- 2 -

(Local and States and Regional winners to be awarded
from a fund consisting of one-tenth of proceeds.

(B)

The National sale through unemployed Negroes and branches of a
Fact Book of the Negro giving briefly the facts about the Negro's past
and present achievements. In other words to compress into about 30
pages, pamphlet size, all of the outstanding facts about the Negro,
this booklet to sell for ten cents, commission being four cents. An
advertisement of the N.A.A.C.P. on the back cover would bring the
meaning of the organization to every Negro who purchased the booklet.
This booklet could be compiled by the N.A.A.C.P. and should embody
every outstanding achievement of Negroes -- military, athletic, legal,
political, artistic, scientific, financial, literary, etc., a sort of
black Believe It or Not. It would have to be written in the simplest
of language and yet be accurate and informative. If properly done it
would be saleable to both whites and Negroes.

There are large numbers of unemployed Negroes who would leap at
this opportunity to make some money. And the cost of the booklet would
be so low that even a person getting unemployment relief could afford
to buy it. With an attractive colored cover it should sell quickly.

I estimate that with an average of one agent (maximum) for each
2000 or 2500 Negroes in a community, there would be a total sale of
not less than 250,000 at the very least. The sales drive could be
made over a period of two months.

Estimated gross revenue to N.A.A.C.P. $12,500

Printing and Mailing.................... 5,000

Note: The cost could be reduced lower by printing this as a four-
page newspaper with magazine columns and on book paper. Attention is
called to the immense sales of music sheets on the streets since the
depression.

(c)

N.A.A.C.P. Olympics. This is perhaps the best suggestion of all.
It will appeal to all of the young Negroes and all of the sporting
class who love athletics. The thought is to organize N.A.A.C.P. Olym-
pic Clubs in every city and town, membership fee being 25¢ quarterly,
great national games held annually at the end of the school year, after
local and state contests, the great proclaimed goal being the capture
of the Olympic Games of 1936 by Negroes. I think this will electrify
young, virile, sport-loving Negroes in every part of the country.

It would be strictly amateur and I am sure there would be no great
difficulty in organizing such a club in practically every city and town
of every size. The towns where there are branches of the N.A.A.C.P.
would be the nuclei. These numerous sports centers would prove
very useful in time as propaganda centers and feeders for the branches.

Posters, "literature", banners, badges, etc. would be necessary,
and there would have to be a special department of the N.A.A.C.P. and
a field man to keep the clubs lined up. A tremendous amount of publi-
city could be obtained through the sports pages of the Negro newspapers
and in the daily press as well. This would definitely put the Negro on
the map in athletics, and the N.A.A.C.P. would benefit financially and
otherwise.

Since Americans, black and white, are so mad about sports of all

- 3 -

kinds, there is no reason why we should not turn this to advantage.
While at first glance this seems entirely foreign to N.A.A.C.P. work,
it actually will win over hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of
Negroes who never even heard of the Association or its work. And each
young man and woman we enroll has parents and relatives and friends in
both races.

(f)

STUDENT LOAN and Book Exchange. This is a very much needed Service that would win over to the Association the major portion of the young Negro college men and women. It should be non-profit making, the only deduction being for the cost of administration in so far as the loan plan was concerned. It would be a sort of co-operative society to which each student would pay a certain stated fee and from which when in need, as established to our satisfaction, he could secure a necessary loan for purposes only of paying tuition. The Book Exchange department would also be co-operative and enable the average Negro student to get through college by spending less than half what he does now on books. This would involve considerable work but a small fee for servicing would cover it.

(g)

Broadening of Legal Defense. American Courts being what they are,
almost every Negro arrested needs adequate legal defense until proved
guilty. To this end, there should be an active legal defense committee
in every branch of the N.A.A.C.P. to see to it that (a) Every Negro ar-
rested on any charge be given his full rights under the law; that (b)
the Negroes incarcerated in the city and county jails and neighboring
prisons be regularly visited to determine the treatment being received
by them and what can be done to better their condition. All such Ne-
groes whether guilty or not, have scores of relatives and friends. This
will win their support.

(h)

A National Poll on the Negro's future procedure in this country, or
something like that. This will have fine advertising value though ad-
mittedly will not have much direct financial benefit. Such a poll has
never been taken. Everybody has more or less been going on guess work.
I believe the bulk of the Negroes want what the N.A.A.C.P. wants and if
we could establish that through a poll (questionnaire cards distributed
through branches, newspapers and friends) it would be of incalnable
assistance. More, it would furnish you with an up-to-date list of in-
terested Negroes whom later you could canvass for memberships and other
financial support.

January 28, 1933

My dear Walter:

I have your letter of the 24 with the enclosed
plan that has been submitted by George Schuyler
for raising funds for the Association.

I have gone through his memorandum, and I am
especially impressed with two of the suggestions:
I think the suggestion B, the compilation and
sale of a Fact Book of the Negro, is a very good
one. It would be a useful little pamphlet and I
think it would sell. I also like the suggestion
under C, the N.A.A.C.P. Olympics. This would
require considerable organization, but I am of
the opinion that the venture could be carried
through. I think, also, that the suggestion
under H is a good one. I do not think it would
result in any funds, but it ought to be effective
in stimulating interest. I confess that I do not
think very much of the suggestion under A, the
national Contract Bridge Tournament.

I have made the contact with Dr. Barnett and an
appointment to see him today and talk over the
Lebanon case. I will advise you as soon as I
have talked with him.

With best regards, I am

Mr. Walter White
National Association For
The Advancement of Colored People
New York, New York

JWJ:fgm

P.S. I note that the office has a duplicate stencil
for me on the files and so I get two copies of the
news released. You can have one of the stencils taken
out and save postage.

January 30, 1933

Dear Walter:

I have had a conference with Dr. Barnett, and I feel with him that the cases of the men convicted in the Lebanon affair should be appealed. Conviction of these men, to say the least, was a gross miscarriage of justice. There is no question that they shot and killed two white men, but they certainly did not commit murder or, according to the laws of Tennessee, any other crime. The action was nothing, more or less, than defense of their home against what they had every right to believe was a mob. There is a close analogy between this case and the Detroit case.

Dr. Barnett is of the opinion that so long as the case is in the courts of Tennessee, the N.A.A.C.P. should remain in the background and should not come to the front unless the case is carried to the United States Supreme Court. He feels confident that if the Association contributes one hundred dollars, another one hundred dollars can be easily raised in Nashville. I believe that he is right and that, perhaps, even more than one hundred dollars may eventually be raised. My recommendation would be for the N.A.A.C.P. to contribute the hundred dollars.

Mr. Wilkins wrote me also about this case and I wish that you would exhibit this letter to him so that I shall have to write only the one. I shall be glad to be of any further service in this matter.

With kindest regards, I am

Mr. Walter White
New York, New York

JWJ: fmm

C
O
P
Y

February 14, 1933

My dear Walter:

I have written Roger Baldwin a letter which I hope will have some effect. I think you ought, also, to get in touch with Louis Tannett on this matter. If the meeting of the Committee is held and proxies are asked for, I shall be very glad to send mine to Morris Ernst.

I am greatly interested in the investigation of the conditions at Harlem Hospital which is being carried on by the Committee, sponsored by the N.A.A.C.P. I can understand the delicate situation in which the Association is placed, but I think the organization has been very wise in taking the sort of action that it has.

My very best regards to you and to our mutual friends at the office.

Mr. Walter White
69 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

HON. ARTHUR CAPPER
BISHOP JOHN A. GREGG
REV. JOHN HAYNES HOLMES
JAMES WELDON JOHNSON
ARTHUR B. SPINGARN
OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore
Carl Murphy
Boston
Joseph Prince Loud
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Hnat
Chicago
Jane Addams
Clarence Darrow
Cleveland
Hon. Harry E. Davis
Detroit
Hon. Ira W. Jayne
Hon. Frank Murphy
Emporia, Kan.
William Allen White
Indianapolis
F. B. Ransom
Los Angeles
Dr. H. Claude Hudson
Dr. J. A. Somerville
New Haven
George W. Crawford
New York
Lillian A. Alexander
Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop
Dr. W. E. B. DuBois
Rev. John Haynes Holmes
James Weldon Johnson
Hon. Herbert H. Lehman
James Marshall
Ella Rush Murray
Mary White Ovington
Rev. A. Clayton Powell
Arthur B. Spingarn
J. E. Spingarn
Charles H. Studin
William English Walling
Dr. Louis T. Wright
Northampton, Mass.
Dr. William Allan Neilson
Orange, N. J.
Dr. Vernon F. Bunce
Philadelphia
Isadore Martin
Richmond
Maggie L. Walker
Springfield
Rev. G. R. Waller
Topeka
Hon. Arthur Capper
Washington
Nannie H. Burroughs
Hon. James A. Cobb
Charles Edward Russell
NATIONAL LEGAL
COMMITTEE
Chairman
Arthur B. Spingarn
Chicago
Clarence Darrow
Edward H. Morris
Cambridge, Mass.
Felix Frankfurter
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Columbia, S. C.
N. J. Frederick
New York
Morris L. Ernst
Arthur Garfield Hays
James Marshall
Herbert K. Stockton
Charles H. Studin
Toledo, Ohio
Jesse S. Heslip
Washington, D. C.
Charles H. Houston
Wilmington, Del.
Louis L. Redding

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

AIR MAIL

February 7, 1933

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

ROY WILKINS
ASSISTANT SECRETARY

DR. W. E. B. DU BOIS
EDITOR OF THE CRISIS

WILLIAM PICKENS
FIELD SECRETARY

DAISY E. LAMPKIN
REGIONAL FIELD SECRETARY

Dear Jim:

The *Herald-Tribune* today carries an Associated Press dispatch from St. Joseph, Michigan, telling of the dismissal yesterday of the criminal syndicalism charges against Foster and his eighteen co-defendants in the Circuit Court "on a motion of Prosecuting Attorney Harvey Holbrook, concurred in by Attorney General Patrick H. O'Brien on behalf of the state."

I immediately called Morris Ernst who told me to "jump down Roger's throat immediately."

