The William E. Harmon Foundation Award for Distinguished Achievement Among Negroes, commonly referred to as the "Harmon award" or "Harmon Foundation award", was a philanthropic and cultural award created in 1926 by William E. HarmonGates & Higginbotham, p. 3. and administered by the Harmon Foundation. It was offered for distinguished achievements in eight different fields: literature, music, fine arts, business and industry, science and innovation, education, religious service, and race relations. Although awards were created in eight categories, it is best known for its recognition of African-American art of the Harlem Renaissance, and particularly of the visual arts.Calo, p. 75.
A description of the bronze medal won by A.M.E. Bishop John Fletcher Hurst in 1926 appeared in the January 8, 1927, edition of the Afro-American, published in Baltimore, Maryland:
The medal is of unusually beautiful design. On the obverse side is embossed a ship in full sail on the open sea with the inscription "Harmon Foundation" around the margin. On the reverse side are the words "Inspiration, Achievement Religious Service. Second award, 1926, John Hurst"."Bishop Hurst formally given Harmon Award". Afro-American, Saturday January 8, 1927, p. 1.
A full list of the winners of each year was offered in contemporary New York Times articles."Dr. Moton receives $1,000 Harmon Award" (January 6, 1930). New York Times, p. 20."Negro artist wins prize for paintings" (December 8, 1926). The New York Times, p. 11.Harmon prizes go to sixteen Negroes" (January 9, 1928). The New York Times, p. 12."12 Negroes honored for achievements" (February 13, 1929). New York Times, p. 13."Harmon Foundation honors 7 Negroes" (January 26, 1931). The New York Times, p. 3.
1926 Race relations
Will W. Alexander (Director of the Commission on Interracial Cooperation), First award and Gold medal for Distinguished Achievements in Race Relations, "January 23, 1927, at the Second Baptist Church in Atlanta".Dykeman, pp. 162–3. Fine arts Palmer C. Hayden, First award and Gold medal, for the seascape Schooners.Wintz & Finkleman vol. 1, p. 50 Hale Woodruff, Second award and Bronze medal for Two WomenLeininger-Miller p. 188.Brawley p. 318 Literature Countee Cullen, First award and Gold medal, on the basis of his first book. James Weldon Johnson, Second award and Bronze medal for his "introductory essay to his books on Negro Spirituals" Education Virginia Estelle Randolph, First award and Gold medal. Arthur Schomberg, Second award and Bronze medal, awarded "for his collection of publications on Negro life and history" Industry, including business C. C. Spaulding, First award and Gold medal. Archie Alexander Second award and Bronze medal. Religious services Max Yergan, First award and Gold medal. Bishop John Hurst, Second award and Bronze medal. Science, including Invention James C. Evans, First award and Gold medal. Awarded for research in electrical engineering,The Crisis January 1944 for "two theses in regenerative circuits in radio, submitted for the bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering."Johnson & Carter, p. 20. W. A. Daniel, Second award and Bronze medal for his social study on "The Education of Negro Ministers." Music No submissions deemed worthy of award.
1927
Race relations Julius Rosenwald, philanthropist. First award and Gold medal, $500."Two to be honored for aid to Negroes: Rosenwald and Dr. Dillard to Get Harmon Awards on Racial Relations." (January 23, 1928). New York Times, p. 25.Work & Guzman, p. 8. James Hardy Dillard. First award and Gold medal, $500.Work & Guzman, p. 8. Fine arts Laura Wheeler Waring, First award and Gold medal. William Edouard Scott, Gold medal. Though Work and Guzman scrupulously document the cash awards received, no mention of a cash award is made for Scott. His was a "special award of a gold medal", falling outside of the normal scope for the award: "... because of the finished and excellent character of his paintings and the recognition already received. Mr. Scott was considered by the judges to be outside the purpose of the awards but deserving of distinction." John Wesley Hardrick, Second award and Bronze medal. Literature James Weldon Johnson, First award and Gold medal for his poetry collection, "God's Trombones".Work & Guzman, p. 7. Eric Derwent Walrond Second award and Bronze medal for a collection of stories, "Tropic Death."Wintz & Finkelman, p.1232. Education John Warren Davis, First award and Gold medal. Benjamin Brawley, Second award and Bronze medal. Brawley declined the award:Parker, John W. (May 1934). Benjamin Brawley. The Crisis. "... a well-known educator and writer, Brawley declined the second-place award because, he said, he had never done anything but first-class work."Calo, p. 115 Industry, including business Anthony Overton First award and Gold medal William Gaston Pearson Second award and Bronze medal Religious services Reverend William N. DeBerry, First award and Gold medal for "distinguished service in religion and social welfare among Negroes of the United States".Guzman & Jones, p. 379."Ten new N.A.A.C.P. Directors". (March 1936) The Crisis, p. 84. Robert E. Jones, Second award and Bronze medal. Science, including Invention James A. Parsons, First award and Gold medal for advances made with rust-resistant or non-corrosive metals:Dowling, Lewis K. (June 1939). Contributions of Negro Scientists. The Crisis p. 168 "James Parsons, Jr., a metallurgist, winner of the Harmon Award in Science [in] 1927.. for many years been in charge of research and production for the Duriron Company of Dayton, Ohio. He ... holds many patents in a highly competitive field and has opened new avenues for our men"Guzman & Jones, p. 99 No Second award Music R. Nathaniel Dett, First award and Gold medal for vocal and instrumental compositions. Clarence C. White, First award and Gold medal for his work as a violinist and composer. E. H. Margetson, Second award and Bronze medal for his work in composing orchestrations for symphonies for both instruments and voices.Two get Harmon Awards: R.C. Patterson, for Walker, Presents Music Prizes to Negroes. (February 13, 1928). New York Times. p. 21. William Grant Still, Second award and Bronze medal.
