If He Hollers Let Him Go (Google Books ⧉, Amazon ⧉, Bookshop ⧉)

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References To Other Books

Direct References

Cotton Comes to Harlem

Later in his career, Himes would earn money writing numerous potboilers about two Harlem detectives for French publishers. Two of these books (Cotton Comes to Harlem and The Crazy Kill) are once again in print, in the U.S., and others may be found in second-hand bookstores.

The Crazy Kill

Native Son

Though this fury may reflect a nod towards Richard Wright's Native Son, published six years before, Bob Jones's character has more in common with the cool, remorseless killers of the detective novel.

Strange Fruit

Tom has just finished readingStrange Fruit,' Alice said. 'He thought it was fascinating.

Native Son

Did you read the book, Mr. Jones?' Leighton asked. 'Yes, I did,' I said, and dropped it. He waited for me, and when he saw I wasn't coming he said by way of appeasement, 'Of course I think that Richard Wright makes the point better inNative Son.

The Bible

Not that I say coloured folks should have to serve white people, but you know yo'self God got dark angels in heaven what serve the white ones—that's in the Bible plain enough for anybody to see.

Tolstoy's stories

I thought of a line I'd read in one of Tolstoy's stories once—'There never had been enough bread and freedom to go around.

Hidden Empire—The Complete Story Of Jewish World Control

They were circulars distributed by Pelley Publishers, Box 2630, Asheville, North Carolina, advertising anti‐Semitic booklets. 'Hidden Empire—The Complete Story Of Jewish World Control,' one read, '6 for $1.00... 100 copies, $12.50.

Dupes of Judah—How Jews Launched the World War

Then another: '"Dupes of Judah"—How Jews Launched the World War.

Stop Being Fooled by Jewish Wailings! Open Door to Knowing

A third read: 'Stop Being Fooled by Jewish Wailings! Open Door to Knowing. The Christian‐Gentile people of the United Stales have the right to know what the nation's Jews are doing and planning, to destroy Constitutionalism and substitute an Asiatic Sovietism. . .

Referenced By

No books reference this book

Places Referenced

Los Angeles, California

"…a young black man working in the defense industry in Los Angeles during World War II."

Cleveland, Ohio

"I'd gotten refused back in Cleveland, Ohio, plenty of times. Cleveland wasn't the land of the free or the home of the brave either."

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

"Maybe I'd been scared all my life, but I didn't know about it until after Pearl Harbour. When I came out to Los Angeles in the fall of '41, I felt fine about everything."

Beverly Hills, California

"I had a '42 Buick Roadmaster I'd bought four months ago, right after I'd gotten to be a leaderman, and every time I got behind the wheel and looked down over the broad, flat, mile-long hood I thought about how the rich white folks out in Beverly couldn't even buy a new car now and got a certain satisfaction."

Fifty-fourth and Central, Los Angeles, California

"Homer and Conway were waiting in front of the drug-store at the corner of Fifty-fourth and Central."

San Pedro, Los Angeles, California

"I turned the corner at forty, pushed it on up in the stretch on Fifty-fourth between San Pedro and Avalon, with my nerves tightening, telling me to take it slow before I got into a battle royal with some cracker motor-cycle cop."

Avalon, California

Wall Street, Los Angeles, California

"It was a small, four-room cottage sitting back in a court off of Wall Street in the middle fifties, and the rooms opened into one another so there wasn't any way of getting out of a certain casual intimacy, even if I'd never had Ella Mae."

Shell Refinery, Los Angeles, California

"But at the entrance to the Shell Refinery the white cop directing traffic caught sight of us and stopped me on a dime."

Compton, California

"Then I stuck with him clear out to Compton."

Lincoln Theatre, Los Angeles, California

"I had gone to the Lincoln Theatre last night and I began thinking of how the audience had applauded so loudly for the two white acrobats."

Central Avenue, Los Angeles, California

"A guard standing near by leered at me. 'What'd y'all do las' night, boy? I bet y'all had a ball down on Central Avenue."

