Writer Arna Bontemps, a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance, is born in Alexandria, Louisiana.
At a Glance
- Date
- 13 October 1902
- Location
- Alexandria, Louisiana
- Key people
- Arna Bontemps
- Category
- Arts & Literature
- Source
- Biographical records · Library of Congress
What It Meant Then
His poetry, novels, and histories preserved and shaped Black literary culture.
What It Means Now
Bontemps later built major archives of African American literature.
Cite this page
- MLA
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- APA
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- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Arna Bontemps Is Born.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/arna-bontemps-is-born/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.