Banjo.

MCKAY, Claude.

$3,500.00

Item Number: 149907

New York and London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1929.

First edition of this seminal work of the Harlem Renaissance that explores themes of Black identity, diaspora, and transnationalism. Octavo, original publisher’s half cloth, pictorial endpapers. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light rubbing to the extremities, name to the front pastedown. Jacket designed by Aaron Douglas. A very sharp example.

Through Banjo’s interactions with fellow migrants from Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States, McKay presents a panoramic view of Black diasporic life in the early 20th century. The novel critiques Western imperialism and racial hierarchies while celebrating the fluid and improvisational aspects of Black identity and culture. McKay’s use of vernacular speech and episodic structure reflects the free-spirited nature of his characters, mirroring the jazz and blues traditions that shape Banjo’s worldview. Banjo stands as a vital text in both modernist and African diasporic literature, embodying McKay’s vision of international Black solidarity and resistance. Its portrayal of displacement, cultural hybridity, and racial consciousness continues to resonate in contemporary discussions of migration and global Black identity.