Fort Worth, Texas

"You got any folks in Fort Worth, Conway?' Arkansas asked."

Pine Bluff, Arkansas

"He's from Pine Bluff,' Johnson said. 'Can't you tell a Pine Bluff nig—Pine Bluffian when you see him?"

Arkansas, United States

"You going back?' ... 'Back where?' ... 'Back to Arkansas?' 'Yeah, I'm going back—when the horses, they pick the cotton, and the mules, they cut the corn; when the white chickens lay black eggs and the white folks is Jim Crowed..."

UCLA, Los Angeles, California

"He was a light-brown-skinned guy in his early thirties, good‐looking with slightly Caucasian features and straight brown hair. He was a graduate of U.C.L.A. and didn't take anything from the white folks and didn't give them anything."

Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia

"Hank was the tacker leaderman, a heavy‐set, blond Georgia boy about my age and a graduate of Georgia Tech."

Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California

"I decided to go back by Figueroa, and when I turned into it a couple of white sailors thumbed me and I stopped to give them a lift."

Dunbar Hotel, Los Angeles, California

"I put the gun in the glove compartment and left the car in the station for Buddy to check over while I strolled down past the Dunbar Hotel."

Central Avenue, Los Angeles, California

"I got in my car and drove over to Central to get some gas."

Vernon Avenue, Los Angeles, California

"When we neared Vernon Avenue I asked them where they were going and they said down to Warner's at Seventh and Hill."

Warner's at Seventh and Hill, Los Angeles, California

"When we neared Vernon Avenue I asked them where they were going and they said down to Warner's at Seventh and Hill."

San Pedro, Los Angeles, California

"I kept over to San Pedro and turned south."

Huntington Park, California

"When it stopped before a house in Huntington Park I rolled up and parked right behind it."

Manchester, England

"The red light caught me at Manchester; and that made me warm."

Santa Anita, Arcadia, California

"Little Riki Oyana singing 'God Bless America' and going to Santa Anita with his parents next day."

Fifty-fourth and Central, Los Angeles, California

"I pulled up in front of the hotel at Fifty-seventh and my other three riders, Smitty, Johnson and Pigmeat climbed in the back."

Anaheim Road, Wilmington, Los Angeles, California

"I muscled in ahead of a woman driver three cars behind the grey Ford; kept the position until we came to Anaheim Road in Wilmington, then pulled up to one car behind and stayed there."

Compton, California

"At Alameda Street it turned north into Compton, and two of the riders in back got out."

San Francisco, California

"I’m from San Francisco.' 'I was up there once,' I said, 'I like Frisco, it’s a good city."

Memphis, Tennessee

"Where you from, Lester?' 'Memphis,' he said. 'You ever been there?' I gave him a quick side glance; then I chuckled. 'No, I never been to Memphis,' I said."

Pacific Electric tracks, Los Angeles, California

"I backed out my car, circled in the parking lot, crossed the Pacific Electric tracks, and turned into the harbour road, just idling along."

Atlas Ship, Los Angeles, California

"I pulled up before the entrance to the parking lot at Atlas Ship."

Los Angeles, California

"Outside the setting sun slanted from the south with a yellowish, old‐gold glow, and the air was warm and fragrant. It was the best part of the day in Los Angeles; the colours of flowers were more vivid, while the houses were less starkly white and the red‐tiled roofs were weathered maroon."

West Side, Los Angeles, California

"This was the West Side, When you asked a Negro where he lived, and he said on the West Side, that was supposed to mean he was better than the Negroes who lived on the South Side; it was like the white folks giving a Beverly Hills address."

Vernon, California

"I glanced at my watch, saw that it was a quarter to, and hurried to the car. At Vernon I turned west to Normandie, driving straight into the sun; north on Normandie to Twentyeighth Street, then west past Western."

Normandie, Los Angeles, California

"At Vernon I turned west to Normandie, driving straight into the sun; north on Normandie to Twentyeighth Street, then west past Western."

