Rosey E. Pool (born Rosa Eva Pool; 7 May 1905 – 29 September 1971) was a Dutch poet and anthologist of African-American poetry.

Biography

Early years

Pool was born and raised in a secular Jewish family in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...

, Netherlands. In the 1920s, she participated in Dutch Popular Front youth movements, such as the socialist Arbeiders Jeugd Centrale (AJC) and the Social Democratic Students Club (SDSC). In 1927, she was one of the founders of the ''Socialistische Kunstenaarskring'' (SKK, or Socialist Artists Circle).

1930s: PhD and activism in Berlin

In August 1927, shortly after her engagement to the Berlin jurist and later Hamburg senator Gerhard Kramer (1904–1973), Pool moved to

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

. There, she studied English literature at the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität (currently known as the

Humboldt University The Humboldt University of Berlin (, abbreviated HU Berlin) is a public university, public research university in the central borough of Mitte in Berlin, Germany. The university was established by Frederick William III of Prussia, Frederick W ...

). Although she later claimed to be an anthropologist, she majored in philology. She wrote her dissertation on ''The Poetry of the American Negro'', but was unable to finish this because of anti-Jewish measures by the Nazis. In 1935, Kramer and Pool divorced. From Berlin, Pool helped German Jews to flee to the Netherlands, by providing them addresses. In January 1939, shortly after the

Kristallnacht ( ) or the Night of Broken Glass, also called the November pogrom(s) (, ), was a pogrom against Jews carried out by the Nazi Party's (SA) and (SS) paramilitary forces along with some participation from the Hitler Youth and German civilia ...

, Pool returned to Amsterdam.

1940s: resistance during World War II

During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, she taught at the Jewish Lyceum in Amsterdam (with

Anne Frank Annelies Marie Frank (, ; 12 June 1929 – February or March 1945)Research by The Anne Frank House in 2015 revealed that Frank may have died in February 1945 rather than in March, as Dutch authorities had long assumed"New research sheds new li ...

among her pupils). Pool became involved in a German Jewish resistance group named Van Dien, which had formed around the Tehuis Oosteinde. In September 1943, this resistance group helped her to escape from the Nazi transit camp

Westerbork Camp Westerbork (, , Drents: ''Börker Kamp; Kamp Westerbörk''), also known as Westerbork transit camp, was a Nazi transit camp in the province of Drenthe in the Northeastern Netherlands, during World War II. It was located in the municipality ...

. She hid in the town of

Baarn Baarn () is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, near Hilversum in the province of Utrecht (province), Utrecht. The municipality of Baarn The municipality of Baarn consists of the following towns: Baarn, Eembrugge, Lage Vuursche. T ...

, wrote resistance poetry and compiled a bundle of African-American poetry. By the end of 1949, Pool had moved to London to live with her friend "Isa" Isenberg.

1950s and 1960s: expert in African-American poetry

After the war, Pool established correspondence with such well-known African-American writers and poets as

Countee Cullen Countee Cullen (born Countee LeRoy Porter; May 30, 1903 – January 9, 1946) was an American poet, novelist, children's writer, and playwright, particularly well known during the Harlem Renaissance. Early life Childhood Countee LeRoy Porter ...

Langston Hughes James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. An early innovator of jazz poetry, Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harl ...

W. E. B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt Du Bois ( ; February 23, 1868 – August 27, 1963) was an American sociologist, socialist, historian, and Pan-Africanist civil rights activist. Born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Du Bois grew up in a relativel ...

, Naomi Madgett,

Owen Dodson Owen Vincent Dodson (November 28, 1914 – June 21, 1983) was an American poet, novelist, and playwright. He was one of the leading African-American poets of his time, associated with the generation of black poets following the Harlem Renaissanc ...

Gordon Heath Gordon Heath (September 20, 1918 – August 27, 1991) was an American actor and musician who narrated the animated feature film ''Animal Farm'' (1954) and appeared in the title role of ''The Emperor Jones'' (1953) and ''Othello'' (1955), both l ...

, and

Robert Hayden Robert Hayden (August 4, 1913February 25, 1980) was an American poet, essayist, and educator. He served as Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1976 to 1978, a role today known as US Poet Laureate. He was the first African-Americ ...

. From her London home, she became involved in the

Black Arts Movement The Black Arts Movement (BAM) was an African Americans, African-American-led art movement that was active during the 1960s and 1970s. Through activism and art, BAM created new cultural institutions and conveyed a message of black pride. The mov ...