You will remember that $34,000 in liberty bonds was put up as bail by the Fund. Morris is of the opinion that part of this has to go to Brookwood but that at least half of it is to come to the N.A.A.C.P. Morris tells me confidentially that Roger and the Communist members of the Fund Board will probably fight tooth and toe-nail to keep from giving us more than a thousand dollars or so.

Morris suggests that a somewhat naive letter from you to Roger saying that you have read this news dispatch and inquiring when you should come up for the purpose of turning the money over to the N.A.A.C.P. would have its effect. Will you write such a letter to Roger together with any additional ideas which you think will be helpful.

I enclose self-explanatory copy of a letter I am writing to Roger this morning.

Mr. James Weldon Johnson
Fisk University
Nashville, Tennessee

WW/RR

ENDORSED BY THE NATIONAL INFORMATION BUREAU, 215 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE — CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, June 27 - July 2, 1933

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

HON. ARTHUR CAPPER

BISHOP JOHN A. GREGG

REV. JOHN HAYNES HOLMES

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON

ARTHUR B. SPINGARN

OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore

Carl Murphy

Boston

Joseph Prince Loud

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Chicago

Jane Addams

Clarence Darrow

Cleveland

Hon. Harry E. Davis

Detroit

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

Indianapolis

F. B. Ransom

Los Angeles

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

Dr. J. A. Somerville

New Haven

George W. Crawford

New York

Lillian A. Alexander

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Ella Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Neilson

Orange, N. J.

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia

Isadore Martin

Richmond

Maggie L. Walker

Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller

Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper

Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman

Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago

Clarence Darrow

Edward H. Morris

Cambridge, Mass.

Felix Frankfurter

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick

New York

Morris L. Ernst

Arthur Garfield Hays

James Marshall

Herbert K. Stockton

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio

Jesse S. Heslip

Washington, D. C.

Charles H. Houston

Wilmington, Del.

Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

February
27th
1933

The American Fund for Public Service
at West 13th Street
New York City.

Gentlemen:

In accordance with the request contained in letters dated February 8th and 18th made by the Fund through Miss Marnitz for a report from the N.A.A.C.P.--Fund Committee, the following is submitted:

1. There was one meeting of the N.A.A.C.P.--Fund Committee during 1932. No more meetings were held because your Committee has been marking time pending release to it of funds for commencement of the program. All the preliminary work is completed and the only drawback has been the lack of funds with which to proceed.

This does not include numerous conferences with Mr. Nathan R. Margold, nor smaller group meetings upon various aspects of the program.

2. The general program and its scope are known to the Board and this information is available in the files of the American Fund. Copies of the exhaustive study of the legal background by Mr. Margold have been sent to four members of the Board, a copy is available to all members of the Board in the offices of the Fund, and there is a copy also in the offices of the N.A.A.C.P.

3. No more opportune time has existed than the present for commencement of the program, nor has there been any period when the criticalness of the Negro's plight necessitated vigorous, militant and sustained action than is now the case. As an indication of this may we point to the struggle which the N.A.A.C.P. has been making against the vicious exploitation of workers, and particularly Negro workers, in the Federal-financed Mississippi Flood Control Project. Three investigations have been made by the N.A.A.C.P., one by the American Federation of Labor and two by other agencies which establish beyond all question that inhumanly long hours, a wage scale below the level of

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

DR. W. E. B. DuBois
EDITOR OF THE CRISIS

#2 - American Fund

2/27/85

subsistence, vicious exploitation under the commissary system where
workers are overcharged from 50 to 500 percent and are charged, in
addition, for all manner of extras, unsanitary living conditions and
gross brutality are the rule.

In the face of bitter opposition by the War Department and the
contractors the N.A.A.C.P. has succeeded in stirring public sentiment,
white and colored, conservative, liberal and radical, in support of
the resolution introduced in the United States Senate by Senator
Robert P. Wagner for a Senate investigation. What seemed impossible
at several stages in getting favorable action by the Senate Committee
on Commerce and by the Senate Committee on Audits and Control was
accomplished and on Wednesday, February 22nd, the Wagner resolution
passed the Senate. It is estimated that ending of the exploitation
and the establishment of a minimum wage scale and of the eight-hour-
day will mean approximately ten million dollars a year in wages to
workers on this project for the ten years which it will take to com-
plete it.

In addition to this case which is being fought by the N.A.A.C.P.
against great difficulties both for relief of those suffering from
this condition on this project and in fighting discrimination against
Negroes in the other federal, state and municipally-financed relief
and construction projects, and in efforts to secure legislation pro-
hibiting such discrimination, the N.A.A.C.P. is helping to meet the
unemployment crisis affecting the Negro which is greater than that of
any other racial group.

The fight for the Wagner bill and for the ending of exploitation
on the Mississippi Flood Control Project has direct bearing upon the
suits contemplated in the American Fund program and the suits in turn
will definitely affect such fights as this one.

4. Your Committee urges that the suggestion of Mr. Morris Ernst be followed out-- that the Bridgman cases bail and the Vanguard Press notes, signed by James Henle, be divided between Brookwood and the N.A.A.C.P. on the basis of the relative size of the appropriation made by the American Fund to each.

Respectfully,

WW:CTF

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

March 3rd
1933

MEMORANDUM FROM MR. WHITE TO THE
N.A.A.C.P.--AMERICAN FUND COMMITTEE:

Messrs. Morris Ernst
James Marshall
Lewis Gannett
Roger Baldwin
James Weldon Johnson
Arthur B. Spingarn.

Attached is copy of letter addressed to the American Fund Board and copy of letter, dated March 2nd, from Mr. Baldwin.

Would it be possible for you to attend a meeting of the American Fund--N.A.A.C.P. Committee in this office on Thursday, March 9th, at 4:00 P.M. to consider the American Fund's request?

WW:CTF

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

DR. W. E. B. DUBOIS
EDITOR OF THE CRISIS

NATIONAL OFFICERS

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore
Carl Murphy
Boston
Joseph Prince Loud Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Chicago
Jane Addams
Clarence Darrow
Cleveland
Hon. Harry E. Davis
Detroit
Hon. Ira W. Jayne
Hon. Frank Murphy
Emporia, Kan.
William Allen White
Indianapolis
F. B. Ransom
Los Angeles
Dr. H. Claude Hudson
Dr. J. A. Somerville
New Haven
George W. Crawford
New York
Lillian A. Alexander
Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop
Dr. W. E. B. DuBois
Rev. John Haynes Holmes
James Weldon Johnson
Hon. Herbert H. Lehman
James Marshall
Ella Rush Murray
Mary White Ovington
Rev. A. Clayton Powell
Arthur B. Spingarn
J. E. Spingarn
Charles H. Studin
William English Walling
Dr. Louis T. Wright
Northampton, Mass.
Dr. William Allan Nelson
Orange, N. J.
Dr. Vernon F. Bunce
Philadelphia
Isadore Martin
Richmond
Maggie L. Walker
Springfield
Rev. G. R. Waller
Topeka
Hon. Arthur Capper
Washington
Nannie H. Burroughs
Hon. James A. Cobb
Charles Edward Russell

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE
SECRETARY

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois
EDITOR OF THE CRISIS

August 2, 1933

Dear Mr. Schomburg:

As I am rushing to try to make a train to get away for vacation I am addressing this letter both to you and James Weldon Johnson relative to my interview at the State Department on Monday with Assistant Secretary of State Wilbur J. Carr.

Mr. Carr stated to me that there is no reason why McKay should have to wait to come in under the English quota as the English quota has not been exhausted for a number of years. All Claude needs to do is to go to the consul at Marseilles, make application, show that he has sufficient funds to meet requirements, and the vice will be given him. Without saying so in so many words, Mr. Carr quite definitely gave me to understand that though McKay will be questioned in routine fashion about his possible connection with the third Internationale there will be no difficulty on that score. //

Will you pass this word on to McKay?

Mr. A. A. Schomburg
105 Kosciusko Street
Brooklyn, New York

WW/RR

March 2, 1933.

To the Committee appointed by the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People:-

In accordance with the authorization of the Committee at its meeting on
February 6, 1933, I have appointed Dr. Samuel A. Brown and Dr. William
Darrach members of the Executive Committee.

The N.A.A.C.P. has appropriated one-third of the amount required to pursue the study, not to exceed twenty-five hundred dollars. Other gifts and reasonable prospects make it probable that the entire sum can be secured. The Executive Committee has therefore authorized Dr. E. H. L. Corwin and Dr. Gertrude Sturges to proceed with the study and they began work on February 26, 1932.

Further consideration has convinced the Executive Committee that the scope of the study should be more extensive than was contemplated at first. The situation at Harlem Hospital is important but represents only one phase of a broad consideration of the opportunities for medical education of Negroes in the United States. The Executive Committee therefore recommends that the work be given the title "A Study of Opportunities for the Medical Education of Negroes." It is proposed to review available statistics on this subject and to study the organization and efficiency of the Provident Hospital in Baltimore and the Mercy Hospital in Philadelphia as well as the Harlem Hospital. The greater amount of attention naturally will be devoted to Harlem Hospital. As it is a large municipal hospital it offers unusual opportunities for training Negro doctors and may well serve as a model for similar institutions.

At the last meeting of the Committee it was agreed that any public statements concerning the survey should be issued only by the Chairman. None have been made thus far and it is the inclination of the Chairman not to issue any until the report is completed.

If the membership of the Committee will cooperate with the Executive Committee in offering suggestions for making the study it does not at present appear necessary to call a meeting until a preliminary draft of the report has been formulated.

Enclosed you will find a brief outline of the proposed studies. Your chairman will welcome suggestions and criticisms and asks that any such will be sent to him in the immediate future as it is hoped to complete the survey within two months.

Very truly yours,

Chairman.

# BRIEF OUTLINE OF STUDY

## I. Introductory

### A.

1. Facilities for medical education of the Negro in the United States

2. Facilities for intern training

3. Facilities for postgraduate study

4. Study of the organization of the Provident Hospital in Baltimore and of the Mercy Hospital in Philadelphia

### B.

1. Number of Negro physicians in New York; the school from which they have graduated; their intern training; the extent of specialization; their hospital connections, incl. the proprietary hospitals.

