Hughes (Langston) The First Book of Negroes, first edition, first printing with picture of Josephine Baker to p.45, signed presentation inscription from the author "Merry Christmas to my long-time friends - the Tom Johnsons - sincerely - Langston Hughes, New York 1952" to endpaper, small Christmas gift label with note in Langston's hand affixed to endpaper, illustrations by Ursula Koering, gift bookplate from Anna and Thomas O. Johson to Community Church of New York Library to pastedown, original cloth, light fraying to spine ends and corners, remains of library label near spine, dust-jacket, light browning to spine, library label, some chipping to head and foot, splitting to fore-edges, 4to, New York, Franklin Watts, [1952].

⁂ The first of Hughes' "First Book" series, written in part to earn money after suspicions of communist sympathies had induced publishers to remove his books from circulation. The First Book of Negroes was cited by Hughes at his HUAC hearing as evidence of his belief in American democratic principals and it, along with the other books in the series, maintains a patriotic tone throughout. It is notable for not including controversial figures such as Paul Robeson and W. E. B. DuBois due to the suspicions around them stirred up by McCarthyism.

This the rare first printing which was swiftly edited to remove a picture of Josephine Baker after a public row forced her to leave the United States. Thomas O. Johnson was a dentist and friend of Hughes whose practice was in Harlem. See also lot 247.