Hugh Samson letters relating to Augusta Savage, 1989

Collection Information

Size: 3 Items

Summary: Three letters from Hugh Samson to Clyde Hart regarding sculptor Augusta Savage, written in response to Hart's query in the New York Times for information for a proposed biography on Savage (never realized). Samson recalls his friendship with Savage in New York in the late 1930s; her experiences as a Black woman artist and the racism she encountered; her studio in Harlem; and her eventual decline into obscurity.

Biographical/Historical Note

Hugh Samson (d. circa 1990) was a friend of African American sculptor Augusta Savage (1892-1962), known for her association with the Harlem Renaissance. Samson lived in San Francisco, California.

Provenance

Donated 1996 by Lawson Rosenberg, Hugh Samson's longtime roommate.

Language Note

English .

Funding Note

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation.