Carrington, C. Glenn, 1904-1975

Social worker and collector of black Americana relating to the arts and culture.

Calvin Glenn Carrington was a notable gay African-American book collector, associated with such Harlem Renaissance figures as Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Harold Jackman. Born in Richmond, Virginia, Carrington graduated from Howard Univ., worked as a social worker and reporter, and pursued a degree in anthropology from Harvard graduate school; he became a parole officer in New York City in the 1930s and 1940s, obtaining Master's Degrees in social work and political science from Columbia, ultimately working in the field of psychiatric social work.

Calvin Glenn Carrington (1904-1975) was an African American collector closely associated with prominent figures of the Harlem Renaissance. He was born in Richmond, Virginia, on May 7, 1904 to Fannie and David Carrington. He received a BA from Howard University and an MA in social work from Columbia University. In addition to becoming one of the first African American parole officers in New York State, he also served as a social worker. C. Glenn Carrington died June 12, 1975.

(Calvin) Glenn Carrington was most noted for his association with figures of the Negro/Harlem Renaissance such as Alain LeRoy Locke, Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and Harold Jackman, and for his extensive library of first editions by the poets and writers of this movement. A homosexual, he travelled widely in Europe throughout his adult life and developed a broad network of friends, associates, and partners.

Born in Richmond, Virginia on May 7, 1904 to Fannie and David Carrington, he was the eldest of four children. Carrington received his B.A from Howard University and his M.A. in social work from Columbia University. He was one of the first African-American Parole Officers in New York State. In addition to working as a parole officer, Carrington worked as a psychological social worker during the latter part of his career.

(Calvin) Glenn Carrington was most noted for his association with figures of the Negro/Harlem Renaissance such as Alain LeRoy Locke, Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen and Harold Jackman and for his extensive library of first editions by black authors.

Born in Richmond, Virginia on May 7, 1904 to Fannie and David Carrington, he was the eldest of four children. He completed his secondary education at Wayland's, a high school department at Virginia Union University, graduating in 1921, and enrolled in Howard University the same year. As a student at Howard, Carrington developed a close friendship with his teacher and mentor Alain Locke, professor of philosophy and “godfather” of the Harlem Renaissance. It was probably through his association with Locke that Carrington developed his love of books and decided to build his library.

During his student career, Carrington was actively involved in extra-curricular activities. He was the editor-in-chief of the school's newspaper and vice president of the student council. While at Howard he became interested in social work as a career and volunteered at the Children's Temporary Home School in Anacostia, Washington, D. C. His interest in social work increased during his senior year when he sought and received a National Urban League fellowship to the School of Social Work, a graduate school of Columbia University in New York City. In 1925 Carrington received his undergraduate degree from Howard University. After graduating he travelled to Europe and the Soviet Union for two years.

Upon his return to the states Carrington worked for a few months for the Raleigh, North Carolina Public Welfare Department. His interest in social work apparently waned for a brief period and he enrolled in graduate school at Harvard majoring in anthropology. Before completion of his studies at Harvard, however, he left to accept employment as a reporter and feature writer for the New York Amsterdam News for six months in 1930.

In the 1930s and 1940s Carrington worked primarily as a parole officer and was one of the first African-Americans to work in that capacity for New York State. During this period he also pursued advanced degrees and earned a Master's in Social Work in 1941 and a Master's in Political Science in the late 1940s, both from Columbia University. With his advanced degree in social work Carrington later moved into the field of psychiatric social work, and worked with the Bureau of Child Guidance, Harlem Hospital and Morrisania Hospital. In addition, from 1969 to 1971 he was a part-time instructor at the Cooperative College Center at the State University of New York specializing in black history.

Carrington developed a love of books primarily documenting the black experience. Among the works Carrington collected were those by Alexander Pushkin, the Russian-born author whose grandfather was an African. Carrington also collected books on the Italian and Harlem Renaissance, African art, and major black authors of the twentieth century such as W. E. B. DuBois, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston.

Carrington maintained several lifelong friendships, including Ophelia Settles Egypt, a fellow student at Howard University; Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Dana, grandson of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; and Georgia Douglas Johnson, poet and author.