The New Negro by Alain LeRoy Locke — Read

On February 20, 1942, Locke walked quickly through downtown Washington, D.C., into the Federal Triangle, the landmark of federal government buildings. As perhaps the shortest adult visitor to the Department of Justice building, the setting overwhelmed Locke physically and psychologically. It was not merely the building's incongruous blend of Greek revival and Art Deco architecture that made him shudder, but also the irony of the message chiseled into the building: "Justice is founded in the rights bestowed by nature upon man. Liberty is maintained in security of justice." Locke probably wondered if his liberty was about to be taken from him. He was on his way to the FBI headquarters upstairs, as he had received notice his presence was required to answer questions in regard to information about him that had come to the FBI's attention. He was anxious to face, if not his accusers, at least their accusations and put to rest, if only temporarily, the extreme worries that had come over him since he received the notice. He knew the FBI had targeted others at Howard University, ever since the 77th Congress had passed Public Law 135 that empowered the FBI to investigate people employed by the federal government suspected of being disloyal to the government. Most of those were known communists. He was not. He also shouldered an additional burden. As a gay man employed at Howard University, he might be considered a security risk because of his sexual orientation. This meeting might out him as a closeted homosexual just as it might charge him with being a traitor. Indeed, in the minds of most Americans, the two were synonymous. An ordinarily nervous man, Locke was beset with more tics and twitching than usual all week. His paranoia in not letting people he did not know into his apartment and changing the name on his doorplate every few weeks had been neurotic preparation for this very day.

Once inside FBI headquarters, Locke learned of the "information" about his "alleged activities" that had been communicated to the Bureau. He was told, "in order that your statement may have particular credence, you will be placed under oath."1 Then, he was then asked if he had "any objection to" speaking under oath. "No," Locke answered. "I would rather affirm. There is a Quaker streak in my ancestry." With a quip Locke had announced that he was not intimidated.