Countee Cullen (March
30, 1903–January 9, 1946) was an American Romantic poet. Cullen was one of the leading African American poets of his
time, associated with the generation of black poets of the Harlem Renaissance.
Cullen was born
with the name Countee LeRoy Porter and was believed to be abandoned by his parents at birth (although this is somewhat unknown).
He was raised by his grandmother, Mrs. Porter. Cullen was secretive about his life, so it is unclear where he was actually
born. He may have been born in New Orleans, Louisiana, according to the book "Countee Cullen's Secret Revealed by Miracle
Book" by Shirley Porter Washington. Other scholars state he was born in Louisville, Kentucky, or Baltimore. Later in
his life, Cullen said he was born in New York City. It is known that he attended Townsend Harris High School for one year,
and then transferred to DeWitt Clinton High School in New York and received special honors in Latin studies in 1922.
In 1918, Mrs. Porter died. Cullen was adopted by Reverend Frederick Ashbury Cullen, minister at Salem Methodist Episcopal
Church in Harlem, and thus Cullen was raised a Methodist. Throughout his unstable childhood his birth mother never contacted
Cullen, and did not attempt to do so until sometime in the 1920s, after he had become famous.
Cullen won many poetry contests from a very young age
and often had his winning work reprinted.
He attended DeWitt Clinton High School, mainly consisting
of all white, male students. He became Vice President of his class during his senior year, was also involved in the school
magazine as an editor, and was affiliated with the Arista Honor Society.
After completing his secondary education, Cullen attended New York University. While an undergraduate,
he published works in various literary magazines, including Harper's, Century Magazine, and Poetry. Also, his exceptional
writing faculties were acknowledged with prizes from The Crisis, edited by W. E. B. Du Bois, and Opportunity of the National
Urban League. He graduated in 1925 as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, and was also initiated into Phi Beta Kappa honors
society. Soon afterwards, he produced his first volume entitled "Color" and pursued graduate studies at Harvard
University.
In April 1928, Cullen married Nina Yolande
Du Bois, daughter of the famous W. E. B. Du Bois. Two months after the wedding, Cullen left for Europe with his father and
Harold Jackman; his wife followed after a month. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1928. Nina Yolande Du Bois divorced
Cullen two years later, saying that he told her that he was sexually attracted to men
In 1940, he
married Ida Mae Roberson and they enjoyed a contented marriage.
On January 9, 1946, Cullen died unexpectedly of uremic poisoning and complications from high
blood pressure. After his death, for a few years, Cullen was honored as the most celebrated African-American writer. A collection
of some of his best work was also arranged in On These I Stand.
In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante
listed Countee Cullen on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans.
