Rediscovering  Hubert  Harrison    

Exhibition  and  Educational  Components
  
Rediscovering  Hubert  Harrison  -­  Exhibition  Summary  
 
 

 
The  CEJJES  Institute  in  collaboration  with  a  host  of  Rockland  County  community  organizations  presented  
“Rediscovering  Hubert  Harrison,”  on  May  15,  2010.    It  was  a  celebration  of  the  life  and  work  of  Hubert  
Harrison  an  iconic  figure  from  the  Harlem  Renaissance  period  whose  story  has  been  lost  until  now.      The  
exhibition,  "Rediscovering  Hubert  Harrison,"  highlights  the  lost  history  regarding  this  icon  and  
intellectual,  whose  ideas  and  organizations  were  national  in  scope.    We  believe  that  it  is  imperative  for  
the  community  to  be  informed  about  inspiring  figures  such  as  Harrison  whose  ideas  and  work  impacted  
race  and  class  in  America.    Without  the  publication  of  The  Hubert  Harrison  Reader  and  Hubert  Harrison:  
The  Voice  of  Radicalism,  1883-­‐1918  by  Jeffrey  B.  Perry,  the  impact  of  Hubert  Harrison  may  have  never  
been  widely  acknowledged.  

Hubert  Harrison  was  an  Afro  Caribbean  immigrant  to  the  U.S  at  the  turn  of  the  20th  century.    He  was  
relatively  unlettered,  self-­‐educated  and  yet  a  brilliant  public  intellectual.    Like  Du  Bois,  Locke,  C.L.R.  
James  and  Eric  Williams,  Harrison  approached  issues  from  a  progressive  perspective.    His  ideas  informed  
early  20th  century  movements  in  organized  labor  and  civil  rights.    Harrison’s  ideas  are  relevant  today,  
and  his  great  efforts  to  educate  himself  despite  his  economic  struggles  are  an  inspiration  for  us  all.  

Harrison  spent  his  life  working  within  the  Harlem  community  in  an  attempt  to  raise  the  consciousness  of  
black  people  nationally.    Harrison  was  an  organizer  who  believed  in  the  capacity  of  collective  efforts  to  
bring  about  liberation  and  change.    He  was  a  phenomenal  orator,  an  enthusiastic  collector  of  books,  an  
avid  reader,  and  a  profound  writer.    Harrison  lectured  to  thousands  and  was  a  member  of  the  nation’s  
cohort  of  intellectuals  and  activist.      He  understood  that  education  and  attaining  intellectual  
competence  would  become  the  great  equalizer  among  the  races.      

The  goal  of  “Rediscovering  Hubert  Harrison”  is  to  inform  adults  and  to  inspire  our  youth  to  like  
Harrison,  resolve  to  direct  their  own  courses  of  study  and  to  choose  community  action.    The  Harrison  
Committee  believes  that  this  exhibit  is  truly  in  the  spirit  of  Hubert  Harrison  and  we  are  confident  that  in  
our  own  way,  we  are  carrying  forth  the  tradition  that  Harrison  cultivated  during  the  early  20th  century.  
 

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Scope  of  Exhibition:  
 
This  exhibit  in  based  on  the  research  and  writing  of  Jeffrey  B.  Perry.    The  researchers  of  The  CEJJES  
Institute  also  conducted  independent  research.      Primary,  secondary  and  online  resources  were  also  
utilized.    Photograph  sources:    The  NYPL  digital  photographs  division  and  Columbia  University's  Rare  
Book  and  Manuscript  Library.    A  complete  bibliography  is  available  upon  request.  

“Rediscovering  Hubert  Harrison,”  consists  of    (14)  laminated  and  mounted  panels  that  are  24  x  36  and  a  
collection  (12)  of  framed  8  x  10  panels  and  photographs.      

Subjects  Covered:  
 

Section  1:   Introduction  and  Timeline  

• Learn  of  the  importance  of  the  Harrison  exhibit  

• View  a  chronological  timeline  regarding  Harrison’s  life  and  work    

 

Section  2:   The  St.  Croix  Years  

• Discover  Hubert  Harrison’s  birthplace  

• Learn  about  slavery,  plantation  life  and  sugar  cane  processing  

• Follow  Harrison’s  immigration  to  New  York  City  

 

Section  3:   The  Early  Days  in  New  York  

• Understand  New  York  City  and  the  racial  unrest  at  the  turn  of  the  century  

• Discover  the  African  American  neighborhood  of  San  Juan  Hill  where  Harrison  lived  
for  many  years.  

