Carl Van Vechten
1880 – 1964

Carl Van Vechten

American writer and photographer (1880–1964)

novelistwriterphotographerscreenwriter
Born
1880-06-17, Cedar Rapids
Died
1964-12-21
Birthplace state
Iowa

Biography

Carl Van Vechten was an American writer and artistic photographer who was a patron of the Harlem Renaissance and the literary executor of Gertrude Stein. He gained fame as a writer, and notoriety as well, for his 1926 novel Nigger Heaven. In his later years, he took up photography and took many portraits of notable people. Although he was married to women for most of his adult years, Van Vechten engaged in numerous affairs with other men during his lifetime.

Occupation

Carl Van Vechten is recorded as a novelist, a writer, a photographer and a screenwriter, born in Iowa (1880–1964).

Connections to Iowa

Carl Van Vechten was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1880. Explore other notable figures from Iowa, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Carl Van Vechten came from Cedar Rapids. A full Aubrey report on Cedar Rapids pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Iowa

Other historical figures born in Iowa, ranked by historical prominence.

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Norman Borlaug
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Henry A. Wallace
Henry A. Wallace
American politician (1888–1965); Vice President of the United States from 1941 to 1945
Glenn Miller
Glenn Miller
American band leader, arranger, and composer (1904–1944)
Donna Reed
Donna Reed
American film and television actress
Cloris Leachman
Cloris Leachman
American actress and comedian (1926–2021)

Frequently asked about Carl Van Vechten

Who was Carl Van Vechten?
Carl Van Vechten was American writer and photographer (1880–1964), born in Iowa (1880 – 1964).
When and where was Carl Van Vechten born?
Carl Van Vechten was born on 1880-06-17 in Cedar Rapids.
When did Carl Van Vechten die?
Carl died on 1964-12-21.
What was Carl Van Vechten known for?
Carl Van Vechten is recorded as a novelist, a writer, a photographer and a screenwriter.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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