1928
Race relations No award. Fine arts Archibald J. Motley, First award and Gold medal. May Howard Jackson, sculptor, Second award and Bronze medal. Literature Claude McKay First award and Gold medal. Nella Larsen Imes, Second award and Bronze medal. Education Monroe Work. John Manuel Gandy, Second award and Bronze medal. Industry, including business S.W. Rutherford, First award and Gold medal. Frederick Massiah, Second award and Bronze medal. Religious services Lacey Kirk Williams, First award and Gold medal. James Solomon Russell, First award and Gold medal. Channing H. Tobias, Second award and Bronze medal. Science, including Invention No awards Music No first award J. Harold Brown, Second award and Bronze medal.
1929 Race relations Robert Russa MotonWintz & Finkelman, p. 1940. Fine arts William H. Johnson, First award and Gold medal. Albert Alexander Smith, Second award and Bronze medal. Sargent Johnson, Second award and Bronze medal. Literature No first award. Walter White, Second award and Bronze medal for Rope and Faggot: A Biography of Judge Lynch Education William Jasper Hale First award and Gold medal. John Hope, First award and Gold medal. Janie Porter Barrett, Second award and Bronze medal. Industry, including business Truman K. Gibson, First award and Gold medal. John Charles Calybrook, Second award and Bronze medal. Religious services Bishop Robert E. Jones, First award and Gold medal. A. Clayton Powell, Second award and Bronze medal. Science, including Invention Theodore K. Lawless, First award and Gold medal (dermatology). No Second award. Music Harry Thacker Burleigh, First award and Gold medal. Harry Lawrence Freeman, First award and Gold medal. Carl Rossini Diton, Second award and Bronze medal.
1930 No Second awards were given.
Race relations No award Fine arts James Lesesne Wells, First award and Gold medal.Armstrong (1931) p. 212. for "The Wanderers"1931 Harmon Foundation Catalog, pgs 24 & 29. Literature Langston Hughes, First award and Gold medal for Not without LaughterBarksdale p. 203 Education Henry A. Hunt, First award and Gold medal. Industry, including business Albon Holsey, First award and Gold medal."Holsey shares" p. 1. Religious services Henry C. McDowell, First award and Gold medal. Science, including Invention Charles S. Johnson, First award and Gold medal. Music Hall Johnson, First award and Gold medal. Agriculture Thomas Monroe Campbell First award and Gold medal, "the first Harmon Award ever presented for distinguished achievement in the field of farming and rural life."Jones p. 54
Notes
References Armstrong, Samuel Chapman. (1931). The Southern workman, Volume 60. Barksdale, Richard Kenneth (1992). Praisesong of survival: lectures and essays, 1957-89. University of Illinois Press. Brawley, Benjamin Griffith (1966) The Negro genius: a new appraisal of the achievement of the American Negro in Literature and the Fine Arts. Biblo-Moser. Calo, Mary Ann. (2007). Distinction and Denial: Race, Nation, and the Critical Construction of the African American Artist, 1920-40. University of Michigan Press. Dykeman, Wilma (1976). Seeds Of Southern Change: The Life Of Will Alexander. W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. Gates, Henry Louis & Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham (eds) (2009). Harlem Renaissance lives from the African American national biography. Oxford University Press, USA. Guzman, Jessie Parkhurst & Jones, Lewis W. (Eds.) (1952). Negro Year Book: A Review of Events Affecting Negro Life. WM. H. Wise & Co., Inc. "Harmon Award Presented" (Feb 19, 1930). New York Times, pg. 19. "Holsey shares Harmon Award with employees of New York office". Afro-American, Saturday February 21, 1931, p. 1. Johnson, Charles Spurgeon & Carter, Elmer Anderson (1969). Opportunity: Journal of Negro life, (1969) Volumes 5-6. p. 20. Jones, Allen W. (1979). Thomas M. Campbell: Black Agricultural Leader of the New South. Agricultural History Vol. 53, No. 1, Southern Agriculture Since the Civil War: A Symposium, pp. 42–59. Leininger-Miller, Theresa (2001). New Negro Artists in Paris: African American Painters and Sculptors in the City of Light, 1922–1934, Rutgers University Press. . Lewis, Samella (2003). African American Art and Artists. University of California Press. Otfinoski, Steven (2011) African Americans in the Visual Arts. New York: Facts on File. * Wintz, Cary D. & Finkelman, Paul. (2004). Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance. Volume 1. Routledge Wintz, Cary D. & Finkelman, Paul. (2004). Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance. Volume 2. Taylor & Francis Group. Woodson, C. G. (1950). Harry Thacker Burleigh. The Journal of Negro History, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 104–105 Work, Monroe Nathan & Guzman, Jessie Parkhurst (1937). Negro year book: an annual encyclopedia of the Negro 1937-1938. Tuskegee Institute, Ala.: Negro Year Book Publishing Co.
Footnotes