Calvin Coolidge Hernton (April 28, 1932 — September 30, 2001)[1] was an American sociologist, poet and author, particularly renowned for his 1965 study Sex and Racism in America, which has been described as "a frank look at the role sexual tensions played in the American racial divide, and it helped set the tone for much African-American social criticism over the following decade."[2]
He returned to the US in 1970, and went to Oberlin College as a writer in residence and two years later joined the Black Studies department. He was a professor of African-American Studies there until his retirement in 1999.[5]
Hernton was the author of nine books that reflect his writings as a poet, novelist, essayist, playwright, and social scientist, including the bestselling Sex and Racism In America (1965), which was translated into several languages, and the ground-breaking The Sexual Mountain and Black Women Writers: Adventures in Sex, Literature, and Real Life (1987). His poems were also published in Essence, Evergreen Review and Black Scholar, among other places, and on various recordings and were performed in plays on Broadway and on tour.[5]
In 2011 the Chelsea Art Museum recreated a performance of Black Zero, a happening staged by Aldo Tambellini at Group Center on several occasions between 1963 and 1965. Sound recordings of Hernton reciting his poetry were accompanied by improvised performances by Ben Morea and Henry Grimes.[6]
White Papers for White Americans (Doubleday, 1966)
Coming Together: Black Power, White Hatred, and Sexual Hang-ups (Doubleday, 1971)
(with Joseph Berke) The Cannabis Experience: An Interpretative Study of the Effects of Marijuana and Hashish (London: Peter Owen, 1974)
The Sexual Mountain and Black Women Writers: Adventures in Sex, Literature, and Real Life (1987)
Poetry
The Coming of Chronos to the House of Nightsong: An Epical Narrative of the South (Interim Books, 1964)
Medicine Man: Collected Poems (Reed Cannon & Johnson Publishing, 1976)
The Red Crab Gang and Black River Poems (Ishmael Reed Publishing Company, 1999)
Selected Poems Edited by David Grundy and Lauri Scheyer (Wesleyan University Press, 2023)
Plays
Glad to Be Dead (1958)
Flame (1958)
The Place (1972)
(These plays remain unpublished)
Contributions to Anthologies
(Poetry) Rosey E. Pool, ed., Beyond the Blues: New Poems by American Negroes (Hand & Flower Press, 1962)
(Poetry and essay) LeRoi Jones and Larry Neal, eds, Black Fire: An Anthology of Afro-American Writing (Morrow, 1969)
Referencesedit
^According to Black Biography (Answers.com) and Contemporary Authors Online (Gale Research), he died on October 1, 2001. Some sources (Oxford Companion to African American Literature, Contemporary Authors Online) give his birth year as 1934. Other sources listed within the Oxford Companion to African American Literature give his birth year as June 23, 1933. The inconsistency appears to result from a typo in the original text of Sex and Racism in America, which listed the incorrect birthday for the author.
^James M. Manheim, "Calvin Hernton", Contemporary Black Biography, Encyclopedia.com.
^ abMargalit Fox, "Calvin Hernton, 69, Scholar Of American Race Relations", New York Times, October 10, 2001.
^Jakobsen, Jakob (2012), The Counter University, London: Antihistory.
^ ab"Oberlin College Professor Calvin Hernton to be Honored November 6-8" 2013-10-22 at the Wayback Machine, press release, October 27, 1998. Oberlin Online.
^"Back In The New York Groove!" 2011-11-29 at the Wayback Machine, October 26, 2011; accessed December 10, 2011.
Further readingedit
Tom Dent, 'A Voice from a Tumultuous Time' (review of Medicine Man),Obsidian, Vol.6 (Spring-Summer 1980), pp. 103–6.
David Grundy, A Black Arts Poetry Machine: Amiri Baraka and the Umbra Poets (London: Bloomsbury, 2019).
Michel Oren, "The Enigmatic Career of Hernton's Scarecrow", Callaloo, Volume 29, Number 2, Spring 2006, pp. 608–618.
Lauri Ramey, "Calvin Hernton: Portrait of a Poet", in Lauri Ramey (ed.), The Heritage Series of Black Poetry, 1962-1975: A Research Compendium (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2008).
Lorenzo Thomas, Extraordinary Measures: Afrocentric Modernism and Twentieth Century American Poetry (Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2000), pp. 133–6.
External linksedit
. Archived from the original on March 12, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
Margalit Fox, "Calvin Hernton, 69, Scholar Of American Race Relations" (obituary), The New York Times, October 10, 2001.