2. The Negro medical societies in New York - their aims and work

### C. Health and demography of the Negroes in Harlem, based on data of the Department of Health, the Committee on Health Center Development, the New York Tuberculosis and Health Association and others.

## II. Study of the Harlem Hospital Proper

1. Analysis of the available reports and letters concerning the situation

2. Conferences with present and past members of the medical staff of the Hospital, Negro and White; also with representative Negro leaders, as well as others interested in the problem, such as the various social workers who have had professional contacts with the Hospital (The C.O.S., The A.I.C.P., the Urban League, the Harlem Health Center, the Welfare Council, the Convalescence Service, etc.

3. Study of the medical organization of the Hospital; the various divisions and their personnel; the appointment of staff; the assigning of responsibility, incl. the O.P.D.; the supervision of the medical work

4. The esprit de corps of the staff as judged by attendance records, by consultations, by presence and participation at clinical conferences at the Hospital, by complaints which may be registered in the course of the present investigation.

5. Examination of the minutes of the Medical Board and of the proceedings at Clinical Conferences

6. Objective study of medical records from each division and of the O.P.D.

7. Study of autopsy findings

8. Study of admission and ward procedures in the Hospital; the average stay of patients of various types; the mortality records by service and years

9. The supervision of interns in wards, operating room, laboratory and dispensary.

10. The opinions of patients

11. The nursing, dietetic and social services

12. The relationship between the administrative and medical staffs and the costs of the various services on a per capita per diem basis

13. Interpretation of findings

14. Recommendations, if any

March 21, 1933

My dear Walter:

I have just seen the minutes and read Mr. Spingarn's letter of resignation. I need not say how much concern and anxiety his action has given me and I sincerely hope that his decision is not absolutely final. It will be an extremely difficult thing for us to find anyone to fill his place.

I should like to be at the next board meeting, but I do not see how it will be possible, even though I shall be as close to New York as Philadelphia. I shall be lecturing and speaking during the week of April at Swarthmore College,averford College, Bryn Mawr College, The University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, and Princeton University. I shall make an effort to run up to New York before I return to Nashville. If I do, I shall, of course, see you.

With kind regards to you, Gladys, and the children,
I am always

Mr. Walter White
Secretary of N.A.A.C.P.
New York, New York

JWJ:fmm

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

HON. ARTHUR CAPPER

BISHOP JOHN A. GREGG

REV. JOHN HAYNES HOLMES

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON

ARTHUR B. SPINGARN

OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore

Carl Murphy

Boston

Joseph Prince Loud

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Chicago

Jane Addams

Clarence Darrow

Cleveland

Hon. Harry E. Davis

Detroit

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

Indianapolis

F. B. Ransom

Los Angeles

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

Dr. J. A. Somerville

New Haven

George W. Crawford

New York

Lillian A. Alexander

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Ella Bush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Neilson

Orange, N. J.

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia

Isadore Martin

Richmond

Maggie L. Walker

Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller

Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper

Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman

Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago

Clarence Darrow

Edward H. Morris

Cambridge, Mass.

Felix Frankfurter

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick

New York

Morris L. Ernst

Arthur Garfield Hays

James Marshall

Herbert K. Stockton

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio

Jesse S. Heslip

Washington, D. C.

Charles H. Houston

Wilmington, Del.

Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

March 21, 1933

Dear Jim:

You will note from the minutes of the March meeting that it was voted that a committee be appointed to consider the resignation of the President and Chairman of the Board, Mr. J. E. Spingarn.

The Chairman of the Board has requested me to inform you that he has appointed the following committee which is to report its recommendations to the Board as early as possible:

Dr. John Haynes Holmes, Chairman

Mr. Harry E. Davis

Mr. Isadore Martin

Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Mr. James Weldon Johnson

The addresses of the members of the committee are enclosed.

WW/RR

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore

Carl Murphy

Boston

Joseph Prince Loud

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Chicago

Jane Addams

Clarence Darrow

Cleveland

Hon. Harry E. Davis

Detroit

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

Indianapolis

F. B. Ransom

Los Angeles

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

Dr. J. A. Somerville

New Haven

George W. Crawford

New York

Lillian A. Alexander

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Elia Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Nelson

Orange, N. J.

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia

Isadore Martin

Richmond

Maggie L. Walker

Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller

Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper

Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman

Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago

Clarence Darrow

Edward H. Morris

Cambridge, Mass.

Felix Frankfurter

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick

New York

Morris L. Ernst

Arthur Garfield Hays

James Marshall

Herbert K. Stockton

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio

Jesse S. Heslip

Washington, D. C.

Charles H. Houston

Wilmington, Del.

Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

March 24, 1933

Dear Jim:

Dr. Holmes has said that on account of
his health and the necessity for refraining from
doing anything outside of his church work he cannot
accept the chairmanship of the committee appointed
to consider Joel's resignation, or even serve as a
member of the committee.

Joel asks me to write you that he has
appointed you chairman and that Miss Ovington is
member of the committee in place of Dr. Holmes.

WW/RR

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

HON. ARTHUR Capper
BISHOP JOHN A. GREGG
REV. JOHN HAYNES HOLMES
JAMES WELDON JOHNSON
ARTHUR B. SPINGARN
OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

Confidential:

March 22, 1933

Dear Jim:

I am enclosing copy of a personal letter I wrote to Joel. This is a moderate expression of our feeling here at the National Office.

You probably have done so already, but I hope you will write as strong a letter as possible to Joel without, of course, indicating in any fashion that it is other than your own personal opinion, pointing out to him how unfortunate it would be for the Association should he not reconsider his decision and continue to serve as President and Chairman of the Board.

Ever sincerely,

Secretary

WW/RR

March 14, 1933

Dear Joel:

I was so stunned at the suddenness and the
nature of your letter to the Board yesterday that I
could not even speak for some time. I wanted to ask if
there was any dissatisfaction on your part with the way
things were going which led to your resignation, but
then I knew that if you wanted to make any further state-
ment to the Board you would make it on your own volition
and might not like my asking the question at the meeting.

Frankly, I don't know yet just what we can do
without you as Chairman, and the affection and gratitude
with which your name is held by colored people all over
the country will make it impossible for your resignation
not to be harmful to the Association at this most critical
period. We here at the office and I personally in par-
ticular have been the objects of terrific attacks by the
Communists and by certain factions in the Harlem Hospital
matter, and we have been harrassed by a host of problems -
all these added to the terrible financial struggle to
keep the Association going.

No matter what statement is made to the public,
unquestionably our enemies are going to attribute your
resignation to all manner of motives despite the fact
that your remaining on the Board is answer to these
misconstructions. Had you asked me to pick out the time
when your resignation would be of greatest harm to the
Association I would unhesitatingly have picked out the
present.

I know how personal problems during this
terrible period perplex us - and I know that you never did
want to be President of the Association and Chairman
of the Board. I know also that final tone in your voice
and manner when it is futile to attempt to get you to
reconsider a decision once made. I write you in this
fashion, however, because your resignation will un-
questionably have far-reaching repercussions and because
my own personal respect and affection for you make your
loss as Chairman an additional burden during a time when the
load already is almost overwhelming.

Mr. J. E. Spingarn
9 West 73rd Street
New York City

WW/RR

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

HON. ARTHUR CAPPER

BISHOP JOHN A. GREGG

REV. JOHN HAYNES HOLMES

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON

ARTHUR B. SPINGARN

OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore

Carl Murphy

Boston

Joseph Prince Loud

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Chicago

Jane Addams

Clarence Darrow

Cleveland

Hon. Harry E. Davis

Detroit

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

Indianapolis

F. B. Ransom

Los Angeles

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

Dr. J. A. Somerville

New Haven

George W. Crawford

New York

Lillian A. Alexander

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Ella Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Neilson

Orange, N. J.

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia

Isadore Martin

Richmond

Maggie L. Walker

Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller

Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper

Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman

Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago

Clarence Darrow

Edward H. Morris

Cambridge, Mass.

Felix Frankfurter

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick

New York

Morris L. Ernst

Arthur Garfield Hays

James Marshall

Herbert K. Stockton

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio

Jesse S. Heslip

Washington, D. C.

Charles H. Houston

Wilmington, Del.

Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

March 25th
1933 (Dictated March 24th)

Dear Jim:

My best thanks for your letter of March 21st. Joel was in the office today and I showed him your letter. He and I are to have a talk on Monday. It may be the wish that is father to the thought, but I believe there is some hope of our getting him to reconsider for he told me today that he would not "do anything which would hurt the N.A.A.C.P."

I do very much hope that you can be present at the Board meeting on April 9th. Can you possibly do so? Couldn't you run up for it? A word from you in person to Joel would have, I know, tremendous effect.

Dictated by Mr. White;
signed in his absence.

Mr. James Weldon Johnson
Fisk University
Nashville,
Tennessee.

WW:CTF

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

HON. ARTHUR CAPPER

BISHOP JOHN A. GREGG

REV. JOHN HAYNES HOLMES

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON

ARTHUR B. SPINGARN

OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore

Carl Murphy

Boston

Joseph Prince Loud

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Chicago

Jane Addams

Clarence Darrow

Cleveland

Hon. Harry E. Davis

Detroit

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

Indianapolis

F. B. Ransom

Los Angeles

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

Dr. J. A. Somerville

New Haven

George W. Crawford

New York

Lillian A. Alexander

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Ella Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Neilson

Orange, N. J.

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia

Isadore Martin

Richmond

Maggie L. Walker

Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller

Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper

Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman

Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago

Clarence Darrow

Edward H. Morris

Cambridge, Mass.

Felix Frankfurter

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick

New York

Morris L. Ernst

Arthur Garfield Hays

James Marshall

Herbert K. Stockton

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio

Jesse S. Heslip

Washington, D. C.

Charles H. Houston

Wilmington, Del.

Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

March 28th
1933

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE

SECRETARY

ROY WILKINS

ASSISTANT SECRETARY

DR. W. E. B. DUBOIS

EDITOR OF THE CRISIS

WILLIAM PICKENS

FIELD SECRETARY

DAISY E. LAMPKIN

REGIONAL FIELD SECRETARY

TO MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN FUND FOR PUBLIC SERVICE--
N.A.A.C.P. JOINT COMMITTEE:

Messrs. Arthur B. Spingarn
James Weldon Johnson.