• Find  out  about  Harrison’s  married  life  and  family  

 

Section  4:   Intellectual  life  

• Learn  how  Hubert  Harrison  became  an  autodidactic  scholar  

• Harrison  becomes  a  writer  

• Harrison  becomes  a  lecturer  at  local  lyceums  and  becomes  a  member  of  NYC  
intellectual  circles  

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 • Harrison  begins  to  teach  history  to  the  community  

• Learn  about  Harrison’s  community  efforts  and  mentoring  work  

 

Section  5:   Harrison  and  Politics  

• Harrison  becomes  the  king  of  the  soapbox  orators  

• Learn  about  Harrison  and  the  labor  movement  

• Understand  Harrison’s  national  associations  with  leaders,  Booker  T.  Washington  and  
WEB  Dubois  

• Find  out  about  Hubert  Harrison’s  relationship  with  Marcus  Garvey  

Section  6:   The  Harlem  Renaissance  

• Learn  about  the  Harlem  Renaissance  

• View  images  from  the  Harlem  Renaissance  

• Harrison  works  with  Arthur  Schomburg  to  build  the  NYPL’s  Black  History  collection  
that  became  today’s  world  renowned  Schomburg  Center  for  Research  in  Black  
Culture  

Section  7:   Loss  of  the  Black  Socrates  

• Learn  of  Harrison’s  early  and  unexpected  passing  

• Understand  the  importance  of  his  legacy  

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Educational  Component  
 
The  exhibit  and  the  classroom  materials  provide  teachers  and  students  with  an  unprecedented  
opportunity  to  study  a  major,  and  mostly  unfamiliar,  story  regarding  Hubert  Harrison,  a  leading  African  
American  activist,  orator,  and  public  intellectual.  The  lesson  plans  are  developed  to  meet  the  needs  of  
many  different  classrooms  and  to  give  teachers  flexibility.  They  were  written  with  high  school  students  
in  mind,  but  also  consider  that  students  vary  by  age,  reading  ability,  emotional  readiness  for  difficult  
topics,  and  prior  knowledge.  
 

Who  is  Hubert  Harrison?  

Our  student  showcase  component  asks  the  question:    Who  is  Hubert  Harrison?    Students  may  write  
poems  or  essays,  create  visual  artworks;  perform  an  oratory  of  a  Harrison  speech,  dance,  sing,  etc.    As  
researchers  students  will  conduct  an  investigation  into  the  life  and  times  of  Hubert  Harrison  and  the  
individuals  who  had  special  meaning  to  his  life.  Guidelines  as  well  as  resource  materials  for  teachers  and  
students  in  grades  9  –  12  are  available  by  request.  

Lesson  Plans  

Concepts  developed  in  the  “Rediscovering  Hubert  Harrison”  exhibition  have  been  utilized  to  create  
lesson  plans  for  students  in  grades  9  –  12.    Educators  associated  with  Teachers  College,  Columbia  
University  and  Ramapo  College  of  New  Jersey  lent  their  expertise  to  help  us  create  lessons  for  students  
in  grades  9  –  12.    Students  will  learn  about  Hubert  Harrison  through  stories  about,  self-­‐education,  
political  activism,  and  contributing  to  the  development  of  the  national  African  American  community.    
Lessons  are  enriched  by  reproductions  of  primary  documents,  photographs,  writings,  personal  letters  
and  news  editorials  by  Hubert  Harrison.    Each  document  is  integral  to  the  module.    Students  will  learn  
how  historians  use  primary  and  secondary  sources  as  well  as  how  to  collect  information  from  census  
and  immigration  documents.  

Modules:  

• The  first  module  is  entitled:    The  Culture  of  Sugar,  which  examines  the  19th  century  sugar  
industry  in  general  and  is  specifically  centered  on  the  sugar  industry  in  St.  Croix,  Harrison’s  
boyhood  home.  

• Module  two  is  entitled:  San  Juan  Hill  Days.    This  unit  covers  New  York  City  at  the  turn  of  the  
century  including  race  riots  and  the  living  conditions  of  African  Americans  living  in  the  San  Juan  
Hill  area  of  Manhattan.    

