Claude Brown
Encyclopedia
Claude Brown is the author of
Manchild in the Promised Land
, published to critical acclaim in 1965, which tells the story of his coming of age during the 1940s and 1950s in Harlem
. He also published Children of Ham (1976).
Autobiographical in nature, Manchild in the Promised Land describes the cultural, economic, and religious conditions that suffused Harlem during Brown's early childhood and adolescence while constructing a narrative of Brown's tumultuous early life. starting at age six, his life involved stealing, alcohol consumption, truancy
, and gang wars. These were the harsh realities of life in 1950s Harlem that shaped his childhood. At the age of 11, he was placed in a reform school
, which he cycled in and out of more than three times.
By that time he had made the acquaintance of Dr. Ernest Papanek, a psychologist
and the director of the Wiltwyck School for Boys for deprived and emotionally disturbed boys, which was in Esopus, Ulster County, New York
. Dr. Papanek, whom Mr. Brown described in his book as "probably the smartest and the deepest cat I had ever met," encouraged him to seek an education.
Acknowledging the damaging effects of drugs like heroin and gang violence on his community and his friends, he decided to change. He knew he had to get out of Harlem. He moved away from Harlem, his heart broken seeing all his friends "strung-out
" by drug addiction. He felt Harlem wasn't for him anymore. After being one of the "hippest cats" (as he says in the book), he decided to turn away from it and move down to Greenwich Village
, where he could start over. For the first time in his life, he decided to get an education and eventually began attending night classes at a high school downtown, supporting himself by working as a busboy
and deliveryman and at other odd jobs
. Eventually, he went on to graduate in 1965 from Howard University
(where his professors included sociologists E. Franklin Frazier
and Nathan Hare
), and later went on to attend Stanford
and Rutgers
law schools, but left when the lecture circuit proved more lucrative than law.
Brown would go on to publish a second book, Children Of Ham, which explores the lives of several black teenagers from Harlem who escape the clutches of heroin. By comparison to his first work, it was a failure.
Brown spent most of his professional life as a full-time lecturer, but also became increasingly involved in critical urban issues, especially with respect to at-risk black adolescents. This lifetime concern led him to become deeply involved in criminal justice
and rehabilitation
issues, as he visited juvenile detention centers and prisons in search of answers to the question of what was motivating the much more violent, feral
behavior of youth gangs and underage criminals prowling America's inner-cities, a plague that seemingly became progressively worse with the passage of time. Essentially, Manchild in the Promised Land was written to demonstrate how someone could overcome great odds to become in his case, a lawyer.
His ultimate conclusion was that American society had abandoned these young individuals, causing a profound sense of alienation
and ostracism, which in turn led to futile outbursts of excessive, wanton
violence and criminality. He remained critical of what he perceived as the societal failures of addressing these existential crises
afflicting African-American youth-especially those residing in urban areas-and more broadly, underserved, alienated American youth in general.
Claude Brown died of respiratory failure in 2002.
Manchild in the Promised Land
Manchild in the Promised Land
Manchild in the Promised Land is an autobiographical novel written by Claude Brown. It tells about the author's coming of age amidst poverty and violence in Harlem during the 1940s and 1950s...
, published to critical acclaim in 1965, which tells the story of his coming of age during the 1940s and 1950s in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
. He also published Children of Ham (1976).
Autobiographical in nature, Manchild in the Promised Land describes the cultural, economic, and religious conditions that suffused Harlem during Brown's early childhood and adolescence while constructing a narrative of Brown's tumultuous early life. starting at age six, his life involved stealing, alcohol consumption, truancy
Truancy
Truancy is any intentional unauthorized absence from compulsory schooling. The term typically describes absences caused by students of their own free will, and usually does not refer to legitimate "excused" absences, such as ones related to medical conditions...
, and gang wars. These were the harsh realities of life in 1950s Harlem that shaped his childhood. At the age of 11, he was placed in a reform school
Reform school
A reform school in the United States was a term used to define, often somewhat euphemistically, what was often essentially a penal institution for boys, generally teenagers.-History:...
, which he cycled in and out of more than three times.
By that time he had made the acquaintance of Dr. Ernest Papanek, a psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
and the director of the Wiltwyck School for Boys for deprived and emotionally disturbed boys, which was in Esopus, Ulster County, New York
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
. Dr. Papanek, whom Mr. Brown described in his book as "probably the smartest and the deepest cat I had ever met," encouraged him to seek an education.