For your information and files I enclose self-
explanatory copy of letter written on March 20th to
Mr. Nathan R. Margold and copy of his reply of March
25th relating to his release from contract.

WW: CTF

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore

Carl Murphy

Boston

T. G. Nutter

Chicago

Jane Addams

Clarence Darrow

Cleveland

Hon. Harry E. Davis
Detroit

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

F. B. Ransom

Los Angeles

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

Dr. J. A. Somerville

New Haven

George W. Crawford
New York

Lillian A. Alexander

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Ella Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Nellson

Orange, N. J.

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia

Isadore Martin

Richmond

Maggie L. Walker

Springfield

Rev. G. R. Walker

Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper

Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL
COMMITTEE

Chairman

Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago

Clarence Darrow

Edward H. Morris

Cambridge, Mass.

Felix Frankfurter

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick

New York

Morris L. Ernst

Arthur Garfield Hays

James Marshall

Herbert K. Stockton

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio

Jesse S. Healip

Washington, D. C.

Charles H. Houston

Wilmington, Del.

Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

Personal and Confidential

March 29, 1933

My dear Jim:

I do wish you would make it possible to see Joel on your Easter trip. I spent the entire afternoon with him yesterday and we threshed out the whole matter thoroughly. His resignation is due to his own feeling of discouragement and his doubt that any problem, national, world, racial, financial or otherwise, can be solved. At the conclusion of our talk, however, he was distinctly more hopeful and stated (1) that he would not, under any circumstances, do anything which would harm the Association; (2) that he was not above changing his mind if shown that a decision he had made was wrong; (3) that he was open to conviction that it was the best thing for the Association that he remain as president and chairman of the board.

Your talking with him would do untold good.

Let me know if you can come to New York and when. Be sure to arrange your time so that you can have luncheon or dinner with me. And you should, by all means, see "Run Little Chillun". I will arrange for tickets for you.

Cordially,

Mr. James Weldon Johnson
Fisk University
Nashville, Tenn.

WW:LB

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore
Carl Murphy
boston
Joseph Prince Loud
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Chicago
Jane Addams
Clarence Darrow
Cleveland
Hon. Harry E. Davis
Detroit
Hon. Ira W. Jayne
Hon. Frank Murphy
Emporia, Kan.
William Allen White
Indianapolis
F. B. Ransom
Los Angeles
Dr. H. Claude Hudson
Dr. J. A. Somerville
New Haven
George W. Crawford
New York
Lillian A. Alexander
Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop
Dr. W. E. B. DuBois
Rev. John Haynes Holmes
James Weldon Johnson
Hon. Herbert H. Lehman
James Marshall
Ellia Rush Murray
Mary White Ovington
Rev. A. Clayton Powell
Arthur B. Spingarn
J. E. Spingarn
Charles H. Studin
William English Walling
Dr. Louis T. Wright
Northampton, Mass.
Dr. William Allen Neilson
Orange, N. J.
Dr. Vernon F. Bunce
Philadelphia
Isadore Martin
Richmond
Maggie L. Walker
Springfield
Rev. G. R. Waller
Topeka
Hon. Arthur Capper
Washington
Nannie H. Burroughs
Hon. James A. Cobb
Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE
Chairman
Arthur B. Spingarn
Chicago
Clarence Darrow
Edward H. Morris
Cambridge, Mass.
Feixt Frankfurter
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Columbia, S. C.
N. J. Frederick
New York
Morris L. Ernst
Arthur Garfield Hays
James Marshall
Herbert K. Stockton
Charles H. Studin
Toledo, Ohio
Jesse S. Heslip
Washington, D. C.
Charles H. Houston
Wilmington, Del.
Louis L. Redding

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

April 3, 1933

Dear Jim:

My best thanks for your letter of April 1.

I had a long talk with Joel and I feel strongly that if enough pressure is brought to bear upon him he will withdraw his resignation not only for this year but permanently. I have a personal note from him which I share with you. It reads:

> "In order to make my position clear, I want to say that nothing short of an overwhelming expression of confidence and of desire to have me stay on the part of the Board or of the membership would make me reconsider my resignation as President of the Association."

When you see him I wish you would emphasize not only the tremendous harm which his resignation would cause the Association right now but the fact that he and he alone can give the Association the leadership and the fire and the higher idealism which it must have.

In strictest confidence, some member, or members, of the Board told Joel that [i] was not particularly keen about the Amenia Conference of young people to be held next summer. Where this idea got out I do not know. We have been so damned busy here at the office trying to keep our heads above water that [i] cannot for the life of me think of anything that I have said or done which might give basis for such a notion.

Let me know as soon as you can the day you will be in New York so that I can arrange for tickets for you for "Run Little Chillun". I hope it is going to be some

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

May 9, 1933

Dear Jim:

At the Board meeting yesterday when it
was learned that nothing had been heard from the
committee appointed to consider the resignation
of the Chairman of the Board, the Chairman asked
that you be notified that he has" commented
severely on the silence of the Committee and
requests that a report be made as soon as
possible."

I am hoping that you yourself will be
present at the June meeting of the Board and make
your report in person. Isn't it time that you
were coming this way for your school vacation?

Ever sincerely,

Secretary

WW/RR

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

HON. ARTHUR CAPPER

BISHOP JOHN A. GREGG

REV. JOHN HAYNES HOLMES

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON

ARTHUR B. SPINGARN

OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore

Carl Murphy

Boston

Joseph Prince Loud

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Chicago

Jane Adams

Clarence Darrow

Cleveland

Hon. Harry E. Davis

Detroit

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

Indianapolis

F. B. Ransom

Los Angeles

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

Dr. J. A. Somerville

New Haven

George W. Crawford

New York

Lillian A. Alexander

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Ella Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Neilson

Orange, N. J.

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia

Isadore Martin

Richmond

Maggie L. Walker

Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller

Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper

Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman

Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago

Clarence Darrow

Edward H. Morris

Cambridge, Mass.

Felix Frankfurter

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick

New York

Morris L. Ernst

Arthur Garfield Hays

James Marshall

Herbert K. Stockton

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio

Jesse S. Heslip

Washington, D. C.

Charles H. Houston

Wilmington, Del.

Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

May 12, 1933

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE JOINT COMMITTEE
ON NEGRO WORK:

Messrs. Morris L. Ernst
Lewis Gannett
James Marshall
Roger N. Baldwin
Arthur B. Spingarn
James Weldon Johnson

Enclosed is copy of letter written to the American
Fund for Public Service in accordance with instructions
from the Committee.

WW/RR

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

June 1, 1933

Dear Jim:

My best thanks for letting us have copies of
the correspondence relative to Mr. Spingarn's resigna-
tion.

I believe I told you when you were here that
he had told me privately that he was big enough to
reconsider a decision if convinced that he was wrong
in making it originally but that he would reconsider
his resignation only if there was an overwhelming
demand from the Board and membership that he do so.
The letters in response to yours ought, I am sure, to
convince him of our absolute need of him through this
critical period.

I agree with you absolutely as to the advisa-
bility of a strong resolution from the Board. For
obvious reasons it would not be possible for me to
present such a resolution, since I am not a member of
the Board. Would you draft such a resolution and get
it into my hands in advance of the next meeting of the
Board which is on June 12; or perhaps it would be
wiser if you sent it to Louis or some other member of
the committee to introduce.

WW/RR

Don't buy "The Name and Nature of Poetry"
by Housman as I mailed you a copy today.

ESTED TO FAVOR THE COMPANY BY CRITICISM AND SUGGESTION CONCERNING ITS SERVICE

12208

XU

THE SENDER OF THIS
MESSAGE

authorizes us to say that a
TELEGRAPHIC reply is desired
via

3936

WESTERN UNION

WESTERN
UNION

COMB CARLTON, PRESIDENT

J. C. WILLEVER, FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT

<table><thead><tr><th>SIGNS</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>DL = Day Letter</td></tr><tr><td>NM = Night Message</td></tr><tr><td>NL = Night Letter</td></tr><tr><td>LCO = Deferred Cable</td></tr><tr><td>NLT = Cable Night Letter</td></tr><tr><td>WLT = Week-End Letter</td></tr></tbody></table>

The filing time as shown in the date line on full-rate telegrams and day letters, and the time of receipt at destination as shown on all messages, is STANDARD TIME.

Received at

NB 204 72 DL XU= NEW YORK NY 5 10 16A

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON=
FISK UNIVERSITY NASH=

1933 JUN 5 AM 9 37

<table><thead><tr><th colspan="2">MINUTES IN TRANSIT</th></tr><tr><th>FULL-RATE</th><th>DAY LETTER</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>21</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

GARLAND FUND CONSIDERING JUNE SEVENTH OUR APPLICATION FOR PAYMENT TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS NOW FROM BRIDGEMAN BAIL MONEY TO PERMIT CARRYING OUT PART OF PROGRAM COVERING UNEQUAL APPORTIONMENT SCHOOL FUNDS AND TRANSPORTATION DISCRIMINATION STOP WOULD YOU SEND AIR MAIL OR TELEGRAPH STATEMENT TODAY URGING ACTION POINTING OUT EFFECT OF UNIVERSITY OF NORTHCAROLINA CASE AND CITING THAT PRESENT ECONOMIC PLIGHT OF RAILROADS MAKES THIS PSYCHOLOGICAL TIME PRESS ACTION STOP PLEASE SEND ME COPY THANKS=WALTER WHITE.

THE QUICKEST, SUREST AND SAFEST WAY TO SEND MONEY IS BY TELEGRAPH OR CABLE

TELEGRAM

AMERICAN FUND FOR PUBLIC SERVICE
2 WEST THIRTEENTH STREET
NEW YORK, NEW YORK

June 8, 1933

I SINCERELY TRUST FUND WILL GRANT APPLICATION OF N. A. A. C. P. FOR FUNDS
TO CARRY OUT PROGRAM COVERING UNEQUAL APPORTIONMENT SCHOOL FUNDS AND TRANS-
PORTATION DISCRIMINATION. I KNOW OF NO BETTER USE TO WHICH THE MONEY COULD
BE PUT AT THIS TIME.