• Module  three  is  entitled:    From  Autodidactic  to  Bibliophile:  The  Making  of  the  Black  Socrates  
and  examines  subjects  such  as  self-­‐study,  life  long  learning,  self-­‐determination  and  building  
associations.    Students  will  be  introduced  to  Lyceums,  the  White  Rose  Home  and  national  
figures  such  as  WEB  Dubois,  Booker  T.  Washington,  Arthur  Schomburg,  Marcus  Garvey    
A.  Phillip  Randolph  and  Victoria  Earle  Matthews.  
 
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 • Module  four  examines  the  writings  of  Hubert  Harrison  and  is  entitled:    A  Writer  and  Diarist.    
This  lesson  focuses  on  the  writings,  editorials,  poetry  and  diary  entries  of  Hubert  Harrison.  
Students  will  examine  Harrison’s  writings  and  will  explore  the  scope  and  impact  his  ideas  on  the  
nation  at  the  time.    Students  will  be  assisted  with  creating  journals  and  will  gain  an  
understanding  of  the  importance  of  such  documents  to  future  generations.    
 

Each  module  contains  an  appendix  with  terminologies,  suggestions  for  additional  reading  and  
bibliographies.  

 
Availability:    October  2011.  

The  “Rediscovering  Hubert  Harrison”  exhibit  is  presented  by:    

 
The  CEJJES  Institute  and  the  National  Sorority  of  Phi  Delta  Kappa,  Inc,  Epsilon  Chi  Chapter,  The  African  
American  Historical  Society  of  Rockland  County,  Delta  Sigma  Theta  Sorority,  Inc.,  Rockland  County  
Alumnae  Chapter,  Alpha  Kappa  Alpha  Sorority,  Inc.,  Pi  Psi  Omega  Chapter,  Rockland  County  Commission  
on  Human  Rights,  The  Martin  Luther  King  Multi  Purpose  Center,  Jamaican  Civil  and  Cultural  Association  
of  Rockland  (  JAMCCAR),  The  Spring  Valley  NAACP,  Community  Leaders:  Dr.  Stella  Marrs,  Toney  &  Idette  
Earl  and  Dennis  McGloster  
 
 
The  CEJJES  Institute:  
 
Drs.  Susan  G.  &  Edmund  W.  Gordon’s  children  have  established  the  CEJJES  Institute  and  Library  to  
continue  their  parent’s  life  work  in  the  promotion  of  social  justice,  particularly  as  it  pertains  to  health,  
education,  and  the  environmental  and  material  well  being  of  marginalized  communities.  The  Institute  
gives  special  attention  to  the  well  being  of  children.  The  CEJJES  Institute  works  primarily  in  collaboration  
with  communities  of  color,  particularly  those  of  African  descent.  The  Institute’s  premise  is  that  
prevailing  political  economies  of  race,  gender,  culture,  and  sexuality  uniquely  and  negatively  impact  
communities  of  color.  The  accelerating  negative  consequences  of  these  processes  make  coming  to  
terms  with  and  working  against  Black  people’s  oppression  a  matter  of  urgency.  CEJJES  believes  that  by  
engaging  in  education,  critical  thinking,  activist  research,  strategizing,  and  organizing  with  such  
communities,  social  justice  and  liberation  can  be  achieved.  The  CEJJES  Institute  and  Library  have  been  
created  to  engage  in  and  promote  these  activities.  The  primary  focus  of  the  work  of  the  Institute  will  be  
in  Rockland  County,  New  York,  but  the  concerns  of  the  Institute  will  be  worldwide.  
 

The  way  to  unity  lies  through  the  hearts  of  the  multitude.    First  set  those  hearts  on  fire  with  a  common  zeal  for  a  common  
object,  equally  desired  and  equally  attained  by  all  in  common,  and  the  fire  of  that  common  feeling  will  flame  in  every  lodge,  
every  church,  every  city  and  state  in  the  nation.    From  the  nature  of  the  case  unselfishness,  humility,  courage,  and  helpfulness  
must  be  the  fuel  that  will  go  to  the  kindling  of  such  a  flame.    But  light  the  fire  at  the  bottom  of  the  pile….  Then  “your  young  men  
shall  see  visions”  -­‐-­‐-­‐and  your  young  women  too.    And,  in  the  meanwhile,  “where  there  is  no  vision  the  people  perish.”  

-­‐-­‐Hubert  Harrison,  “The  Right  Way  to  Unity.”  Boston  Chronicle  (May  10.  1924)  

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