Twentyeighth Street, Los Angeles, California

"…north on Normandie to Twentyeighth Street, then west past Western."

Western, Los Angeles, California

"…then west past Western."

Beverly Hills, California

"…it was like the white folks giving a Beverly Hills address."

Elks Hall, Los Angeles, California

"I’d bought the outfit a year ago, but the only chance I'd had to wear it was at the Alpha formal at the Elks Hall during the Christmas season."

Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, California

"We have our season tickets to the Hollywood Bowl, of course—we're on the sponsor list, you know—"

Central Avenue, Los Angeles, California

"‘I want to go slumming down on Central Avenue.’"

Hill, Los Angeles, California

"After that she didn't say anything. She kept out Hill to Washington, turned west on Washington to Western."

Sepulveda Boulevard, Los Angeles, California

"At Sepulveda Boulevard she turned south to Santa Monica Boulevard, then west again toward the beach."

Vine, Los Angeles, California

"At Sunset she turned west, went out past the broadcasting studios, past Vine, turned left by the Garden of Allah into the winding Sunset Strip."

Garden of Allah, Los Angeles, California

"…past Vine, turned left by the Garden of Allah into the winding Sunset Strip."

Santa Monica, California

"We got the ticket just as we were coming into Santa Monica."

Los Angeles, California

"I am a supervisor in the Los Angeles Department of Welfare,' she went on, enunciating each syllable with careful deliberation."

Santa Monica, California

"They took us to the station in Santa Monica. I put up cash bail and the desk sergeant said, 'Now get back where you belong and stay there."

San Pedro, Los Angeles, California

"I followed her directions, drove over to a little cottage on San Pedro, past Vernon."

Vernon, California

"I followed her directions, drove over to a little cottage on San Pedro, past Vernon."

Main Street, Los Angeles, California

"I dreamed I was lying in the middle of Main Street downtown in front of the Federal Building and two poor peckerwoods in overalls were standing over me beating me with lengths of rubber hose."

Federal Building, Los Angeles, California

"I dreamed I was lying in the middle of Main Street downtown in front of the Federal Building and two poor peckerwoods in overalls were standing over me beating me with lengths of rubber hose."

Wall Street, Los Angeles, California

"When I started north on Wall Street I had no idea where I was going. Anywhere, just to get away from the people I knew for a while."

Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California

"I turned over to San Pedro and headed downtown toward Little Tokyo, where the spooks and spills had come in and taken over."

First Street, Los Angeles, California

"I pulled up in front of a hotel near First and San Pedro and went into the combination bar and restaurant called the Rust Room."

Rust Room, Los Angeles, California

"went into the combination bar and restaurant called the Rust Room."

Sixth and Hill, Los Angeles, California

"I parked in the lot at Sixth and Hill, stopped a moment to look at the rows of white faces on the magazine covers at the book stand."

Bullock's, Los Angeles, California

"stopped in front of Bullock's at the corner of Broadway."

Broadway, Los Angeles, California

"at the corner of Broadway."

Loew's, Los Angeles, California

"I crossed the street and went into Loew's just to get out of sight."

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California

"After about five minutes a big fat black Hollywood mammy came on the screen saying: 'Yassum' and 'Noam,' and grinning at her young white missy; and I got up and walked out."

Washington, D.C., United States

"She kept out Hill to Washington, turned west on Washington to Western."

Sunset Strip, West Hollywood, California

"…turned left by the Garden of Allah into the winding Sunset Strip."

Richmond, California, United States

"I worked a while up at Richmond—Richmond No. 1, Kaiser's yard."

Pacific Ocean, Earth

"I drove down to the beach. I parked and we sat for a time looking out over the Pacific Ocean."

Seventh Street, Los Angeles, California, United States

"I turned down Seventh, stopped in front of Bullock's at the corner of Broadway."

