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Black Opals

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This is a collection of poems published in "Black Opals," a magazine produced in Philadelphia between 1927-1928. The magazine had a small circulation (250 copies printed for each issue), and despite the presence of well-known writers like Gwendolyn B. Bennett, Jessie Fauset, Mae V. Cowdery, Lewis Alexander, and Langston Hughes, remained largely off the literary radar at the time. However, the quality and style of the poetry aligns closely with better-known publications from the late 1920s, especially the work collected in Caroling Dusk. 

Editorial staff for the first issue included Nellie R. Bright, Arthur Huff Fauset, Allan Randall Presont, and James H. Young. 

For the second issue, Editorial Staff is listed as: Gwendolyn B. Bennett (Guest Editor), Nellie R. Bright, Arthur Huff Fauset, Allen Randall Presont, and James H. Young. 

Below we have a selection of poetry from all four issues of Black Opals. Full page images of all four issues of Black Opals can be found at Archive.org.

This page has paths:

  1. Nellie Rathbone Bright (Author Page) Amardeep Singh

Contents of this tag:

  1. Langston Hughes, "Blue Bayou" (1927)
  2. Mae V. Cowdery (Mae Cowdery), "Time" (1927)
  3. Nellie R. Bright (Nellie Rathbone Bright), "To One Who Might Have Been My Friend" (1927)
  4. Mae V. Cowdery, "My Body" (1927)
  5. Nellie R. Bright (Nellie Rathbone Bright), "Query" (1927)
  6. Mae V. Cowdery, "Nameless" (1928)
  7. Edward S. Silvera (Edward Silvera), "Washerwoman" (1927)
  8. Edward S. Silvera (Edward Silvera), "To D.T." (1928)
  9. Gertrude P. McBrown, "Fairies and Brownies" (1927)
  10. Gertrude P. McBrown, "He Made Me Sing" (1927)
  11. James H. Young, "Aunt Hagar's Children" (1927)
  12. James H. Young, "I'll Win" (1927)
  13. Jessie Fauset (Jessie Redmon Fauset), "Nostalgia" (1927)
  14. Langston Hughes, "Return to Sea" (1927)
  15. Walter Waring, "Retort" (1928)
  16. Langston Hughes, "Jazz Girl" (1927)
  17. Walter Waring, "Empire" (1928)
  18. Lewis Alexander, "Escape" (1928)
  19. Mae V. Cowdery, "Goal" (1927)
  20. Lewis Alexander, "Quatrains" (1927)
  21. Mae V. Cowdery, "Love in These Days" (1928)
  22. Mae V. Cowdery, "Hidden Moon" (1927)
  23. Lewis Alexander, "Japanese Hokku Poems" (1927)
  24. Nellie R. Bright (Nellie Rathbone Bright), "Longings" (1927)
  25. James H. Young, "Dream Lady" (1927)
  26. Gertrude P. McBrown, "Twin Heavens" (1927)
  27. Lorraine Chambers, "If She Were Not Dark" (1927)
  28. Lewis Alexander, "South Street" (1927)
  29. Gertrude P. McBrown, "The Elf-Man" (1927)
  30. Lewis Alexander, "Cinquains" (1928)

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