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

T. G. Nutter
Chicago

Jane Addams
Clarence Darrow

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

New Haven
George W. Crawford

New York
Lillian A. Alexander

Dr. William Allan Nellson
Orange, N. J.

Isadore Martin
Richmond

Maggie L. Walker
Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller
Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper
Washington

N. J. Frederick
New York

Louis L. Redding
WW/RR

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

AIR MAIL

Dear Jim:

I wired you yesterday as follows:

"Garland Fund considering June 7 our application for payment $20,000 now from Bridgeman bail money to permit carrying out part of program covering unequal apportionment school funds and transportation discrimination. Would you send air mail or telegraph statement today urging action, pointing out effect of North Carolina case and citing that present economic plight of railroads makes this psychological time (to) press action. Please send me copy. Thanks."

My recent trip to North Carolina and the tremendous effect of our suit against the University of North Carolina for a writ of mandamus convinced me more than ever that we have a golden opportunity right now to make progress hitherto impossible in the matter of education. We cannot say it to the Garland Fund Board, what with the Communist members, but everywhere I went in the South the white people are afraid of the effect of Communist propaganda on the Negro. As a result, they are willing now more than ever before to consider the program of the N.A.A.C.P. and to make concessions to it if for no other reason than that in their opinion it is the lesser of two evils.

As for the Jim Crow trains and buses, the railroads are in such a financial condition that I think we could get a number of railroads to join with us in efforts to abolish separate coaches for Negroes and thus cut down expense.

Don't forget the resolution regarding Joel's resignation. Please get this to me in time for introduction at the Board meeting next Monday, June 12. If you want me to I will put it in the hands of Louis or whoever else you wish.

WW/RR

# The Teaching of American History as it Affects the Negro
(A Text-book Survey)

## I. The Purpose of this Inquiry.

The survey was undertaken with the intention of finding
out the manner in which American history is being presented to the young
people of this country, particularly with reference to those events
especially connected with the presence of the Negro in the population.
This includes the selection and method of relating incidents, the emphasis
and color given to them, any bias, error or misrepresentation, and all
important omissions. It is further intended to show in what way any bias
on the part of the authors tends to create or strengthen prejudice in the
minds of the students.

## II. The Plan of the Survey.

To make a detailed analysis of one highschool text-book.
For this, - *A History of the American People*, by David Saville Muzzey, was
chosen because it is one of the text-books most extensively used in high
schools throughout the country. Those passages were quoted which deal
with events directly or indirectly connected with the presence of Negroes
in America. These quotations have been followed by comments supported by
citations from recognized sources. The second part of the analysis
consists of a list of some of the important events in connection with the
Negro which have been omitted from this text-book. It is not intended to
imply that all of these should be included in a high school text-book,
but rather to show the extent to which the contribution of the Negro to
American history has been ignored. This portion is also supported by

Minutes of the Meeting of the Joint Committee
on Negro Work

September 13, 1933

Present: Messrs. Arthur B. Spingarn, James Weldon Johnson, Roger N. Baldwin, Walter White.

Regrets from Mr. James Marshall.

It was the consensus of opinion that no action could be taken until the choice of a successor to Mr. Margold to direct the campaign was made.

The Secretary placed before the committee the names of Mr. Charles H. Houston and Mr. William H. Hastie, both of Washington, D. C., both highly recommended by Professor Felix Frankfurter, and each of whom had done distinguished work for the N.A.A.C.P.

It was the feeling of the Committee that the lawyer should be in New York for frequent conferences and that the limited funds at the disposal of the Committee prohibited payment of a salary sufficient to justify asking either Mr. Houston or Mr. Hastie to move to New York.

Mr. Baldwin suggested Mr. Nathan Greene, concerning whose ability Mr. Felix Frankfurter's opinion should be asked; Mr. Seymour Whitney, former Assistant Solicitor General of the United States under Judge Thatcher and now in Judge Thatcher's office; and Professor Dowling of Columbia University, concerning whom an opinion is to be secured from Professor Karl Llewellyn, also of Columbia University and member of the Board of the American Civil Liberties Union.

It was suggested that Mr. Morris Ernst's opinion also be sought regarding these three individuals and any others who might be considered for the position.

Secretary

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

HON. ARTHUR CAPPER

BISHOP JOHN A. GREGG

REV. JOHN HAYNES HOLMES

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON

ARTHUR B. SPINGARN

OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BALTIMORE

Carl Murphy

BOSTON

Joseph Prince Loud

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

CHICAGO

Jane Adams

CLARENCE DARROW

Cleveland

Hon. Harry E. Davis

DETROIT

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

Indianapolis

F. B. Ransom

LOS ANGELES

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

Dr. J. A. Somerville

NEW HAVEN

George W. Crawford

New York

LILLIAN A. ALEXANDER

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Ella Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Neilson

Orange, N. J.

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia

Isadore Martin

Richmond

Maggie L. Walker

Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller

Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper

Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman

ARTHUR B. SPINGARN

Chicago

CLARENCE DARROW

EDWARD H. MORRIS

Cambridge, Mass.

FELIX FRANKFURTER

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick

New York

MORRIS L. ERNST

ARTHUR GARFIELD HAYS

JAMES MARSHALL

Herbert K. Stockton

CHARLES H. STUDIN

Toledo, Ohio

JESSE S. HESLIP

Washington, D. C.

CHARLES H. HOUSTON

WILMINGTON, DEL.

LOUIS L. REDDING

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

September
12th
1933

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

MEMORANDUM TO DR. W. E. B. DU BOIS, Chairman
DR. WILLIAM ALLAN NEILSON,
DR. JAMES WELDON JOHNSON,
Committee on Textbooks

From Walter White, Secretary.

I enclose self-explanatory memorandum from Miss Helen Boardman on an interview she has had with Dr. Paul H. Douglass of the Institute of Social and Religious Research on the school textbooks, for consideration by your committee.

Secretary.

WW:CTF

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore
Carl Murphy
Boston
Joseph Prince Loud
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Chicago
Jane Addams
Clarence Darrow
Cleveland
Hon. Harry E. Davis
Detroit
Hon. Ira W. Jayne
Hon. Frank Murphy
Emporia, Kan.
William Allen White
Indianapolis
F. B. Ransom
Los Angeles
Dr. H. Claude Hudson
Dr. J. A. Somerville
New Haven
George W. Crawford
New York
Lillian A. Alexander
Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop
Dr. W. E. B. DuBois
Rev. John Haynes Holmes
James Weldon Johnson
Hon. Herbert H. Lehman
James Marshall
Ella Bush Murray
Mary White Ovington
Rev. A. Clayton Powell
Arthur B. Spingarn
J. E. Spingarn
Charles H. Studin
William English Walling
Dr. Louis T. Wright
Northampton, Mass.
Dr. William Allan Nelson
Orange, N. J.
Dr. Vernon F. Bunce
Philadelphia
Isadore Martin
Richmond
Maggie L. Walker
Springfield
Rev. G. R. Waller
Topeka
Hon. Arthur Capper
Washington
Nannie H. Burroughs
Hon. James A. Cobb
Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

September
21st
1933

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Dear Jim:

Here is the rough draft of the letter which we are sending, on Viking stationery, to branches of the N.A.A.C.P. Let me have your criticism of it by return mail as Marshall wants to get this out right away.

We are going ahead also with the prize essay contest, with Sterling Brown, Crystal Bird and Schuyler as judges.

If there are any other things you think of that I can do, don't hesitate to let me know.

I am sorry I couldn't get by the hotel the day you left. Several things came up here at the office and I was swamped.

Gladys joins me in best love to you and Grace.

WW: CTF

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

HON. ARTHUR Capper

BISHOP JOHN A. GREGG

REV. JOHN HAYNES HOLMES

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON

ARTHUR B. SPINGARN

OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore

Carl Murphy

BOSTON

Joseph Prince Loud

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Chicago

Jane Addams

Clarence Darrow

Cleveland

Hon. Harry E. Davis

Detroit

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

Indianapolis

F. B. Ransom

Los Angeles

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

Dr. J. A. Somerville

New Haven

George W. Crawford

New York

Lillian A. Alexander

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Ella Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Neillson

Orange, N. J.

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia

Isadore Martin

Richmond

Maggie L. Walker

Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller

Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper

Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman

Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago

Clarence Darrow

Edward H. Morris

Cambridge, Mass.

Felix Frankfurter

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick

New York

Morris L. Ernst

Arthur Garfield Hays

James Marshall

Herbert K. Stockton

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio

Jesse S. Heslip

Washington, D. C.

Charles H. Houston

Wilmington, Del.

Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

September 21, 1933

Dear Jim:

I wonder if you saw this in
Lewis's column.

I am glad you were able to be at
the meetings of the Board and of the
Negro Work Committee before leaving.

WW/RR

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chicago

Jane Addams

Clarence Darrow

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

F. B. Ransom
Los Angeles

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

George W. Crawford
New York

Lillian A. Alexander
Rev. Huthensens C. Bishop
Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Elia Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Isadore Martin
Richmond

Maggie L. Walker
Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller
Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper
Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL
COMMITTEE

Chairman
Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick
New York

Morris L. Ernst

Arthur Garfield Hays

James Marshall

Herbert K. Stockton

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio
Jesse S. Heslip

Washington, D. C.

Charles H. Houston

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

September 25, 1933

Dear Jim:

I am sure you will remember my very good friend, Y. Hikida, so that it is superfluous for me to do as he asks - send a covering note with his enclosed letter to ask that you give your consent to the translation of "Lift Every Voice" into Japanese.

As you know, Mr. Hikida is intensely interested in the Negro question in the United States, it is a twenty-year member of the N.A.A.C.P., and is one of my most esteemed friends. He has done already a very great deal through the writing of articles for Japanese publications to set before the people of Japan the real facts regarding the Negro in the United States.

I think it would be a great thing for "Lift Every Voice" to be published in Japanese, especially when we consider that your visit to Japan undoubtedly makes you the American Negro best known in Japan.

Incidentally, Mr. Hikida is also trying to arrange for the translation into Japanese of "The Fire in the Flint."

You can write him directly at Bedford Hills.

