In 1934, Nancy Cunard edited and published an anthology titled Negro as an exploration of black politcal, artistic and social achievement. Within that volume, Samuel Beckett translated 19 pieces from French to English (some 80,000 words). His translations ranged in topic from the manifesto-like Murderous Humanitarianism by the Surrealist Group in Paris to the Note on Haytian Culture by Ludovic Morin Lacombe. The anthology was printed in a run of 1,000, many of which were destroyed in the bombings of London. In the Fall of 1999, the University of Kentucky Press will be bringing out a complete collection of Beckett's translations titled Beckett in Black and Red, edited by Alan Friedman.

Evergreen is pleased to publish here two of the works translated by Beckett from Negro, Robert Goffin's essay The Best Negro Jazz Orchestra, and Louis Armstrong, a poem by Ernst Moerman. They will soon be followed by a piece by Alan Friedman, detailing Beckett's relationship with Cunard and Negro. Click on the links below for each work.

The Best Negro Jazz Orchestra by Robert Goffin

Louis Armstrong by Ernst Moerman