William E. Harmon Foundation Award for Distinguished Achievement Among Negroes

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The William E. Harmon Foundation Award for Distinguished Achievement Among Negroes, commonly referred to as the Harmon Award or Harmon Foundation Award, was a philanthropic and cultural award created in 1926 by William E. Harmon [1] and administered by the Harmon Foundation. It was offered for distinguished achievements in eight different fields: literature, music, fine arts, business and industry (such as banker Anthony Overton in 1927), science and innovation, education (for example, educator Janie Porter Barrett in 1929), religious service, and race relations.

Contents

Although awards were created in eight categories, it is best known for its impact on African-American art of the Harlem Renaissance, and particularly on the visual arts. During its existence the Harmon award was largely considered synonymous with Negro visual art:

...the introduction of the Harmon foundation awards in 1926, which were always dispensed with a flurry of publicity, marked the beginning of a new era for Negro visual art. With its private endowment, popular social mission, and interracial alliances, [it] possessed a much greater public relations capacity than any other prior initiatives....Due in large part to the activities of the Harmon Foundation, African Americans emerged as a distinct presence in the American art world. [2]

Among the many recipients of the awards in literature and the fine arts were Claude McKay, Hale Woodruff, Palmer Hayden, Archibald Motley (his winning piece was The Octoroon Girl), Countee Cullen and Langston Hughes.

The awards were closely associated with an annual Exhibition of the Work of Negro Artists, conceived by Mary Brady. Exhibitions were held in 1927 through 1931, 1933, and 1935, and featured "substantial prizes" together with gold and bronze medals. [3] According to Gates and Higginbotham, "...submissions in the fine arts category was the chief venue open to African American artists" [1]

Awards were given solely on the basis of achievements in the previous year. [4] The first year the awards were granted (1926) the judges of the awards proposed giving Gold award for literature to Charles W. Chesnutt, "...to acknowledge his pioneering work and continuing example to other African American writers". Their intention was to waive the requirement that the award be granted solely for works completed during the previous year. However, the Harmon Foundation did not accept this proposal, and Chesnutt never learned of this "acknowledgment of high esteem from a distinguished panel of his literary peers both black and white." [5]

Recipients of the award in every field except race relations were required to be African American [6] – the latter could be awarded to "...any person of American residence, regardless of color, who has made an outstanding contribution toward improving relations between the white and Negro people in America." [7] Thus Robert Russa Moton was the first African American to receive the race relations award (in 1930). He was preceded by Will W. Alexander in 1927, and a dual award to Julius Rosenwald and James Hardy Dillard in 1927, all of whom who were Caucasian. [8] [9]

Gold and Bronze medals were awarded in the various categories. The Gold carried a $400 cash prize (adjusted for inflation, the 1926 prize would be worth $6,884.21 in the US dollars of 2024; the 1933 prize $9,414.91); the Bronze prize was $100. The award for race relations had a much larger honorarium: it varied between $500 and $1,000.

A description of the Bronze medal won by A.M.E. Bishop John Hurst in 1926 appeared in the January 8, 1927, edition of the Baltimore, Maryland Afro-American :

The medal is of unusually beautiful design. On the obverse side is embossed a ship in full sail on the open sea with the inscription "Harmon Foundation" around the margin. On the reverse side are the words "Inspiration, Achievement Religious Service. Second award, 1926, John Hurst". [10]

Administered during its first five years (1926–33) by Dr. George E. Haynes, [11] the awards program was discontinued in 1933, which would have been the year of the 1932 awards. However, no awards had been granted in the previous year. A New York Times article in 1931 described the race relation category of the awards as "biennial".