, both in Britain and the United States. Pool traveled to the United States as a

Fulbright The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people ...

scholar and with

UNCF UNCF, the United Negro College Fund, also known as the United Fund, is an American philanthropic organization that funds scholarships for black students and general scholarship funds for 37 private historically black colleges and universities. ...

funding (1959–1960), and was a guest lecturer at a number of colleges in the Deep South. In the United States, she contributed to the emancipation of African Americans in the Civil Rights Movement by comparing anti-Jewish measures of the Nazis with the segregation of the American South. When Pool was a guest lecturer at Alabama A and M, she organized two writers' conferences, with Samuel W. Allen (Paul Vesey), Margaret Burroughs,

Dudley Randall Dudley Randall (January 14, 1914 – August 5, 2000) was an African-American poetry, poet and poetry publisher from Detroit, Michigan. He founded a African-American book publishers in the United States, 1960–80, pioneering publishing company cal ...

and

Mari Evans Mari Evans (July 16, 1919 – March 10, 2017) was an African-American poet, writer, and dramatist associated with the Black Arts Movement. Evans received grants and awards including a lifetime achievement award from the Indianapolis Public Libra ...

. Ed Simpkins explained: "it was Rosey Pool's

ook Ook, OoK or OOK may refer to: * Ook Chung (born 1963), Korean-Canadian writer from Quebec * On-off keying, in radio technology * Toksook Bay Airport (IATA code OOK), in Alaska * Ook!, an esoteric programming language based on Brainfuck * Ook, the ...

''Beyond the Blues'' that first brought us together (...)." An LP also entitled ''Beyond the Blues'' was produced in London by

Argo In Greek mythology, the ''Argo'' ( ; ) was the ship of Jason and the Argonauts. The ship was built with divine aid, and some ancient sources describe her as the first ship to sail the seas. The ''Argo'' carried the Argonauts on their quest fo ...

in 1963, with featured readers including

Brock Peters Brock Peters (born George Fisher; July 2, 1927 – August 23, 2005) was an American actor, best known for playing the villainous "Crown" in the 1959 film version of ''Porgy and Bess'', and Tom Robinson in the 1962 film ''To Kill a Mockingbird ...

, Vinette Carroll, and

Cleo Laine Dame Cleo Laine, Lady Dankworth (born Clementine Dinah Hitching; 28 October 1927) is an English singer and actress known for her scat singing. She is the widow of jazz composer and musician Sir John Dankworth and the mother of bassist Alec D ...

. In 1966, Pool was a jury member at the

World Festival of Black Arts The World Festival of Black Arts (French: ''Festival Mondial des Arts Nègres''), also known as FESMAN or FMAN, has been a series of month-long culture and arts festivals taking place in various parts of Africa. The festival features participant ...

, held in

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...

, Senegal. The jury awarded prizes to the poet Robert Hayden and

Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...

. On 30 April 30, 1965,"Rosey E. Pool: An appreciation", edited from Anneke Schouten-Buÿs, ''Baha'i World'', Vol. 19, pp. 802–803. Pool became a follower of the

Baháʼí Faith The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...

. She was visible promoting the religion."Dr. Rosey Pool brings Faith to wide audiences in Alabama"
''Bahá'í News'', March 1967, p. 13.

Selected bibliography

Translator

Emily Dickinson Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massac ...

, ''Ten poems'' (Amsterdam: Vijf Ponden Pers, 1944) *

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

, ''Three sonnets'' (Utrecht: G.M. van Wees, 1944) *

Annie M. G. Schmidt Anna Maria Geertruida "Annie" Schmidt (20 May 1911 – 21 May 1995) was a Dutch writer. She is called the mother of the Dutch theatrical song, and the queen of Dutch children's literature, praised for her "delicious Dutch idiom," and considered ...

, ''Love from Mick and Mandy'' (London:

Odhams Press Odhams Press was a British publishing company, operating from 1920 to 1968. Originally a magazine publisher, Odhams later expanded into book publishing and then children's comics. The company was acquired by Fleetway Publications in 1961 and th ...

, 1961) * Annie M. G. Schmidt, ''Good luck Mick and Mandy'' (London: Odhams Press, 1961) * Annie M. G. Schmidt, ''Take care, Mick and Mandy'' (London: Odhams Press, 1961) *

Claude Brown Claude Brown (February 23, 1937 – February 2, 2002) was 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 ' ...

, ''Mijn Harlem'' (Rotterdam:

Lemniscaat Lemniscaat or Lemniscaat Publishers is a Dutch independent Publishing, publishing house based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The company publishes both children's literature and non-fiction books for adults. The company is named after the lemniscate ...

, 1966)

Author

* "African Renaissance", in: ''

Phylon ''Phylon'' (subtitle: ''the Clark Atlanta University Review of Race and Culture'') is a semi-annual peer-reviewed academic journal covering culture in the United States from an African-American perspective. It was established in 1940 by W. E. B. D ...

940–1956 94 may refer to: * 94 (number) * one of the years 94 BC, AD 94, 1994, 2094, etc. * Atomic number 94: plutonium * Saab 94, a roadster * 94 Aurora, a main-belt asteroid See also * * List of highways numbered All lists of highways beginning with ...

vol. 14, no. 1 (1st Qtr, 1953), pp. 5–8 * "The Negro Actor in Europe", in: ''Phylon''

vol. 14, no. 3 (3rd Qtr, 1953), pp. 258–267 * ''n Engelse sleutel. Een ABC over het "Perfide Albion"'' (Amsterdam: De Boer, 1957) * (Co-editor with

Eric Walrond Eric Derwent Walrond (18 December 1898 – 8 August 1966) was an Afro-Caribbean Harlem Renaissance writer and journalist. Born in Georgetown, British Guiana, the son of a Barbadian mother and a Guyanese father, Walrond was well-travelled, mo ...

), ''Black and Unknown Bards: A Collection of Negro Poetry'' (Aldington, Kent: Hand & Flower Press, 1958) * (Co-editor with Paul Breman), ''Ik zag hoe zwart ik was. Poëzie van Noordamerikaanse negers. Een tweetalige bloemlezing van Rosey E. Pool en Paul Breman'' (Den Haag:

Bert Bakker Lambertus Jozef (Bert) Bakker (3 April 1912 in Huizum (Leeuwarden) – 19 September 1969 in Ilpendam) was a Dutch writer and publisher in the Netherlands. He wrote literary studies, two novels, poetry, and children's books. In World War II he ...

/ Daamen N.V., 1958) * (Co-editor with Paul Breman), ''Black all day. American negro poetry'' (Amsterdam: Instituut voor Kunstnijverheidsonderwijs, 1960) * (Editor) ''Beyond the Blues: New Poems by American Negroes'' (Lympne, Kent, England: Hand and Flower Press, 1962) * "The Discovery of American Negro Poetry", in: ''

Freedomways ''Freedomways'' was the leading African-American theoretical, political and cultural journal of the 1960s–1980s. It began publishing in 1961 and ceased in 1985. The journal's founders were Louis Burnham, Edward Strong, W. E. B. Du Bois, and i ...

. A quarterly review of the Negro Freedom Movement'', Fall 1963, vol. 3, no. 4. * (Editor) ''Ik ben de nieuwe neger'' (Den Haag: Bert Bakker, 1965) * "Fling me your challenge. Commentary On The Literary Scene", in: ''

Negro Digest The ''Negro Digest'', later renamed ''Black World'', was a magazine for the African-American market. Founded in November 1942 by publisher John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing Company, ''Negro Digest'' was first published locally in Chicago, Il ...

'', December 1965, vol. XV, no. 2, pp. 54–60 * "Robert Hayden: Poet Laureate", in: ''Negro Digest'', June 1966, vol. XV, no. 8, pp. 39–75. * ''Lachen om niet te huilen'' (Rotterdam: Lemniscaat, 1968) * "Anne Frank: The Child and the Legend", in: ''World Order'': Spring 1972, Vol. 6, No. 3 * "'Grand Prix de la Poezie' for Robert Hayden", in: ''World Order'': Summer 1983, Vol. 17, No. 4

Secondary literature

* Anneke Buys
''The marvellous gift of friendship''
(unpublished manuscript, Apeldoorn, 1987) * Lonneke Geerlings
"A Visual Analysis of Rosey E. Pool's Correspondence Archives. Biographical Data, Intersectionality, and Social Network Analysis"
''Proceedings of the First Conference on Biographical Data in a Digital World 2015, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 9 April 2015'', pp. 61–67. *Lonneke Geerlings,
Survivor, Agitator: Rosey E. Pool and the Transatlantic Century.
' PhD thesis, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2020. To be published with the University of Georgia Press in 2021.

References

External links

* PhD projec
"TRAVELLING TRANSLATOR. ROSEY POOL (1905-1971) A DUTCH CULTURAL MOBILISER IN THE ‘TRANSATLANTIC CENTURY’"
(2015-2020), ''CLUE+'', Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. *
Rosey Pool Collection
,

University of Sussex The University of Sussex is a public university, public research university, research university located in Falmer, East Sussex, England. It lies mostly within the city boundaries of Brighton and Hove. Its large campus site is surrounded by the ...

Library, The Keep. * Jo Baines
"Black and Unknown Bards: The Rosey Pool Library in the Legacy Collection"
Creating the Library Legacy Collection, University of Sussex, 29 April 2016. {{DEFAULTSORT:Pool, Rosey 1905 births 1971 deaths 20th-century Bahá'ís 20th-century Dutch poets 20th-century Dutch women 20th-century women writers 20th-century Dutch translators Dutch women writers Humboldt University of Berlin alumni Women anthologists Writers from Amsterdam