Letter to Professor H.M. Kurtzworth

Sept. 27, 1923

Professor H. M. Kurtzworth,
Kansas City Art Institute,
Kansas City, Mo.
My dear Professor Kurtzworth,

Mr. Aaron Douglas, who has been
placed in charge of the art work at the
Lincoln High School of Kansas City, grad-
uated from our School of Fine Arts several
years ago. He is a colored man of unusual
qualities and any courtesy that you may be
able to show him will not be misplaced.Mr.
Douglas is not only excellent in his art
work but made a good record here in his
academic work.

Sincerely,

Director
PHG:VL

Source:
School of Fine Arts Departmental Correspondence 1917-24
RG13/01/01
Periodical: Box: 13/1/1
Folder: Fine Arts Correspndence J-K
Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries

Grumman's respect for Douglas

Sept. 27, 1923

Mr. Aaron Douglas,
Lincoln High School,
Kansas City, Mo.
Dear Mr. Douglas,

I am enclosing a copy of the letter
I wrote to Prof. Kurtzworth.

I trust that you are meeting with
success in your work at the Lincoln High
School.

PHG:VL

Source:
School of Fine Arts Departmental Correspondence 1917-24
RG 13/01/01
Periodical: Box: 13/1/1
Folder: Fine Arts Correspondence D-E
Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries

Art Club, 1921

Editorial Note: Landale, J.A., ed. Cornhusker. Lincoln: University of Nebraska, 1921. 408.

Source:

Student Life

Periodical: Box:
Folder:
Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries

Daily Nebraskan first article

Editorial Note: From Daily Nebraskan 2 October 1927, page 3
Douglas, Graduate of
School of Fine Arts,
Lauded for Drawings

Aaron Douglas, a graduate of the
School of Fine Arts, has received lib-
eral praise for eight symbolic draw-
ings which he designed for "God's
Trombones," a book by James Wel-
don Johnson. The Survey Graphic
for August, 1927, in reviewing the
book, declares that Douglas' draw-
ings considerably enhance the value
of the work, and are a "significant
contribution to contemporary Amer-
ican art."

Mr. Douglas was graduated from the School of Fine Arts in 1924 [sic].

Source:

Daily Nebraskan
RG 38/01/02
Periodical: Box:
Folder:
Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries

Daily Nebraskan second article

Editorial Note: From Daily Nebraskan 7 October 1927, page 1
Critics Praise
Work of Negro
Artist and Poet

The following article is a criticism
of the work of a young negro, Aaron
Douglas, who was graduated from the
drawing and painting department of
the School of Fine Arts three years
ago. Mr. Douglas illustrated a book
of Negro verse written by James
Weldon Johnson.

"With a collaboration which is
truly vital and a vision which is truly
spiritual, Aaron Douglas, the artist
who conceived the eight symbolic
drawings which do so much to en-
hance the book and vivify its mes-
sage, gives us in an entrely sub-
limated, abstract way a background
of sense and feeling in which there is
this great, timeless, everlasting prim-
itive folk-quality. In seting this
vision up before America of today,
and especially before the young Ne-
gro poets of today, both the poet and
the artist have made a significant
contribution. Contemporary Amer-
ican poetry and art are richer for it,
but richer still the prospects of the
Negro poet and his tradition."—from
August "Survey Graphic," 1927.

Source:

Daily Nebraskan
"RG 38/01/02"
Periodical: Box:
Folder:
Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries

Lincoln Sunday Journal

Editorial Note: The four paragraphs encoded here are taken from the begining of an article from the 23 February 1936 Lincoln Sunday Journal (page 1) that briefly describes the works and biographies of several artists with current or past Nebraska connections. The omitted content does not directly or indirectly reference Aaron Douglas or his works.
Pieces With Local Background To Spice
Nebraska Art Ass'n Exhibition In March

With the coming of the annual
treat of the exhibition of the Ne-
braska Art association for March,
art lvoers find interest this year
in several paintings by those with
a Nebraska background in addi-
tion to the several oils of the
finest artists. While there always
is the exception to make the old
platitude accurate, the majority
of these paintings from the gal-
leries represent the talent of na-
tive American artists.

