[Ads-l] Antedating of "Rent Party"

[Ben Zimmer]

This is evidently the same article, syndicated in different outlets. The
article in The Survey is "Ambushed in the City" by Winthrop D. Lane,
published in the March 1925 issue:

https://web.nypl.org/research/research-catalog/bib/b11718005
https://new-negro.staged-website.com/sites/default/files/attachments/The%20Gist%20of%20It%2C%201925.pdf

The article appeared under Lane's byline in various Southern newspapers. In
addition to the Norfolk New Journal and Guide article that Fred found from
Mar. 7, 1925, it also appeared on Mar. 1 in the Birmingham Age-Herald
(ProQuest) and the Macon Telegraph (Newspapers.com). Here's the latter:

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macon-telegraph/186542601/ (p. 1)
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-macon-telegraph/186542669/
(continued on p. 10)

On Tue, Dec 9, 2025 at 6:33 PM mr_peter_morris at outlook.com <
mr_peter_morris at outlook.com> wrote:

> Here's a cite that is possibly 1924. Usual caveats apply, but
> searching for 1925 in the document show it as a future date.
>
>
> https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_Survey/x1ka139HY5IC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=%22social%20parlor%22%20%22rent%20party%22
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> From "Shapiro, Fred" <00001ac016895344-dmarc-request at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> To ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Date 07/12/2025 00:23:24
> Subject Antedating of "Rent Party"
>
> >rent party (OED 1925 [28 Oct.])
> >
> >1925 New Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.) 7 Mar. 7/2 (ProQuest)
> >
> >Negroes find money to meet these exorbitant rent charges by going without
> other things.  But they have other tricks.  One is the rent party ... A
> person invites friends in for the evening to dance and have a good time,
> and charges them 25 cents a couple.
> >
> >Fred Shapiro
>

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