Alameda Street, Los Angeles, California, United States

"At Alameda Street it turned north into Compton, and two of the riders in back got out."

Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, United States

"At Sepulveda Boulevard she turned south to Santa Monica Boulevard, then west again toward the beach."

West Side, Los Angeles, California

"I started hurrying back to the parking lot, got my car, and turned toward the West Side."

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

"He waved at the PittsburghCourieron the floor."

Italy, Europe

"He waved at the PittsburghCourieron the floor. 'I was just reading about our fighter pilots in Italy; they're achieving a remarkable record."

Los Angeles, California

"Walter and I were just talking the other day about the tremendous change that's taken place in Los Angeles— 'Yes, it has,' I cut in rapidly. 'The city's really growing up."

Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California

"What do you think, Mr. Jones?' Cleo asked. 'I mean, what is your opinion as to the problem arising from conditions in Little Tokyo?"

Chicago, Illinois

"I can't understand these Negro men marrying these white tramps,' she said. 'Chicago's full of it. Just as soon as some Negro man starts to getting a little success he runs and marries a white woman. No decent self-respecting Negro man would marry one of those white tramps these Negroes marry."

Alaska, United States

"Where who come from?' 'You, nigger, I s'pose you from Alaska."

West Virginia, United States

"…and I was going down to the Yellow Dog and it was hotter'n a West Virginia coke oven."

Arkansas, United States

"That reminds me of when I used to be a water boy for a bunch of Irish [granny dancers] in Arkinsaw, man…"

Europe

"Look what they doing in Europe right this minute, killing each other off like flies."

Russia

"Herbie was beating up his chops about Lend-Lease to Russia when I walked up."

Hotel Mohave, South Figueroa, Los Angeles, California

"It's the Hotel Mohave on South Figueroa . . .' He gave me a downtown street number. 'Room 202, that's the front room on the second floor."

Texas, United States

"After that I could go up and sit in the gas chamber at San Quentin and laugh. Because it was the funniest goddamned thing that had ever happened. A black son of a bitch destroying himself because of a no-good white slut from Texas. It was so funny because it didn't make sense."

California, United States

"I had known white girls in both California and Ohio. I had gone with a little Italian girl in Cleveland for almost a year."

Houston, Texas

"We went to Houston when the war broke out, then we got an itching to come to California."

Breckenridge, Texas

"Now me and Madge are from Texas—Breckenridge, Texas. We went to Houston when the war broke out, then we got an itching to come to California."

Amarillo, Texas

"I used to tell my husband—that's Madge's brother, he was killed in an automobile accident in Amarillo—I used to tell Henry that if everybody understood coloured folks…"

Ohio, United States

"No, I'm from Ohio,' I said."

California, United States

"We went to Houston when the war broke out, then we got an itching to come to California."

Detroit, Michigan

"All these riots in Detroit and New York and Chicago—it come from all this mixing up."

New York, New York

"All these riots in Detroit and New York and Chicago—it come from all this mixing up."

Chicago, Illinois

"All these riots in Detroit and New York and Chicago—it come from all this mixing up."

Arkansas, United States

"You know well as you sitting there George is in Arkansas with another woman. He's too old for the service anyhow."

Beverly Hills, California

"It was a rebbish neighbourhood, poor white; I'd have felt much better parked in Beverly Hills."

Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California

"Then I got on Figueroa and kept straight down to the Hotel Mohave near Third Street."

Third Street, Los Angeles, California

"Then I got on Figueroa and kept straight down to the Hotel Mohave near Third Street."

Western Avenue, Los Angeles, California

"At Western I turned south to Jefferson, east toward the South Side."

Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles, California

"At Western I turned south to Jefferson, east toward the South Side."

South Side, Los Angeles, California

"At Western I turned south to Jefferson, east toward the South Side."

Fifth Street, Los Angeles, California

"At Fifth I turned west, found a parking space, went into the Blue Room."

Cleveland, Ohio

"My old man had been a steel‐mill worker at National Malleable in Cleveland, Ohio, when I was born, and my mother had died when I was three."

