VASSAR COLLEGE

POUCHKEEPSIE·NEW YORK

*Office of the President*

December 30, 1940

Mr. Langston Hughes
c/o Authors' Guild
6 East. 39th Street
New York, N. Y.

My dear Mr. Hughes:

You are cordially invited to attend a luncheon as the guest of the Committee on Educational Policies of The National Conference of Christians & Jews, of which I am Chairman, on Wednesday, January 22, in the Balonnades Room of Longchamps Restaurant, Madison Avenue at 49th Street, New York City, at one o'clock and continuing through the afternoon.

Louis Adamic, Margaret Culkin Banning, Stephen Vincent Benet, Henry S. Canby, Edna Ferber, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, Muriel Rukeyser, Robert E. Sherwood, Carl Van Doren, and Thornton Wilder, have consented to serve on the Sponsoring Committee. The presiding officer at the luncheon will be Archibald MacLeish.

The purpose of our meeting is to confer informally with the officers of the National Conference on the subject of inter-faith and inter-racial relations in the United States. This great field of relations has been more fully treated perhaps by the creative writers of the United States than by any other group of citizens.

The National Conference of Christians & Jews, founded a dozen years ago by Chief Justice Hughes and some of his friends, has been working in this field and has held many thousands of meetings throughout the United States. It has had success in combating the intolerance which results from many causes: social, religious, political, and economic. It has endeavored to carry out its work by utilizing in positive ways the common ground of the three great fields, Protestant, Catholic and Jewish. In doing so, it has sought the advice of many groups and has been led to think that the counsel of a group of writers would be particularly helpful at this time.

We believe that in attending this conference and in contributing to it you will be doing a real service.

We earnestly hope you will attend.

HNM: PZ

Ans. 7/3/41: I DREAM A WORLD from "Troubled Island" sent.
Still advised. Also to ANP

3

THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CHRISTIANS & JEWS

FOUNDED IN 1928

For Justice, Amity, Understanding and Co-operation among Protestants, Catholics and Jews

300 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY, N. Y.

June 26, 1941

Mr. Langston Hughes,
Hollow Hills Farm,
Monterey, California;

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Recalling the interest which you have evidenced in the
efforts of the National Conference of Christians and Jews to further
understanding and common endeavor among Americans of all faiths, we in-
vite you to give us a bit of help on a project definitely pointed toward
this objective.

We are asking a small group of leading American writers,
including yourself, to join in writing a series of short articles on
"The World We Want to Live in," theme of our Williamstown Institute of
Human Relations in August. We plan to syndicate these to newspapers
throughout the country as a means of stimulating public interest in the
fundamental questions of what principles must prevail in the making of
the post-war society. We believe that this time the will of the people,
the ideas and ideals of the majority of Americans of all races and creeds,
must be heard at the peace tables.

Oswald Garrison Villard, Ida M. Tarbell, Will Durant,
Channing Pollock and Margaret Culking Banning are among those who have
already agreed to send us a 500 word article setting forth some of their
personal views on the peace aims Americans should advocate. They do so
in the belief that it will be too late to crystallize opinion on these
problems when hostilities are ended, and that intelligence and zeal must
be devoted to peace problems now.

I know you will want to help through the medium of this
project if you possibly can. You have until July 15 to send in your
contribution. Note that only 500 words are required. May we count on
your participation?

With kindest personal regards,

National Co-Chairmen ARTHUR H. COMPTON • CARLTON J. H. HAYES • ROGER WILLIAMS STRAUS • President EVERETT R. CLINCHY • Treasurer HERBERT J. OSBORNE

Ans. By Nov. 15, before lecture tour.

THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CHRISTIANS & JEWS, INC.

FOUNDED IN 1928

381 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY, N. Y.

October 16, 1942

Mr. J. Langston Hughes
c/o Alfred A. Knopf
501 Madison Avenue
New York, New York

Dear Mr. Hughes:

On October 6th, Dr. Everett Clinchy wrote you about preparing an article for use in the February issue of the Journal of Educational Sociology. At this writing we have not heard from you.

We are anxious to have all these assignments taken immediately so that if substitutions are necessary ample time will be given to all those who are concerned. We very greatly desire to have the article from you as indicated in our previous letter. In case that letter did not reach you we enclose a sheet of directions for the issue of the Journal with the article which we should like to have you write checked.

May we hear from you very soon with your decision in the matter? We believe the contribution you can make would be so important that we hope you will be able to accept.

wj/lb

684 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York 80, New York

February 9, 1944

Mrs. Stella Councilbaum
203 North Wabash Avenue
Chicago, Illinois

Dear Mrs. Councilbaum:

I am writing you at the suggestion of Mr. Horace Cayton of the Parkway Community House, who informs me that you might perhaps like to have me give a program of my poems touching on our mutual problems for the Round Table of Christians and Jews, while I am in Chicago.

I shall be in Chicago from February 20 to the 26th, and again from February 29 to March 8. My fee for an appearance would be $50.

My appearances this season have included Columbia University, the Douglass USO Club at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, the Century Club of Scranton, Pa., and the Montreal Forum. My coming tour will take me from Chicago through Kanas and Texas to the Coast.

LH:IC

Telephone CENtral 2606

OFFICERS

Honorary Chairmen

General Charles G. Dawes
Albert D. Lasker

Co-Chairmen

Sol Kline
John P. McGoorty
Austin L. Wyman

Treasurer

Conrad H. Poppenhusen

Director

James M. Yard

Director Speakers Bureau

Mrs. A. B. Counselbaum

Director of Education

Flora A. Dolton

Executive Committee

Louis Behr
Joseph P. Binns
Augustine J. Bowe
Frank P. Breckinridge
Homer J. Buckley
William F. Clarke
Louis G. Cowan
Mrs. Abel Davis
Leonard S. Florsheim
Mrs. Glenn Frank
W. E. Garrison
Roscoe C. Giles
Casimir Griglik
Percy L. Julian
Jerome G. Kerwin
Milton J. Krensky
Mrs. Julius E. Lackner
Sigmund Livingston
Louis L. Mann
Frederick H. Massmann
George B. McKibbin
Leon C. Nyka
Wilhelm Pauck
Ira Rubel
Edward L. Ryerson
Lawrence H. Selz
Leo J. Sheridan
Mrs. George R. Wilson

Advisory Committee

William J. Campbell
George A. Chritton
John Fitzpatrick
Charles J. Gallagher
Mrs. Charles W. Gilkey
William H. Haight
Mrs. William S. Hefferan
Mrs. Frank P. Hixon
Martin H. Kennelly
Frank Knox
Mrs. Andrew W. MacLeish
Merrill C. Meigs
Joseph J. Tumpeer

National Chairmen

Prof. Arthur H. Compton
Prof. Carlton J. H. Hayes
Roger W. Straus

President

Everett R. Clinchy

The Chicago Round Table
of the
National Conference of Christians and Jews
INCORPORATED

For Justice, Amity and Understanding among Protestants, Catholics and Jews

203 North Wabash Avenue — Chicago, 1, Illinois

February 23, 1944

Mr. Langston Hughes
Grand Hotel
5046 South Parkwy.
Chicago, Illinois

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Thank you so much for agreeing to be with us at our
Tea on Monday, March 6th at 3:00 p.m. The occasion
represents the Woman's Committee's meeting looking
forward to our big Institute on April 13th. In other
words, this is a pep meeting when you are to instill
in the minds of those present the dangers of prejudice,
if we are to build a better democracy. While in the
main, of course, you will read your poems, I'm hoping
that you will use a portion of your time to the disaus-
sion of anti-Semitism, race hatred and the recognition
of our responsibility in appreciating cultural plural-
isms.

We shall give you an honorarium of $50.00. The Tea
will begin at 3:00 o'clock and your portion of the
program at 3:30. I hardly know what length of time
I should ask you to give. Shall we say that you be
the judge.

I note that I neglected to give the place of the Tea.
It's at the Arts Club, 410 N. Michigan. I shall be
there to greet you. Tell Mr. Cayton to come along and
that he need not make fun of "Good Willers".

Telephone CENtral 9757

June 23, 1944

Mr. Langston Hughes,
634 St. Nicholas Avenue,
c/o Harper,
New York, N.Y.

Dear Mr. Hughes:-

I have just returned from my long stay in Florida and find all sorts of grand reports on your meetings in Chicago in May. The high school groups were particularly delighted and both students and faculty report enthusiastically. Miss Dolton, who as you know was good enough to take over during my absence, asks that you forgive her negligence in failing to write. I am sure that your own experiences in "that field" make you more than tolerant!

We are wondering when you are planning to come our way again for if you do, certainly opportunities for having you reach groups with which we have contact, should be found. In addition, it has been our good fortune to meet Dr. Dorothy S. Bucks of George Williams College, recently who is devoting herself to research on the drama. She is particularly interested in the contribution of various minority groups in that field and would like to meet with you, if at all possible. I am sure you will want to talk with Miss Bucks if you do get to Chicago, and so it is in her behalf as well as our own that I am writing.

I hope you will have a pleasant and restful summer. The coming year should provide rich opportunities for activity and since returning from the South I am more convinced than ever of the work that you and we must do. So, please let me hear from you as soon as you can, for I should like to be thinking ahead.

With kind regards,

OFFICERS

**Honorary Chairmen**
General Charles G. Dawes
Albert D. Lasker

**Co-Chairmen**
Sol Kline
John P. McGoorty
Austin L. Wyman

**Treasurer**
Conrad H. Poppenhusen

**Director**
James M. Yard

**Director Speakers Bureau**
Mrs. A. B. Counselbaum

**Director of Education**
Flora A. Dolton

**Executive Committee**
Louis Behr
Joseph P. Binns
Augustine J. Bowe
Frank P. Breckinridge
Homer J. Buckley
Charles E. Byrne
William F. Clarke
Louis G. Cowan
Mrs. Abel Davis
Max Epstein
Leonard S. Florisheim
Mrs. Glenn Frank
W. E. Garrison
Roscoe C. Giles
Casimir Griglik
Percy L. Julian
Jerome G. Kerwin
Roger J. Kiley
Milton J. Krensky
Mrs. Harold Lachman
Mrs. Julius E. Lackner
Sigmund Livingston
Louis L. Mann
Frederick H. Massmann
George B. McKibbin
Leon C. Nyka
Wilhelm Pauck
Ira Rubel
Edward L. Ryerson
Lawrence H. Selz
Leo J. Sheridan
Ira Turley
Mrs. George R. Wilson

**Advisory Committee**
William J. Campbell
George A. Chritton
John Fitzpatrick
Charles J. Gallagher
Mrs. Charles W. Gilkey
William H. Height
Mrs. William S. Hefferan
Mrs. Frank P. Hixon
Martin H. Kennelly
Frank Knox
Mrs. Andrew W. MacLeish
Merrill C. Meigs
Joseph J. Tumpeer

**National Chairmen**
Prof. Arthur H. Compton
Prof. Carlton J. H. Hayes
Roger W. Straus

**President**
Everett R. Clinchy

THE National Conference OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS, INC.

For Justice, Amity, Understanding and Cooperation among Catholics, Jews and Protestants

National Co-Chairmen
Arthur H. Compton
Carlton J. H. Hayes
Roger W. Straus

WISCONSIN AREA
759 N. Milwaukee Street • Milwaukee 2, Wisconsin

National Director
Everett R. Clinchy
Wisconsin Area Director
Maurice H. Terry
Assistant to Director
Mrs. Fred Linley

January 3, 1945

Mr. Langston Hughes
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York 30, N. Y.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I made reservations for you at the Schroeder Hotel from Sunday evening, Feb. 4 through Thursday night, Feb. 8. This will carry until about four o'clock on Feb. 9th. Meals can be secured in the coffee shop at any time, and room service is always available. However, I talked to the manager definitely on the point of securing meals at the hotel. You will have no difficulties whatsoever in the coffee shop. That is where most of us eat unless we go to a rather expensive dinner or luncheon in the main dining room. The food is the same at both places but the price is much higher in the dining room.

We are looking forward with pleasure to your coming to Milwaukee.

MHT: EB

January 6, 1945

Mr. Maurice H. Terry
National Conference of
Christians and Jews, Inc.
759 N. Milwaukee Street
Milwaukee, 2, Wisconsin

Dear Mr. Terry:

Thank you very much for the reservation you have made for me at the hotel.

Under separate cover I am sending you ten (10) copies of my radio poem, FREEDOM'S PLOW. Kindly send one(1) to each of the Heads of the English Departments of the schools to which I am going in Milwaukee, in case they might wish to have the students read it before I come. I am also sending you copies of various letters from the high schools in which I have spoken this fall, in case they might be of use to you. These are NOT for publication.

LH:deh

WISCONSIN AREA
759 N. Milwaukee Street • Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2

February 28, 1945

Mr. Langston Hughes
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York 30, New York.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Two days ago we received in the mail a book which you addressed and sent while here, to Miss Simone Tery, Hotel Brevoort, New York City. It was marked by the postal authorities "Not Here - Return to Sender." Instead of sending it on to you, we are holding the package here, thinking that perhaps you would want us to send it direct to some other address to Miss Tery. If so, will you kindly send us the address and we will take care of it.

You will be interested to know that a friend of mine was greatly interested in "The Dream Keeper" and I wanted to buy her a copy the week following your appearance here. I tried at all the book stores and the department stores, but your books had been sold out completely. Des Forges, the leading book store here, told me they had reordered but they also told me that "you know Mr. Hughes appeared here in person last week" (they're telling me!)" and since then we have sold all his books." Just in case you have a "Dream Keeper" lying around loose and would like to sell it, will you kindly autograph it for Leatrice Gellman and send it to me with the address to which I can send you a check? This young girl is an art student at the State Teachers College here.

Mr. Terry wants me to tell you that one of the high schools here wanted you to appear and thru an error their name was omitted from the list of schools at which we had you scheduled. Therefore, if you are in this neighborhood again soon, will you kindly arrange to make this appearance in this school? They phoned our office and wanted to know, of course, why we omitted them.

I am enclosing copies of letters we received from several of the schools following your appearances in the city.

We sent the "Flows" on to you in Georgia as you requested.

Greetings from the staff.

Telephone CENtral 9757

203 North Wabash Avenue — Chicago 1, Illinois

November 20, 1945

Mr. Langston Hughes
634 St. Nicholas - Apt. 1 D
New York, N. Y.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I was very pleased to see you and to have the
opportunity of talking with you the other week
when you were in Chicago. I do sincerely hope
you will be able to do some speaking for us even
though I know how busy you are.

At your suggestion, I wrote Mr. Feakins for your
schedule. He promptly replied but only sent me the
dates of March 19 and 21 when you plan to be in
Chicago. The 21st is the more likely date and I
shall write Mr. Feakins that we will book you for
that morning.

I am sure Mr. Feakins did not understand my request for your entire schedule and I'm wondering if you would secure it for me. I am particularly anxious to know if you will be in any of the following cities: Milwaukee, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, South Bend, Denver, Hartford, Minneapolis, Newark, Oakland, Cal., Portland, Ore., Providence, R. I., Wilmington, Del., or St. Louis. These are the cities in which the American Council on Education is conducting a project called, "Intergroup Education in Cooperating Schools". Our staff of six people is under the Direction of Dr. Hilda Taba, on leave from The University of Chicago, and they work with Administrative staffs, teachers groups and community leaders in a supervisory capacity. If we could arrange for your speaking to some of their special groups, it would be an invaluable contribution to the project.

I am enclosing a bulletin which briefly gives the scope
of this work.

Hoping to hear from you,

OFFICERS

**Co-Chairmen**
Max Epstein
John P. McGoorty
Austin L. Wyman

**Director**
James M. Yard

**Associate Director**
Sterling W. Brown

**Woman's Activities**
Rose S. Brown

**News Bureau**
Marie Seaberry

**Executive Committee**

Louis Behr
Augustine J. Bowe
Frank P. Breckinridge
Homer J. Buckley
Charles E. Byrne
Edward V. Cardinal
William F. Clarke
Mrs. Abel Davis
Marshall Field
Leonard S. Florsheim
James B. Forgan
W. E. Garrison
Roscoe C. Giles
Percy L. Julian
Meyer Katz
Jerome G. Kerwin
Roger J. Kiley
Milton J. Krensky
Mrs. Harold Lachman
Mrs. Julius E. Lackner
Sigmund Livingston
Louis L. Mann
Frederick H. Massmann
George B. McKibbin
Thomas R. Mulroy
Leon C. Nyka
Wilhelm Pauck
Mrs. Harold W. Ruopp
Edward L. Ryerson
Lawrence H. Selz
Leo J. Sheridan
Ira Turley
Mrs. George R. Wilson

**Advisory Committee**

William J. Campbell
George A. Chrifton
Mrs. Alexander B. Counselbaum
Louis G. Cowan
John Fitzpatrick
Charles J. Gallagher
Mrs. Charles W. Gilkey
Casimir Griglik
William H. Height
Mrs. William S. Hefferan
Mrs. Frank P. Hixon
Martin H. Kennelly
Mrs. Andrew W. MacLeish
Merrill C. Meigs
Ira Rubel
Joseph J. Tumpeer

JAS

Telephone CENtral 9757

24

National Conference of Christians and Jews, Inc.
Chicago Round Table

For Justice, Amity, Understanding and Cooperation among
Protestants, Catholics and Jews

December 3, 1945

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Thank you very much for your encouraging
letters concerning the possibility of your
speaking in some of the schools in our Cooperating
Schools project.

