Explore Black History

1964

A hardcover edition of Howard Thurman, Portrait of a Practical Dreamer by Elizabeth Yates. It is a cloth bound hardcover book with a sewn binding and deckle page edges. The book’s dust jacket features a black-and-white photograph of Howard Thurman. Thurman is depicted in bust pose from the chest up. He is wearing a dark tone clergy robe with black front trim over a white dress shirt and a light tone tie. His hand are raised and are resting lightly on his chest. He is positioned in three-quarters pose, facing the viewer, but looking downwards. Below Thurman’s chin is the book’s title and author's name printed in red, yellow, and orange text of varying sizes and fonts that reads [HOWARD THURMAN / Portrait of a Practical Dreamer / ELIZABETH / YATES]. The jacket spine is continuation of the image on the front. The title of the book and the author’s name printed in red, yellow, and orange text. Printed at the bottom of the spine is the publisher’s name [JOHN / DAY] printed in red text. The back of the dust cover is white. At the center in a double line black frame with a one paragraph biography of Thurman printed inside. Centered below the frame is black text that reads [THE JOHN DAY COMPANY / New York]. The front and back covers and the spine of the book are covered in red book cloth. The front and back covers are plain. Gilded text on the spine includes the book title and author’s name in varying sizes and fonts that reads [Howard / Thurman / Portrait / of a / Practical / Dreamer] and [ELIZAEBETH / YATES]. Between the title and authors name is a small, gilded graphic of two leaves. The interior pages are white with black text. Contents include an introduction, three parts, a [Chronological Bibliography of Works / by Howard Thurman], [Howard Thurman’s Bibliography / of Oft-used Books], and an index. The parts are titled: [HE WONDERS], [HE PREPARES HIMSELF], and [HE SERVES]. Opposite the title page is a full sized version of the black-and-white image printed on the front of the dust jacket. The book has 249 pages.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

The Rock Rest Tourist Home Collection

Books and Published Materials

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail, Inc.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2011.12.52.19

hardcover books

© Elizabeth Yates McGreal
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

ink on paper (fiber product) with book cloth (textile material) on cardboard

H x W x D: 8 3/8 × 6 × 1 1/8 in. (21.3 × 15.3 × 2.8 cm)

Title • Howard Thurman, Portrait of a Practical Dreamer

nmaahc_2011.12.52.19

NMAAHC

HOWARD THURMAN, PORTRAIT OF A PRACTICAL DREAMER

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1960s

Yates, Elizabeth • Sinclair, Clayton • The John Day Company • Sinclair, Hazel • Rock Rest Tourist Home • Thurman, Howard • The Etheredges • Sipprell, Clara

New York City • United States • Maine • North and Central America • Kittery • York County

Description and travel • Activism • Black Enterprise • Literature • Black interiors • Education • Segregation • Religion • Civil rights

Christians • African Americans

City • Kittery • County • York County • State • Maine • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America • City • New York City • State • New York

Use Restricted