AMERICANS for DEMOCRATIC ACTION

NEW YORK OFFICE
23 EAST 16th STREET • NEW YORK 3, N. Y. • ORegon 5-7020

REINHOLD NIEBUHR
Honorary Chairman

WILLIAM LEUCHTENBURG
Chairman

HENRY SILVER
Deputy Chairman

ARNOLD FEIN
GEORGE KAYE
DOROTHY KENYON
JACK LONDON
PETER MILLER
RICHARD WADE
Vice-Chairmen

MARY SPROWLS
Secretary

MRS. NEWMAN LEVY
Treasurer

ALLEN TAYLOR
Executive Director

NATIONAL OFFICERS

MRS. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
Honorary Chairman

ROBERT R. NATHAN
National Chairman

MARVIN ROSENBERG
Chairman, Executive Committee

MRS. SADIE T. M. ALEXANDER
ROBERT E. ASHER
MRS. INDIA EDWARDS
A. J. HAYES
HUBERT H. HUMPHREY
W. P. KENNEDY
LEON H. KEYSERLING
HERBERT H. LEHMAN
FRANK W. McCULLOCH
WAYNE L. MORSE
REINHOLD NIEBUHR
JAMES G. PATTON
JOSEPH L. RAUH, JR.
WALTER P. REUTHER
ARTHUR M. SCHLESINGER, JR.
Vice Chairmen

L. M. C. SMITH
Treasurer

ALEXANDER LOWENTHAL
Assistant Treasurer

REGINALD H. ZALLES
Secretary, National Board

August 18, 1958

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127 Street
New York City, New York

Dear Mr. Hughes:

At this time each year our members indicate to the Executive Committee the special guest speakers they especially wish to invite to address our public chapter meetings. The members have overwhelmingly voted to ask you to be one of our speakers. Our chapter is one of the largest in Americans for Democratic Action, and has many nationally distinguished individuals as its members.

We are very familiar with your stimulating, wonderful writing, and are most anxious to have you speak personally to us on a subject of your own choosing. Our meetings are held at the Belmont Plaza Hotel, 49th Street and Lexington Avenue, New York City. 8:30

As a liberal political organization our financial situation is a characteristically poor one. We do, however, have an allocation for a small fee for speakers.

We are at present planning for the months between November and March. The meetings are on the third Tuesday of the month.

Would you be good enough to advise us whether you will be able to address us, and which month would be more convenient for you.

Trusting that we will have the pleasure of meeting you personally, we remain

June Nelson, President

JN:pb

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August 28, 1958

Mrs. June Nelson, President
Americans for Democratic Action
23 East 16 Street
New York 3, N. Y.

Dear Mrs. Nelson:

This fall I have a cross-country tour booked
all the way to the University of British
Columbia and on down the Coast to the Univer-
sity of California, so I will be away most
of the fall and winter.

I think that the third Tuesday in January,
January 20, 1959 would be a free date
on which I could come and read my poetry
to your chapter of Americans for Democratic
Action. About that time, Alfred A. Knopf
will be publishing my Selected Poems so
I could read from the new volume some of
the poems which concern the problems of
democracy with which we are all interested.

Let me know if this date meets with your
approval.

NEW YORK OFFICE

23 EAST 16th STREET • NEW YORK 3, N. Y. • OR egon 5-7020

WILLIAM LEUCHTENBURG
Chairman

HENRY SILVER
Deputy Chairman

MARY SPROWLS
Secretary

MRS. NEWMAN LEVY
Treasurer

NATIONAL OFFICERS

L. M. C. SMITH
Treasurer

September 16, 1958

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127 Street
New York 35, New York

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Thank you very much for your letter of August 28th. We are very happy that you will be able to make January 20th, 1959 for an appearance at our open meeting.

If your new volume is available by the time of the meeting, we would like Knopf to put us on their list so that we may purchase some volumes to have at the meeting.

We would certainly consider readings from your poetry to be an exciting high light for the meeting. Would you in addition discuss with us some of the views expressed in your poems? I know our members, who have a very high regard for you, and are familiar with most of your works, will be anxious to hear your views in an informal way.

We will communicate with you a week or two before our meeting to make arrangements to call for you by car at your convenience.

We are looking forward to the pleasure of meeting you.

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NEW YORK OFFICE

January 23, 1959

HENRY SILVER
Chairman

ROBERT SCHWARTZ
Deputy Chairman

DOROTHY KENYON
FRANCES LEVENSON
EVA LEVY
ALICE SACHS
RICHARD WADE
KENNETH WENTWORTH
Vice-Chairmen

SUSAN BODAN
Secretary

MAX KANNER
Treasurer

NATIONAL OFFICERS

FRANK W. McCULLOUGH
Chairman, Executive Committee

DAVID GINSBURG
A. J. HAYES
HUBERT H. HUMPHREY
LEON H. KEYSERLING
HERBERT H. LEHMAN
WAYNE MORSE
REINHOLD NIEBUHR
JAMES G. PATTON
JOSEPH L. RAUH, JR.
WALTER P. REUTHER
MARVIN ROSENBERG
ARTHUR M. SCHLESINGER, JR.
Vice-Chairmen

LOUIS LUBIN
Treasurer

Dear Mr. Hughes,

It is with some embarrassment
that I enclose the honorarium. It is a fixed
amount dictated by the fact that we charge no
admission, have no source of income except dues,
and is the same for Congressmen, Senators on up
to authors and poets.

On the other hand, if our political
work and devotion and respect for your ideals could
be translated into money you are indeed a rich man.

I think I need not tell you that
we want you back next year any month you can fit
us into your itinerary. Our meeting is always
the third Tuesday in the month.

Thank you for a stimulating,
educating and exciting evening.

RB:edl

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January 24, 1959

Mr Roy Bennett
Americans for Democratic Action
23 East 16 Street
New York 3, New York

Dear Mr. Bennett,

Thank you very much for your kind letter of
January 23 and the enclosures.

I really enjoyed my evening with your group
very much. It would be a pleasure to return again next
year as one of your speakers.

Best wishes.

NEW YORK OFFICE

23 EAST 16th STREET • NEW YORK 3, N. Y. • ORagon 5-7020

HENRY SILVER
Chairman

SUSAN BODAN
Secretary

MAX KANNER
Treasurer

NATIONAL OFFICERS

LOUIS LUBIN
Treasurer

East Side Chapter

February 4, 1959

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I would like to thank you, on behalf of our
chapter, for speaking to us two weeks ago. Everyone enjoyed
hearing your poetry and your observations, and the question
period also was particularly interesting. You made
possible for us one of the most illuminating meetings
we have had.

We all hope you enjoyed being with us
enough to come back again.

Mr. Langston Hughes
20 East 127th Street
New York, N.Y.

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