Harlem Rhapsody

After the celebration for Black Swan Records, Will makes an effort to smooth things over with Jessie. He gives her expensive gifts, as well as the gift of time to work on her novel at the Hotel Olga. Jessie decides to give her protagonist, Joanna, a love interest. In February, the NAACP refuses to fund the second Pan-African Congress. Will argues that readers want the magazine to focus on the US. Will and Jessie decide to go forward with planning the event and discuss some of the details. After Will leaves her office, she finds a submission for The Crisis from Langston Hughes. Jessie published his three previous submissions in The Brownies’ Book. Jessie and Will agree that Langston’s new poem must be published in The Crisis.

Jessie looks over the proofs for the new issues of The Brownies’ Book and The Crisis. Will and Jessie talk briefly about Will’s daughter before Miss Ovington joins them and complains about four minor typos in the proofs. Jessie objects to being harangued for four mistakes in 52 pages, and Will dismisses Miss Ovington. After she leaves, Jessie and Will work on organizing the Pan-African Congress. Will is concerned about securing the funds for it and wants Jessie to come to Europe with him. Jessie says that she will find a benefactor to fund her part of the trip.

Jessie visits the printer of The Crisis. The manager there, Mr. Brown, has previously dealt only with Augustus and demands to speak with him. Jessie says that Augustus can’t make it and that she needs to speak with Mr. Brown about lowering printing costs for the magazine. Mr. Brown makes a sexist remark about her not being able to understand the printing process. She lectures on the history of the printing press for several minutes until he agrees to hear her suggestions. She notes that he has been using the most expensive, uncoated paper for The Crisis and asks that they switch to less expensive, coated paper because it is better for magazines. Again, Mr. Brown demands to speak with Augustus. Jessie says that while Mr. Brown does that, she will inform the NAACP that Mr. Brown has been overcharging them. Mr. Brown agrees to change the paper, saving them 25%.

Jessie hopes that this victory will prove to Will that she is capable of handling the finances of the magazine. When she returns to the NAACP offices, a large group has gathered to discuss the racist massacre that occurred over the previous two days—May 31 and June 1, 1921—in Tulsa, Oklahoma. White supremacist terrorists, some of them deputized and armed by the city government, invaded the predominantly Black Greenwood neighborhood, destroying homes and businesses and killing many Black residents. Walter says that he will travel to Tulsa. Moorfield Storey and Arthur Spingarn (Joel’s brother) object, saying that it is too dangerous. Will disagrees. Walter argues that he can pass for white and should use that to his advantage. Jessie finds a copy of The New York Times and reads about the riots, which have taken 85 lives thus far. She decides that publishing Langston’s poem is more important than ever because literature can change the world.

Jessie is in London for the Pan-African Congress, and it is her first time there. She thinks back on how she obtained funding for this trip. Jessie went to Philadelphia to meet with Sadie, who had been struggling to find a job with her PhD in economics as a Black woman. Jessie understands this struggle because she also had a hard time finding employment with her degree. They discussed Sadie’s sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, funding Jessie’s trip.

In the present moment, Jessie receives a telegram from Nina. It says that Will isn’t answering Nina’s telegrams and asks Jessie to have Will contact Nina. Jessie worries that Yolande is sick and spends the next few hours trying to find Will. She arrives at Central Hall and finds Will in a meeting with Congress attendees and speakers. Jessie asks to speak with Will privately and gives him Nina’s telegram. At this moment, other people begin to arrive for the Congress and take all of Will’s attention. He gets up and speaks and then invites others to join the conversation. Jessie is overwhelmed by the connections between Black people in different countries. After Will’s closing remarks, he finds Jessie.

Once Will and Jessie are alone in their hotel, she asks him about the telegram. He tells her not to worry, and they have sex. On September 1, they fly to Brussels—Jessie’s first time in an airplane. Their contact there, Mr. Blaise Diagne, had changed his mind about politics before they arrived and promoted the idea that Africans should accept colonialism rather than fight against it. He asks Will to do the welcome speech and Jessie to talk about the positive progress in America.

The audience for this event includes more white people than the previous one in London. Will’s speech discusses how people are suffering under colonialism, and Jessie is the only one who applauds. The speakers after him condone colonialism and don’t mention any of the problems that colonized peoples face. Jessie’s speech is about the academic achievements of Black women, specifically the three Black women who obtained PhDs, including Sadie Tanner Mossell. Jessie discusses how these women have struggled to find jobs: Education has not made them equals in the job market, but they still have their degrees and pride in obtaining them. She receives a standing ovation.

When Jessie arrives home in New York, Maman isn’t there, but her brother Arthur is. He explains that Maman went to Philadelphia to help their brother Earl with his son’s influenza. Arthur is in town working on a project with Alain Locke. Jessie is eager to tell him about her trip, but he is upset that she stayed in Europe with Will after the Congress was over. Arthur tells her that there are escalating rumors that she is sleeping with Will. Jessie thinks about how she and Will engaged in public displays of affection in Paris. Arthur says that the affair will ruin Jessie’s career and that she needs to end it.

When Jessie gets to her office, Moorfield Storey brings her newspapers with articles about her speech. He thinks that Jessie should have more responsibilities at the NAACP. Jessie thinks that this might be about her becoming full editor of The Crisis. After he leaves, Jessie reads the articles. However, her excitement is dampened by Arthur’s comments. She recalls Nina sending Will a series of telegrams in Paris and Geneva and wonders if Nina suspects the affair.

