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V

Valentine, C.
The pseudonym that the editor, journalist, and ac-
tivist CYRILVALENTINEBRIGGSused during his
career. While he published the majority of his
major political works under his own name, Briggs
regularly used his pseudonym to publish articles on
African history, African-American figures, and
other issues in journals such as The Crusader,the
monthly periodical of which he was editor.

Van Doren, Carl Clinton(1884–1950)
A highly respected white literary critic and histo-
rian who supported the Harlem Renaissance–era
efforts to sustain a vibrant African-American liter-
ary tradition. Born in Hope, Illinois, to Charles Lu-
cius and Dora Anne Butz Van Doren, Carl Van
Doren was the oldest of five sons and brother to
poet Mark Van Doren. After graduating from the
University of Illinois-Urbana in 1907, Van Doren
relocated to New York City to begin graduate work
at COLUMBIAUNIVERSITY. He earned his Ph.D. in
1911 and by 1919 was a persuasive critic working
as literary editor at THENATION.
Van Doren’s career during the Harlem Renais-
sance era included stints as headmaster of the
Brearley School and as instructor in the English
department at Columbia. Throughout the 1920s
Van Doren oversaw important comprehensive lit-
erary projects and publication efforts. He was liter-
ary editor of CENTURY MAGAZINE, managing
editor of the Cambridge History of American Litera-
ture,and author of critical studies on the writers
SINCLAIR LEWIS and Branch Cabell. In 1936

Harper and Brothers published Three Worlds,Va n

Doren’s autobiography.

In 1924 Van Doren participated in the historic

celebratory CIVICCLUBdinner organized, ostensi-

bly, to celebrate the publication of THEREISCON-

FUSION, the first novel by JESSIE FAUSET. The

event, however, became a festive meditation on

the potential impact of a literary movement and

the accomplishments of many emerging male writ-

ers and thinkers of the time. On this occasion, Van

Doren suggested that African Americans had the

potential to infuse new and much-needed vitality

in to the American literary tradition.

In 1924, with FANNIEHURST,EDNAWORTH-

LEYUNDERWOOD,ALAINLOCKEand others, Van

Doren participated as a judge in the first Opportunity

literary contest. He lent his expertise to the short

story division of the 1925–26 contest that saw works

by ARTHURHUFFFAUSET,ZORANEALEHURSTON,

DOROTHYWEST, Lee Wallace, and EUGENEGOR-

DONtake top honors. Van Doren served for a third

and final term in 1926–27 and, with fellow judges

THEODORE DREISER, ERIC WALROND, and his

daughter Irita Van Doren, awarded first-place hon-

ors to writers EUGENEGORDONand Cecil Blue.

Bibliography

Van Doren, Carl. Three Worlds.New York: Harper and

Brothers, 1936.

Vanity Fair

A popular magazine that was one of the first

mainstream publications to feature the works of