Rowena Jelliffe. In 1940 he lobbied his influential
friend CARLVANVECHTENfor aid to support the
Jelliffes as they tried to recover from a fire that
devastated the theatrical venue. In the spring of
1941, Hughes encouraged ARNABONTEMPSto see
the couple’s art exhibit at the Art Center in
CHICAGO. Hughes also attended the phenomenal
1963 tribute to the Jelliffes. Held in Cleveland, the
event drew more than 1,000 supporters, included
entertainment by Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake,
and, according to Hughes, “a moving program—a
bit too long, of course, but not a soul left.” Bon-
temps, who could not attend, contributed a poem
that was read during the testimonial.
Rowena Jelliffe was a tireless advocate of the
arts and racial justice. She was 105 years old when
she died in 1994.
Bibliography
Berry, Faith, ed. Langston Hughes: Before and Beyond
Harlem.Westport, Conn.: Lawrence Hill & Com-
pany, 1983.
Kaplan, Carla. Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters.New
York: Doubleday, 2002.
Nichols, Charles H. Arna Bontemps–Langston Hughes:
Letters 1925–1967. New York: Paragon House,
1980.
Rampersad, Arnold. The Life of Langston Hughes: I, Too,
Sing America.Vol. 1: 1902–1941.New York: Oxford
University Press, 1986.
———. The Life of Langston Hughes: I Dream a World.
Vol. 2: 1941–1967.New York: Oxford University
Press, 1988.
Jelliffe, Russell(1891–1980)
A sociologist and the husband of ROWENA
WOODHAMJELLIFFEwho established the KARAMU
HOUSE, a successful community, arts, and educa-
tion center in Cleveland, Ohio. Born in Mansfield,
Ohio, to Charles and Margaret Ward Jelliffe, he
completed undergraduate work at Oberlin College
in 1914 and a master’s degree in sociology at the
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGOin 1915. He married
Woodham, his college sweetheart, in May 1915,
and the two moved to Cleveland.
The Jelliffes established the Neighborhood As-
sociation, an education and arts center. The orga-
nization was inspired by the settlement house, a
type of institution that they had learned much
about while in CHICAGO, home to pioneering set-
tlement house leader Jane Hull. The center, which
became known as the Karamu House, received
much attention for its effective outreach to chil-
dren. They developed art classes, recreational ac-
tivities, and a respected children’s theater. The
organization later became home to the Gilpin Play-
ers, a highly respected dramatic troupe that per-
formed the works of LANGSTONHUGHES, a former
Karamu House attendee and art teacher.
The Jelliffes maintained an active role in na-
tional race politics and contributed much to the
institutional life of central Harlem Renaissance-
era organizations such as the NATIONALASSOCIA-
TION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED
PEOPLE. In addition to being a member of the
NAACP and serving on the executive committee
of the association’s Cleveland branch, Jelliffe was
instrumental in establishing the Cleveland chapter
of the Urban League. The Jelliffes were honored by
numerous organizations and feted in Cleveland for
their untiring leadership and example.
Russell Jelliffe retired from Karamu House in- He passed away in 1980.
Bibliography
Berry, Faith, ed. Langston Hughes: Before and Beyond
Harlem.Westport, Conn.: Lawrence Hill & Com-
pany, 1983.
Kaplan, Carla. Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters.New
York: Doubleday, 2002.
Nichols, Charles H. Arna Bontemps–Langston Hughes:
Letters 1925–1967.New York: Paragon House,
1980.
Rampersad, Arnold. The Life of Langston Hughes: I, Too,
Sing America.Vol. 1: 1902–1941.New York: Oxford
University Press, 1986.
———. The Life of Langston Hughes: I Dream a World.
Vol. 2: 1941–1967.New York: Oxford University
Press, 1988.Jeremiah, the MagnificentWallace Thurman
and William Jourdan Rapp(1930)
An unpublished three-act play written by WAL-
LACE THURMAN and WILLIAM JOURDAN RAPP.
Jeremiahwas the second play in Color Play,a series
of three dramatic works. The first drama wasJeremiah, the Magnificent 275