- Collection:
- The Blues, Black Vaudeville, and the Silver Screen, 1912-1930s: Selections from the Records of Macon's Douglass Theatre
- Title:
- Letter: Havana, Cuba to Charles Henry Douglass, Jr., Macon, Georgia, 1924 Oct. 18
- Creator:
- Nelson, R. M. R.
- Date of Original:
- 1924-10-18
- Subject:
- Soft drinks--Cuba--Havana
Soft drinks--Georgia--Macon
Soft drink industry--Cuba--Havana
Soft drink industry--Georgia--Macon
Soft drinks--Marketing
Douglass Theatre (Macon, Ga.)
Douglass, Charles Henry, 1870-1940 - Location:
- Cuba, Havana, 23.131944, -82.364167
United States, Georgia, Bibb County, Macon, 32.84069, -83.6324 - Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- image/jpeg
text/html - Description:
- Letter from R. M. R. Nelson to Charles Henry Douglass, Jr., African American entrepreneur and owner of the Douglass Theatre, dated October 18, 1924, advertising a new beverage developed by a "black Cuban." Nelson offers Douglass the sole right to manufacture and sell the beverage in Georgia. He claims the beverage will outsell Coca Cola. Nelson names the ingredients in the beverage and promises that it can be manufactured anywhere for under five cents a gallon. He explains that the name of the beverage is Beso Dulce ("Sweet Kiss") and asserts that the name is catchy. Nelson suggests that sale of the beverage will make money for four people if one person cannot invest the amount of money needed. He quotes a price of two thousand dollars cash and one half of a cent for each bottle sold. Nelson suggests that Douglass form a company to manufacture and sell Beso Dulce in Georgia because African Americans spend more than one million dollars annually in Georgia's big cities for soft drinks. He offers to send a sample of Beso Dulce should Douglass express an interest. Nelson explains that he is "a colored citizen" of New York City who went to Cuba in 1898 and stayed because in Cuba he can be "more than half a man." He concludes with a reference.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the Digital Library of Georgia in 2005, as part of Georgia HomePLACE. This project is supported with federal LSTA funds administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. - Local Identifier:
- dbr080
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/dtrm/id:dbr080
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_dtrm_dbr080
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_dtrm_dbr080/presentation/manifest.json
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Theater Records Series, Charles Henry Douglass, Jr. Business Records, 1906-1967, Middle Georgia Archives, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia.
- Extent:
- [1] p.
Manuscript held by the Middle Georgia Archives, Washington Memorial Library, Charles Henry Douglass, Jr. business records, 1906-1967, box 22, folder 223, document 1. - Holding Institution:
- Washington Memorial Library, Middle Georgia Regional Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
[Note: This document contains handwritten and printed text.]
[written text: No. [Number] 3 Baratillo -- HARTY'S -- Habana Cuba. About A NEW SOFT DRINK. A DISCOVERY OF VALUE MADE BY A BLACK CUBAN AND OFFERED TO HIS COLORED BRETHREN IN LYNCHLAND.]
[printed text:
APARTADO 900 CABLE: ROBINSCO
[deleted text: FRANK ROBINS CO. [COMPANY]]
HABANA
DEPARTAMENTO DE
VEHICULOS DE MOTOR
A. H. STAUBER]
[written text: Oct. [October] 18th]. 1924.
Mr. C. H. Douglass, Douglass Theatre.
Macon, Georgia. U. S. A. [United States of America]
Dear Sir --
Believing this will Interest You, or Some Progressive COLORED FRIEND of Yours, to whom I will be Grateful, if you will be PLEASED TO SHOW IT, if you do not PERSONALLY CARE FOR IT. And Hoping Sincerely, to Keep This Discovery Among US IF POSSIBLE, is My Apology for Addressing You This Letter.
ALL PEOPLES SEEK AND DRINK REFRESHING BEVERAGES
This Comes To Offer You, -- THE SOLE RIGHT to Manufacture and Sell A Black Man's Discovery in the State of Georgia! A Beverage that WILL SELL BIGGER THAN Coca Cola.; wherever it shall be introduced! Because it is the Most Sub Rosa of Drinks! A Sweet STIMULANT!
It is Made from ROOTS -- HERBS -- GRASSES -- Carbonated Water -- Sugar -- Etc. [Et cetera] -- CHINA ROOT -- INDIA ROOT -- DORADILLA -- Easily Obtainable.
Its Color is Natural! It Can Be Manufactured Anywhere, for Not to Exceed FIVE (5) CENTS A GALLON!
We have named it BESO DULCE. Beso Dulce is SPANISH for SWEET KISS and is Pronounced -- BAY SO DOOL THAY -- The name is CATCHY.
What Male Drinker is there who would not TAKE A BESO DULCE from a Beautiful Attendant? The Lady will Enjoy the Joke and not Divulge the Secret held by the FOREIGN WORDS!
Introduce Beso Dulce wherever DRINKS ARE SOUGHT AND SOLD BY US and it will PROVE TO BE One Of Our Biggest Money Getters FOR ALL TIMES! It will Make Big Money four [for] FOUR, if ONE does not have, or care to INVEST the Amount Necessary for its Introduction.
Our Price is, Two Thousand Dollars Cash upon signing the Agreement and ONE HALF OF A CENT FOR EACH BOTTLE SOLD.
Form A Company to Manufacture and Sell BESO DULCE in Georgia; where Our People Spend More than One Million Dollars Annually in her Big Cities for SOFT DRINKS.
We will be glad to send you Enough Beso Dulce Extract to PROVE ITS SUPERIORITY; if you signify such interest.
I am A Colored Citizen of New York City. I came to Cuba in 1898 and STAY, because here, I CAN BE what I am, More than "HALF A MAN!"
Reference -- Melvin J. Chisum. Field Secretary, Negro Press Association.
Respectfully,
[Signed] R. M. R. Nelson.]