Document text
Forms to be Filled out for Eacn Interview
FORM A
Circumstances of Interview
STATE New York
NAME OF WORKER Frank Byrd
ADDRESS 224 W. 135th St., N.Y.C.
DATE January 19, 1939
SUBJECT Negro Folk Arts Ifne Berkeley
1. Date and time c`' interview
2. Place of interview
3. Name and address of informant By staff writer, Frank Byrd.
4. Name and address of person, if any, who put you in
toucn with informant.
5. Name and address of person, if any, accompanying you
6. Description of room, house, surroundings, etc.
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
(Use as many additional sheets as necessary, for any of the forms, each
bearing the proper heading and the number to which the material refers.)
FORM C
Text of Interview (Unedited)
STATE New York
NA,IVE OF WORKER Frank Byrd
ADDRESS 224 W. 135th St., N.Y.C.
DATE January 19, 1939
SUBJECT Negro Folk Arts Mae Berkeley
MAE RERKELEY
FOLKLORE
NEW YORK
Mae Berkeley is probably the most unique merchant in
the Park Avenue Market. She is not a licensed peddler and,
unlike many of those who are, she does not work at her stand
everyday. On the contrary, she puts in her appearance only
on those days when she feels particularly good or when the
weather is bright and inviting. She is a vendor of native
African curios done in clay, brass, wood, straw, ivory and
other materials available to the primitive tribes of the
African jungles.
Haw Mae, who lives at 222 West 121 Street, began sell-
ing these pieces of native handiwork in the market -place is
a surprising story; for Mae herself is not African. She is
a product of Trinidad in the British West Indies. She has
74rays been tremendously interested, however, in Negro folk-
lore and art, and as a consequence of this, she has sought
in almost every direction for additional information con-
cerning every branch of Negro art. Feeling that she could
attain a wider and more authentic knowledge by studying the
most primitive forms, she naturally turned to the African.
-2
Her first step was to widen her acquaintance among
Africans in New York. Her search for them led to the dis-
covery of the Native African Union at 254 West 135 Street.
Here she met all or practically all of those who make their
homes in Harlem. She also learned that a troupe of native
African Ballet Dancers were staging periodic dance recitals
at Town Hall, Roerich Hall and, occasionally, in Harlem.
Through some of her newly found friends, she was able to
study and dance with this group, having already achieved a
fair reputation as a dancer in Harlem and Greenwich Village
Night Clubs. Her dancing led to more friendly relations and
she soon began to inquire as to the possibility of importing
native handicraft from the various tribes represented by the
group. The idea met with approval and it was not long before
she was recieving regular shipments of curios, war -implements
etc. from both the South and West Coasts of Africa.
When Mae received her first shipment of goods, she was
danci4g in a little night club in the Village called the Rub;ait.
She received permission from the management to sell her things
there. Her sales were far more numerous than sne expected.
It was not long before she had placed parts of her shipment
in curio -shops in West fourth and eighth streets. They att-
racted much attention. Mae decided to branch out to Harlem.
Sne began with free exhibits in the public library and in
the homes of various club -women. This gave her the necessary
publicity. She let it become known that tad be found either
A
in the Eighth or Park Avenue markets or at the Native African
Union.
Nhe's sales have increased greatly in the past two years.
-3
If it were not for fter dancing which takes ea:much of her time,
she would probably make a regular, paying business of this hobby,
Instead, she devotes only a comparatively small part of her spare
time to it, She doew, however, exhibit her own private collect-
ion at all dance recitals of the Group. When asked why she
does not open a regular shop or place a helper on each of her
stands in both Harlan Markets, she replies;
"Some day, perhaps, I will. Nay,I am much too busy with
my dancing. Besides, I don't just want to sell them. I want
my people (Negroes) to learn of the value of their native art."