JFK Assassination System Date: 6/15/201 Identification Form Agency Information Peleased under the John AGENCY: — FBI . Kennedy RECORD NUMBER: — 124-10284-10121 hssassination Records oOllection Act of 1992 . RECORD SERIES : HQ (44 USC 2107 Note). ase#:NWU 53130 Date: _ AGENCY FILENUMBER: — 100-30067-33, 34 nS—-31-2017 Document Information ORIGINATOR: FBI FROM: KEHE, WILBERT H. TO: DIRECTOR, FBI TITLE : DATE: — 12/13/1946 PAGES: 16 SUBJECTS : JOP, BKG, TRA, CP ACT, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS A/O MEETING DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT CLASSIFICATION: — Unclassified RESTRICTIONS: = 4 CURRENT STATUS: — Redact DATE OF LAST REVIEW: — 01/07/1998 OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE COMMENTS : INC MEMO v9.1 11 HW 531350 Doctld:32303609 Page 1
Form No. 3 THIS CASE ORIGINATED AT SAN FRANCISCO ‘ FILE No. . 100«1465 REPORT MADE AT: coe . | DATE WHEN MADE: PERIOD FOR WHICH MADE: SAN FRANCISCO ©.” REPORT MADE BY: | 12/13/46 Avis, 18/46 WILBERT H. KEHE 0 JR CHARACTER OF CASE: |: - ‘Subject, "JOHN PITRIAN, ry negro,. wa. bo ; September 17, 1905. He married -MERLE ENID: NANCE.. at: Seattle, on. July 18, 1938. They. were divorced. March: 5, 19456... -In 193 Sabjact’_ was a member of the American Federation of Government Employees, Lodge: vo Number 291. Subject's wife formerly was employed as a stenographer. for ““ GLADSTEIN, GROSSMAN, MARGOLIS & SAWYER, Communist Law firm in San | Francisco. Subject attended the. College of Arts and: Science, University : of Oelifornia, Herke ley, California, for: six semesterss. 268 ass - a APPROVED AND. ; FORWARDED: Md VS. in asa Cortes OF THIS REPORT + Fins To: COPIES DESTROYED.” 4 U. & SOVERMMRNT PRINTING OFFICE HW 53130 DBocld:32303609 Page 2?
HW 53130 SF 100-1465 Secretary of State State of California Sacramento, California Subject JOHN PITTMAN was one of the sponsors for WALTER R. LAMBERT, 1942 Communist Party candidate for Congressman, and ANITA WHITNEY, Communist Party candidate for State Comptroller, Registrar of Voters San Francisco County San Francisco, California The records of the Registrar of Voters reflect that on September 24, 1938 and on September 16, 1939 Subject JOHN PITTMAN registered as affil- iated with the Communist Party. In the registration PITTMAN registered as residing at 14033 Montgomery Street, gave his occupation as that of a news- paperman, and stated that he was born in Georgia. In his registration of 1939 PITTMAN reflected that he was residing at 1028 Montgomery Street, gave his occupation as that of a reader, and stated that he was born in Georgia, SF-939 Subject JOHN PITTMAN attended a special meeting of the Fillmore Branch of the Communist Party on May 12, 1943 at which time there was a dis- cussion of the State Convention of the Communist Party. On August 30, 1943 PITTMAN spoke at a Communist Party meeting held at the Abraham Lincoln Victory Center, 1759 Fillmore Street, on the problems of negroes, PITTMAN in his speech stated that the negroes had always been discriminated against and were prevented from progressing to a normal and satisfactory manner of living. On August 27, 1943 PITIMAN was the guest of honor at a party given by the Fillmore Branch of the Communist Party at the Abraham Lincoln Victory Center. In January, 1944 Subject was a member of one of the larger branches of the Communist Party in San Francisco and is known to have received instructions from LEO BAROWAY, Communist Party functionary, as to thé line of propaganda PITTMAN was to use in the People's World Newspaper in dealing with the subject of farm consumers. SF-296 While informant was a member of the Communist Party from September, 1936 to February, 1937, JOHN PITTMAN was a member of the Newspaper Guild : faction of the Communist Party. Informant knew PITTMAN also as a member of the DoclId: 327303609 Page 3
‘SF 100-1465 staff of the People's World Newspaper, a Communist organ. Informant learned that Subject's wife, MERLE PITTMAN, resigned her position in the CIO in order to accept a position at the State Headquarters of the Communist Party, lo- cated at 121 Haight Street, San Francisco, . SF-517 On September 12, 1939 Pittman spoke under the auspices of Lodge No. 694, INO, at 136 Valencia Street, San Francisco, on the subject of the German and Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. Informant also retains a copy of an article which appeared in the July, 1939 issue of the Fillmore Spotlight, published by the Twenty-Second Assembly District of the San Francisco Com- munist Party, advertising an open branch meeting of the Party scheduled for July 20, 1939 at 1732 O'Farrell Street. The article reported that PITTMAN would speak on the subject "The Negro Looks at 1940", On March 20, 1940 PITTMAN lead a forum sponsored by the People's World on the topic "This Week Abroad", at the Sorosis Hall, 536 Sutter Street, San Francisco. On September 19, 1941 PITTMAN delivered an address at. the Eagles! Hall, 273 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, at a meeting held under the auspices of the People's World Forum. ELIZABETH GURLEY FLYNN, Secretary of the Citizens Committee to Free EARL BROWDER, and a nation-— ally known Communist Party functionary, spoke on the same program. SF-1159 On June 23, 1943 PITTMAN delivered an address on race riots be- fore a joint meeting of the Fillmore Branch and Branch 6 of the Metal Trades Section of the Communist Party. PITTMAN alleged that the Detroit and Beaumont riots started at the same time, which proved that they were inspired by the Axis collaborators. He stated that the Communist Party policy was to demand protection for negroes and Mexicans from the police. On April 6, 1944 PITTMAN made a speech on the organization and roll of the Communist Party at a meeting of one of the larger Communist Party groups in San Francisco. On November 17, 1944 PITTMAN made a report on the National election results at a meeting of the Fillmore Club of the Communist Party held at 1433 Divisadero Street, San Francisco. On December 8, 194 PITTMAN attended the San Francisco County Membership meeting of the CPA, at which meeting JOHN WILLIAMSON, National Vice President of the CPA, was the principal speaker. PITTMAN attended meet- ings of the Fillmore Club of the Communist Party at 1433 Divisadero Street and at 2031 Bush Street, on August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and October 4, 1945. -~ 3— HW 53130 DBocld:32303609 Page 4
HW 53130 SF 100-1465 SF~1175 This source obtained a copy of a handbill which advertized a speech to be delivered by JOHN PITTMAN, Editor of the People's World News- paper, on August 19, 1943 at 1402 Powell Street, San Francisco. The meeting was held under the auspices of the North Beach Branch of the Communist Party. During 1943 PITIMAN is known to have received consideration by Communist Party officials as a possible candidate for the office of the Board of Supervisors in the San Francisco City elections. After some consideration, however, the Communist Party chose as its candidate OLETA O'CONNOR. YATES, Executive Secretary of the Communist Party for San Francisco County. PITIMAN participated as a speaker in the campaign of OLEDA O'CONNOR YATES, and in December, 1943 was selected to introduce Mrs. YATES over a San Francisco radio station on the anniversary of the Bill of Rights. As of January 1, 1944 PITTMAN was a member of the North Beach Club of the Communist Party. On May 7, 1944 Subject was invited to and at- tended the Communist Party State Convention in San Francisco as a Fraternal delegate. During 1944 PITTMAN was a member of the San Francisco County Committee of the Communist Party and was a member of the California State Com mittee of the Communist Party. During the 1944 recruiting drive Subject pledged to recruit five new members into the Communist Party. At a general membership meeting of the San Francisco Communist Party during the latter part of March, 1944, PITTMAN spoke on the importance of the forthcoming visit of JAMES FORD, negro member of the National Committee of the Communist Party, - SF-980 At a meeting of one of the Communist Party branches in Berkeley, California, on April 13, 1944, JOHN PITTMAN -made a speech in which he ex- plained and praised Marxism. PITTMAN cited examples of great advances made in Russia under this system of Government and stated that the policy of the Communist Party in the United States as of that time was to cooperate one hundred percent with the United States Government because this Government had expressed the same views for economic freedom of the masses which the Com-— munist Party had always advocated. On August 19, 1945 PITTMAN attended the State Convention of the Communist. Party at 1621 Market Street and made a speech on the work of the People's World Newspaper. During the course of his speech he asked that Com- munist Party Club disaissims of the paper should continue as a permanent feature. In 1946 PITTMAN attended the Northern California Conference on Industrial Relations and was one of the speakers at this conference. -i- DoclId: 32303609 Page 5
HW 53130 SF 100-1465 Source A PITTMAN attended a large public meeting sponsored by the Com- munist Party of San Francisco during the latter part of April, 1944, at which time JAMES FORD, member of the National Committee of the Communist Party, was the principal speaker. PITTMAN was. seated on the platform behind the speaker along with a select group of State and County Communist Farty function- aries. He assisted in taking a collection at this nee ting ‘for the benefit of the Communist Party. SF-595 In August, 1944, PITTMAN spoke at a meeting of the Richmond Victory Ulub on the subject "The Communist Movement Throughout the World", SF-1409 On January 10, 1945 PITTMAN spoke on the subject "The Future of Germany" at a meeting of the Seamen's Group of the Communist Political Associ- ation, At a meeting of the Seamen's Club on July 25, 1945 at 1402 Powell Street, San Francisco, PITIMAN spoke on the history of the People's World as a mass organ of the Communist Party. He stated that WILLIAM SCHNEIDERMAN, HARRISON GEORGE, VERN SMITH and himself comprised an Editorial Committee which met every Friday to work out the Party line to be followed by the People's World Newspaper, At another meeting of the Seamen's Club on August 1, 1945, PITTMAN continued his speech regarding the work and purposes of the People's World Newspaper. SF-1425 PITTMAN attended numerous meetings of the State Board 6f the Com munist Party during 1944 and 1945. At a meeting of the State Board,’at Com