Laura Wheeler Waring's portrait, Anne Washington Derry, Gold Award (1927) "Anne Washington Derry" - NARA - 559139.tif
Laura Wheeler Waring's portrait, Anne Washington Derry, Gold Award (1927)
Archibald J. Motley's Old Snuff Dipper, Gold medal (1928 "Old Snuff-Dipper" - NARA - 559117.tif
Archibald J. Motley's Old Snuff Dipper, Gold medal (1928

A full list of the winners of each year was offered in contemporary New York Times articles. [8] [14] [15] [16] [17]

DateCategoryAwardPrizeRecipientNotes
1926Race relationsFirst AwardGold Medal, $500 Will W. Alexander Director of the Commission on Interracial Cooperation
Fine ArtsFirst AwardGold Medal Palmer C. Hayden Schooners (seascape) [18]
Second AwardBronze Medal Hale Woodruff Two Women [19]
LiteratureFirst AwardGold Medal Countee Cullen on the basis of his first book
Second AwardBronze Medal James Weldon Johnson for his "introductory essay to his books on Negro Spirituals" [10]
EducationFirst AwardGold Medal Virginia Estelle Randolph
Second AwardBronze Medal Arthur Schomberg "for his collection of publications on Negro life and history" [10] [20]
Industry, including businessFirst AwardGold Medal C. C. Spaulding
Second AwardBronze Medal Archie Alexander
Religious servicesFirst AwardGold Medal Max Yergan
Second AwardBronze MedalBishop John Hurst
Science, including InventionFirst AwardGold MedalJames C. Evansfor research in electrical engineering, [21] for "two theses in regenerative circuits in radio, submitted for the bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering." [22]
Second AwardBronze MedalW. A. Danielfor his social study on "The Education of Negro Ministers." [23]
Musicno awards
1927Race relationsFirst AwardGold Medal, $500 James Hardy Dillard. [24] [25] President, the Jeanes Fund and the John F. Slater Fund, Charlottesville, VA
Special AwardGold Medal Julius Rosenwald Philanthropist, chairman of the Board of Directors of Sears-Roebuck, Chicago, IL. [24] [25]
Fine ArtsFirst AwardGold Medal Laura Wheeler Waring
Special AwardGold Medal William Edouard Scott Though Work and Guzman scrupulously document the cash awards received, no mention of a cash award is made for Scott. His was a "special award of a gold medal", falling outside of the normal scope for the award: "... because of the finished and excellent character of his paintings and the recognition already received. Mr. Scott was considered by the judges to be outside the purpose of the awards but deserving of distinction." [25]
Second AwardBronze Medal John Wesley Hardrick
LiteratureFirst AwardGold Medal James Weldon Johnson For his poetry collection, God's Trombones . [26]
Second AwardBronze Medal Eric Derwent Walrond For a collection of stories, Tropic Death. [26] [27]
EducationFirst AwardGold Medal John Warren Davis
Second AwardBronze Medal Benjamin Brawley Brawley declined the award: [28] "... a well-known educator and writer, Brawley declined the second-place award because, he said, he had never done anything but first-class work." [29]
Industry, including businessFirst AwardGold Medal Anthony Overton
Second AwardBronze Medal William Gaston Pearson
Religious servicesFirst AwardGold MedalReverend William N. DeBerry"distinguished service in religion and social welfare among Negroes of the United States". [30] [31]
Second AwardBronze Medal Robert E. Jones
Science, including InventionFirst AwardGold MedalJames A. Parsonsadvances made with rust-resistant or non-corrosive metals: [32] James Parsons, Jr., a metallurgist, winner of the Harmon Award in Science [in] 1927.. for many years been in charge of research and production for the Duriron Company of Dayton, Ohio. He ... holds many patents in a highly competitive field and has opened new avenues for our men" [33]
Second Awardno award
MusicFirst AwardGold Medal R. Nathaniel Dett for vocal and instrumental compositions. [26]
First AwardGold Medal Clarence C. White for work as a violinist and composer. [26]
Second AwardBronze MedalE.H. Margetsonfor work in composing orchestrations for symphonies for both instruments and voices. [26] [34]
Second AwardBronze Medal William Grant Still
1928 [16] Race relationsno award
Fine ArtsFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 Archibald J. Motley of Chicago, IL, for "The Octoroon Girl" and other paintings
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100 May Howard Jackson of Washington, D.C.l for "Bust of Dean Kelly Miller, Howard University," and other sculptures
LiteratureFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 Claude McKay formerly of New York, NY, for "power, skill, and originality in verse and prose" in Harlem Shadows and Home to Harlem.
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100 Nella Larson Imes of New York, NY, for her novel, Quicksand
EducationFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 Monroe N. Work Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, GA, for The Negro Yearbook and Bibliography of the Negro in Africa and America.
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100 John Manuel Gandy President, Virginia State College, Ettricks, VA,
Industry, including businessFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 S.W. Rutherford of Washington, DC, Secretary & Business Manager of the National Benefit Life Insurance Company.
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100Frederick Massiahof Philadelphia, PA, for "outstanding work in building engineering, especially concrete construction."
Religious servicesFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 Lacy Kirk Williams Rev. Dr. of Chicago, IL
First AwardGold Medal, $400 James Solomon Russell Archdeacon of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia, Lawrenceville, VA
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100 Channing H. Tobias Secretary of the National Council of the YMCA, New York, NY
Science, including Inventionno awards
MusicFirst Awardno award
Second AwardBronze MedalJ. Harold BrownMusical Director, Attucks High School, Indianapolis, IN
Honorable Mentions Albert Alexander Smith of New York, NY
Malvin Gray Johnson
James L. Allen
E.T. McDowell
1929 [35] Race relationsFirst AwardGold Medal, $1000 Robert Russa Moton Principal of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, GA (first black recipient in this category)
Fine ArtsFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 William H. Johnson of New York, NY
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100 Albert Alexander Smith of Manhasset, L.I., NY
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100 Sargent Johnson of Berkeley, CA
LiteratureFirst Awardno award
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100 Walter Francis White Rope and Faggot: A Biography of Judge Lynch, of New York, NY [36]
EducationFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 William Jasper Hale President, Agricultural & Industrial State College, Nashville, Tennessee
First AwardGold Medal, $400 John Hope President, Atlanta University, GA
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100 Janie Porter Barrett of Peak's Turn out, VA
Industry, including businessFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 Truman K. Gibson Merged three companies to form The Supreme Life Liberty Insurance Company, Chicago, IL
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100 John Charles Claybrook of Proctor, AK
Religious servicesFirst AwardGold Medal, $400Bishop Robert E. Jones Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, New Orleans, LA
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100 A. Clayton Powell of New York, NY
Science, including InventionFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 Theodore K. Lawless Dermatologist, Research and Lecture Fellow at the Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Second Awardno award
MusicFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 Harry Thacker Burleigh Soloist, St. George Episcopal Church, New York, NY, Lecturer on Negro Music, Arranger of Negro Spirituals
First AwardGold Medal, $400 Harry Lawrence Freeman Composer of the first Negro Opera, New York, NY
Second AwardBronze Medal, $100 Carl Rossini Diton of New York, NY
1930Race relationsno awards
Fine ArtsFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 James Lesesne Wells for The Wanderers [37] [38]
LiteratureFirst AwardGold Medal Langston Hughes for Not Without Laughter [39]
EducationFirst AwardGold Medal Henry A. Hunt
Industry, including businessFirst AwardGold Medal Albon Holsey
Religious servicesFirst AwardGold Medal, $400 Henry C. McDowell
Science, including InventionFirst AwardGold Medal Charles S. Johnson
MusicFirst AwardGold Medal Hall Johnson
AgricultureFirst AwardGold Medal Thomas Monroe Campbell "the first Harmon Award ever presented for distinguished achievement in the field of farming and rural life." [40]