WW/RR

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman
Arthur B. Spingarn
Chicago
Clarence Darrow
Edward H. Morris
Cambridge, Mass.
Felix Frankfurter
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Columbia, S. C.
N. J. Frederick
New York
Morris L. Ernst
Arthur Garfield Hays
James Marshall
Herbert K. Stockton
Charles H. Studin
Toledo, Ohio
Jesse S. Healsip
Washington, D. C.
Charles H. Houston
Wilmington, Del.
Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

September
26th
1933

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

Dear Jim:

I think your idea of a letter to the deans or presidents is an excellent one. I have passed it on to Marshall Best immediately as you will note in the enclosed letter.

WW:CTF

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

HON. ARTHUR CAPPER

BISHOP JOHN A. GREGG

REV. JOHN HAYNES HOLMES

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON

ARTHUR B. SPINGARN

OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore

Carl Murphy

Boston

Joseph Prince Loud

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Chicago

Jane Addams

Clarence Darrow

Cleveland

Hon. Harry E. Davis

Detroit

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

Indianapolis

F. B. Ransom

Los Angeles

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

Dr. J. A. Somerville

New Haven

George W. Crawford

New York

Lillian A. Alexander

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Ella Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Neilson

Orange, N. J.

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia

Isadore Martin

Richmond

Maggie L. Walker

Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller

Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper

Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman

Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago

Clarence Darrow

Edward H. Morris

Cambridge, Mass.

Felix Frankfurter

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick

New York

Morris L. Ernst

Arthur Garfield Hays

James Marshall

Herbert K. Stockton

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio

Jesse S. Heallp

Washington, D. C.

Charles H. Houston

Wilmington, Del.

Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE

SECRETARY

ROY WILKINS

ASSISTANT SECRETARY

DR. W. E. B. DU BOIS

EDITOR OF THE CRISIS

WILLIAM PICKENS

FIELD SECRETARY

DAISY E. LAMPKIN

REGIONAL FIELD SECRETARY

September 27, 1933

Dear Jim:

I am glad you liked the letter to
the Branches regarding ALONG THIS WAY. The
Viking Press is going ahead with it.

Ever sincerely,

WW/RR

September 30, 1933

Dear Walter:

I have your letter of the twenty-fifth with the enclosures from Mr. Hikida concerning the translations into Japanese of *Lift Every Voice*. I do remember Mr. Hikida. This is a very interesting and, also, very important thing that he has done. I am writing him today about it. There will, of course, have to be considered the attitude of the Marks Music Company, the owners of the copyright. However, I think I can manage that. They ought promptly see that a translation of the Hymn into Japanese would entail absolutely no loss in their income from publication of the song. It would, indeed, be advantageous to them - but that I shall have to try and make them see.

I am sorry you did not connect with the Times Book Review. I was in hopes that you would, because I should have been assured, of course, a friendly review in that most important quarter. I trust you will be able to make some other influential connection.

With kind regards, I am

JWJ:fmm

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

October
4th
1933

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE
ROY WILKINS
SECRETARY
ASSISTANT SECRETARY

Dear Jim:

Here are reviews by Harry Hansen and Lewis Gannett. I have held these up waiting for Soskin in the *Post* and Chamberlain in the *Times* but neither has yet reviewed the book.

The book is certainly getting a great press and I hope it will have an even greater sale than you hoped for.

I am sorry you are not going to be able to come up this month. Alfred Fabre-Luce and his wife, from Paris, are to be here in about ten days or two weeks and Gladys and I were planning to arrange something for you and them. I wanted you to know him for he is a very powerful figure in the French literary world, as you of course know. See if you can't arrange it anyhow.

I have passed on your letter to Hikida and I know he will be immensely pleased.

Noël Sullivan of San Francisco has sent me a leaflet about a new young Negro basso, Kenneth Spencer, who, in Sullivan's opinion, has the greatest voice he has ever heard. As Sullivan himself is a singer and has heard practically every great singer in the last twenty years this is extraordinary praise indeed. In the leaflet, published by the National Broadcasting Association, special mention is made of Spencer's reading of "The Creation". I have asked Sullivan to send a copy of the leaflet to you for your information and scrapbook.

I enclose copy of Miss Ovington's review which we are sending out on Friday to the colored press. I have asked Roy also to do a story on the reviews. We will do everything we can to keep the book in the news as long as we can find ways and means to do it.

Mr. James Weldon Johnson
Nashville, Tennessee.

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman
Arthur B. Spingarn
Chicago
Clarence Darrow
Edward H. Morris
Cambridge, Massa
Felix Frankfurter
Charieston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Columbia, S. C.
N. J. Frederick
New York
Morris L. Ernst
Arthur Garfield Hays
James Marshall
Herbert K. Stockton
Charles H. Studin
Toledo, Ohio
Jesse S. Heslip
Washington, D. C.
Charles H. Houston
Wilmington, Del.
Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

October 6, 1933

Dear Jim:

I have your air mail letter and immediately
called up Marshall. He, too, was feeling that a word
from us would help. I am therefore doing a special
note to the branches which we will send along with
the letter from the Viking.

The prize essay contest is held up because
neither Crystal nor Sterling has replied to Marshall's
letter asking them to serve as judges. I am writing
each of them today asking that they wire Marshall at
once.

Yesterday I sent you copy of a letter I had
written Marshall about the damned fool statement made
by Allen-Brodie regarding advertising the book. Marshall
was most apologetic and said that the people were slightly
in error. Harold told them not to advertise in the
November Crisis but to take a nice piece of space in the
December issue. That, apparently, is straightened out.

Marshall tells me that they have held up the
letter to the branches until they decide whether they
should send special jackets of the book or a printed
circular along with the letter. They have decided on
the circular and it will be ready in two or three days.
As soon as they get the material to us we will get it
out. I will send you a copy of the letter and of the
circular as soon as they come.

Ever sincerely,

WW/RR

October 10, 1933

Dear Walter:

I have your letter of the sixth. I am glad
that the branch letter is under way, but I am
quite sorry that the prize essay contest is being
held up. I have just written Marshall, telling
him that it ought to be pushed along because the
whole matter should be concluded before the schools
close for the Christmas holidays. It would be very
good if the prizes could be awarded, say a week be-
fore Christmas. I wish you would not fail to get
a list of Haitians prospects up to the Viking Press.
When I wrote you the last time, I called your atten-
tion to the fact that a part of the book was actually
modern Haitian history. I think of another reason
not quite so good: One of my great grandmothers was
a Haitian woman. I am glad that the Crisis adver-
tisement has been settled. I was just on the point
of writing to Marshall about it I am sorry I am
not coming up to New York at once, especially so,
since I shall not have an chance of meeting Alfred
Faber-Luce and his wife with you and Gladys. How-
ever, it is possible that I shall be in the big city
some time before Christmas.

With kind regards to you and Gladys, in which Grace
joins me, I am always

JWJ:fmm

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore
Carl Murphy
Boston
Joseph Prince Loud
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Chicago
Jane Addams
Clarence Darrow
Cleveland
Hon. Harry E. Davis
Detroit
Hon. Ira W. Jayne
Hon. Frank Murphy
Emporia, Kan.
William Allen White
Indianapolis
F. B. Ransom
Los Angeles
Dr. H. Claude Hudson
Dr. J. A. Somerville
New Haven
George W. Crawford
New York
Lillian A. Alexander
Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop
Dr. W. E. B. DuBois
Rev. John Haynes Holmes
James Weldon Johnson
Hon. Herbert H. Lehman
James Marshall
Ella Rush Murray
Mary White Ovington
Rev. A. Clayton Powell
Arthur B. Spingarn
J. E. Spingarn
Charles H. Studin
William English Walling
Dr. Louis T. Wright
Northampton, Mass.
Dr. William Allen Neilson
Orange, N. J.
Dr. Vernon F. Bunce
Philadelphia
Isadore Martin
Richmond
Maggie L. Walker
Springfield
Rev. G. R. Walker
Topeka
Hon. Arthur Capper
Washington
Nannie H. Burroughs
Hon. James A. Cobb
Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

October 11, 1933

Dear Jim:

I will do my best on the Haitian suggestion. I shall get Ernest Gruening and Bellegarde to help me in preparation of the list. I wish I had received your letter a day sooner, because Bellegarde was in New York Friday night when he, Ernest, Roger and I dined together to discuss a most tragic situation in Haiti where Vincent and others appraently have capitulated to the American government in the matter of the loan and continuation of financial control.

Ever sincerely,

WW/RR

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

Indianapolis
F. B. Ransom

New Haven
George W. Crawford

New York
Lillian A. Alexander

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Ella Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Neilsen

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia
Isadore Martin

Richmond
Maggie L. Walker

Springfield
Rev. G. R. Waller

Topeka
Hon. Arthur Capper

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman
Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago
Clarence Darrow

Edward H. Morris

Cambridge, Mass.

Felix Frankfurter

Charleston, W. Va.

T. G. Nutter

Columbia, S. C.

N. J. Frederick
New York

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio

Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

October 15, 1933

Dear Jim:

In collecting material for the book about which I spoke to you when you were here we had occasion to go to Fraunces'Tavern here in New York and there they indignantly and most vehemently denied that Samuel Fraunces was a colored man. I, of course, believe he was colored by reason of the fact that you said so in "Black Manhattan", but won't you send me the facts so that I may have them at firsthand.

WW/RR

October 19, 1933

Dear Walter:

In reply to your letter about Samuel Fraunces, there
is no documentary evidence to prove that Samuel Fraunces
was a Negro, but all circumstantial evidence and tradi-
tion point to his being a colored man of French West
Indian birth. The tradition comes down from old Negro
residents of New York City. The circumstantial evidence
is:

Fraunces was generally known as "Black San".
He was the owner of the most popular tavern
in New York (there were other well known
taverns of that period operated by Negroes),
but his daughter, Phoebe, was General Washing-
ton's housekeeper. It is difficult to imagine
that if Fraunces was a white man, a prosperous
inn owner, that his daughter would be a chamber
maid or something a little higher. Later,
Fraunces himself became the stewart of the
White house, when it was in New York.

