Harold Courlander
Harold Courlander was an American writer and cultural historian born on September 18, 1908, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He spent much of his youth in multicultural Detroit, which sparked his lifelong interest in diverse histories and cultures. After earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, Courlander worked various roles, including as a farmer and later in radio with Voice of America. His experiences during World War II as an editor and reporter in Bombay, along with his work as a press officer at the United Nations, enriched his understanding of global cultures.
Courlander became renowned for his expertise in Haitian history and culture, but his scholarly contributions extended to African, Caribbean, Indonesian, and Native American traditions. He published numerous books and articles, first gaining significant recognition for "The Cow-Tail Switch, and Other West African Stories," which was honored with a Newbery Honor. In 1967, he published "The African," a novel that later led to a high-profile plagiarism lawsuit against author Alex Haley. Ultimately, Courlander's work left a notable impact on the study of folklore and music traditions, reflecting his passion for preserving and sharing the stories of diverse peoples. He passed away on March 15, 1996, in Bethesda, Maryland.
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Harold Courlander
Writer
- Born: September 18, 1908
- Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana
- Died: March 15, 1996
- Place of death: Bethesda, Maryland
Biography
Harold Courlander was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on September 18, 1908. When he was six, he moved with his family to Detroit, and his upbringing in multicultural Detroit neighborhoods significantly influenced his future interest in people’s history and culture. After completing his bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan in 1931, Courlander pursued graduate studies at the University of Michigan and at Columbia University. He worked as a farmer in Romeo, Michigan, between 1933 and 1938, at which time he joined the radio program Voice of America as writer, editor, and information chief. During World War II, he was an editor and reporter for the radio program in Bombay, India, and after the war he was a press officer at the United Nations and an historian at the Douglas Aircraft Corporation.
Courlander used his work experiences, personal travels, and research grants to fuel his passion for the study of other cultures, becoming an expert on regional history and folklore by compiling people’s stories, making recordings, and studying texts, geography, and lives. His greatest area of expertise was in Haitian history and culture, but his dozens of books and articles also explored the traditions of African, Indonesian, Caribbean, and Native American cultures. He also contributed significant scholarship to the studies of African American music and traditions.
In 1967, he published the novel The African. The book became embroiled in controversy in 1977, when Courlander sued Alex Haley, the author of the highly successful novel Roots, for plagiarism. Though Haley initially denied the charges, the court case revealed that several pages of Roots were lifted almost verbatim from Courlander’s previous work. Haley asserted that his researchers had not provided him sources for the material in question, and in a settlement of the case, Haley was required to pay sizeable damages to Courlander.
Courlander’s best-known work was his collaboration with George Herzog, The Cow-Tail Switch, and Other West African Stories (1947), which was named a Newbery Honor Book. He died on March 15, 1996, in Bethesda, Maryland.