A literary event, this love story was written and set in the 1920s during the Harlem Renaissance and is being published in book form for the very first time.
In the tradition of Dorothy West'sThe Weddingand Nella Larsen'sPassing,When Washington Was in Voguecasts a loving but critical eye on Black high society of 1920s Washington, D.C. A novel told in letters, this sly, humorous story was first published anonymously in the Black journalThe Messengerfrom 1925 to 1926. This is the first timeWhen Washington Was in Vogueis being published as a book.
InWhen Washington Was in Vogue, protagonist Davy Carr has just moved to Washington, D.C., and is a member of its Black bourgeoisie. In his letters to his friend Bob in Harlem, Davy recounts his growing romance with Caroline, a beautiful, sharp-witted flapper who tries any number of ways to get Davy's attention.When Washington Was in Voguedetails Caroline's earnest but coquettish efforts to woo Davy; it also chronicles Davy's wavering stoicism as he struggles to admit he's attracted to -- and moved by -- this much younger, darker-skinned woman. Along the way, Davy writes his impressions of race, politics, social mores, and the state of Black America.
At its heart, however,When Washington Was in Vogueis an old-fashioned love story. A look into African-American aristocracy in the early part of the twentieth century, this Victorianesque novel about modern romance is filled with the drama and style of one of the most hopeful cultural moments in African-American history. Together with Professor Adam McKible's introduction and Professor Emily Bernard's commentary, this undiscovered story offers a fascinating and memorable reading experience.