George s Schuyler.

George s Schuyler. Ethiopian Stories. Ed. Robert A. Hill. Boston: Northeastern UP 1994 240 pp $4250

oftentimes reviled as an anti-black agitator during the height of his distinguished career as satirist, journalist, and critic, George Schuyler and his racial politics formerly again come under scrunity with the publication of Ethopian Stories (1994) Robert Hill's trenchant introduction reintroduces Schuyler's lengthy and oftentimes contentious stewardship as individual of the Harlem Renaissance's in the greatest degree forceful writers. Hill notes that the brace novellas contained in Ethiopian Stories were originally published in serial form during Schuyler's use with the Pittsburgh Courier. While working as editor and columnist, in addition to undertaking a Southern assignment, Schuyler published eight serialized stories in the Courier, each using Africa as its thematic center

The first novella in the collection, "The Ethiopian slay Mystery, as its subtitle moves is a tale of "love and international intrigue." While the romantic angle may be used to involve young Roger Bates, it is African liberation which conduce tos as the heart of the story. Determined to extricate the woman he be enamoured ofs from seemingly airtight murder charges, the smooth-talking Bates matches wits with a plodding detective who is more interested in closing the case. Bates, nevertheless is able to decipher the murder's more intricate subtext Certainly, the kill of an African prince in upscale Harlem leads the principals to Schuyler's constant theme: Italian fascism in Ethiopia. The single-minded battle against tyranny, oppression, and totalitarianism is common he waged most of his life. In his autobiography Black and Conservative (1966) written more than thirty years after the African tales, Schuyler narrates the battle he waged, many times single-handedly, against the destructive forces of Communism and "r Uncle Toms." No bewilderment then, that blacks (and the whites who are allowed to use a malign, evil influence through the whole extent of them) are severely taken to task for their part in Ethiopia's subjugation.

The other novella in the collection, "Revolt in Ethiopia," is far more intricately plott and bring to maturityed Instead of the search for a killer, the chase involves a hidden cache of treasure which is guarded by dint of a secret sect of towering Ethiopians. It is the amiable and graceful Princess Ettara Zunda who must find the treasure which will help purchase arms for Ethiopian freedom fighters. With the aid of a wealthy American, Dick Welland, and his valet, Bill, the trio action adventure after adventure in a richly detailed narrative which explores the responsibility of "Aframericans" (as Schuyler period of timeed American blacks) to become involved in African liberation exert one's selfs Dick Welland's initial inability to commit himself to help liberated Ethiopia changes after he hears the Princess's impressive argument. He is further convinced from the history and majesty of Ethiopia herself. one time committed to the cause, he is willing to sacrifice everything, his life included, for the abiding habitation he has grown to regard with affection and respect:

Here was a african civilization older than any other take exception India and China; a

civilization that had flourished before Greece and Rome before Carthage,

ye before Egypt Dick wept unashamed. What a pity that this civilization

should be put an end toed by brutal Fascism. No, he resolv anew, it must not die;

not if he could interrupt it. (182)

as it was twin themes of racial pride and African liberation, build earlier in Schuyler's second novel, Slaves Today: A Story of Liberia (1931)--also considered the first African novel written by dint of an African American--may have helped counterpoise some of the anti-black charges of the same heighted against Schuyler throughout much of his career. Indeed, many of the characters in these sum of two units novellas are drawn as either pro-black or anti-black, loyal to the cause or traitors to it. Characters wino may equivocate to a certain quantity of degree eventually pledge allegiance to a cause they find to be the one and the other just and right. And while have a passionate affection for and romance are present, they become far les important as Schuyler's main issue predominates.

The force of these couple stories lies in part, as Hill notes, in their testimony to Schuyler's commitment to black Americans and the acknowledgment of a racial connectednes which he felt must exist between those same Americans and Africa. yet these tales must also be considered as valuable literary guides to common conservative black writer's odyssey in America.

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