GARLAND ANDERSON (1886-1939) was a bellhop in a San Francisco hotel. Upon seeing his first play, “The Fool” by Channing Pollack — he decided that he could write a play and he did. He wrote — “Appearances” the first serious full-length play with an interracial cast produced on Broadway. It was a court-room drama about a bellhop falsely accused of raping a white woman. It had a New York run in 1925 and later played in London. Anderson believed in “constructive thinking” a philosophy he outlines in a 1933 book, “Uncommon Sense.” Most anthologies of African American Theatre begin with Garland Anderson’s “Appearances.”

Garland Anderson:

“Without earnestness there is nothing to be done in life, and I was so full of confidence in my play that I wrote to President Coolidge, offering to present him a copy of my play. A polite letter from the Secretary shattered my hopes, but, undaunted, I went to Washington, and one fine morning presented myself at the White House. I was lucky in obtaining, after talks with many minor officials, an interview with the President’s Secretary, Mr. Saunders. He gravely pointed out that no one, however important, could be admitted to the President’s presence without an appointment, and that the President’s time was fully occupied with important matters of State. Full of fear and hope, I appealed to him to help me, so he said, “Give me your book and I will give it to President Coolidge, and come back at 12:30, when you can go in with Senator Wheeler’s party and shake hands with the President.”

“You can’t imagine how grateful I felt to him for this great service, and when later I joined Senator Wheeler’s friends I was the last to enter the President’s study. The great opportunity of my life had come. Firmly grasping President Coolidge’s hand, I realized that we were alone, and I told him all about my work and my ambition. It was due in no small measure to his interest in my work that my play was produced in New York, where it ran for over three years.”

Singer, Al Jolson — famous for a black-face version of the song, “Mammy” also had a hand in promoting Anderson’s work. It is my understanding that Coolidge encouraged Jolson to take an interest. While no serious person would credit the 30th President with fostering the Harlem Renaissaunce — there can be no doubt that it occurred on Coolidge’s “watch” and declined soon after he left the White House.