I have sent your West Coast dates to
Dr. Hilda Taba who is now in San Francisco, asking
if she can arrange a program in either San Francis-
co or Oakland. As soon as I hear from her, I will
communicate with Feakins.

I sincerely appreciate your interest and
cooperation in this important project.

FD/jmw

OFFICERS

Honorary Chairmen

Co-Chairmen

Treasurer

Conrad H. Poppenhusen

Director

James M. Yard

Program Director

Mrs. Benjamin Getzoff

Director of Education

Flora A. Dolton

Woman's Activities

Rose S. Brown

Publicity

Marcella Hix

Executive Committee

Louis Behr
Augustine Bowe
Mrs. Augustine Bowe
Frank P. Breckinridge
Homer J. Buckley
Charles E. Byrne
Edward V. Cardinal
William F. Clarke
Mrs. Abel Davis
Marshall Field
Leonard S. Florsheim
James B. Forgan
W. E. Garrison
Roscoe C. Giles
Percy L. Julian
Jerome G. Kerwin
Roger J. Kiley
Milton J. Krensky
Mrs. Harold Lachman
Mrs. Julius E. Lackner
Sigmund Livingston
Louis L. Mann
Frederick H. Massmann
George B. McKibbin
Leon C. Nyka
Wilhelm Pauck
Mrs. Harold W. Ruopp
Edward L. Ryerson
Lawrence H. Selz

Advisory Committee

William J. Campbell
George A. Chritton
Mrs. Alexander B. Counselbaum
Louis G. Cowan
John Fitzpatrick
Charles J. Gallagher
Mrs. Charles W. Gilkey
Casimir Griglik
William H. Height
Mrs. William S. Hefferan
Mrs. Frank P. Hixon
Meyer Katz
Martin H. Kennelly
Mrs. Andrew W. MacLeish
Merrill C. Meigs
Ira Rubel
Joseph J. Tumpeer
Mrs. George R. Wilson

National Chairmen

President

Everett R. Clinchy

Mr. Langston Hughes
634 St. Nicholas - Apt. 1D
New York 30, N.Y.

33

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS, INC.

Founded 1928 by Charles Evans Hughes, Newton D. Baker, and S. Parkes Cadman

Co-Chairmen

Leonard S. Florisheim
John P. McGoorty
Austin L. Wyman

Mid-West Area Office

203 North Wabash Avenue

Chicago 1, Illinois

National Co-Chairmen

Thomas E. Braniff
Arthur H. Compton
Roger W. Straus

Treasurer

Conrad H. Poppenhusen

Executive Committee

Mrs. George J. Aste
Augustine Bowe
Mrs. Augustine Bowe
Frank P. Breckinridge
Homer J. Buckley
Charles E. Byrne
Edward V. Cardinal
Archibald Carey
Mrs. John Alden Carpenter
William F. Clarke
James M. Cleary
Nathan Cummings
Mrs. Abel Davis
Paul H. Douglas
Mrs. Howard Fenton
Marshall Field
W. F. Garrison
Wayne A. Johnston
Percy L. Julian
Martin H. Kennelly
Roger J. Kiley
Milton J. Krensky
Mrs. Harold Lachman
Mrs. Julius Lackner
John Levinson
Louis L. Mann
Frederick H. Massmann
Frank D. Mayer
George B. McKibbin
Leon C. Nyka
Wilhelm Pauck
Mrs. Harold W. Ruopp
Miles G. Seeley
Lawrence H. Selz
Modie J. Spiegel, Jr.

Midwest Office Staff

Director

James M. Yard

Public Relations - Finance

Wells D. Burnette

Program Director

Mrs. Benjamin Getzoff

Director of Education

Flora A. Dolton

Woman's Activities

Rose S. Brown

News Bureau

Madelon Golden

Telephone Central 9757

President

Everett R. Clinchy

November 18, 1946

Mr. Langston Hughes
634 St. Nicholas - Apt. 1D
New York 30, N. Y.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

I am writing for some Waukegan friends who tell me that you are scheduled to speak at a meeting there in January on a Sunday. They are anxious to have you stay over to speak before the High School students on the next day, and they are prepared to pay an honorarium of $50.

I, too, hope your schedule can be arranged to include the high school. Dr. J. Lloyd Trump, the Superintendent of the high school, formerly taught in Gary. He's a great person and is struggling with a very "conservative" community. There is just the one high school, so it draws young people from every walk of life.

Of course, if you are to be in this area my next question is - will you have any time to speak in Chicago? I will hope to hear from you soon and then will write your agency.

With every good wish,

Regrets sent---speaking in Zanesville, Ohio, on Monday, January 20.

36

THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF CHRISTIANS & JEWS. INC.

FOUNDERS 1928

American Brotherhood

FOR JUSTICE, AMITY, UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION
AMONG PROTESTANTS, CATHOLICS AND JEWS

381 FOURTH AVENUE

NEW YORK 16, N.Y.

NATIONAL CO-CHAIRMEN
ARTHUR H. COMPTON
THOMAS E. BRANIFF
ROGER WILLIAMS STRAUS
PRESIDENT
EVERETT R. CLINCHY
TREASURER
HERBERT J. OSBORNE

October 23, 1947

Mr. Langston Hughes
c/o Alfred A. Knopf
501 Madison Avenue
New York, N. Y.

My dear Mr. Hughes:

Once again we turn to you for help. The National Conference of
Christians and Jews is sponsoring American Brotherhood Week, February 22-29,
as it has sponsored similar efforts in the past. As you may know, President
Truman has again accepted the Honorary Chairmanship, and Judge Robert P.
Patterson, former Secretary of War, has accepted the position of General
Chairman. We hope that as before we may count on you now for assistance in
forwarding the purposes of the Week.

