Gay Rebel of the Harlem Renaissance: Selections from the Work of Richard Bruce Nugent

by Richard Bruce Nugent, Thomas H. Wirth (Editor)

Richard Bruce Nugent (1906-1987) was a writer, painter, illustrator, and popular bohemian personality who lived at the center of the Harlem Renaissance. Protégé of Alain Locke, roommate of Wallace Thurman, and friend of Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, the precocious Nugent stood for many years as the only African-American writer willing to clearly pronounce his homosexuality in print. His contribution to the landmark publication FIRE!!, "Smoke, Lilies and Jade," was unprecedented in its celebration of same-sex desire. A resident of the notorious "Niggeratti Manor," Nugent also appeared on Broadway in Porgy (the 1927 play) and Run, Little Chillun (1933).

Thomas H. Wirth, a close friend of Nugent's during the last years of the artist's life, has assembled a selection of Nugent's most important writings, paintings, and drawings-works mostly unpublished or scattered in rare and obscure publications and collected here for the first time. Wirth has written an introduction providing biographical information about Nugent's life and situating his art in relation to the visual and literary currents which influenced him. A foreword by Henry Louis Gates Jr. emphasizes the importance of Nugent for African American history and culture.

Genres: Poetry, Queer, LGBT, Short Stories, Nonfiction, Classics, History

312 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2002

Reviews

[Sarah Loncon · Rating 5 out of 5]

writing my seminar paper on gay writer of the Harlem Renaissance. It is so crazy to me that he was so forgotten, he was friends with all the big names and one of the only openly queer artists at the time. "Smoke, Lilies, and Jade" is so good! It was very cool writing a paper about him and getting to learn about him from this book and other books and articles

reread: wrote another research paper on just Nugent. I wrote about why he was forgotten, it was fun

[Crystal Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This collection makes me look at the Harlem Renaissance from a new perspective. Candid and thought-provoking writing. This was my first exposure to Nugent's work. He intersects themes of race, class, gender and sexuality through art, writing and a Bohemian lifestyle.

[Drianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book contains selections from Nugent's art and writing. He was the most openly queer writer and artist of the Renaissance, and (not unrelatedly) one of the more forgotten ones - but what has survived is gathered here, and it is *transformative*.

[Celia T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes! Yes!! Yes!!!!!!

[Yolonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

FYI: This review was written for a blog tour @ http://www.notoriousspinkstalks.com/1...

While deciding if I wanted to participate in this tour, I wasn't sure what author I would choose as my focus. I knew for sure that I didn't want to cover Langston Hughes because he is one of America's favorites. I think it's safe to say that he is an all-time great. Therefore, after speaking with a well-versed fellow blogger, specifically on Harlem Renaissance authors she suggested Richard Bruce Nugent. I Googled Nugent and I couldn't believe that there was a gay author during that period. (Shhhh!!!) I must say I know homosexuality has been around since biblical days, but to find an author who had openly written about it, wow! The title alone made me do a double take, Gay Rebel of the Harlem Renaissance.

Richard Bruce Nugent (1906-1987) was born in Washington D.C. but spent most of his life in New York and was one of the last surviving Harlem Renaissance trendsetters. Over Nugent's life, he was considered a writer, painter, dancer, and a true bohemian, a true jack of all trades. He also traveled the world and from his writing I concluded that he spoke languages other than English and used them in his works. In addition, Nugent is credited via numerous sources as being the protege of Alan Locke, deemed "...the "dean" of the Renaissance itself," by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., in the foreward. While serving as the only Harlem Renaissance writer for most of the period to openly declare his sexuality in published works, Nugent was still welcomed by other greats of the time, such as Zora Neale Hurston, Madame C.J. Walker, and Langston Hughes just to name a few.

