In the latter book he noted race-motivated attacks on African Americans, both in the urban riots of 1919, which took place across the country, and in lynchings in 1921.

He devoted much of his life traveling the world as a spokesperson for the freedom of African Americans, and worked to promote the beliefs of scholar W. E. B.

[2] Pickens, the son of freed slaves who became tenant farmers, was born on January 15, 1881, in Anderson County, South Carolina.

[4] Pickens was able to broaden his world, both because of a longer school term of nine months, and meeting more new people in the growing city.

[4] At the end of his first school year, one of his teachers gave Pickens a gift to mark his punctuality and perfect attendance.

He received bachelor's degrees from Talladega College (1902) and Yale University (1904), where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

He was awarded the Henry James Ten Eyck Prize for an essay about Haiti (which he spelled Hayti, as was common at the time).

[2] Throughout his later life, Pickens traveled the world as a spokesman to "arouse colored people from the lethargy which hovered over them during the early decades of the 20th century.

"[2] In his lectures to fellow Blacks, Pickens furthered the views of W. E. B. Dubois and advocated for the freedom of his race.

[1][2][3] Harriet Pickens entered the US Navy as a WAVE and during World War II became one of the first two African-American women officers in the service.

[3] Writing to share his experiences and discuss the significance of education, he detailed The Heir of Slaves chronologically, covering major events in his life.

He also wrote about his family, his schooling and teachers who pushed him to succeed, and how he accomplished many things in his life and made a name for himself.

First is Democracy in Education, which allows equal training for both races, and makes a clear distinction of talent rather than skin color.

[6] Lastly, Pickens states that one specific group or race should not have more access to public property or private liberties due to skin color.

[2] Pickens was initially considered for the position of field secretary but James Weldon Johnson was selected in December 1916.

Pickens finished teaching for the academic year at Morgan State College, and also accepted the position, which provided a $3,000 salary.

He stayed in the Soviet Union for two weeks and had a brief meeting with Leon Trotsky, who Pickens said "showed intelligent interest in the American Negro".

[13] While he played down his associations with the Left – notably during his interview with the anti-Communist House Un-American Activities Committee – he was associated with numerous organisations that were part of the Communist's "Popular Front", including the International Labor Defense, the American League Against War and Fascism, and the American Committee for the Protection of the Foreign Born.

[14] From 1941-1950, Pickens served as the director of the interracial section of the Treasury Department's Saving Bonds Division, during the Franklin D. Roosevelt and Truman administrations.

[2] On February 1, 1943, Pickens was one of the 39 men, all federal government employees, named by Martin Dies as affiliates of "Communist front organizations", who urged Congress to refuse "to appropriate money for their salaries," accusing them of being disloyal to the US.

After legislators learned that Pickens was the only employee who would be covered by that appropriations bill, the initial amendment failed.

In the 1950s Pickens and his family were frequently visited by poet Langston Hughes, who was his Yale college roommate.