Arna Bontemps
A quiet architect of the Harlem Renaissance, he wove African American folklore into poetry and fiction while safeguarding Black history as a librarian.
1902–1973 (age 71)·American writer and librarian·Birthday: October 13·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Arna Bontemps arrived in New York from Louisiana just as the Harlem Renaissance was cresting, and his quiet, intellectual force became essential to its legacy. While his early poetry, like 'A Black Man Talks of Reaping,' captured the era's spirit, his true impact was as a storyteller and preserver. His novel 'God Sends Sunday' explored the world of Black jockeys, and his children's book 'The Story of the Negro' broke ground. Weary of financial struggle, he shifted to a second, defining career as a librarian at Fisk University, where for over two decades he built one of the nation's premier archives of African American culture. There, he collaborated with lifelong friend Langston Hughes on seminal anthologies, ensuring the movement's work would be collected, curated, and taught to future generations.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Arna was born in 1902, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Arna Was Born
The biggest hits of 1902
Arna's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1902Born
The eruption of Mount Pelee kills 30,000 in Martinique
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1907Started school
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1915Became a teenager
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Could drive
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Could vote
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1923Turned 21
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1932Turned 30
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 40
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 50
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 60
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 70
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1973Died at 71
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
Key Achievements
- Won the Alexander Pushkin Prize for Poetry in 1926 and the 1927 Opportunity magazine literary contest for his poem 'Nocturne at Bethesda.'
- Authored the classic children's novel 'The Story of the Negro' (1948), which was a Newbery Honor Book and a Jane Addams Children's Book Award winner.
- Served as the head librarian at Fisk University for 22 years, building its renowned collection of African American literature and culture.
- Co-edited the landmark anthology 'The Poetry of the Negro, 1746–1949' with Langston Hughes, a definitive collection of Black poetry.
Did You Know?
He was a first cousin to the celebrated artist and muralist Aaron Douglas.
Bontemps left his teaching job in Harlem after a student drew a picture of him with the caption 'He's a poet but he don't know it.'
His novel 'God Sends Sunday' was adapted into the stage play 'St. Louis Woman' with music by Harold Arlen.
He earned a master's degree in library science from the University of Chicago while working as a postmaster.
“Old memories, old histories, old songs, old stories—we must not lose them.”
