A Report By: Stephanie Marks

May December 1934 May December 1934 Providence, RI Providence, RI Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C. Married to Jane Ryder Married to Jane Ryder One son, Hugh- “The New Negro” One son, Hugh- “The New Negro” Died of Intestinal Cancer due to X-ray exposure Died of Intestinal Cancer due to X-ray exposure

Avid Writer throughout life Avid Writer throughout life Published in many popular literary outlets: NAACP’s Crisis Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, etc Published in many popular literary outlets: NAACP’s Crisis Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, etc Spingarn Award for “High Yaller”, a story depicting the idea of color consciousness Spingarn Award for “High Yaller”, a story depicting the idea of color consciousness Well known amongst both African Americans and Whites during Harlem Renaissance Well known amongst both African Americans and Whites during Harlem Renaissance

Summary: Summary: King Solomon Gillis King Solomon Gillis Traveling from North Carolina to New York Traveling from North Carolina to New York Killed a white man and is escaping Killed a white man and is escaping “Black was White” (1225) “Black was White” (1225) Begins work as an unknowing drug mule and is rewarded by Uggam Begins work as an unknowing drug mule and is rewarded by Uggam Uggam blames Gillis for selling dope Uggam blames Gillis for selling dope

Summary: Summary: Describes “old” cabarets in New York versus “new” cabarets in New York Describes “old” cabarets in New York versus “new” cabarets in New York Describes the falling out of black culture as protagonist once knew it Describes the falling out of black culture as protagonist once knew it Begins to explore and analyze encounters between the White man and the Black Man during the Harlem Renaissance Begins to explore and analyze encounters between the White man and the Black Man during the Harlem Renaissance

Relationships between the races Relationships between the races Racial tension Racial tension Harlem Renaissance culture Harlem Renaissance culture Cultural differences within the Black communities Cultural differences within the Black communities

“Spitting blood and crying with rage, the West Indian scrambled to his feet…King Solomon Gillis mildly puzzled…’I jess give a li’l shove,’ he said to himself…” (1230) “Spitting blood and crying with rage, the West Indian scrambled to his feet…King Solomon Gillis mildly puzzled…’I jess give a li’l shove,’ he said to himself…” (1230) “King Solomon was in a position to help him now, same as he had helped King Solomon” (1231) “King Solomon was in a position to help him now, same as he had helped King Solomon” (1231) “In Harlem, black was white” (1225) “In Harlem, black was white” (1225)

“Now, however, the situation is reversed. It is I who go occasionally and white people who go night after night” (1239) “Now, however, the situation is reversed. It is I who go occasionally and white people who go night after night” (1239) It is only a part, however; and the fadlike [sic] characteristics of their experience may be another part” (1242) It is only a part, however; and the fadlike [sic] characteristics of their experience may be another part” (1242) “Maybe they are at last learning to speak out language” (1243) “Maybe they are at last learning to speak out language” (1243)

"Fisher, Rudolph ( ) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed." | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct ”.Gates, Henry Louis, and Nellie Y. McKay. The Norton anthology of African American literature. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., Print."Rudolph Fisher (American writer) – Britannica Online Encyclopedia." Britannica Online Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct "Rudolph Fisher - The Black Renaissance in Washington, DC." District of Columbia Public Library - Check it out!. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct