Lovecraft in History—1938-1944

This is the third and last timeline of H.P. Lovecraft’s work, covering items that were published immediately after his death.  Lovecraft died on March 15, 1937.  Publication dates of his various works of fiction are listed with the work of some of his contemporaries, along with current historical or cultural events from the same time period.  Many of these last items were poems in his Fungi From Yuggoth series.   

The listings cannot be exhaustive, but hopefully provide some context.  I hope to update all three timelines with additional detail as it becomes available.  If you know of significant cultural or historical events that I have overlooked, I would be happy to add them to all three installments.

Year	H.P. Lovecraft	Contemporaries	Current Events
1938	History of the Necronomicon Ibid Azathoth The Descendant The Book The Messenger	“Golden Age of Science Fiction” begins Hollerbochen’s Dilemma, by Ray Bradbury, (first story published) Flash Gordon’s Trip to Mars (film) Universal Studios’ original line of movie monsters, (Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Wolf Man, the Invisible Man, etc.) Mother of Toads, by Clark Ashton Smith	S.S. Queen Elizabeth launched 40-hour work week becomes law Beginnings of World War II
1939	The Evil Clergyman The Outsider and Others (Arkham anthology)	Ether Breather, by Theodore Sturgeon, (first story published). Marooned Off Vesta, by Isaac Asimov, (first story published) The Wizard of Oz (film) The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck	First televised baseball game Radar used in Britain to warn of air attack Arkham House is founded.
1940	The Very Old Folk	Fantasia, (film) Duke Ellington becomes well known jazz composer “When You Wish Upon a Star” (song) The Lesser Brethren Mourn, by Seabury Quinn	The Lascaux cave paintings are discovered in France First successful helicopter
1941	The Case of Charles Dexter Ward The Thing in the Moonlight	The Wolf Man (film) Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (film) “Chattanooga Choo-Choo”, (song) Evening Primrose, by John Collier The Smoke Ghost, by Fritz Leiber	U.S. enters World War II Manhattan Project begins
1942	?	The Ghost of Frankenstein (film) The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis Mimic, by Donald A. Wollheim	Sugar, gasoline and coffee rationed in the U.S. First jet airplane
1943	The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath The Pigeon-Flyers St. Toads Expectancy Evening Star Beyond the Wall of Sleep (Arkham anthology)	Son of Dracula (film) Casablanca, (film) Oklahoma! (musical) Frogfather, by Manly Wade Wellman Baynter’s Imp, by August Derleth Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper, by Robert Bloch The Crowd, by Ray Bradbury	Race riots break out as African Americans move north into big cities Rent, wage and price freezes; more extensive rationing of shoes, meat, cheese, fats, and canned goods Penicillin and streptomycin discovered
1944	The Transition of Juan Romero Marginalia (Arkham anthology)	The Mummy’s Curse (film) The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, (play) Appalachian Spring, by Aaron Copland, (symphony)	Cost of living increases 30% Batman and Robin comic strip begins D-Day World’s largest circus tent catches fire