Gay Rebel of the Harlem Renaissance is the first and only collection of works by Richard Bruce Nugent compiled by Thomas Wirth, a friend and heir to his estate. Before this collection many of the works published in this book were previously unpublished, scattered, and/or only available in research libraries. After a foreword by Gates, Wirth gives a thorough biographical overview introducing Nugent to readers while re-introducing him to others. The introduction covers the first 61 pages and provides readers with an in-depth first-hand account into the life of Nugent and his close friends and allies of the time.

Gay Rebel of the Harlem Renaissance is a must add to my library. This book is filled with works created by Nugent during his lifespan, writings and artwork. Like most great artists, he unfortunately didn't receive the accolades he deserved during his lifetime. However, one of the works included, Smoke, Lillies and Jade is considered to be "Nugent's most important work." According to Wirth, this piece was published in the first issue of FIRE!! in November 1926. (A publication created by younger Black writers and artists.) Aside from containing strong homosexual language, this short story definitely set a precedent for works of this genre. To be quite frank, he created this genre. In this work Nugent allowed the main character to have a same-sex relationship without the fear of being shunned by outside forces or negative energy. He also allowed the main character to be himself and do what felt natural to him. In addition, Nugent's unique writing style in this piece stood out with him using ellipsis instead of periods to complete a thought.

Although I liked Smoke, Lillies and Jade, it was not my favorite. My favorite work is an interview taped and transcribed by Wirth entitled, You See, I am a Homosexual. Nugent spoke openly about his sexuality, "You see I am a homosexual," he told Wirth. I think the title alone tugged at my heart because I love the fact that he was not in denial or looking for acceptance from anyone, during the Harlem Renaissance or afterwards. In addition, he went on to say:

"I have never been in what they call "the closet." It has never occurred to me that it was anything to
be ashamed of, and it never occurred to me that it was anybody's business but mine... "

Nugent did so much for the Harlem Renaissance by not idly standing by and accepting the homophobic ideologies of society (including other writers and publishers) and instead stood on what he believed. He was standing up for the GLBT community before it even formally existed and even before they realized they would have to stand for that matter. Nugent is officially one of my new favorite authors and I intend to research and read other works by him. My goal for this year is to become more versed in the African Diaspora and I'm also adding to that challenge to increase my knowledge of the Harlem Renaissance and those that made it great. They paved the way for Black literature, as we know it, and I feel as a blogger that focuses on people of color I should be aware of the history made during that great time for Black America.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

wrote my dissertation on this one!

[John-Fig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harlem Renaissance from a candid perspective. Funny and uplifting; seedy and decadent. Read Smoke, Lilies and Jade first, then read/take in the rest.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

cool book. sexy and historic and very cool.

the cover is amazing. And Nugents work as a visual artist is as provocative as his writing.

oh if only he had lived at a different time.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

five stars!!

i spent the last 4 months studying richard bruce nugent and as i’m closing my studies, i’m so happy to have been given the chance to study the life of this amazing figure.

this book was so insightful and really changed my perspective on the harlem renaissance.

from my studies, nugent seems like such an endearing figure and really seemed like the life of each and every room that he walked into. i’m so glad i read his biography.

rereadability: hmm i don’t really see myself coming back to this book. not because it was bad (of course not, i gave it 5 stars!) but because i wouldn’t really need to use the biography for anything.

[womp womp oemp oemp]

the introduction alone is worth reading— it paints the Harlem Renaissance in this wonderful web of barrooms, rent parties, and neighborhoods, where everyone knew each other and slept on each other’s couches and drank ginger beer. It also insists that part of that web is that all the homies were kissing, or wanted to kiss each other — Nugent was the only one who openly stated himself to be so at the time, far before a Giovanni’s Room— and that it’s funny to conceptualize the writing as auto-fiction or as a diary of sorts lol but with some of the names just skewed. Nugent’s writing is a little messy or insular so I appreciate the little paragraphs before providing context.

[Eric Covington · Rating 5 out of 5]

best seller

[Mills College Library]

818.5209 N966 2002