calvin, hernton, calvin, coolidge, hernton, april, 1932, september, 2001, american, sociologist, poet, author, particularly, renowned, 1965, study, racism, america, which, been, described, frank, look, role, sexual, tensions, played, american, racial, divide, . Calvin Coolidge Hernton April 28 1932 September 30 2001 1 was an American sociologist poet and author particularly renowned for his 1965 study Sex and Racism in America which has been described as a frank look at the role sexual tensions played in the American racial divide and it helped set the tone for much African American social criticism over the following decade 2 Calvin C HerntonBorn 1932 04 28 April 28 1932Chattanooga Tennessee U S DiedSeptember 30 2001 2001 09 30 aged 69 Oberlin Ohio U S Occupation s Sociologist writerNotable workSex and Racism in America 1965 The Sexual Mountain and Black Women Writers 1987 Contents 1 Biography 2 Bibliography 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksBiography editHernton was born in Chattanooga Tennessee United States on April 28 1932 He studied at Talladega College in Alabama where he received a B A in sociology 1954 and at Fisk University where he earned a master s degree In the mid 1950s he worked as a social worker in New York City He also gave poetry readings there and co founded the magazine Umbra which published a collective of Black writers including Langston Hughes Ishmael Reed and Alice Walker Hernton subsequently went to London and worked with the Institute of Phenomenological Studies 1965 69 studying under R D Laing 3 Hernton was active alongside Obi Egbuna C L R James and others in the Antiuniversity of London 4 He returned to the US in 1970 and went to Oberlin College as a writer in residence and two years later joined the Black Studies department He was a professor of African American Studies there until his retirement in 1999 5 Hernton was the author of nine books that reflect his writings as a poet novelist essayist playwright and social scientist including the bestselling Sex and Racism In America 1965 which was translated into several languages and the ground breaking The Sexual Mountain and Black Women Writers Adventures in Sex Literature and Real Life 1987 His poems were also published in Essence Evergreen Review and Black Scholar among other places and on various recordings and were performed in plays on Broadway and on tour 5 In 2011 the Chelsea Art Museum recreated a performance of Black Zero a happening staged by Aldo Tambellini at Group Center on several occasions between 1963 and 1965 Sound recordings of Hernton reciting his poetry were accompanied by improvised performances by Ben Morea and Henry Grimes 6 Hernton died in Oberlin Ohio at the age of 69 3 Bibliography editFiction Scarecrow novel 1974 Non Fiction Sex and Racism in America Doubleday 1965 White Papers for White Americans Doubleday 1966 Coming Together Black Power White Hatred and Sexual Hang ups Doubleday 1971 with Joseph Berke The Cannabis Experience An Interpretative Study of the Effects of Marijuana and Hashish London Peter Owen 1974 The Sexual Mountain and Black Women Writers Adventures in Sex Literature and Real Life 1987 Poetry The Coming of Chronos to the House of Nightsong An Epical Narrative of the South Interim Books 1964 Medicine Man Collected Poems Reed Cannon amp Johnson Publishing 1976 The Red Crab Gang and Black River Poems Ishmael Reed Publishing Company 1999 Selected Poems Edited by David Grundy and Lauri Scheyer Wesleyan University Press 2023 Plays Glad to Be Dead 1958 Flame 1958 The Place 1972 These plays remain unpublished Contributions to Anthologies Poetry Rosey E Pool ed Beyond the Blues New Poems by American Negroes Hand amp Flower Press 1962 Poetry and essay LeRoi Jones and Larry Neal eds Black Fire An Anthology of Afro American Writing Morrow 1969 References edit According to Black Biography Answers com and Contemporary Authors Online Gale Research he died on October 1 2001 Some sources Oxford Companion to African American Literature Contemporary Authors Online give his birth year as 1934 Other sources listed within the Oxford Companion to African American Literature give his birth year as June 23 1933 The inconsistency appears to result from a typo in the original text of Sex and Racism in America which listed the incorrect birthday for the author James M Manheim Calvin Hernton Contemporary Black Biography Encyclopedia com a b Margalit Fox Calvin Hernton 69 Scholar Of American Race Relations New York Times October 10 2001 Jakobsen Jakob 2012 The Counter University London Antihistory a b Oberlin College Professor Calvin Hernton to be Honored November 6 8 Archived 2013 10 22 at the Wayback Machine press release October 27 1998 Oberlin Online Back In The New York Groove Archived 2011 11 29 at the Wayback Machine October 26 2011 accessed December 10 2011 Further reading editTom Dent A Voice from a Tumultuous Time review of Medicine Man Obsidian Vol 6 Spring Summer 1980 pp 103 6 David Grundy A Black Arts Poetry Machine Amiri Baraka and the Umbra Poets London Bloomsbury 2019 Michel Oren The Enigmatic Career of Hernton s Scarecrow Callaloo Volume 29 Number 2 Spring 2006 pp 608 618 Lauri Ramey Calvin Hernton Portrait of a Poet in Lauri Ramey ed The Heritage Series of Black Poetry 1962 1975 A Research Compendium Aldershot Ashgate 2008 Lorenzo Thomas Extraordinary Measures Afrocentric Modernism and Twentieth Century American Poetry Tuscaloosa University of Alabama Press 2000 pp 133 6 External links edit Brief biography Reporting Civil Rights Reporters and Writers Calvin C Hernton Archived from the original on March 12 2008 Retrieved June 14 2007 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Margalit Fox Calvin Hernton 69 Scholar Of American Race Relations obituary The New York Times October 10 2001 Medicine Man by Calvin Hernton African American Registry FBI file on Calvin Hernton at the Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Calvin C Hernton amp oldid 1196603184, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
