Alain+Locke

[[image:leroy_locke.jpeg align="left"]] Alain Leroy Locke
KMF

Alain Leroy Locke was a philosopher, educator, and writer. He was born in 1885 on September 13 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents, Pliny (1850-1892) and Mary (Hawkins) Locke (1853-1922), were both teachers at Howard University. Because of this, Alain was an excellent student, which was enrolled into some of the best colleges after he graduated in 1902 from Central High School, he was enrolled to Harvard University, Berlin University and he was also rewarded with a Rhodes scholarship to study in England. After the death of his father, Alain’s mother wanted him to study in medicine, which would soon come to an end due to Rheumatoid Fever that permanently damaged Alain’s heart. After he returned from England, he started teaching at Howard

University in Washington D.C. In 1925 he wrote a book called “The New Negro” and it was about how African Americans were treated by Whites during the Harlem Renaissance.

Locke's philosophical idea of [|The New Negro] allowed for real fair treatment. Because this was just an idea and not an actual bylaw, its power was held in the people. If they wanted this idea to flourish, they were the ones who would need to "enforce" it through their actions and overall points of view. Locke has been said to have greatly influenced and encouraged Zora Neale Hurston.

He’s also influenced many others that lived during the Harlem Renaissance. Locke was a member of the [|Bahá'í Faith] and declared his belief in [|Bahá'u'lláh] in 1918. It was common to write to [|`Abdu'l-Bahá] to declare one's new faith, and Locke received a letter, or "tablet", from `Abdu'l-Bahá in return. When `Abdu'l-Bahá died in 1921, Locke enjoyed a close relationship with [|Shoghi Effendi], the Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith. Although we do not know how much of his philosophy was influenced by the Bahá'í Faith, one can certainly see many similarities and themes that they share. Shoghi Effendi is reported to have said to Locke, "People as you, [|Mr. Gregory], [|Dr. Esslemont] and some other dear souls are as rare as diamond. On June 9, 1954, Alain Leroy Locke died due to heart failure at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital.

__//**Work Cited:**//__


 * Notable Black American Men By: Cortez Rainy 1998 (print)::: Book
 * Extraordinary African Americas By: Susan Altman 2001(print)::: Encyclopedia
 * Alain LeRoy Locke By: Don Rietz 1997 (web):::Discus