ALAIN L. LOCKE (1885-1954) was a writer, philosopher and educator. He’s also credited with defining the Harlem Renaissance.
Born into Philadelphia’s black elite, Alain Leroy Locke was the only child of Pliny and Mary Hawkins Locke, a successful attorney and well-liked public school teacher, respectively. In 1902, he graduated from Central High School in Philadelphia, second in his class. He also attended Philadelphia School of Pedagogy, a program for Central graduates who wanted to become elementary school teachers.
In 1907, Locke graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with degrees in English and philosophy. The same year, he became the first black Rhodes Scholar. He formed part of the Phi Beta Kappa society and used his Rhodes Scholarship to further study philosophy at Oxford University and the University of Berlin. When Locke returned to the U.S. in 1911, he joined the faculty of Howard University as a professor of philosophy and English.
Locke returned to Harvard in 1916 to work on his doctoral dissertation, The Problem of Classification in the Theory of Value. In it, he discusses the causes of opinions and social biases, and that these are not objectively true or false, and therefore not universal. In 1918, Locke received his Ph.D., and he returned to Howard as the chair of the department of philosophy, a position he held until his retirement in 1953. He became a distinguished member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Locke promoted black writers, artists and musicians, and he encouraged them to look to Africa as inspiration for their work. In 1923, Locke began contributing essays on a range of subjects to the journal of the National Urban League. He edited the March 1925 issue of Survey Graphic with a special on Harlem and the Harlem Renaissance, which helped educate readers about the flourishing culture there. Later that year, he expanded the issue into The New Negro, a collection of writings about blacks living in the United States.
His most well-known work, Race Contacts and Interracial Relations: Lectures on the Theory and Practice of Race, focused on how blacks and whites could come together and live in a multiethnic society. In this work, Locke declared, “The race issue has not only been solved but…has performed a social function in society because it has blended two heterogeneous elements into a homogeneity of which either one in itself would have been incapable without the collaboration and help of the other.”
Locked established the Associates in Negro Folk Education, which published scholarly books on black subjects geared toward adults. It wasn’t until 1935, when he was 50, that Locke published his first article on philosophy. In 1942, he co-edited an anthology on global race relations, When Peoples Meet: A Study in Race and Culture Contacts, which is considered the best legacy of his later work.
Locke decided he wanted to teach adults how to live in a democratic and multiethnic society. In 1945, he became the first black president of the American Association for Adult Education (AAAE), a program that provides leadership for adult growth and development. He moved permanently to New York City where he taught at the City College for New York.
He was preparing to retire while working on The Negro in American Culture. Unfortunately, Locke would never get the chance to complete the work; he died in 1954 from complications of heart disease due rheumatic fever he had suffered as a child. His legacy lives on, though, as he is considered one of the most important black intellectual leaders of the twentieth century.
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Concrete Loop features ‘Black History Spotlights’ each week honoring black people who have played pivotal roles in history. submissions are welcome.
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I love these spotlights. Everytime I read them, I feel as though I have an even bigger reason to be proud of where we come from.
That was great CL! Thanks!
I’m very intrigued by this man. It is unbelievable that he graduated magna cum laude from Harvard in 1907 that is crazy. Thanks for the great job.
So amazing! Well done CL, these spotlights are genius
Thank you, J. Dakar
For providing the educational part of CL.
You know, Black people have been doing great things for a LONG time. I am so glad that you put posts like this up to shine light on our great achievements. This is the kind of history that was missing in elementary, high school, and even university when I was attending. I think it is society who tries to make us believe that our color is an impediment to the level of success that we can achieve. If more of us were to be aware of great scholars such as Locke, we would not be inclined to tap into that mentality of inferiority due to our race. Keep it coming, J., because every time I see posts like this, it reassures me that my color is not a barrier to anything I can achieve in my lifetime, despite what society may want me to believe. The limit for us as black people, is the sky. So my brothers and sisters, when you dream, dream BIG because many of us have already achieved greatness, and many of us will continue to do so.
Peace!
Locke is indeed an integral part of Howard University’s history.
Awwww HUuuuuuu!
Thank you for posting this. I love to read about Black scholars.
Very informative reading. Actually, there is a school named after him here in Philadelphia. It is nice to now be able to asscociate the school with knowledge about whom it was named after.
This guy was a brainiac!
@ ENIGMA, his graduation from the magna cum laude is what caught my attention and made me say whoa!
kudos CL! First Class effort.
Thanks again ‘Loop.
I’m very discouraged right now trying to find a job. But reading this helps me to press on. Thanx.