The day is not so long gone
when any form of American cul-
ture was mocked at, but common
sense and deeper apreciation
have taught us that the highly
satisfctory works of polyglot
America meet the tests of con-
noisseurs, domestic and imported.

For a number of years, the art
association has honored Nebraska
artists by inviting a limited num-
ber who have achieved recogni-
vited to show in the forty-sixth
exhibiton reside here now, but
all have been Nebraskans at some
time or another.

Among These Are—

Aaron Douglas, as one example, a noted negro artist now of New
York City, studied iin the school
of fine arts at the university
only a few years ago. Another former
Nebraskan to be repesented is
John F. Stenvall, of Chicago, a
graduate of this institution in
1930. His Slush at Dusk," a
water color, won honorable men-
tion in the annual American show
at the Art institue this year. Mr.
Stenvall was a scholarship stu-
dent at the Chicago Institute.

Board of Trustees

March 13, 1936

The Board of Trustees of the Nebraska Art Asso-
ciation met Friday, March 13th, at 10:00 A.M. in
Gallery B. The following members were present:
Mrs. Ladd    Mr. Craig
Mrs. Vance    Mr. Kirsch
Mrs. Leland    Dr. Upson
Mrs. Ames    Dr. Barbour
Mrs. Foe    Dr. Thomson
Mrs. Bullock    Prof. Smith
Mrs. Miller
Mrs. Aitken

Minutes of the previous meeting were read and
approved.

The major portion of the time was spent in dis-
cussing the matter or purchases from the exhibition.
A vote, by ballot, of the choices by members of the
Board of their favorite pictures in the exhibition
showed the following results:
First: "Room in New York" by Edward Hopper
Second: "Hudson, March" by Henry Varnum Poor
Third: "Back Yards, Greenwich Village," by Sloan
Other paintings receiving popular votes were "The Wedding"
by Daniel Celentano, "Reading from Robert Frost" by Molly
Luce, and "Window Cleaning" by Aaron Douglas.

Dr. Thomson made a motion that the Board of Trustees
offer $1,000 for the Hopper painting. The motion failed to
carry, but another motion to the effect that the secretary
find out the lowest possible price that Mr. Hoer would
accept for his painting without committing the Board t any
action, was carried.

Professor Smith moved that the Board purchase Aaron
Douglas's painting, "Window Cleaning" at Mr. Douglas's price
of $100. This motion was carried unanimously.

Meeting adjourned.

Source:

Nebraska Art Association
ACC 1238
Periodical: Box: B2
Folder: F23
Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries

Nebraska Alumnus 1936

Editorial Note: From Nebraska Alumnus May 1936, page 16, Box and Folder numbers not given on my photocopy
Painting

Aaron Douglas' picture, "Window Cleaning," has been
selected by the Nebraska Art Association as the 1936 addi-
ton to its permanent collection which hangs in the corri-
dors of Morrill Hall. Mr. Douglas was graduated from the
school of fine arts of the University in 1922, and was the
only colored student ever elected to membership in the
University Art Club. His painting is the first by a former
Nebraskan to be purchaed by the association since William
Schwartz' "Tents of Illusions" in 1927.

Mr. Douglas now lives in New York City, and has done
outstanding murals and book illustrations for many leading
intstitions and authors. He is a member of the executive
committee of the American Artists' Congress.

Source:

Nebraska Alumnus
"RG 40/09"
Periodical: Box:
Folder:
Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries

Nebraska Alumnus 1942

Editorial Note: From Nebraska Alumnus January 1942, page 8
1922

Mr. and Mrs. John A. Erickson (Inez
Lemke, '25) live at 185 Almond St.,
Auburn, Calif. He is a professor at
Aurburn Junior College.

Richard C. Talbot is living at 320 Wis-
consin Ave., Oak Prk, Ill.

Aaron Douglas, famous Negro art
graduate, was honored by the University
art Department last month when it held
a special showing of his recent work. He
teaches part of each year at Fiske Univer-
sity.

Source:

"RG 40/09"
Periodical: Box:
Folder:
Archives and Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries