Letter from Warren P. Norton in Meadville, Pennsylvania, to Hon. B. M. Miller in Montgomery, Alabama.

Dublin Core

Title

Letter from Warren P. Norton in Meadville, Pennsylvania, to Hon. B. M. Miller in Montgomery, Alabama.

Subject

Scottsboro Trial, Scottsboro, Ala., 1931; African Americans--Civil rights--Alabama; African Americans--Imprisonment--Alabama; Miller, Benjamin Meek, 1864-1944; Patterson, Haywood, b. 1912; Communism; International Labor Defense; Interracial Committee (Meadville, Pennsylvania)

Description

Warren P. Norton—the superintendent of public schools in Meadville, Pennsylvania—writes that although the communists of the International Labor Defense have control of the defense for the Scottsboro Boys, people should not keep from protesting Haywood Patterson's death sentence.

Creator

Norton, Warren P.

Source

Alabama Governor, Scottsboro Case appeals to the Governor, SG004239, Folder 13, Alabama Dept. of Archives and History

Date

1933-06-19

Format

Letter

Language

English

Coverage

United States--Pennsylvania--Meadville

Text Item Type Metadata

Transcription

After 5 days, return to MEADVILLE, P.A.
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, JUN 19 1 - PM
High School Building, 1993
MEADVILLE, PA.

Hon. B. M. Miller,
State House,
Montgomery, Alabama

MEADVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
WARREN P. NORTON, SUPERINTENDENT
MEADVILLE, PENN'A

June 19, 1933

Hon. B. M. Miller,
State House,
Montgomery, Alabama

Dear Governor Miller:

I wish to write in behalf of Heyward Patterson,
who, I understand, is condemned to die on June 24.

I appreciate the fact that the people of
Alabama feel that they are well able to take care of cases of this
kind without outside interference. I respect the feeling and am free
to say that I regret the fact that the International Labor Defense
people have assumed charge of the defense of the Scottsboro cases.
From the first, I had hoped that some association [not] communistic in it's
beliefs [would assume at large]. Unfortunately, however, the International
Labor Defense people got control of the defense. The face that they have
controlled the authorities of Alabama to show absolute justice to Heyward
Patterson and the other people who will come up for trial later.

If the [a] stay of execution on the part of the
Governor of the state becomes necessary, I feel certain that such a
stay will be granted. I have for years been interested in inter-racial
affairs, at the present time, being Chairman of the Inter-racial Committee
of the City of Meadville, Pa. I believe that we should all be striving
for justice for black and white alike. I have watched the Scottsboro
cases with a great deal of interest, and have hoped and still hope, that
justice will yet come.
Very truly yours,
Warren P. Norton
Warren P. Norton


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