1973 - Arna Bontemps Dies, Harlem Renaissance Author

On June 4, 1973, Arna Bontemps, a key literary figure of the Harlem Renaissance, passed away at age 71. A poet, novelist, historian, and children’s author, Bontemps was known for his rich contributions to Black literature and his chronicling of African American history. His works, such as Black Thunder and God Sends Sunday, explored themes of resistance, cultural identity, and Black life in both the South and North. He collaborated with other luminaries like Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston and helped preserve African American history through his work as a librarian and archivist at Fisk University. His death marked the end of an era, but his influence lived on in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s and 70s. Bontemps\’s legacy remains foundational to Black literary studies and African American cultural preservation.