Other data regarding Fraunces I found at the New York
Historical Society. To the sources of information I
found there I cannot now refer you by name. Schomburg
could help you on that point. Charles W. Anderson could
help you on the one of old tradition, which has come down,
that Fraunces was colored. Of course, the people at
Fraunces' Tavern strenuously deny that he was a Negro.
They would feel themselves in a ridiculous position to
have purchased and restored the inn as a national memorial
and admit that the man who operated it was a Negro. Write
Schomburg who will help you on any documentary evidence
and try to arrange an opportunity talk with Charlie Anderson.

Mr. Walter White
W.A.A.C.P.
69 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York

JNJ:cm

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore
Carl Murphy
Boston
Joseph Prince Loud
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Chicago
Jane Addams
Clarence Darrow
Cleveland
Hon. Harry E. Davis
Detroit
Hon. Ira W. Jayne
Hon. Frank Murphy
Emporia, Kan.
William Allen White
Indianapolis
F. B. Ransom
Los Angeles
Dr. H. Claude Hudson
Dr. J. A. Somerville
New Haven
George W. Crawford
New York
Lillian A. Alexander
Rev. Huchona C. Bishop
Dr. W. E. B. DuBois
Rev. John Haynes Holmes
James Weldon Johnson
Hon. Herbert H. Lehman
James Marshall
Ella Bush Murray
Mary White Ovington
Rev. A. Clayton Powell
Arthur B. Spingarn
J. E. Spingarn
Charles H. Studin
William English Walling
Dr. Louis T. Wright
Northampton, Mass.
Dr. William Allan Nelson
Orange, N. J.
Dr. Vernon F. Bunce
Philadelphia
Isadore Martin
Richmond
Maggie L. Walker
Springfield
Rev. G. R. Waller
Topeka
Hon. Arthur Capper
Washington
Nannie H. Burroughs
Hon. James A. Cobb
Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

October 24, 1933

Dear Jim:

I thought once I would wait until you
came to New York again to have my ALONG THIS WAY
autographed, but I've changed my mind and am
today sending my copy to you. I am enclosing
the twenty-six cents postage for its return.

Many thanks.

WW/RR

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Cleveland
Hon. Harry E. Davis

Detroit
Hon. Ira W. Jayne

Hon. Frank Murphy

Emporia, Kan.

William Allen White

Indianapolis

F. B. Ransom

Los Angeles

Dr. H. Claude Hudson

Dr. J. A. Somerville

New Haven

George W. Crawford

New York

Lillian A. Alexander

Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop

Dr. W. E. B. DuBois

Rev. John Haynes Holmes

James Weldon Johnson

Hon. Herbert H. Lehman

James Marshall

Ella Rush Murray

Mary White Ovington

Rev. A. Clayton Powell

Arthur B. Spingarn

J. E. Spingarn

Charles H. Studin

William English Walling

Dr. Louis T. Wright

Northampton, Mass.

Dr. William Allan Neilson

Orange, N. J.

Dr. Vernon F. Bunce

Philadelphia

Isadore Martin

Richmond

Maggie L. Walker

Springfield

Rev. G. R. Waller

Topeka

Hon. Arthur Capper

Washington

Nannie H. Burroughs

Hon. James A. Cobb

Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman
Arthur B. Spingarn

Chicago
Clarence Darrow

Edward H. Morris

New York

Morris L. Ernst

Arthur Garfield Hays

James Marshall

Herbert K. Stockton

Charles H. Studin

Toledo, Ohio

Jesse S. Heslip

Washington, D. C.

Charles H. Houston

Wilmington, Del.

Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

October
25th

1933 (Dictated October 24th)

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

Dear Jim:

Here is a review done by a friend of mine who runs a book-
shop in Durham. He is somewhat of a half-baked radical so that
his use of the word "uncompromising" in the first line ought
to save the wounds inflicted by the Daily Worker.

My best thanks for the information about Fraunces' Tavern.
Poppy Cannon and 1 are working on the book together-- or, to be
more accurate, I am laying out the work for her and she is do-
ing it. We went down to Fraunces' Tavern for luncheon the other
day and found an article by Frederic J. Haskin in their own
files in which it is unequivocally stated that Fraunces was a
Negro from the West Indies who bore the descriptive appellation
"Black Sam".

I am dashing off tomorrow for Washington, Virginia and
North Carolina. In Virginia Charlie Houston and I are making
plans for the defense of George Crawford. If he can get a leave
of absence from Howard Law School he is going to head defense
counsel which will be made up of young Negroes. We shall
probably have to go to trial sometime between November 15th and
December 1st. We have no money but we are setting out to raise
it. I enclose copy of letter we are sending our branches, one
to the colored press and one to those who gave, through the
N.A.A.C.P., funds for the Scottsboro case. I wish you would do
what you can to stimulate organization of a big mass meeting in
Nashville to help in the raising of money and propaganda.

Have you any objection to my suggesting to the Nashville
Branch that they stage a meeting, with you as the principal
speaker? In North Carolina we are holding a two-day-session
to organize a State Conference of Branches to wage a fight on
the vicious wage differential in colored teachers salaries,
recently promulgated by the State. The maximum salary for
whites is $720 per year (the 1906 rate); for Negro teachers,
$560!

Secretary.

WW:CTF

October 30, 1933

Dear Walter:

Thank you for sending me the review by Buttitta. He had already
sent me a copy, but I am glad to have it in duplicate. It looks
as though he is giving me an argument with which to face our
friends the communists.

The review in the *Literary Digest*, October 28, notes what you
pointed out in your comment on *Along This Way* - The reviewer there
makes the surprising "discovery" that there are among American
Negroes, households of culture, chafm and high ideals. I am still
regretting that you did not do a review of the book for one of the
leading periodicals.

I am glad you got the facts about Fraunces' Tavern. I have always been sure, even from my childhood days in New York, that he was a Negro. I judge that the sons of the Revolution who restored the Tavern will feel that they are in a rather awkward position. Well, it is a good joke, and the joke's on them.

I see you are "dashing off" for the South. Of course it is improbable that you will get as far as Nashville, as Nashville is the farthermost place anywhere from the East to get to; but I wish that you would be coming this way some time. We should like to see you.

I think it would be a good thing to write to the Nashville Branch. If they should hold a meeting, I would be glad to speak for them.

It will be a splendid thing if Charlie Houston can be excused
from Howard in order to head the defense in the George Crawford
case. I do not know a single one of the younger men who impresses
me with having more intelligence blended with common sense than
Charlie Houston. He ought to go far. That lynching in Maryland
was a terrible throwback, but, as paradoxical as it may sound, it
is possible that some good may come out of it. I think it will
do much to stir the conscience of the nation on the whole Negro
question - and it needs to be stirred at this time. I believe,
too, that it would be a good time to make another try for an anti-
lynching Federal law. We came near doing it ten years ago; I be-
lieve the chances today are better. A great change is taking place
in the national attitude toward government and the trend today is
for greater centralization and an increase in Federal powers. The
passage of an anti-lynching law by Congress might not today be
impossible.

With best regards, I am

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT

J. E. SPINGARN

VICE-PRESIDENTS

TREASURER

MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore
Carl Murphy
boston
Joseph Prince Loud
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Chicago
Jane Addams
Clarence Darrow
Cleveland
Hon. Harry E. Davis
Detroit
Hon. Ira W. Jayne
Hon. Frank Murphy
Emporia, Kan.
William Allen White
Indianapolis
F. B. Ransom
Los Angeles
Dr. H. Claude Hudson
Dr. J. A. Somerville
New Haven
George W. Crawford
New York
Lillian A. Alexander
Rev. Huthven Bishop
Dr. W. E. B. DuBois
Rev. John Haynes Holmes
James Weldon Johnson
Hon. Herbert H. Lehman
James Marshall
Ella Rush Murray
Mary White Ovington
Rev. A. Clayton Powell
Arthur B. Spingarn
J. E. Spingarn
Charles H. Studin
William English Walling
Dr. Louis T. Wright
Northampton, Mass.
Dr. William Allan Neilson
Orange, N. J.
Dr. Vernon F. Bunce
Philadelphia
Isadore Martin
Richmond
Maggie L. Walker
Springfield
Rev. G. R. Waller
Topeka
Hon. Arthur Capper
Washington
Nannie H. Burroughs
Hon. James A. Cobb
Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE
Chairman
Arthur B. Spingarn
Chicago
Clarence Darrow
Edward H. Morris
Cambridge, Mass.
Felix Frankfurter
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Columbia, S. C.
N. J. Frederick
New York
Morris L. Ernst
Arthur Garfield Hays
James Marshall
Herbert K. Stockton
Charles H. Studin
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Homer S. Brown
Toledo, Ohio
Jesse S. Heslip
Washington, D. C.
William H. Hastie
Charles H. Houston
Wilmington, Del.
Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE
SECRETARY

November 24, 1933

Dear Jim:

Here is a letter which I have written to Dr. Moore, who was the last president of the defunct Nashville Branch. I wish you would telephone or see him, urging him to call the meeting of the committee at once. Dr. Moore means well but has allowed the Branch to become absolutely dead. I wish you would suggest to him persons besides yourself and Grace, Miss Brown, Buck Kester and Mr. Barnett, who should be invited to the meeting.

We should have a branch of twelve or fifteen hundred people in Nashville. Daisy Lampkin has just completed a campaign in Richmond which has not nearly as many cultural and other advantages as Nashville, where they got nine hundred and some odd members and more than a thousand dollars in cash with more to be reported. High Point and Winston-Salem in North Carolina, both of them much smaller than Nashville, are in the midst of campaigns now under the stimulus of the teachers' salary fight, for one thousand members each.

We will be most grateful if you will keep right after them there and try to bring Nashville back into the N.A.A.C.P.

Congratulations on the party given for you by your class. On seeing the picture of some of the cuties surrounding you in the Norfolk Journal and Guide of November 25th, I know now I am going to accept your invitation to pay you a visit!

Here's another review from the Christian Science Monitor.

WW:LB

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE
69 5th Avenue, New York City

Copy to Mr. James Weldon Johnson

" " Miss Ina C. Brown

" " Mr. Howard Kester

" " Mr. Albert E. Barnett

November 24, 1933

Dr. I. L. Moore
408 Cedar Street
Nashville, Tenn.

My dear Dr. Moore:

The National Office is preparing a list of the branches which, through inactivity, are subject to cancellation of charter. It is a matter of profound regret that we find Nashville in that list.