Acknowledging the damaging effects of drugs like heroin and gang violence on his community and his friends, he decided to change. He knew he had to get out of Harlem. He moved away from Harlem, his heart broken seeing all his friends "strung-out
Addiction
Historically, addiction has been defined as physical and psychological dependence on psychoactive substances which cross the blood-brain barrier once ingested, temporarily altering the chemical milieu of the brain.Addiction can also be viewed as a continued involvement with a substance or activity...
" by drug addiction. He felt Harlem wasn't for him anymore. After being one of the "hippest cats" (as he says in the book), he decided to turn away from it and move down to Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
, where he could start over. For the first time in his life, he decided to get an education and eventually began attending night classes at a high school downtown, supporting himself by working as a busboy
Busboy
Busser, busboy and busgirl are terms used in the United States for someone who works in the restaurant and catering industry clearing tables, taking dirty dishes to the dishwasher, setting tables and otherwise assisting the waiting staff....
and deliveryman and at other odd jobs
Odd Jobs
Odd Jobs is an American comedy film produced by TriStar Pictures and HBO Films, and originally released to movie theatres in 1986.- Cast :* Paul Reiser - Max* Robert Townsend - Dwight...
. Eventually, he went on to graduate in 1965 from Howard University
Howard University
Howard University is a federally chartered, non-profit, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university located in Washington, D.C., United States...
(where his professors included sociologists E. Franklin Frazier
E. Franklin Frazier
Edward Franklin Frazier , was an American sociologist. His 1932 Ph.D. dissertation The Negro Family in Chicago, later released as a book The Negro Family in the United States in 1939, analyzed the cultural and historical forces that influenced the development of the African American family from the...
and Nathan Hare
Nathan Hare
Nathan Hare was the first person hired to coordinate a black studies program in the United States, at San Francisco State University in 1968.-Early life and education:...
), and later went on to attend Stanford
Stanford Law School
Stanford Law School is a graduate school at Stanford University located in the area known as the Silicon Valley, near Palo Alto, California in the United States. The Law School was established in 1893 when former President Benjamin Harrison joined the faculty as the first professor of law...
and Rutgers
Rutgers Law School
Rutgers Law School may refer to:* Rutgers School of Law–Camden, an American law school originally established in 1926 as "South Jersey Law School", which merged with Rutgers University in 1950...
law schools, but left when the lecture circuit proved more lucrative than law.
Brown would go on to publish a second book, Children Of Ham, which explores the lives of several black teenagers from Harlem who escape the clutches of heroin. By comparison to his first work, it was a failure.
Brown spent most of his professional life as a full-time lecturer, but also became increasingly involved in critical urban issues, especially with respect to at-risk black adolescents. This lifetime concern led him to become deeply involved in criminal justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
and rehabilitation
Rehabilitation (penology)
Rehabilitation means; To restore to useful life, as through therapy and education or To restore to good condition, operation, or capacity....
issues, as he visited juvenile detention centers and prisons in search of answers to the question of what was motivating the much more violent, feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
behavior of youth gangs and underage criminals prowling America's inner-cities, a plague that seemingly became progressively worse with the passage of time. Essentially, Manchild in the Promised Land was written to demonstrate how someone could overcome great odds to become in his case, a lawyer.
His ultimate conclusion was that American society had abandoned these young individuals, causing a profound sense of alienation
Social alienation
The term social alienation has many discipline-specific uses; Roberts notes how even within the social sciences, it “is used to refer both to a personal psychological state and to a type of social relationship”...
and ostracism, which in turn led to futile outbursts of excessive, wanton
Wanton
Wanton may refer to:* Joseph Wanton Morrison , British soldierPeople with the surname Wanton:* George H. Wanton , Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army* Joseph Wanton , Governor of Rhode Island...
violence and criminality. He remained critical of what he perceived as the societal failures of addressing these existential crises
Existential crisis
An existential crisis is a stage of development at which an individual questions the very foundations of his or her life: whether his or her life has any meaning, purpose or value...
afflicting African-American youth-especially those residing in urban areas-and more broadly, underserved, alienated American youth in general.
Claude Brown died of respiratory failure in 2002.
See also
- African American literatureAfrican American literatureAfrican-American literature is the body of literature produced in the United States by writers of African descent. The genre traces its origins to the works of such late 18th century writers as Phillis Wheatley and Olaudah Equiano, reaching early high points with slave narratives and the Harlem...
- List of African-American writers