Los Angeles, California

"In the three years in L.A. I'd worked up to a good job in a shipyard, bought a new Buick car, and cornered off the finest coloured chick west of Chicago—to my way of thinking."

Chicago, Illinois

"cornered off the finest coloured chick west of Chicago—to my way of thinking."

San Francisco, California

"I was getting the hell out of L.A. Away from Alice too. Going to 'Frisco, maybe. Las Vegas. Somewhere."

Las Vegas, Nevada

"I was getting the hell out of L.A. Away from Alice too. Going to 'Frisco, maybe. Las Vegas. Somewhere."

Asheville, North Carolina

"They were circulars distributed by Pelley Publishers, Box 2630, Asheville, North Carolina, advertising anti‐Semitic booklets."

Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California

"if you couldn't swing down Hollywood Boulevard and know that you belonged;"

Ciro's, Los Angeles, California

"if you couldn't make a polite pass at Lana Turner at Ciro's without having the gendarmes beat the black off you for getting out of your place;"

Avalon, California

"Listen, you know the drive‐in out on Avalon just beyond the riding academy? I'll meet you there in half an hour."

San Quentin, California

"To settle down before they settled me—in San Quentin or some place."

Thirty-ninth Street, Los Angeles, California

"I was in Chicago, man, and I was going down to the A.C. on Thirty-fifth Street, learning how to duke."

Cleveland, Ohio

"I had gone with a little Italian girl in Cleveland for almost a year."

San Quentin, California

"After that I could go up and sit in the gas chamber at San Quentin and laugh."

Karamu, Cleveland, Ohio

"Dick wanted to be an artist and fooled around with the group at Karamu; he's still in Cleveland, some sort of politician."

Watts, Los Angeles, California

"I don't know of any place in the city we can go now. The place in Watts is closed for the duration and you know how most of these other places are—they don't even want us to park and watch."

Monterey Road, Los Angeles, California

"I saw the cutest little place for sale. On a little hill beside Monterey Road."

UCLA, Los Angeles, California

"Anyway, when I enter U.C.L.A. this fall I'll have to go on the graveyard shift, and there might be a better bunch of workers."

Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, California

"A girl friend of hers had suggested they go there one night after they'd attended a concert at the Hollywood Bowl. She'd gone back once with the same girl."

California, United States

"…I knew I had to get out of California before daylight, go somewhere and hide until I got healed up."

Harlem, New York City, New York, United States

"…After that I’d go east, to Harlem, maybe, take another name, and start life over."

Crocker, Los Angeles, California, United States

"…I remembered a woman I knew who lived on Crocker. …I drove over to Crocker, pulled up far enough in the driveway beside the house, got out, and knocked at her window."

Central Avenue, Los Angeles, California

"Instinct carried me over toward Central, into the heart of the ghetto."

Dunbar Hotel, Los Angeles, California

"I parked in a dark spot in the middle of the block back of the Dunbar Hotel."

Slauson Avenue, Los Angeles, California

"At Slauson I turned toward Soto, stopped at Soto for the red light."

Soto Street, Los Angeles, California

"At Slauson I turned toward Soto, stopped at Soto for the red light."

San Pedro, Los Angeles, California

"Some time later, I don't know how long, the jailer came and took me out again, and two other policemen took me out past the sergeant's desk again and put me in a car and drove me down to San Pedro."

Georgia, United States

"I felt pressed, cornered, black, as small and weak and helpless as any Negro share-cropper facing a white mob in Georgia."

Florida, United States

"He stopped and panted and wiped the tears out of his eyes and said, 'I'm from Florida and ev'ybody I knew said they'd killed a nigger or two—at least one nigger—and I used to b'lieve 'em and I got to packing 'round my rifle looking for a nigger to kill till my old man found out what I was doing and said I couldn't kill no niggers until I got to be twenty-one and by that time I'd joined the Marines so I ain't never got to kill a nigger."