September 13, 1886 - June 9, 1954
Personal Data
Born: September 13, 1886 in Philadelphia, PA
Died: June 9, 1954 in New York City
Parents: Pliny Ishmael and Mary Hawkins Locke
Political stance: Republican
Espoused religion: Episcopalian
Education
1907 - Harvard University (received both BA and MA degrees)
1907-1910 - Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University (earned B.Litt degree)
1910- 1911 Graduate study at the University of Berlin
1911 - Attended the College de France
1918 - Harvard University (awarded Ph.D. in philosophy)
Employment
1912-1917 - Assistant Professor of Education (Howard University)
1916-1917 - Teaching Fellow (Harvard University)
1917-1954 - Professor of Philosophy (Howard University)
1918 - Student Army Training Camp Instructor
1924-1925 - Research sabbatical in Cairo, Egypt
1927-1928 - Exchange Professor (Fisk University)
1943 - Inter-American Exchange Professor (Haiti)
1945-1946 - Visiting Professor (University of Wisconsin, Madison)
1947 - New School of Social Research (New York City)
1948 - College of the City of New York
Awards and Honors
Dr. Locke was a Rhodes Scholar and was awarded the Honor Roll of Race Relations in 1942. Numerous schools have been named at Locke including schools in Los Angelas, Harlem, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington D.C., and Gary Indiana. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and won the Bowdoin Prize for his work in the subject of English. A grant in his name called "The Alain Locke Initiative" has been established and focuses on family literacy programs and developing leaders.
Membership-Professional Organizations
American Negro Academy
American Philosophical Association
Associates in Negro Folk Education
International Institute of African Languages and Culture
League of American Writers
National Order of Honor and Merit in the country of Haiti
Society for Historical Research
Corresponding Memmber Academie des Sciences Colonailes
Honorary Fellow of the Society African-Cuban Students
He also served on the editorial board for The American Scholar and Progessive Education.
Publications
Dr. Locke is credited with numerous books, scholarly journal publications, and articles. He weas a major contributor to the prestigious publication, Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life and Survey Graphic. Below is a list of some of his most well-known publications:
1916 - Race Contacts and Interracial Relations: Lectures of the Theory and Practice of Race.
1925 - The new negro: An interpretation.
1925 - Harlem: Mecca of the new negro
1927 - The high cost of prejudice
1935 - Minorities and the social mind
1936 - Negro art past and present
1936 - The negro and his music
1939 - The negro's contribution to American culture
1942 - When peoples meet: A student of race and culture contacts
1942 - Democracy faces a world order
1943 - World view on race and democracy: A study guide in human group relations
1944 - Cultural relativism and ideological peace
1947 - Pluralism and ideological peace
1947 - Reason and race
1954 - Values that matter
Professional Interest Areas
Race and Culture
Cultural Pluralism
Cultural Relativism
African-American self-awareness
racial equality
Adult Education
Major Contributions to Adult Education
Dr. Locke made a huge contribution to the African American communities by supporting African artists, writers, and musicians. He encouraged them to look to Africa as an inspiration. He strived for increased awareness of black equality and advocated for what he called "The New Negro". He instilled this idea in individuals and empowered them to empower others. Dr. Locke helped define Adult Education and thought that cultural, practical, and racial aspects need to be considered. He was considered a leader in the Adult Education movement of the 1930s. In regard to African American education, he advocated that more integration of knowledge and curriculum is needed and also that education should be tied to the practical demands of living. He is credited with promoting the Harlem Rennaisance.
Additional Resources
Articles
Fantastic article about the Alain Locke Initiative:
http://www.alainlocke.org/about-us/news/alain-locke-initiative-receives-grant-expand-family-literacy-program-east-garfield-par
Photo Gallery
Video/Audio
Audio recording of Dr. Thomas Battle discussing the Alain Locke papers:
http://bahai-library.com/audio/2010_09/howard_univ_20060415_2.mp3
Rare video segments of Alain Locke:
http://alainlocke.com/?page_id=42
Alain Locke Society. (2012). Rare media. Retrieved June 14, 2012 from http://alainlocke.com/?page_id= 42
Presentations
Books
Interesting Facts
Dr. Locke was the first African Amercian Rhodes Scholar but was initially denied admission to universities due to his race.
References
Alain Locke Society. (2012). Rare media. Retrieved June 14, 2012 from http://alainlocke.com/?page_id= 42
Gale Contemporary Black Biography: Alain Locke. (n.d.). Retrieved June 14, 2012 from http://www.answers.com/topic/alain-leroy-locke.
Linneman, R. J. (1982). Alain Locke: Reflections on a modern rennaisance man. Baton Rouge, LA: Lousiana State University Press.
Reuben, P. (2011). PAL: Perspectives in American literature - A research and reference guide - an ongoing project. Retrieved June 14, 2012 from http://www.csustan.edu/english/reub
en/pal/chap9/locke/.html
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.