Will and Jessie meet Langston and his mother, Carrie, at the Civic Club, where they discuss Langston’s poetry and his great-uncle and namesake, John Mercer Langston. Will saw John Mercer Langston give a speech at Havard. Langston says that he is studying engineering at Columbia at his father’s urging. Jessie asks Langston how he came up with his poem. He describes seeing laborers while riding a train with his father, his father making derogatory comments, and Langston wanting to give “those men new words” (189). Carrie explains that Langston’s father has internalized racism. Jessie compliments Langston’s words, and Carrie mentions that he often turns pain into writing. Langston discusses living with his grandmother, Carrie’s mother, who was the first Black woman to attend Oberlin College and inspired him to read extensively and write. Jessie says that Langston will be a popular writer.

Sadie visits Jessie in her office. Sadie acquired a job at a Black company, working as an actuary. She compliments Jessie’s speech from the Pan-African Congress, echoing a number of letters that Jessie has received. Because of this speech, Sadie’s sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, wants to make Jessie an honorary member. After she leaves, Langston visits Jessie and gives her a new poem. They have been spending a lot of time together over the past month, and he seems upset. Langston admits that he’s considering leaving Columbia because he wants to spend more time writing and because of the racism he’s encountered there. Jessie encourages him to stay at Columbia, and Langston says that he will try to make it work.

Jessie tells Mary-Helen that she wants to throw a 25th-anniversary party for Will and Nina. Mary-Helen thinks that this is a bad idea, but Jessie thinks it will stop the rumors about her and Will’s affair. Since they returned to the US, Will has been traveling. Jessie admits that she wants to be the editor-in-chief of The Crisis. Mary-Helen notes that there probably aren’t any Black women who work as magazine editors and argues that Jessie’s ambition is unbecoming. Jessie isn’t afraid of being the first and asks why Mary-Helen is concerned about her ambition but not the ambition of their brothers. Mary-Helen relents but mentions that the process will be difficult. She then abruptly leaves.

Will and Jessie go to Morningside Park and talk about Langston’s latest poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” (202). Will thinks that it is too disheartening for The Crisis; he wants the pieces in it to be uplifting. Jessie argues that it is inspiring to give voice to the voiceless. Will admits that The Brownies’ Book will have to end after the December issue because they aren’t getting enough subscriptions to financially support it. Jessie argues that it is too important to end, and Will is upset that their shared dream is over. He assures her that they are still doing good work with The Crisis and that they will strive to make the last issue of The Brownies’ Book the best issue.

Jean Toomer meets Jessie at the 135th Street library. Maman is there volunteering and greets them. Jessie shows Jean to a writers’ room and asks him to submit to The Crisis. Jean says that he doesn’t identify as either Black or white. Jessie argues that other people will identify him as Black, and Jean replies that he is an American above all else and that that’s how others should see him. Jessie admits that he makes a good point and suggests that he become a lawyer if he stops being a writer.

Jean gives Jessie a poem titled “Song of Son.” She thinks that it is beautiful and speaks to the experiences of Black people. He admits that he wants to share these experiences in his work but emphasizes that his perception of them is not only as a Black man but also as a man who also has white ancestry. Jessie agrees to call him an American writer if he will allow her to publish his work, and she asks permission to critique his work. After about 15 minutes, she returns the poem to Jean. He doesn’t want praise but wants to know how he can improve. She mentions that some parts seem overwritten and suggests that he read more French fiction and poetry to improve his rhythm.

It is the evening of Will and Nina’s anniversary party. Jessie decided to make it a surprise and told Will that it would be a dinner with some Cornell professors who want to meet his wife. Jessie arrives at the Civic Club before many of the guests, looks over the decorations, and checks on the dinner preparations. As appetizers and drinks are served, Jessie talks with Nella and her husband. Nella mentions that Jessie has missed a couple lunches with her. Jessie apologizes and then speaks with Moorfield Storey and Joel Springarn about the end of The Brownies’ Book. Next, she chats with James Weldon Johnson and his wife about The Book of American Negro Poetry. Jessie and James both have pieces in it, as do a couple of other guests, including Georgia. James introduces Claude McKay and Jessie.

Jessie asks Claude to submit to The Crisis, and he laughs, being the co-editor of a rival publication, The Liberator. Nonetheless, he agrees to send her something. Jessie talks with Langston and Countee. Next, she says hello to Mary-Helen and checks in with Pocahontas, who is watching the door for Will and Nina. They arrive about 20 minutes late, and Jessie meets them in the foyer. Nina asks about Jessie’s mother. Will is surprised that Nina and Maman have met, confirming that Nina never told Will about the lunch where Nina met Maman.

When they enter the main room, everyone yells “surprise,” and dinner service begins. Reverend Cullen says grace, and Jessie moves around the room as the others eat. Eventually, she stands at the lectern and gives a speech celebrating Will and Nina’s marriage. Other people speak, including the reverend, Miss Ovington, James, Countee, and Langston. Jessie says a few final complimentary words about Nina and Will before inviting the band to start playing. Jessie wishes that the drinks were alcoholic.