We think that we can place, not only for Brotherhood Week, but
throughout the year, statements of not less than two hundred and fifty words
bearing upon the problem of inter-racial and inter-religious relationships.
We should be extremely grateful if you would send us such a statement. What
form it should take we leave entirely to you, but for your convenience, and
merely as suggestions, we attach to this letter a sheet listing possible
themes. It is, I am sure, hardly necessary to say that if you should feel in-
clined to contribute an article or a story in place of a statement, we should
be delighted.

The importance of what the National Conference of Christians and
Jews is trying to do needs no elaboration on our part and emboldens us to
ask your help.

MAGAZINE COMMITTEE

John Farrar, Chairman - Dr. Henry Seidel Canby - Allen Grover - Mrs. Donald Klopfer
Edward L. Mayer - Fulton Oursler - William B. Powell - Sophie Kerr Underwood

INTERGROUP EDUCATION IN COOPERATING SCHOOLS

AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION

437 WEST 59TH STREET

NEW YORK 19. N. Y.

CIRCLE 6-7934

COMMITTEE:

CHARLES H. LAKE, Chairman
Cleveland Public Schools

EARL A. DIMMICK
Pittsburgh Public Schools

TANNER G. DUCKREY
Philadelphia Public Schools

WILLARD E. COSLIN
Minneapolis Public Schools

ROBERT J. HAVIGHURST
University of Chicago

MARY G. KELTY
National Council for the Social Studies

KURT LEWIN
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

RICHARD J. PURCELL
Catholic University

HOWARD E. WILSON
Carnegie Endowment

GEORGE F. ZOOK, Ex-Officio
American Council on Education

DIRECTOR
HILDA TABA

January 29, 1948

Mr. Langston Hughes
Apt. 1 D - 634 St. Nicholas
New York, N. Y.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

You no doubt will be surprised to hear from me in
N. Y. I've been working on our special project since
September and am thoroughly enjoying it and New York.

Of course, you know I want you to do something for me!
My friend, Ethel Alpenfels is teaching at New York
University and wants very much to have you speak for
one of her classes on any Tuesday evening, except
March 16, this quarter.

It's a class in Social Processes - When Peoples Meet
and she is concentrating on the forces that create
and mold attitudes particularly through art, literature
etc. Her students are on the graduate level but if you
can come she wants a larger group to hear you, so some
of the students will be under-graduates.

Would any of the following dates be possible: February
17 or 24; March 2, 9, or 23; or any Tues. in April?

They meet from 6 to 8 p.m. and you could have as much
of the period as you cared to use. They can pay an
honorarium of $50.00.

Please call me at the above phone number and I'll hope
that in your busy schedule you can include this, too.

FOUNDED 1928

American Brotherhood

"-to promote justice, amity, understanding and co-operation among Protestants, Catholics and Jews, and to analyze, moderate and finally eliminate intergroup prejudices which disfigure and distort religious, business, social and political relations, with a view to the establishment of a social order in which the religious ideals of brotherhood and justice shall become the standards of human relationships." (from the By-laws)

381 FOURTH AVENUE, NEW YORK 16, N.Y.

NATIONAL CO-CHAIRMEN
CHARLES E. WILSON
THOMAS E. BRANIFF
ROGER WILLIAMS STRAUS

PRESIDENT
EVERETT R. CLINCHY

GENERAL SECRETARY
HENRY NOBLE MacCRACKEN

TREASURER
HERBERT J. OSBORNE

February 25, 1948

Mr. Langston Hughes
% Alfred A. Knopf
501 Madison Avenue
New York, N. Y.

Dear Mr. Hughes:

We are very grateful for the poem you contributed for
Brotherhood Week, and thought you might be interested in seeing
the use we made of it in the clipsheet we sent to 12,000 daily
and weekly newspapers.

# Brotherhood Through The World

## Brotherhood Abroad

President Truman, in accepting the honor-
ary chairmanship of Brotherhood Week,
stresses, first, the necessity of the practice of
brotherhood among nations if we are to have
peace. As the preamble to UNESCO says,
war begins in the minds of men. The Presi-
dent suggests that peace, too, depends upon
a proper predisposition on the part of nations.
Where the Psalmist bids us "seek peace, and
pursue it," he suggests that peace is elusive
and is not to be easily achieved by paper docu-
ments and charters but must be earnestly
desired and persistently sought. Men and
nations must so relate themselves to their
neighbors that peace becomes possible.

## Brotherhood At Home

President Truman then emphasizes the need of the application of brotherhood to all human relationships in our own land if we are to play a helpful part in securing peace for the world. Recently the President said that we must become more moral at home or lose the force of our moral appeal abroad. "Our case for democracy," he said, "... should rest upon practical evidence that we have been able to put our own house in order."

## All Men Are Brothers

Referring to the international bill of rights, Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt has lately said, "It is significant that not one of the drafting committee had an objection to the opening words of the bill which said 'All men are brothers.' But if all men are brothers, then together we must try to build a world in which all can live as brothers."

## Learning Brotherhood

Brotherhood must be learned. Our world
is not simple, but we can run it with brother-
hood if we are willing to learn how. We must
know the facts, establish the principles, de-
velop the skill to apply them. Brotherhood is
a social study. We must learn it together.
Brotherhood Week is a project in mass edu-
cation. Make every week Brotherhood Week!

## The General Chairman

of Brotherhood Week, 1948, is the Hon. Rob-
ert P. Patterson. Judge Patterson served as
Under-Secretary of War during the period of
hostilities. He was appointed Secretary in
1945, serving until his resignation in 1947.
In accepting the General Chairmanship, he
said:

## Hate vs. Brotherhood

"I saw the concentration camps at Buchen-
wald and Dachau a few days after the liber-
ation. No one who saw those places and the
helpless survivors of them will ever forget
the experience. Buchenwald and Dachau could
not be understood, except as they bore witness
to the depths that men can sink to when they
accept and put into practice a doctrine of hate
against those who differ with them in opinion,
religion, or race. The world will see more
Buchenwalds, more Dachaus, if the time
should come again when the rule of hate pre-
vails over the spirit of brotherhood.

