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DEPARTMENT OF SURVEYS AND EXHIBITS
RUSSELL SAGE FOUNDATION
130 EAST 22D STREET
NEW YORK CITY

SHELBY M. HARRISON, DIRECTOR
E.G. ROUTZAHN, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

August 25, 1930

Mr. Henry O. Tanner
51, Bld. St-Jacques
Paris 14, France

Dear Mr. Tanner:

I have just discovered that I should have written to you some days ago about your portrait study, concerning which we had correspondence last spring. I have been quite busy with other details in connection with the picture and I did not understand until just now that I was to get in touch with you.

Mrs. Sadie T.M. Alexander wrote Mr. Manuel Muniz, who is in charge of the America's Making office, that she understood that no arrangements had been made to make this portrait. Her letter, however, did not reach Mr. Muniz until after she had sailed; meanwhile he had secured a camera and had seen Mrs. Alexander, and I believe, she took it to Paris with her. I was not able to see her myself but left the contact with Mr. Muniz.

I judge from Mrs. Alexander's letter to Mr. Muniz that there was some misunderstanding about the whole matter and that some other request must have been confused with the one to which you kindly acceded in March, and in connection with which Mr. Ivan Serginsky of 40, Bld. St-Marcel, Paris (5), said he would make the portrait. 

In case you have not the correspondence handy I might state here that the project for which we wish a portrait made of you while painting is one which is sponsored by Dr. John H. Finley of the New York Times, Mr. Robert W. deForest, President of the Metropolitan Museum of New York, Miss Jane Addams of Chicago, and Mr. Newton D. Baker of Cleveland, and others. It was in connection with that section dealing with the contributions of the American Negro to the life and culture of America that it was desired to have a good motion picture study of you. I might add here that both the portrait and the titles, which go with it, will be subjected to your approval before they are used. Moreover we will be glad send you a complete outline of the section in which it is hoped to include your portrait.