The Brownies' Book January 1920: Vol. 1 No. 1 (Subscription to the Harlem Renais For Sale

The Brownies’ Book – January 1920 Vol. 1 No. 1 Vol. 1 No. 1 January 1920 Harlem Renaissance Children's Magazine W.E.B. Du Bois The Brownies’ Book Issue Overview — January 1920

The first issue of the groundbreaking magazine for African American children, co-founded by W.E.B. Du Bois, Jessie Redmon Fauset, and August Granville Dill. Featuring stories, poems, illustrations, and historical voices of the Harlem Renaissance.

Cover Picture: Photograph by Battey · Frontispiece: The Empress Zaouditou 📚 The First Magazine for African American Children

The Brownies’ Book was co-founded by W.E.B. Du Bois, Jessie Redmon Fauset, and August Granville Dill. It ran monthly from January 1920 through December 1921 and featured leading voices of the Harlem Renaissance, including Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, and visual artists like Laura Wheeler Waring.

📖 Stories & Poems

Original works by Peggy Poe, Annette Browne, Annie Virginia Culbertson, and more.

🎨 Illustrated

Artwork by Hilda Wilkinson, Laura Wheeler Waring, and period photographs.

🌍 Cultural Legacy

Celebrating African American identity, education, and creativity during the Harlem Renaissance.

Featured Content in This Issue

• Cover Picture: Photograph by Battey
• Frontispiece: The Empress Zaouditou
• Pumpkin Land: Story by Peggy Poe, illustrated by Hilda Wilkinson
• The Wishing Game: Poem by Annette Browne
• The Origin of White Folks: Poem by Annie Virginia Culbertson
• A Boy Scout Troop of Philadelphia: A Picture
• Over the Ocean Wave: A Geography Story (Illustrated)
• Whole Duty of Children: Poem reprinted from Robert Louis Stevenson
• Some Little Friends of Ours: Nine Pictures
• The Judge / The Jury
• Waiting for a Howard-Fisk Football Game: A Picture
• Celebrating Baby Week at Tuskegee: A Picture
• The Ouija Board: Story by Edna May Harrold
• Playtime: Nursery rhyme “Hark, Hark, the Dogs Do Bark” with dance by Carriebel B. Cole and music by Farwell
• Girls' School in Abyssinia; Y.W.C.A. Girls in New York City: Pictures
• As the Crow Flies / The Grown-Ups' Corner
• Children in the Silent Protest Parade in New York City
• Katy Ferguson: A True Story
• Little People of the Month
• After School: Poem by Jessie Fauset, drawings by Laura Wheeler Waring
• Gyp: A Fairy Story by A.T. Kilpatrick
• The Boy's Answer by A.U. Craig
• Poems Illustrated: “Recruit” (Georgia Johnson), “The Tale of a Kitten” (James Weldon Johnson), “The Happy Quail” (William T. Wallace), “Singing” (Robert Louis Stevenson), “Dedication” (Jessie Fauset)

Cultural Importance

This issue reflects the educational, cultural, and artistic mission of The Brownies’ Book, blending stories, poems, illustrations, and real-life historical references to celebrate African American childhood, identity, and creativity during the Harlem Renaissance.

Publication Details TitleThe Brownies’ Book — January 1920 Volume / IssueVol. 1 No. 1 DateJanuary 1920 PublisherDu Bois, Fauset, Dill Period1920–1921 (monthly) Key ContributorsW.E.B. Du Bois, Jessie Redmon Fauset, August Granville Dill, Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, Laura Wheeler Waring FormatPeriodical / Magazine LanguageEnglish Historical EraHarlem Renaissance How to Get This Issue 📬 Subscribe or Order Individual Issues

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Full run: Jan 1920 – Dec 1921 · 24 issues

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✦ A landmark of African American children's literature ✦