## Brotherhood—
A Guiding Rule

"We Americans are committed to the cause of world peace. Words will not win world peace. We will not reach it unless we have a strong, united nation here at home. And a strong united nation is an unattainable ideal unless we keep brotherhood as the guiding rule of our daily lives. Intolerance is bound to produce a divided people, a weak nation. We may be sure that we will never achieve a lasting peace on such terms.

## The Vital Force For Peace

"The unity we had in the war years, when we saw the losses and sorrows of war being borne by Americans without distinction as to race or religion, when it was plain to all of us that our spiritual aims and purposes were far more powerful than our differences, is still available as the vital force for peace. The understanding and goodwill found in the bond of brotherhood will bring us to realize that unity. I know of nothing else that can."

HARRY S. TRUMAN
Honorary Chairman

ROBERT P. PATTERSON
General Chairman

AMERICAN BROTHERHOOD

Sponsored by

The National Conference of Christians and Jews

(Dates of Observance: February 22-29, 1948)

NEWSPAPER COMMITTEE

JOHN S. KNIGHT, Chairman
SEYMOUR BERKSON
WILLIAM G. CHANDLER
MARQUIS CHILDS
GARDNER COWLES
WILBUR FORREST
EDWIN S. FRIENDLY
FRANK E. GANNETT
JACK R. HOWARD
PALMER HOYT
W. R. HEARST, Jr.
EARL J. JOHNSON
RALPH MCGILL
EUGENE MEYER
PAUL G. SMITH

NATIONAL OFFICE

Suite 1501
381 Fourth Avenue
New York 16, N. Y.

February 13, 1948

Dear Mr. Editor:

With this second letter to you comes a kit of materials contain-
ing editorial suggestions for the observance of American Brotherhood during
the week of February 22-29.

Please bear in mind they are suggestions only, although you are
free to make such use of the kit material as you choose.

I believe much better stories and editorials can be written with-
in your own organization. You know the facts in your own community and
how best to deal with them.

Localized stories calling attention to schools and playgrounds
where children of various racial origins work and play together happily
can be helpful.

The fact is well established that much of the intolerance that
is prevalent starts in the home. That is why parents have a special
responsibility to indoctrinate their children with an "open mind" toward
the problems of brotherhood.

We cannot overstress the theme that "American brotherhood begins
at home."

Although American Brotherhood is a year 'round program of mass
education, it is believed that much can be achieved by highlighting the
week of February 22-29 as observance dates.

I hope you will find the kit material helpful in the fight
against intolerance and we will be glad to fill any special requests for
additional copy that you may require.

FOUNDED 1928

American Brotherhood

"—to promote justice, amity, understanding and co-operation among Protestants, Catholics and Jews, and to analyze, moderate and finally eliminate intergroup prejudices which disfigure and distort religious, business, social and political relations, with a view to the establishment of a social order in which the religious ideals of brotherhood and justice shall become the standards of human relationships." (from the By-laws)

PRESIDENT
EVERETT R. CLINCHY

TREASURER
HERBERT J. OSBORNE

February 13, 1948

Dear Mr. Editor:

We must rely in very large measure on our free press to keep America united and free. But it is clear we cannot remain free if we are not united, and that we cannot be united if we are torn by religious and racial strife, or divided by prejudice and discrimination.

The battle against these internal enemies of democracy must be unceasing. It must go on fifty-two weeks a year. To that end, a week of rededication -- a week in which to renew our flagging energies and refocus our attack -- is eminently worthwhile.

Such is the purpose of Brotherhood Week, February 22-29, 1948. I know the great American Free Press will support it in every way possible.

- 2 -

is between going hungry, and buying bread, cold meat, and milk in a grocery store, and slinking up an alley to eat it.

Does one think that will make a better citizen of him?

A certain Mexican — or Nisei or Italian or Pole, depending on the community — is excluded from consideration as a saleman, clerk, reporter, bookkeeper, etc., etc. He takes the best job he can get, works at it honestly and hard, but the pay is not adequate to the maintenance of his family. His wife has to take a job to supplement his earnings. Doors are closed against her, too — the only work open to her is that of a housemaid, which takes her out of her home early in the morning and keeps her away until late in the evening. As a consequence their children do not get the training they'd like to give them. They run the streets, fall in with bad companions, and get into trouble. The parents are grieved. But are their fellow-citizens sympathetic and helpful? No. The tragedy simply reenforces them in their belief that "these people" are not good enough to be assimilated in the community. "Look at the high juvenile delinquency quotient among them!"

Does one think that this will make more patriotic Americans of "these people"?

## ISOLATED CASES?

Is this picture of American society a just reflection of our morals and our mores? Our enemies say so. They are dinning it incessantly into the ears of the rest of the world. These things and worse. The land-robbery that American citizens of Japanese descent have been suffering — even patriotic Americans whose sons fought and bled and died for America in the recent war against their quondam homeland and its allies. Or the admittedly innocent Negro brother-in-law and Negro wives who were brutally butchered simply because they were reluctant witnesses to a mob murder.

Our hostile world-rivals are making capital of these things, thus weakening our position, impairing our leadership, in every hole and corner of the world. What do our friends say? What do we say?

What can we say, except that these things are not typical of the best in America? But are they typical of the worst? And is this worst so very un-typical?

Let us hope so. But hope is not enough. It will take a good deal of sweat, and maybe some tears, too. This is a great country. We like it here. We want it to continue to be great, to become even greater. We want there to be nothing about it that will cause us to hang our heads in shame.

But there are such things — some of them — and we'll either destroy them or they'll destroy us. Such principles and practices are as vicious and deadly as cancer — and as prolific. Left untended they'll grow until they smother us.