It is hardly necessary for us to attempt to point out that never before in the history of the Negro has there been a time when there was such great need for militant, concerted, and intelligent action in defense of the Negro's rights. The Crawford case in Virginia, involving as it does the fundamental issue of jury service for Negroes on grand and petit juries; the struggle in North Carolina against gross inequalities in salaries paid to colored teachers as compared to whites, which problem affects every southern state; the tremendous struggle now being waged to prevent the establishment and legalization by the federal government of wage differentials and other discriminations under the N.R.A. codes, are but a few of the issues which concern every Negro in the United States.

We do not want to cancel the charter of the Nashville Branch if we can possibly avoid it. On the other hand, the complete inactivity of the Branch for three years gives us no other choice unless there is some indication at an early date of activity. If there is any one place in the South where there should be and could be an active branch of the Association, it is in Nashville with its great number of educated colored and white people.

Nashville could have a life branch and especially now that former secretary James Weldon Johnson is resident there. Not only he but a number of white people in Nashville would be willing to help build a strong branch, among some of these are such persons as Miss Ina C. Brown, who is in charge of Missionary Education of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; Mr. Howard Kester, and Mr. Albert E. Barnett of Scarritt College.

Recently in writing James Weldon Johnson, I asked him if I might suggest to the Nashville Branch the holding of a public mass meeting with him as principal speaker in an effort to revive the Branch. Mr. Johnson has replied that he would be glad to speak at such a meeting. May I suggest

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

NATIONAL LEGAL
COMMITTEE

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

November 21, 1933

Dear Jim:

I got wind a few days ago of a man in Baltimore who had plenty of money and was interested in the "brother", and the enclosed letter from me to Miss Ovington will tell you the result.

One of the chief reasons for his interest was his enthusiasm for ALONG THIS WAY. He had not finished reading the book as yet but he had reprinted several thousand copies of the review in the Baltimore *Sun*, as you will note by the enclosed leaflet. When I asked him for an extra copy of the leaflet for you he gave me a package of two hundred of them. Under separate cover I am sending you fifty of these thinking you might want to use them. I am sending the Viking Press ten and the rest we are using here as enclosures in letters to people who we know have three dollars and a half to spend on a book.

Have you decided when you are going to be in New York? I am speaking in Baltimore on December 1 and go to Leesburg, Virginia, for the Crawford trial on December 11. I will be in New York, however, so far as I know, until December 11. The trial begins on the 12th and will probably run almost up to Christmas day.

November 21, 1933

Dear Miss Ovington:

Here are two letters which I know will please you and which I hope you will answer directly. Here is the story:

Some weeks ago William N. Jones of the Afro-American came to see me to get letters of introduction for use in his trip to Liberia. In the course of conversation he mentioned the fact that a Mr. Munsell in Baltimore who is wealthy had financed a young Quaker for a year to do inter racial work. Ever since that time I have been trying to get a line on Mr. Munsell to secure an appointment with him. I was finally able to do this through Carl Murphy and Edward Lewis of the Baltimore Urban League.

On last Saturday morning I went in to talk with Mr. Munsell. He is a young man of about thirty-eight whose father left him several million dollars which he had made through discovery of a way of breaking up the spectrum and thus securing certain methods of using color in fine printing. (My science is probably slightly askew, but that is as nearly as I can come to it.)

On going into Mr. Munsell's office I told him how appropriate it is that his father broke up color in the spectrum and that he is using the money from that to help break up color prejudice. This pleased Mr. Munsell, and then I let him talk to me for about three quarters of an hour regarding his philosophy of life and especially on racial and other problems. This is told of in the enclosed leaflets.

When he had talked to his heart's content, Mr. Munsell then asked me the purpose of my visit and to tell him something of the work of the N.A.A.C.P. He knew of us already, having reprinted, as you will note by the enclosed, a review of Mr. Johnson's book which appeared in the Baltimore Sun. I gave him as terse and comprehensive a picture of our work as I could. He then said to me, "I have this money my father left me and I

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
J. E. SPINGARN

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Baltimore
Carl Murphy
boston
Joseph Prince Loud
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Chicago
Jane Addams
Clarence Darrow
Cleveland
Hon. Harry E. Davis
Detroit
Hon. Ira W. Jayne
Hon. Frank Murphy
Emporia, Kan.
William Allen White
Indianapolis
F. B. Ransom
Los Angeles
Dr. H. Claude Hudson
Dr. J. A. Somerville
New Haven
George W. Crawford
New York
Lillian A. Alexander
Rev. Hutchens C. Bishop
Dr. W. E. B. DuBois
Rev. John Haynes Holmes
James Weldon Johnson
Hon. Herbert H. Lehman
James Marshall
Ella Rush Murray
Mary White Clayton
Rev. A. Clayton Powell
Arthur B. Spingarn
J. E. Spingarn
Charles H. Studin
William English Walling
Dr. Louis T. Wright
Northampton, Mass.
Dr. William Allen Nelson
Orange, N. J.
Dr. Vernon F. Bunce
Philadelphia
Isadore Martin
Richmond
Maggie L. Walker
Springfield
Rev. G. R. Waller
Topela
Hon. Arthur Capper
Washington
Nannie H. Burroughs
Hon. James A. Cobb
Charles Edward Russell

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

Chairman
Arthur B. Spingarn
Chicago
Clarence Darrow
Edward H. Morris
Cambridge, Mass
Felix Frankfurter
Charleston, W. Va.
T. G. Nutter
Columbia, S. C.
N. J. Frederick
New York
Morris L. Ernst
Arthur Garfield Hays
James Marshall
Herbert K. Stockton
Charles H. Studin
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Homer S. Brown
Toledo, Ohio
Jesse S. Heslip
Washington, D. C.
William H. Hastie
Charles H. Houston
Wilmington, Del.
Louis L. Redding

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-6548

Official Organ: The Crisis

November
27th
1933

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Dear Jim:

My best thanks for your letter of the 24th. I am glad you are going to get here on December 10th, and perhaps on the 9th. The Crawford case goes to trial on the morning of the 12th and I shall have to leave right after the Board meeting on the 11th. Could you have dinner with me on either the 9th or the 10th? Either day will suit us.

Clement Wood is going to write you in a day or two about writing a blurb for a novel he has written on the marriage of a Negro singer and a white society gal. I don't envy you the job. I tried to read it but there were spots in it that are too gamey even for me. However, don't let this prejudice you against it.

WW:CTF

December 1, 1933

Dear Clement:

I was unable to finish reading "Deep River" but skimmed through the last part in order to get an idea of the story.

Even though I risk offending you, I don't think I can write a blurb for the book, at least not one which would serve your purposes. The book has great power and does treat the subject of marriage between a white woman and a colored man without compromise. My inability to do a blurb is based upon the fact that there are certain episodes in the book which I strongly feel could have been handled with greater effectiveness if more had been left to the imagination.

You wrote the book, of course, and have the right to write it in your own way. I as writer of the blurb have, of course, the right to express or refrain from expressing an opinion.

I hope you will be able to see just what my feeling is. It is not, as you asserted over the telephone, due to squeamishness or greater conservatism on the writing of scenes involving sex. It is simply that I would not be honest to you or to myself if I wrote unequivocal praise of the book when I do not feel that way about it.

Ever sincerely,
(Signed) WALTER WHITE

Mr. Clement Wood
Hotel Algonquin
59 West 44th Street
New York City

WW/RR

March 24, 1933

My dear Walter:

I have your letter of the 21 notifying me that I have
been appointed a member of the committee to consider
the resignation of Mr. Spingarn.

I feel certain that the wisest recommendation that I
can make is for this committee to make every possible
effort to have Mr. Spingarn reconsider his resignation.
No change, no matter whom we might be able to get to
fill the office, could balance the loss of Mr. Spingarn
at this time. I am sure that Mr. Spingarn would not
have resigned except for some very vital reason, but
if we can persuade him to reconsider or even to hold
the resignation in abeyance until the end of the year,
we shall have done the wisest and best thing that could
possibly be done.

Yours very sincerely,

James Weldon Johnson

Mr. Walter White
Secretary, N.A.A.C.P.
New York, New York

JWJ:6mm

April 1, 1935

Dear Walter:

I have your several communications. Of course, I
shall be glad to talk with Joel about the presi-
dency. As you know, I have already written to him.
I think it is vitally important that he should hold
on until the end of the year. I feel sure that I
can arrange to return to Nashville by way of New
York and I hope that we can then make it possible
to see Joel. Your offer to get tickets for "Run
Little Chillun" makes it still more important that
I should come to New York before coming to Nashville.

I read an extremely laudatory review of the play in
*Time*. On the other hand, Bob Benchley in *The New
Yorker* was caustically critical. I am very glad if
the play is good and I hope it will be a great suc-
cess. Hall Johnson certainly deserves great credit.
If my name was not Johnson, I think I could write an
interesting article on "Those Johnsons", not forget-
ting to include Jack.

Of course, I am willing to have Dr. John D. Tarle
make a moving picture of me, provided he has me mov-
ing the right direction.

Miss Ovington is at Fisk. She addressed the students
in chapel this morning and made a very effective talk
in her usual charming manner. I am sure that she made
a fine impression upon the student body.

With kind regards, I am

Mr. Walter White
New York, New York
JWJ:fan

November 24, 1933

Dear Walter:

I am just back from Chicago and I have your letter of
the twenty-first with enclosures. It seems to me that
you have struck a deep vein in Mr. Munsell. With such
a beginning there is no way of telling how far he will
go in assisting the Association, if he becomes still
more deeply interested in it. I congratulate you upon
the way in which you approached him and the results which
you have already gotten.

It was a splendid thing for him to reprint the *Baltimore Sun* review and I thank you for sending me the copies that you enclosed. It is a good review and I think means as much for the Association as it does for the book. I thank you for sending me the extra fifty copies of the leaflet. I shall be able to distribute them to good advantage.

As my plans are now arranged, I shall be in New York on
December 10. Perhaps I shall reach the city on the ninth.
I shall, of course, see you and I shall also make an ef-
fort to be present at the board meeting on the eleventh.

With kindest regards to you, Gladys and the children, in
which Grace joins me, I am

JWJ:fmm