Award Catalogues/Publications

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References

    1. 1 2 Gates & Higginbotham, p. 3.
    2. ↑ Calo, p. 75.
    3. ↑ Gates and Higginbotham, p. 3; Driskell, p. 87.
    4. ↑ "Negro Advancement" (December 9, 1926). New York Times, p. 26.
    5. ↑ Gates & Higginbotham, p. 114.
    6. ↑ "Judges selected for Negro awards: Leaders in all branches will bestow second annual Harmon Prizes" (July 5, 1927). New York Times, p. 13.
    7. ↑ "Wilbur to present award to Moton: Tuskegee Head Will Get Harmon Medal for Negro Racial Relations Work Tuesday" (April 18, 1930). New York Times, p. 31.
    8. 1 2 "Dr. Moton receives $1,000 Harmon Award" (January 6, 1930). The New York Times, p. 20.
    9. ↑ Wintz & Finkelman, p. 1940.
    10. 1 2 3 "Bishop Hurst formally given Harmon Award". Afro-American, Saturday, January 8, 1927, p. 1.
    11. ↑ Calo, pp. 115–16.
    12. ↑ Otfinoski, p. 214.
    13. ↑ Lewis, p. 72.
    14. ↑ "Negro artist wins prize for paintings" (December 8, 1926). The New York Times, p. 11.
    15. ↑ Harmon prizes go to sixteen Negroes" (January 9, 1928). The New York Times, p. 12.
    16. 1 2 "12 Negroes honored for achievements". The New York Times (February 13, 1929), p. 13.
    17. ↑ "Harmon Foundation honors 7 Negroes" (January 26, 1931). The New York Times, p. 3.
    18. ↑ Wintz & Finkleman, vol. 1, p. 50.
    19. ↑ Leininger-Miller, p. 188.
    20. ↑ "Virginia Women in History". The Library of Virginia. 2009.
    21. ↑ The Crisis, January 1944.
    22. ↑ Johnson & Carter, p. 20.
    23. ↑ "The education of Negro ministers [microform] : Daniel, W. A. (William Andrew), b. 1895 : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive". Internet Archive.
    24. 1 2 "Two to be honored for aid to Negroes: Rosenwald and Dr. Dillard to Get Harmon Awards on Racial Relations" (January 23, 1928), The New York Times, p. 25.
    25. 1 2 3 Work & Guzman, p. 8.
    26. 1 2 3 4 5 Work & Guzman, p. 7.
    27. ↑ Wintz & Finkelman, p. 1232.
    28. ↑ Parker, John W. (May 1934), "Benjamin Brawley", The Crisis.
    29. ↑ Calo, p. 115.
    30. ↑ Guzman & Jones, p. 379.
    31. ↑ "Ten new N.A.A.C.P. Directors". (March 1936), The Crisis, p. 84.
    32. ↑ Dowling, Lewis K. (June 1939), "Contributions of Negro Scientists", The Crisis, p. 168.
    33. ↑ Guzman & Jones, p. 99.
    34. ↑ "Two get Harmon Awards: R.C. Patterson, for Walker, Presents Music Prizes to Negroes" (February 13, 1928), The New York Times, p. 21.
    35. ↑ "DR. MOTON RECEIVES $1,000 HARMON AWARD: Negro Educator Is First of His Race to Achieve This Honor-- Work of 22 Others Recognized". New York Times. (Winners, categories and awards for 1929 are compiled from this article.). New York, N.Y. 6 Jan 1930. p. 20.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
    36. ↑ "Harmon Collection". npg.si.edu.
    37. ↑ Armstrong (1931), p. 212.
    38. ↑ 1931 Harmon Foundation Catalog, pp. 24 & 29.
    39. ↑ Barksdale, p. 203.
    40. ↑ Jones p. 54.
    41. ↑ Exhibit of Fine Arts by American Negro Artists: Presented by the Harmon Foundation and the Commission on Race Relations, Federal Council of Churches, at the International House, New York City. New York, NY: Harmon Foundation. 1928.
    42. ↑ Catalogue of an Exhibition of Paintings and Sculpture by American Negro Artists at the National Gallery of Art,. Smithsonian Institution Archives Record Unit 311, National Collection of Fine Arts, SIA-SIA2016-011412.: Harmon Foundation. 1929.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
    43. ↑ Brady, H. (2016-08-25). "American Negro Artists (National Gallery of Art, 1929-1930)". Smithsonian Institution Archives. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
    44. ↑ Exhibit of Fine Arts by American Negro Artists: Presented by the Harmon Foundation and the Commission on Race Relations, Federal Council of Churches, at the International House, New York City. New York, NY: Harmon Foundation. 1930. pp. 16p.
    45. ↑ Exhibition of Productions by Negro Artists, 1933. New York, NY: Harmon Foundation. 1933.

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