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Creator
Fax, Elton C.
Call number
Sc MG 40
Physical description
2 boxes.
Language
English
Preferred Citation
Elton C. Fax papers, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library
Repository
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

Writings consisting of manuscripts for his book, GARVEY: THE STORY OF A PIONEER BLACK NATIONALIST; miscellaneous typescript essays and printed articles, 1946-1974; numerous examples of Fax's art such as magazine illustrations and book jackets, 1936-1962; and photocopies of some correspondence. Also, programs, invitations, broadsides, book reviews, and news clippings concerning Fax's career.

Biographical/historical information

Elton Fax was born in Baltimore on October 9, 1909. He began his career as an artist after graduating from the Syracuse University College of Fine Arts in 1931, and later became a writer as well. During his long career, Fax has taught at colleges and universities, lectured at schools and libraries throughout the world, and become well-known for his chalk-talks, lectures which he illustrates with drawings. From 1949 through 1956, he was a chalktalk artist for the New York Times Children's Book Program. A world traveller, Fax lived in Mexico in the 1950's, travelled to South America and the Caribbean as a chalk-talk artist for the U.S. Department of State Educational Exchange Program, and visited both Africa and the Soviet Union several times, including a visit to the Soviet Union as a guest of the Soviet Writers' Union in 1971.

As an artist, Fax has been responsible for the illustrations of over thirty books, and has also illustrated numerous magazine articles. Museums in New York, Baltimore, and Washington, D. C., have exhibited his work. His stature in the field is indicated by his inclusion in Who's Who in American Art, The Negro In Art,and The American Negro in Art.

Fax has also written widely, contributing several essays and articles to various publications. Most of these, as well as his books, have focused on his travels and on black history and culture. His first book, published in 1960, was West African Vignettes,sketches and commentary based upon his travels in that Part of the world. Contemporary Black Leaders(1970) was a series of fourteen illustrated profiles of prominent blacks. In 1972 Fax received the Coretta Scott King Award for Seventeen Black Artists(1971), which was also a collection of profiles. Fax went on to publish Garvey--Pioneer Black Nationalist,a biography, in 1972; Through Black Eyes: Journeys of a Black Artist to East Africa and Russia,in 1974; and Black Artists of the New Generation,in 1977. Another book, Hoshar,based upon Fax's 1978 trip to the Central Asian Republics of the U.S.S.R., will be published in Moscow in 1980.

Fax is married, and has one son and one daughter.

Scope and arrangement

The Elton Fax Papers, 1930-1974, consist of correspondence, writings, artwork, and printed material concerning Fax's career as a writer and artist. The writing and the artwork comprise by far the bulk of the collection; there is virtually no personal material. Aside from the handwritten and typewritten manuscript copies of Garvey,most of the material is printed. Except for the Garveymanuscript, arrangement throughout the collection is chronological. The papers have been divided into four series: Correspondence, Writings, Artwork, and Printed Material.

The Elton C. Fax papers are arranged in four series:

  • Correspondence
    1956-1965

    The series is very small, consisting of only one small folder. The letters are mostly routine correspondence concerning Fax's trips to Africa and South America, the books which resulted from these trips, and lectures given in schools. Some of the letters, which concern his travels and lectures, are neither to nor from Fax. All the letters are photocopies.

  • Writings

    The series includes full manuscripts of Garvey,in both handwritten and typewritten versions. In addition, there is a folder of miscellaneous writings composed of typescript essays and several printed articles on various subjects. This folder also contains an incomplete resume dated 1946. Newspaper articles have been photocopied.

  • Artwork
    1934-1962

    ARTWORK, 1934-1962,is comprised of numerous samples of Fax's art, such as magazine illustrations and bookjackets. Additional material includes clippings of newspaper photographs of Fax's work and pamphlets designed by him. The clippings and magazine illustrations have been photocopied.

  • Printed Material

    PRINTED MATERIAL, 1930-1974,includes material about Fax from a number of sources, a large proportion of which is biographical. The file consists of programs, invitations, broadsides, and clippings concerning Fax's career. Reviews of his books are also included. Clippings have been photocopied.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Presented by Elton Fax, New York in June 1972.

SCM77-71

Processing information

Processed by L. Lockhart; machine-readable finding aid created by Apex Data Services; revised by Terry Catapano.

Separated material

The following items were removed from the:

Elton Fax Papers SCM 77-71.

Donor:Elton Fax

Date received:6/1972

Date transferred:1979, 1973

The item(s) listed below have been sent to the division indicated, either to be retained or disposed of there. Any items that should receive special disposition are clearly marked.

    • One pen and ink drawing (political cartoon), signed 1944
    • Eight photographs of Fax's artwork

Accessioned by:L. Lockhart

Date:1977

Bibliography

"Garvey: The Story of a Pioneer Black Nationalist," Elton C. Fax 1972, New York, Dodd, Mead

Using the collection

Location

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801
Second Floor