## BUT WHAT ABOUT NOW?

Even apart from the consideration that they may weaken and kill us at some remote time in the future — or maybe not so remote — the fact is that they are weakening us now.

- 3 -

They are weakening us externally, because of the propaganda of our hostile critics. Even without such critics, the simple truth of the matter is that such things cannot be hid under a bushel.

They are weakening us internally by impairing the general level of patriotism, destroying our unity.

These are trying days. A great struggle for power is going on in the world between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. We can't escape it. We're not only allied with the forces of light, for all practical purposes, at the moment, we are the forces of light. We pray the struggle may stop short of war. Our only hope in that direction lies in our strength, and our strength lies in our unity as a nation. If our prayers fail us, and war comes, we shall need that strength in unity more than ever.

May we complacently shrug this problem off by pointing out that war breeds its own unities? No, because its not wholly true. Partly true, yes; probably even largely true. But many of our "outcast" groups threw their hearts and energies into our most recent war because they saw unfying forces at work that they fondly hoped would outlast the war. But if they don't outlast World War II it may be impossible to revive them should there be -- God forbid -- a World War III.

This is not mere Fourth of July oratory or the exaggerated rhetoric of Armageddon. The crisis is here in fact, and it's desperate.

## BUT WHAT'S IT TO ME?

As a consequence, the responsibility of the moulders of public opinion, the fashioners of public behavior, is enormous, almost frightening.

In the field of public opinion and public behavior, no greater force than the press exists. If the free press of the United States does not energize itself in the protection of our freedoms, the peril is that they may not survive. And this means the freedoms of all, not merely of the dominant group in any community, but of all groups, all individuals.

It means the freedom of all groups everywhere -- for the problem is not confined to any section of the country. It exists in New York and California, the North and the South, the Southwest and the Northeast.

## EASY DOES IT

Long established customs may give way only slowly. But progress is desirable, indispensable, even if it be only slow progress. Revolutionary changes usually come only as a result of revolutions in the narrower sense -- which is not the pacific sense. And no one in his right mind wants bloody revolution. But change we must have. And the only way to begin is to begin.

AMERICAN BROTHERHOOD WEEK, FEBRUARY 22-29, 1948, IS THE TIME.

A suggestion for crusading editors . . .

The New Haven Neighborhood Project is a demonstration program carried on and partly financed by the National Conference of Christians and Jews. It is designed to educate neighborhood people in intergroup understanding through the informal plan of "learning through doing".

A nursery school established in January, 1945 by Mrs. Gertrude Hart Day, director, is the core of the project. Here children of the three major faiths, the races, and the cultures of the community play and learn together. Their parents and other interested adults and young people meet monthly to discuss problems of child development. They sponsor friendly meetings such as teas and cooking recipe parties in one another's homes, and work on various committees which range in nature from choral singing and reading to making and mending equipment for the school.

The influence of the nursery school and its adult projects has permeated the community to the extent that during the present year three schools in different neighborhoods in New Haven have been opened under the joint sponsorship of NCCJ and other groups such as PTA, church organizations, and civic clubs.

During the past two summers, a Play school has been operated for children from five to twelve. The eighty neighborhood children reached in the two sessions were representative of sixteen different nationality backgrounds, the three major faiths, and three races, Negro, white, and Asiatic. They came from homes of the middle and upper middle class. Approximately 19% of the white children had never before had a face to face contact with Negro children, while approximately 80% had never had play activity with Negro children of their own social and economic grouping. While the Christian and Jewish children had had frequent contact through school activities they were not accustomed to share out-of-school play with one another during the summer period.

There is no indoctrination, no direct teaching to overcome prejudice; it is felt that the opportunity for face to face contact and happy play under democratic leadership in a good environment is sufficient to give the children the security and satisfaction they need in their relationships with one another. This is true not only for children but for the parents group.

That such a program as this is being carried through successfully is a very real indication of the promise neighborhood planning on an inter-group basis can hold for neighborhood people in quietly, steadily building up a better relationship between people of different races and creeds.

The New Haven Neighborhood Project has become known far and wide, and is in a good way to being emulated in other communities. No small part of its success in New Haven, and most of the fame it has received abroad, has been due to the active interest and encouragement of the press.

National Conference of Christians and Jews
381 Fourth Avenue
New York 16, N. Y.

Edward J. Heffron
Director of Media Relations

SUGGESTIONS TO CITY EDITORS

1) See that an editorial appears preferably at the beginning of Brotherhood Week (February 22-29). See enclosed copy.

2) Assign a staff reporter as your Brotherhood Week man. If there's an NCCJ office in your community (see back page of enclosed Brotherhood Week folder) have him call there for data on local scene, suggestions, etc. Have him do a daily bylined story during Brotherhood Week, starting off with details of local observances, filling in with outstanding examples of brotherhood in practice on the local scene, using following suggestions, etc.

3) Carry President Truman's letter (see Brotherhood Week folder, enclosed -- date may be omitted).

4) Carry Brotherhood Week proclamations by Governor and Mayor. If none issued, perhaps you could stimulate.

5) Ask staff feature writers and cartoonists to cooperate.

6) Assign a man to do a story on what is being done in the study of inter-group relations in social science courses in local schools and colleges.

7) Invite a representative minister, priest, and rabbi to do brief Brotherhood Week statements, to be run in parallel columns with pictures.

8) Do a special Brotherhood section, tying in news stories, editorial, boxes, by-lined articles, cartoons, and ads (see forthcoming Advertising Council Proof Book).

9) Sponsor an essay contest on brotherhood in local schools or open to all your readers.

35

Dorothy Dover
1042 17th Avenue North
Nashville 8, Tennessee

Mr. Langston Hughes
Apartment 1-D
634 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York 30, New York

AFTER FIVE DAYS, RETURN TO

1042 17th Avenue North

Nashville 8, Tennessee

AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION

437 WEST 59TH STREET

NEW YORK 19. N. Y.

CIRCLE 6-7934

COMMITTEE:

WILLARD E. GOSLIN
Minneapolis Public Schools

DIRECTOR
HILDA TABA

February 26, 1948

Dear Mr. Hughes:

Miss Alpenfels and I are looking forward to seeing
you next Tuesday night, March 2. The student who
is acting as Chairman for the evening, and several
of the other students would like to meet with you
prior to the class and I'm wondering if you could
meet us at Miss Alpenfel's apartment, 20 East 11th
Street, about 5:15p.m. Will you call me at my office
Circle 6-7934, or at home Monument 3-0915 before
Monday, if possible?

If you can not meet us, the class begins at 6:15 p.m.
and will be held in Room 469 - Waverly. That's in the
Education Bldg. and I believe the entrance is on Waverly.
(Your agency sent you a different room number, but that
had to be changed because the class was so much larger
than Ethel anticipated.)

They would like you to be there at the beginning of the
class and then have a question period after your pre-
sentation, if that is satisfactory with you.

Hope you can meet with us before the class,

Such Tipping!

TELEPHONE CYPRESS 2-9696

BRONX REGION

Founded 1928

529 COURTLANDT AVENUE

NEW YORK 51. N. Y.

GENERAL CHAIRMAN

GEORGE T. KINDERMANN

VICE-CHAIRMEN

LUCIEN M. BROWN
GEORGE H. GERSEN
ABRAHAM J. GUREVICH
EDWARD I. MILLER, SR.
GEORGE SCHWARTZ

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JOSEPH L. AUER
HENRY G. BARBER
MRS. MAYE N. BARBER
CHARLES J. BENSLEY
MRS. SIDNEY M. BERKENFELOD
GERARD M. BLOOMFIELD
WILLIAM E. BOYLAND
SIMON R. BREGMAN
ROYAL H. BURPEE
ARTHUR E. CHIAPPARI
WILLIAM J. CUNNINGHAM, JR.
JOHN C. COCKS
J. CLARENCE DAVIES, JR.
JAMES W. DONOGHUE
JOHN J. DONOHUE
A. GERALD DOYLE
CALVIN T. DURGIN
ABRAHAM EHRENFELD
MRS. NORMA J. ELLIS
GEORGE FARKAS
SIDNEY A. FINE
HAROLD L. FISCHLER
HERMAN FORSTER
MERLE E. FRAMPTON
MARTIN M. FRANK
LOUIS FRANKLIN
FREDERICK J. FREESE
LAWRENCE E. GEROSA
WALTER GLADWIN
MRS. IRVIN GOLDSMITH
MRS. NETTIE E. HALEY
RABBI DAVID B. HOLLANDER
WALTER J. HOLMES
MISS JOHANNA M. HOPKINS
ELIAS KARMON
ALBERT KINDLER
URBAIN C. LE GOST
STUART E. LEVISION
JOSEPH O. LORETAN
THOMAS P. LYNCH
MISS HELEN A. MAHER
FRANK D. MARCH
MRS. EDWARD T. MC AFFREY
JOHN E. MC CARTHY
HENRY G. MC DONOUGH
REV. SIDNEY G. MENK
PHILIP H. MICHAELS
MRS. MAX MINOFF
RALPH MORHARD
MRS. DAVID A. NEWMARK
BART ORTIZ
NORMAN PORTER
DAVID R. POST
NEWTON M. POYER
MRS. SADYE S. REISS
GUADALUPE RUIZ
MRS. ROBERT RUSSELL
RABBI HERMAN W. SAVILLE
GEORGE H. SCHRODER
MRS. EUGENE G. SCHULZ
BETH SCHWARTZ
SANDOR SCHWARTZ
MILTON SEELIG
RICHARD F. SELIG
BENJAMIN E. STRUMPF
ISIDOR TEITELBAUM
MRS. MACEO A. THOMAS
REV. RALPH THORN
GEORGE TILZER
PETER TURNBULL
RT. REV. MSGR. FRANCIS W. WALSH
WILFRED A. WALTEMADE
IVAN WARNER
MRS. ANNA T. WITHEY

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

MRS. VICTORIA RADIN LAW

November 30, 1956

NATIONAL CO-CHAIRMEN

BENSON FORD
THOMAS E. BRANIFF
ROGER WILLIAMS STRAUS

PRESIDENT

EVERETT R. CLINCHY

GENERAL DIRECTOR

STERLING W. BROWN

TREASURER

HERBERT J. OSBORNE

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

My dear Mr. Hughes:

At the very warm suggestion of a very gracious lady, Mrs. Augusta Baker, I am most respectfully addressing this letter to you, hoping we will receive your enthusiastic support and cooperation.

Would you be generous enough to serve the cause of the National Conference of Christians and Jews as the featured speaker of a Brotherhood Breakfast given to approximately 250 boys and girls on Lincoln's Birthday, February 12, 1957 at the Elk's Clubhouse in the Bronx.

The entire Bronx Division of the N. C. C. J. was tremendously enthused when your name was mentioned as the choice for this educational and American undertaking.

I cannot begin to tell you how indebted all of us would be if you would consent to be with us. We should deem it a distinctive privilege were Mrs. Hughes and your four young children to attend as well.

Thank you for any courtesy you might extend us in this direction, and may the best of everything be yours and your family.

GS:jm

RETURN ADDRESS:

30 East 40 Street, N.Y. 16, N.Y.

"-TO PROMOTE JUSTICE, AMITY, UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION AMONG PROTESTANTS, CATHOLICS AND JEWS, AND TO ANALYZE, MODERATE AND FINALLY ELIMINATE INTERGROUP PREJUDICES WHICH DISFIGURE AND DISTORT RELIGIOUS, BUSINESS, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL RELATIONS, WITH A VIEW TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A SOCIAL ORDER IN WHICH THE RELIGIOUS IDEALS OF BROTHERHOOD AND JUSTICE SHALL BECOME THE STANDARDS OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS." (NCCJ BY-LAWS)