been able to share my love of the French language with my son.  Merci beaucoup, Madame! We are returning to France in June. Rather, I am going home to baguettes, wine, and the best butter cookies in the world. I sure miss Monoprix! If only I could find a job in France. . . 

I have got to let this book go, but I stumbled upon something that changed everything that I thought I knew about Harold. The book is written, but my limited resources have gotten in the way of completing it. Most days I don’t to go to work; I only want to write.  But classes must be taught and my son’s gotta eat. It has been tough juggling revising and researching, but I must stop researching (except for this very significant discovery). I only hope to honor Harold’s lifelong dedication with a book that is worthy of him. Stay tuned. Jacqueline

I understand Mr. Jackman a bit better after spending time in Marseille. Although I never made it to Paris, I did see  a photo of the exterior of the apartment building where he lived. I am still baffled …no that is not the word..awed is closer..by his selflessness. I find myself wondering if he was happy. Certainly that was his goal when he decided to stay in France yet, based upon his correpondence, he was unable to avoid his financial problems. How much things have changed and how much they have remained the same. Harold Jackman’s birthday is coming up. Hopefully next year, after my book is published, he will be remembered.

I am just reviewing the book one more time before submitting it. Working on this project has been an amazing experience. Hopefully this book will give Harold Jackman the recognition that he deserves for all of the work he did to establish and maintain the history of the Harlem Renaissance.

I am still having so much fun researching Harold’s life that it is hard to get back to revising.  This week I became intrigued by his position on the Citizens’ Sponsoring Committee. This committee was in charge of the Harlem Community Art Center. I am still reading various works (Calo, Dolinar, Gwendolyn Bennett’s letters and diaries) to find out why Augusta Savage was fired and replaced by  Gwendolyn.  Now Miss Bennett is an interesting person too.  See the interview that she gave to the Chicago Defender Jan 5, 1945.

Here is a link to a talk that I gave on how the Negro Press helped to shape the image of the New Negro. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJlDw_H32ZM

Having spent so many years thinking and writing about Harold Jackman, I can only hope that all of my work will not be in vain.

Unmasking the New Negro: Harold Jackman and the Harlem Renaissance will hopefully be in a bookstore by this time next year.  It has been such an honor to research and write about Mr. Jackman. I found out so much amazing information.  His work with the Negro Actor’s Guild was particularly interesting.  I will have to watch Breakfast at Tiffany’s again closely to see if I can spot him this time.