munist Party Headquarters on November 10, 1945, PITTMAN advocated a drive to obtain one thousand new subscribers each month for the People's World. He asserted that the People's World had not previously been brought to the Com- munist Party as a political problem. At a meeting of the State Board on June 8, 1945 PITTMAN stated that the People's World editorial staff was made up of typical young Party members who were inexperienced in the Party, and further stated that the least political wise of these inexperienced people believed Revisionism constituted a crisis in the Communist Party, At a State Board meeting on September 1, 1945 PITIMAN reported that the situation in the Fillmore Branch of the Communist Party was very bad. He suggested that the Party investigate the matter of JIM CROWISM in the Longshoremen's Union. At a meeting of the State Executive Board on October 1, 1945 PITTMAN decried a trend toward white chauvinism in the Communist Party. On DoclId: 327303609 Page 6
SF 100-1465 x7 Northern California Conference on Industrial Concentration and Press Build- ing held at the Booker T. Washington Community Center. Subject gave a speech entitled "The Roll of the Marxist Press", On April 8, 1946 PITTMAN conducted a class on Marxism for the John Brown Branch of the Communist Party in the home of ETTA LARGENT, 1512 Lyon Street, San Francisco. On April 29, 1946 PITIMAN spoke at a meeting sponsored by the South San Francisco People's World readers at 200 Victory Avenue, South San Francisco. SF-1198 On August 15, 1945 PITTMAN attended the State Convention of the Communist Party at 1621 Market Street, San Francisco. He made a speech at this convention concerning the work of the People's World and asked that Com- munist Party club discussions of the paper should continue as a permanent feature, SF-568 On July 25, 1945 PITTMAN attended a meeting of the Seamen's Club at 1402 Powell Street, San Francisco. SF-14h2 On February 12, 1945 PITTMAN served as chairman of the Lincoln Memorial meeting held at 1750 Clay Street, San Francisco and sponsored by the Communist Political Association, SF-1469_ During 1946 PITTMAN attended the Northern California Conference on Industrial Relations in San Francisco and served as one of the speakers at the conference. The "Western Worker" of October 4, 1937 reported that - PITTMAN had been elected as a member of the Executive Board of the San Fran-_ ' cisco County Council Committee of the Communist Party. On October 11, 1940 HW 53130 the "Western Worker" reported that. PITTMAN was a member of the Northern Calif- ornia Newspaper Guild and that he was active in organizing negroes in the trade union movement. The People's World Newspaper on April 2, 1942 published an article by JOHN PITTMAN as Foreign Editor, in which he praised the morale of the Red Armies of the Union of Soviet Republics, The Oakland Tribune on July 13, 1943 reported that JOHN PITTMAN would be the guest speaker at a public meet- ing sponsored by the Berkeley Branches of the Communist Party at 1942 Shaddock _. Avenue. The People's World Newspaper on July 23, 1943 publicized the fact that JOHN PITTMAN, Managing Editor of the People's World, would speak on Japan -~8- DoclId: 32303609 Page 7
HW 53130 SF 100+1465 SF-9 During a visit to New York in 1943 PITTWAN was entertained by PAUL ROBESON, negro singer, Communist Party supporter, SF-1180 During the early part of April, 1944 JOHN PITTMAN and his wife entertained GREGORY KHEIFETS, Soviet Vice Consul, and Mrs. KH@IFETS at dinner, along with other guests, SF-1301 During the Spring of 1944 JORN PITTMAN and his wife entertained JOHN and KAY McTERNAN at Ginner. The McTERNANS are well known members of the Communist Party in San Francisco, SF-1332 During the early part of June, 1944, Subject and his wife enter- tained HERBERT RESNER, Communist Party attorney,for HARRY BRIDGES, at dinner at their home. Source B During the spring recruiting drive of the Communist Political Association in 1944 Subject JOHN PITTMAN recruited the following four persons into the CPA: JACK C. FORSTON, FRED MAR ‘TIN, CHARITY MARTIN, JOHN TERRY. PITTMAN was transferred from the North Beach Club of the Com munist Party to the Fillmore Club on April 19, 1944. “OF -1370 During 1944 PITTMAN was selected as one of the key Communists by Dr. MAX YERGAN, Secretary of the Council on African Affairs, to draw up plans and strategy in making suitable contacts, securing favorable publicity and proposals, and in his obtaining the support of the delegates attending the United Nations Conference for the Colonial program of the Council on African Affairs, SF-1413 During 1945 JOHN PITTMAN appeared before the Leadership Review Committee of the Communist Party and signed a ten-page statement regarding his shortcomings as a leader in the Communist Party. ~l- DoclId: 32303609 Page 6
SF 100-1465 LA-3000 WILLIAM SCHNEIDERMAN furnished funds to JOHN PITTMAN upon his departure from San Francisco to accept a position with the Chicago "Defender", PITTMAN was allowed by the Secretary of the Party to ap- proach a few of the comrades whom he knew personally for personal loans, and WILLIAM SCHNEIDERMAN is known to have stated that the Party felt it necessary to assist PITTMAN as much as possible. -~ PENDING- ~12- A HW 53130 DBocld:32303609 Page 9