Alain LeRoy Locke facts for kids
Alain Leroy Locke (born September 13, 1886 – died June 9, 1954) was an American writer, philosopher, and educator. He was also a big supporter of the arts. He made history as the first African American to receive a Rhodes Scholarship in 1907. Many people called Locke the "godfather" of the Harlem Renaissance. This was a time when African American art, music, and literature flourished. Because of his important work, Alain Locke is often listed among the most influential African Americans. Even Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke about him. In 1968, Dr. King said that children should know about philosophers like W. E. B. Du Bois and Alain Locke, not just Plato and Aristotle.
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Early Life and Education
Alain Locke was born on September 13, 1886, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Both of his parents were schoolteachers. He went to Central High School and the Philadelphia School of Pedagogy. Locke then attended Harvard University. He finished his studies in just three years, graduating with high honors in 1907. In 1912, he received a Rhodes Scholarship. This allowed him to study at Oxford University in England. He also spent a year studying at the Frederick William University in Berlin, Germany. Later, in 1918, he earned his Ph.D. from Harvard.
Teaching and Career
Locke began teaching at Howard University. He taught the first classes there about race relations. He worked hard to make sure African-American and white teachers received equal pay. Because of this, he was let go from the university in 1925.
However, Locke was brought back to Howard University in 1928. This happened after Mordecai Wyatt Johnson became the first African-American president of the university. From 1935, Locke focused more on writing about philosophy. He taught many students at Howard until he retired in 1953. A building on the Howard campus, Locke Hall, is named in his honor.
One of his famous students was the actor Ossie Davis. Davis said that Locke encouraged him to go to Harlem. Locke knew Davis was interested in theater, and Harlem was a hub for arts.
Besides teaching, Locke was a champion for African-American artists, writers, and musicians. He encouraged them to find inspiration in Africa's many cultures. He wanted them to show African and African-American people and stories in their art. He also urged them to use their history as material for their work. He even donated materials from his travels to the library to help with these studies.
Locke retired from teaching because of heart problems.
Later Life and Legacy
Alain Locke passed away on June 9, 1954, in New York City. He was working on a book called The Negro in American Culture. He did not finish it before he died. His daughter, Margaret Just Butcher, completed the book. It was published in 1956.
Honors and Recognition
- At Howard University, the main building for the College of Arts and Sciences is named "Alain Locke Hall." This honors his important contributions. His personal writings are kept at the university's Moorland–Spingarn Research Center.
- Locke's old home in Washington, D.C., has a special historical marker.
- In 2002, a scholar named Molefi Kete Asante included Locke in his book, 100 Greatest African Americans. Another book, The Black 100, ranked Locke as the 36th most influential African American.
- In 2019, Jeffrey Stewart won a Pulitzer Prize for his book about Locke, The New Negro: the Life of Alain Locke.
- In 2020, Dr. Ann Olivarius suggested that statues of Locke and Zambian activist Lucy Banda-Sichone should replace a statue of Cecil Rhodes at Oriel College, Oxford University.
Several schools are named after Alain Locke:
- Alain L. Locke Elementary School PS 208 in South Harlem
- The Locke High School in Los Angeles
- The Alain Locke Public School, an elementary school in West Philadelphia
- Alain Locke Charter Academy in Chicago
- Alain Locke Elementary School in Gary, Indiana
Images for kids
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Alain LeRoy Locke, around 1907
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The first edition cover of The New Negro (1925)
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See also
In Spanish: Alain LeRoy Locke para niños