Why does this post only have 12 comments? This is an excellent post about a scholarly Black man who contributed greatly to the literary world! What an academian! Yet we still worship Rihanna and Beyonce who can barely pronounce half of the words in this post!
I believe that Pliny and Mary Locke taught their child that if he can dream it, it can achieved. Alain Locke was obviously a visionary. He saw pass the feigned barriers as did his parents and realized only he could stop him.
Four walls do not a prison make.
Black People wake up all over the world
You definitely matter
You are not subservient
You are a Blessed and Prosperous People
God is with us
Only Believe
Yeah. Good post. I learned a little about him last semester in African American History class. My teacher was good. Knowledge is power…..
Wow his stats are temendous!!!!
He is a part of our history here at Howard…
I did not know that he went to Central HS…we have soo much in common lol
He’s a great success story!
#6:
You took the words right out of my mouth!
#13:
Speak on it!
CL:
Great job!
wow so this is who Locke hall is named after at Howard. Thanks for enlightening me CL! I feel so informed lol.
Great Man!
We are a great people! There are sooo many untold stories about us. Unfortunately, they are not taught in school. We have to, as a people, take the time to learn about our past. It is their backs that we stand on! We can not and should not rely on the “system” to teach us about us. It is our duty. We can only move forward if we know from where we are moving.
Great job CL, keepem coming. We don’t need to wait for February each year. This should be a year-round deal.
I’m loving these spotlight posts! Great job CL, keep em coming!!! It is really enlightening and inspiring to see sooo many of our people accomplishing so many great things. Thanks again CL!!!
It’s good to have more info on Alain Locke. I remember reading about him a while back and he was noted as being the definer of the Harlem Renaissance. I really intrigued with that era in American history.
What an inspiration! As previously stated in this post, we were not taught of the Black intelegencia which is a very rich part of American heritage. Why? Because to recognize the achievments of Black scholors in America is to acknowledge the Black man’s superior intellect and determination, given the social barriers and obstacles with which he had to content in order to achieve education. And, some (evil) white men’s pure jealousy and hatred of the Black man stems from the knowledge that he is a descendent of Afrikan DNA migrated from Afrika to Austraila, and central Asia on to Europe and the Americas…the first man! Yes, the first man to plot the stars and navigate the planet! The first man in science, literature, politics technology and medicine…not to mention the BEST ATHLETES IN THE WORLD!
The some (evil) white men would hide the shame of their horrific treatment of Black Americans and the bravery, will, intrepidity, and fortitude with which we have helped to build this nation…WE ARE NOT IMMIGRANTS but, prisioners of a society determined to destroy us if not physically, then mentally! It is with this in mind that I humbly beg each and everyone of you who read these words to consider getting involed with the polical process this year and make our voices heard. We are the “voice of freedom” from which the entire world takes it’s que! O righteous one, hear my cry…let it be not that our grandfathers and mothers died in vane and let justice be served on election day…in Jesus name we pray…amen.
Oh My Goodness
I learn something new everyday
He graduated from the same high school I graduated from!
Central! 267! Class of 08!!!
LOL!
But one of the buildings here at Howard is named after him. Everytime I sit down in English class, located in Locke Hall, I wonder who this person is, and now I know.
Thank you for this information! I’m glad you highlight lesser known contributors to our collective history.
Thanks CL.. I love reading posts about positive black folk who’ve contributed greatly to our society.. Good job..
I LOVE Alain Locke, he was AMAZING!!!!
CL, you show so much class with these Black History Spotlights. Thank you for combining the real with the fluff. Please do spotlights on Bessie Coleman and Ida B. Welles. Very fab sisters!
I find it odd that you all didn’t include ALL of his history.
These spotlights are just fabulous! I love the knowledge I gain every time I read them, keep up the good work with this feature.
I WENT TO THAT SCHOOL…..ITS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WEST PHILLY. ACROSS FROM THE WEST PHILLY SEVEN DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH OPPOSITE FROM AN OLD YMCA AND A NURSING HOME MY GMOM AT CALL ST. AGNES NURSING HOME!!!!!!!
I NEVER KNEW STUFF ABOUT THIS GUY…THANKS CL FOR EDUCATING ME ON MY SCHOOL. I MISS MY KINDERGARTEN TEACHER…MS. LENA. MY OTHER TEACHER MR. RICHARDSON…MY TEACHER WHO LET ME EAT IN HER CLASS FOR LUNCH WHEN I WAS ON CRUTCHES AND DIDNT FEEL LIKE TAKIN THE ELEVATOR. WHERE I MET MY BESTI…
YAYS!!!!
[I KNOW IM HYPE, SO WHAT!!]