DWTS: Did Juante (Allen) Meadows Dance with Devils?

His youth has always disturbed me.  Especially when one stops to consider the very explicitly adult, very sexual and practically all-white circles that he found himself in.  But one might also consider that if Juante Allen Meadows hadn't of wanted to be there for as long as he was, he wouldn't have been.  Even during the post-Harlem Renaissance period, there were still active networks of prominent men (of both races) in the arts working to forge racial and sexual ties.  And since almost nothing is known about Meadows, perhaps he was a complicit, willing participant?  Still, he just looks so YOUNG until it HURTS!

Yet, he looks so UNLIKELY!  He was skinny and underdeveloped with long arms and a lanky body. He was black-skinned during a time when light skin was more prized. He was kinky-haired and had big lips. REAL BIG LIPS!  He lacked polish. Okay, the brotha was ROUGH!  But that's the way men like author, social critic, photographer and honorary Negro, Carl Van Vechten liked it.  PRIMITIVE: the blacker and closer to Africa the better! 

Although the youngster harbored a desire to become a dancer, it is said that the talented sculpter, Richmond Barthe, a black homosexual man, originally hired Meadows as a model in the mid-1930's.  Indeed, Allen Meadows posed for at least one of the sculpter's signature pieces. Perhaps Meadows thought he could use modeling as a stepping stone toward his ultimate goal of becoming a dancer?  Supposedly, with Barthe's recommendation, Meadows went on to pose for Carl Van Vechten (who could have easily met him on one of many late nights trolling Harlem in search of black flesh).   After a few years, Van Vechten told Langston Hughes that he helped Allen Meadows get a job dancing with the Katherine Dunham Dance Company.  But there is no record of his ever being associated with Dunham.

Nobody seems to know what happened next!  All we know is what we see through the lens of Van Vechten's camera; a wide-eyed but sullen young man, seemingly disassociated and indifferent to what's happening around him. Constantly wrapped in loincloth and paired with a pimple-faced ballet dancer from England, he looked tired and bored.  By kissing African masks and allowing himself to be tied up naked outside to a tree in some kind of sexual lynch-fantasy, Meadows became the living embodiment of Van Vechten's dual admiration & demeaning sexual interests.  Thus, Meadows inhabited spaces between race and homosexuality that are still, unfortunately, prevalent today.

After a nebulous relationship with the photographer, his lighting assistant Mark Lutz, the owner of the estate where many of the photos (now regarded as homoerotic) were taken, pairings with Laing, and the select cadre of men (black and white) who collected the photos - who wouldn't be tired? 

And if the proof is in the photos, we certainly know why it didn't work out with Miss Dunham!  I've never seen Juante Allen Meadows bust a move, but he sure did try to strike a pose.

 

 

 

Comments

[Jim]

This seemingly sad story contrasts so sharply with the one below on Doug Crutchfield. Both of them left their homes and had dreams, but one had the tools (though he was only 22) to make his way successfully, and the other did not, and so got used by those more powerful than he.

I hope that young Mr. Allen was old enough and strong enough to only get bored and not get scarred.

[Jim]

I should have added above that having the right tools may not have been the only issue. Success was probably easier to achieve in 1960s Copenhagen than in 1930s Depression-era New York.

[Derrick from Philly]

Corey:

This is a very well written piece, and it really helps when looking at the photographs-- trying to understand what could have been going through Allen Meadows' head.

And you're so right about Van Vechten. Even though he helped many Black cultural figures to get recognition there was always that taint of exploitation.

Do you remember the story about Bessie Smith's piano accompaniest, Porter Grainger, taking Bessie to a party at Van Vechten's. (Of course, Porter was Gay and a little "high siddity")

Well, the elite folks at the party course wanted to hear the Empress sing--which she did. But she kept drinking. When it came time to leave Porter had her almost safely out the door, but she was cornered by Mrs Van Vechten who wanted to give The Empress a goodbye hug and kiss. Bessie hurled Mrs Van Vechten across the room shouting, "I aint never hear tell of such shit." I guess The Empress wasn't into White women...at all.

Thanks again, Corey. After arguing and cussing with White supremacists on another blog it's a joy to come here. I come here (and Rod 2.0)to learn.

[Corey]

WOW, Derrick! Thank you for your continued support!

Yes, I'm familiar with that story and I SCREAM whenever wherever I hear it! Just imagining Bessie wearing Mrs. Van Vechten out like that makes me double over. We talk as if we were there, but I guess we were IN SPIRIT somehow. LOL!

You know, I think I read that there are no known surviving photos of Porter Grainger. And there has to be SOMEBODY out there who knows what ever became of Allen Meadows !?!?!?

C.

[Christopher Cushman]

You really need to do a book! Great story..great writing...I always learn something from you!