New Biography Explores Black Queer Scholar's Love Story in 1930s Paris

Ethelene Whitmire's 'The Remarkable Life of Reed Peggram' chronicles a Harvard academic's journey to France and his refusal to leave his partner as World War II loomed.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 1:22pm

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A blurred, impressionistic scene of two figures embracing on a Parisian street, their faces obscured in a warm, hazy glow, conveying the intimate and dreamlike nature of their relationship.A new biography explores the remarkable love story of a Black queer scholar who refused to abandon his partner as war loomed over 1930s Paris.Hoboken Today

A new biography by Ethelene Whitmire explores the life of Reed Peggram, a Black queer scholar who traveled from New Jersey to Paris in 1938 on a prestigious Rosenwald Fellowship. In Paris, Peggram found love with a Danish man named Arne, but as World War II approached, Peggram refused to leave Arne's side, even as most visiting Black Americans fled the continent.

Why it matters

The book sheds light on the experiences of LGBTQ people of color navigating personal relationships and professional ambitions against the backdrop of rising global tensions in the 1930s. It also highlights the challenges faced by marginalized individuals seeking to build lives abroad during a tumultuous period of history.

The details

Peggram, a Harvard-educated writer and scholar of comparative literature, was awarded the Rosenwald Fellowship in 1938, which put him in the company of other prominent Black intellectuals like W.E.B. Du Bois and Zora Neale Hurston. In Paris, Peggram met and fell in love with a Danish man named Arne. As World War II began to unfold, most visiting Black Americans fled Europe, but Peggram refused to leave Arne behind, even as it became increasingly dangerous to remain.

  • In August 1938, Peggram boarded a ship from Hoboken, New Jersey to travel to Paris.
  • Peggram was awarded the prestigious Rosenwald Fellowship in 1938.

The players

Reed Peggram

A Black queer scholar and writer who traveled from New Jersey to Paris in 1938 on a Rosenwald Fellowship, where he fell in love with a Danish man named Arne.

Arne

Peggram's Danish partner, with whom he refused to leave Paris as World War II approached.

Ethelene Whitmire

The author of the new biography 'The Remarkable Life of Reed Peggram: The Man Who Stared Down World War II in the Name of Love'.

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What they’re saying

“Reed was trying to stay.”

— Ethelene Whitmire, Author

The takeaway

Peggram's story highlights the resilience and determination of LGBTQ people of color who refused to abandon their relationships and personal lives even in the face of global upheaval. The book provides a poignant window into an underexplored chapter of 20th century history.