Letter from Pioneer Youth of America, Inc. in New York, New York, to Governor B. M. Miller in Birmingham, Alabama.

Letter from Pioneer Youth of America, Inc. in New York, New York, to Governor B. M. Miller in Birmingham, Alabama.

Scottsboro Trial, Scottsboro, Ala., 1931; African Americans--Civil rights--Alabama; African Americans--Imprisonment--Alabama; Miller, Benjamin Meek, 1864-1944; Pioneer Youth of America, Inc. (New York, N.Y.)

From the director of the Pioneer Youth of America, Inc., this letter includes a copy of a statement about the Scottsboro case, produced from a meeting of representatives of national agencies in New York. The director writes that the case of the Scottsboro Boys is closely linked with the mission of the Pioneer Youth of America to deal with wandering and unemployed boys. He hopes that court decisions will not be ruled by prejudice and that officials will let organizations deal with struggling youth.

Pioneer Youth of America, Inc. (New York, N.Y.)

Alabama Governor, Scottsboro Case appeals to the Governor, SG004238, Folder 16, Alabama Dept. of Archives and History

1933-04-12

Letter

English

United States--New York--New York

New York, N. Y. Sta C [undecipherable] 12 10-pm 1933 Governor B.M. Miller State Capitol Building Montgomery Birmingham Ala. Sixty-nine Bank Street New York, N.Y. COPY Concerned with justice and equality of opportunity for boys everywhere, and especially for the underprivileged and unemployed, we deplore the decision of the Decatur, Ala, jurors, in rendering the death verdict in the trial of Haywood Patterson in what is known as the Scottsboro case. We commend the fairness of the presiding judge, but regard the jury's verdict as one dictated by prejudices which make incalculably harder the work of fair play and social un- derstanding which our organizations aim at developing among boys and youth generally. We point to the fact that this whole lamentable situation was provoked partly by conditions of unemployment which sent the Negro lads out on the road job-seeking and resulted in conflict with their white fellow-hoboes; and we call upon a fair-minded public to anticipate similar conflicts by supporting recreational and social agencies seeking a general and effective solution of the problem of unemployed boys. (Signed) Walter Ludwig, Executive Director Pioneer Youth of America, Inc. (Signed) Abel Gregg, Executive Secretary for Boys Work, National Council Y.M.C.A (Signed) Weaver Pangburn, Director, Publicity Service, National Recreation Association PIONEER YOUTH OF AMERICA, Inc. Sixty - nine Bank Street - WAtkins 9-4627 - New York City April 12, 1933. Governor B.M. Miller State Capitol Bldg. Birmingham, Ala. Dear Governor Miller: The enclosed statement was submitted and discussed at a meeting of representatives of national agencies dealing with boys held yester- day in New York City. We are forwarding this protest of the Decatur decision to you be- cause it appears to us that there is a significant connection between the case of these Scotsboro boys and the problem of wandering and un- employed boys about which our agencies and the nation generally are con- cerned. We urge that you exert your good offices in the cause of justice and thus expedite our work with youth regardless of race, creed or sec- tion. Respectfully yours, wl.m Walter Ludwig Director President Thomas J. Curtis Vice-Presidents A. J. Muste Fannie M. Cohen Treasurer Walter Frank Advisors John Dewey William H. Kilpatrick Florence Curtis Hanson William F. Ogburn John Haynes Holmes Norman Thomas James Weldon Johnson Stephen S. Wise Chairman, National Committee E. C. Lindeman Chairman, Administrative Committee Henry R. Linville Executive Director Walter Ludwig BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers and Mary C. Barker Elisabeth Gilman Henry R. Linville Alfred L. Bernheim Sidonie M. Gruenberg Clarice A. Rosenthal LeRoy E. Bowman Henry T. Hunt Harry Rubenstein Frank R. Crosswaith Elizabeth A. Irwin Agnes Sailer David Dubinsky Andrew J. Kennedy Rose Schneiderman John Edelman Lucile Kohn A. I. Shiplacoff Frederick V. Field Joshua Lieberman Arthur L. Swift CHAIRMAN SUBCOMMITTEES Club Work Experimental Camping Le Roy E. Bowman Peace Education Joshua Lieberman Reinhold Niebuhr Interracial Education Progressive Education Walter White Student Groups Elizabeth A. Irwin Elliot D. Pratt Labor Mill and Mining Town Play School Thomas J. Curtis Agnes Sailor ENDORSED BY American Federation of Teachers; American Federation of Hosiery Workers; Baltimore Federation of Labor; Central Trades and Labor Council of N. Y. and Vicinity; Central Labor Union of Philadelphia; Cloth Hat, Cap, and Millinery Workers Union; International Association of Machinists; Inter- national Brotherhood of Firemen ond Oilers; International Ladies Garment Workers; International Fur Workers Union; Pennsylvania Federation of Labor; United Hatters of America; United Textile Workers of America; and 162 Local Unions. THE NATIONAL INFORMATION BUREAU Pioneer Youth should not be confused with The Pioneers (Y. M. C. A.) or Young Pioneers of America (Communist). 181