The Kiskadee is a bird native to Guyana and often referred to in Edgar Mittelholzer's brilliant novel, The Life and Death of Sylvia (1953). The bird is so named because its cry seemed by French colonists to be enquiring: "Qu’ est ce qu’il dit?". So what did he say? This blog is about two key topics: EDGAR MITTELHOLZER (his life and his works) and ME (my encounter with Mittelholzer and tales of life in Guyana).

Saturday 23 August 2014

Mittelholzer and the Guggenheim Fellowship Award

In the following article"Four Negroes Get Guggenheim Fellowships" in Jet Magazine (1 May 1952) we are told:

"4 Negroes were among the 19 persons granted fellowships by the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.  They were composer Howard Swanson of New York, writer Edgar Mittelholzer of British Guiana, Howard University Professor, Dr. Leon Edward Wright, and New York photographer, Roy De Carava".  Mittelholzer's irritation at being referred to as Negro is expressed in his proxy character, Richard Lehrer in Latticed Echoes.  This should not however be read as reflective of an anti-Negro stance but rather Mittelholzer's desire to proclaim his identity as a person 'mixed race'.


Click here for reference to Mittelholzer's Guggenheim Fellowship
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