African-American writers and artists. Founded in
1913 by Condé Nast, the magazine was dedicated
to celebrating contemporary high society, fashion,
and issues of interest. Its editor, FRANKCROWNIN-
SHIELD, revealed the aesthetic and material splen-
dors that upper-class individuals enjoyed and also
provided regular commentary on entertainment
and cultural events. During the Harlem Renais-
sance, the works of well-known figures of the era
appeared in the monthly issues. The magazine pub-
lished works by LANGSTONHUGHES, COUNTEE
CULLEN, Miguel Covarrubias, and CARL VAN
VECHTEN. The magazine ceased publication in
1936.
Vann, Robert L. (1879–1940)
A lawyer and the longtime influential editor of the
PITTSBURGHCOURIER,Robert L. Vann was born
in rural North Carolina to a cook named Lucy Peo-
ples, who gave her son the surname of her aristo-
cratic employers. Following abbreviated schooling
in the severely limited segregated schools of the
area, Vann went on to study at the Waters Training
School. Despite some necessary breaks in order to
earn money to support himself, he graduated as
class valedictorian. He attended Virginia Union
University and eventually went on to earn a law
degree from Western University of Pennsylvania in
1909.
Vann became involved with the Courier in
1910 after providing some clients with the legal pa-
pers necessary to establish the newspaper. Founded
by Edwin Harleston, the paper struggled to survive
early on. Under Vann’s leadership, however, the
weekly newspaper achieved a stunning national
circulation of 400,000 at its peak and was well
known as an eloquent and passionate advocate of
African-American affairs.
Vann combined his journalism and law ca-
reers. He also served as Pittsburgh’s city solicitor
for nearly two decades. As an active Republican,
he worked to elect Calvin Coolidge. When he
changed party allegiances, however, he supported
the election of Franklin Roosevelt. In 1932 Vann
was appointed special assistant to the U.S. Attor-
ney General in honor of his enthusiastic support of
Roosevelt during the 1932 election.
Vann died in October 1940.
Bibliography
Buni, Andrew. Robert L. Vann of the Pittsburgh Courier:
Politics and Black Journalism.Pittsburgh: University
of Pittsburgh Press, 1974.Van Vechten, Carl(1880–1964)
A novelist, journalist, photographer, social critic,
and legendary patron of the Harlem Renaissance
era. Van Vechten was a dedicated historian of the
Harlem Renaissance and preserved stunning im-
ages of many figures of the era. He also created
substantial collections of primary materials by and
about the artists and writers of the period. Van
Vechten achieved a deep intimacy with many of
the creative individuals associated with the
Harlem Renaissance. His connection was in large
part fueled by his belief that one had a responsibil-
ity to come to know individuals as completely as
possible. “[I]f my profession kept me from knowing
anybody I really wanted to know,” he noted on one
occasion, “I should relinquish that profession with-
out hesitation” (NYT,22 December 1964, 29). He
enjoyed lasting friendships with many celebrities
and literary personalities including GEORGE
GERSHWIN, EUGENEO’NEILL, LANGSTONHUGHES,
and Gertrude Stein.
A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he was the
youngest son of banker Charles Van Vechten and
his wife, Ada. While he had a stable home life and
benefited much from his parents’ love of the arts
and middle-class status, he later recalled that he
“eventually escaped” from Cedar Rapids, a town
“which [he] loathed from the first” (NYT,22 De-
cember 1964, 29). He attended the UNIVERSITY OF
CHICAGO and graduated in 1903. Immediately
after college, Van Vechten worked as a reporter for
the Chicago American.He relocated to NEWYORK
CITYin 1906 after being released from the Chicago
paper for “lowering the tone of the Hearst publica-
tions” (NYT,22 December 1964, 29) and made his
first contacts in the literary and theater communi-
ties there. In the city that he regarded as “en-
chanting,” he provided reviews of plays for the
New York Press.He also wrote for Broadway Maga-
zineand its novelist-editor Sinclair Lewis and pub-
lished music reviews in THENEWYORKTIMES,
where he worked as an assistant music critic. Be-
tween 1908 and 1909, he lived in Europe, working540 Vann, Robert L.