Research Catalog

Title

Clarence L. Holte papers, 1947-2003.

Author

Holte, Clarence L., 1909-1993.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

4 lin. ft. (2 record cartons, 12 card file boxes)

Summary

• The Clarence L. Holte Papers reflect Holte's desire to educate people about black history and culture, and his attempts to assist with the economic development of Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia through the advertising company he represented.
• The series Bibliographic Activities, 1957-2003, includes some of his writings represented by manuscripts and research material, addresses he delivered about the black press and as an ethnic market specialist, and writings by others. The book collection is represented primarily by catalog cards containing full bibliographic citations. There are also lists and descriptions of the books in the first set of books published by the Basic Afro-American Reprint Library.
• Information concerning the Clarence L. Holte Prize, 1977-1986, pertaining to the administration of the award consists of correspondence, lists of books submitted by the applicants, and press clippings.
• Documentation regarding Holte's advertising career includes information on Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborne's initiatives in establishing American companies in West Africa. Holte's long-standing personal relationship with prime ministers Nnamdi Azikiwe of Nigeria and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, which was utilized by the advertising agency, is documented through correspondence and news clippings, 1947-1965. Included are files pertaining to Holte's role in hosting Nkrumah's 1951 visit to the United States, sponsored by Lincoln University, where both Nkrumah and Holte were classmates.

Subjects

• United States > Bibliography
• Literary prizes > United States
• Africa > Bibliography
• Clarence L. Holte Prize
• Advertising executives > New York (State) > New York
• African Americans in advertising
• Investments, American > Africa, West
• African Americans > Books and reading
• Azikwe, Nnamdi, 1904-
• African Americans > History
• Nkrumah, Kwame, 1909-1972
• Literary prizes > New York (State) > New York
• African American authors > Awards
• West Indies > Bibliography
• Book collecting
• Advertising agencies > New York (State) > New York
• Book collectors > New York (State) > New York
• African Americans > Relations with Africans
• Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osborne Inc
• Holte, Clarence L., 1909-1993
• African American executives > New York (State) > New York

Note

• Photographs transferred to Photographs and Prints Division.
• Audiotape transferred to Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division.

Biography (note)

• Clarence Leroy Holte (1909-1993) is principally known as an African-American bibliophile who collected books pertaining to Africa and the African diaspora. He was also an advertising executive and for twenty years worked as an ethnic market specialist for a general market advertising firm.
• Holte assembled a collection of approximately 8,000 volumes covering the history and culture of Africans and people of African descent in the Americas and Europe. He collected both rare books and contemporary publications, the earliest published in 1690 and extending into the 1970s, including many first editions. This collection was sold to Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria in 1977 following its exhibition at the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in Nigeria.
• Holte founded "The Basic Afro-American Reprint Library," with the goal of educating a primarily black audience about black history. Additionally, he donated funds for a literary prize, awarded biennially in recognition of a significant contribution by a living writer to the cultural heritage of Africa and the African diaspora. The award, named for him, was created in 1977, with the last prize given in 1988.
• Between 1952 until his retirement in 1972, Holte was on the staff of the Madison Avenue advertising agency of Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osbourne, Inc., where he supervised the consumer ethnic markets operation which developed plans for the promotion of products geared towards these markets. In this position he made numerous trips to Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia to promote construction projects in these countries.

Call Number

Sc MG 718

OCLC

122596982

Author

Holte, Clarence L., 1909-1993.

Title

Clarence L. Holte papers, 1947-2003.

Biography

Clarence Leroy Holte (1909-1993) is principally known as an African-American bibliophile who collected books pertaining to Africa and the African diaspora. He was also an advertising executive and for twenty years worked as an ethnic market specialist for a general market advertising firm.

Holte assembled a collection of approximately 8,000 volumes covering the history and culture of Africans and people of African descent in the Americas and Europe. He collected both rare books and contemporary publications, the earliest published in 1690 and extending into the 1970s, including many first editions. This collection was sold to Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Nigeria in 1977 following its exhibition at the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in Nigeria.

Holte founded "The Basic Afro-American Reprint Library," with the goal of educating a primarily black audience about black history. Additionally, he donated funds for a literary prize, awarded biennially in recognition of a significant contribution by a living writer to the cultural heritage of Africa and the African diaspora. The award, named for him, was created in 1977, with the last prize given in 1988.

Between 1952 until his retirement in 1972, Holte was on the staff of the Madison Avenue advertising agency of Batten, Barton, Durstine and Osbourne, Inc., where he supervised the consumer ethnic markets operation which developed plans for the promotion of products geared towards these markets. In this position he made numerous trips to Nigeria, Ghana and Liberia to promote construction projects in these countries.

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Finding Aid

Research Call Number

Sc MG 718