The Story of the American Negro - by James Baldwin (preparatory layout)

Unidentified

This appears to be the pre-press layout for a poster for an event that would host the famed writer James Baldwin. A conte crayon, India ink drawing underlies pre-computer grahic design elements, including the dry-transfer "lorem ipsum"-style text used as a placeholder for the intended text. The title is rendered in India ink and the subtitle, "By James Baldwin", is also dry-transfer, with the vinyl lining still attached to the letters.

It's not clear what this design was intended for, though it's likely it was used to publicize a speaking engagement or guest lecture featuring Baldwinl, perhaps discussing anthropologist author Ina Corinne Brown's book "The Story of the American Negro" first published in 1936, illustrated byn Aaron Douglas.

This work was professionally restored to remove acidity and old tape residue.