Memphis Socialist Party
Processed by Laura Cunningham 2012
Memphis and Shelby County Room Memphis Public Library and Information Center 3030 Poplar Ave Memphis, TN 38111 Memphis Socialist Party
Scope and Content
The Memphis Socialist Party Collection consists of one box, spanning ½ linear foot, of materials taken from a scrapbook of the
Socialist Party in Memphis. The scrapbook contained the minutes of
Party meetings from May 4, 1932 to December 30, 1934. Newspaper articles about the Socialist Party are interfiled with the meeting minutes. The scrapbook has been in the possession of the Memphis and Shelby County Room for quite some time, although the donor information and date of donation are unknown. Memphians formed the local chapter of the Socialist Party of America in 1903. In the early
1930s, regular meetings were held at the Arbeiter Ring Institute, located at 688 Jefferson Avenue.
Highlights from the collection include the Socialist Party of
America, the National Socialist Convention, Norman Thomas, technocracy, political conditions in Germany, the 50th anniversary of the death of Karl Marx, May Day Celebration, and tenant farmers.
2 Single photocopies or scans of unpublished writings in these papers may be made for purposes of scholarly research.
While the Memphis Public Library & Information Center may house an item, it does not necessarily hold the copyright on the item, nor may it be able to determine if the item is still protected under current copyright law. Users are solely responsible for determining the existence of such instances and for obtaining any other permissions and paying associated fees that may be necessary for the intended use. Any image from the library’s collection published in any form must cite as the source: Memphis and Shelby County Room, Memphis
Public Library & Information Center. For all requests, please contact the History Department at 901.415.2742 or [email protected]
3 Container List
One Box 1932-1934 16 Folders
4 Memphis Socialist Party
Minutes May 4, 1932- December 30, 1934
Folder 1 May 1932 – July 1932 (1-13)
May 4, 1932 Informal meeting to discuss reorganization
May 11, 1932 Temporary meeting determined until a permanent day, time, and location can be set up; Comrade Frank Perlman elected delegate to represent Tennessee at the National Socialist Convention
May 18, 1932 Comrade George Pardue elected Chairman; Communication from the National Office; Frank Perlman and G. J. Braun appointed to contact managers at WREC and WMC to see if they would broadcast sessions of the National Socialist Convention
May 21, 1932 Telegram Copy of telegram sent to National Socialist Convention; Telegram Receipt
Article - “The Socialists Pick Thomas”
May 25, 1932 Comrade J. McQuirter elected Chairman; WREC broadcast the Socialist talks on Saturday, May 21, WMC had other programming scheduled
May 20, 1932 - Letter to Radio Station WREC
June 8, 1932 Comrade Gawling elected Chairman; Ballots on their way
June 15, 1932 Comrade George Pardue elected Chairman; Prohibition
June 22, 1932 Comrade J. McQuirter elected Chairman; Socialism the Way Out; Communist heckler present
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June 29, 1932 Comrade J. McQuirter elected Chairman; Articles and letters read
July 6, 1932 Comrade G. J. Braun acted as Chairman; Comrade Louis V. Philippi spoke on Socialism – A Sure Cure for Unemployment
July 13, 1932 Listed to Norman Thomas (Socialist Candidate for President) speak over the radio
July 20, 1932 American For All; Vote on referendum regarding the liquor plank
Socialist Party Ballot
July 27, 1932 L. V. Philippi elected Chairman; State Convention Results; Press Service from National Office
Folder 2 August 1932 – September 1932 (14-26)
August 3, 1932, 1932 Hunger Won’t Wait; National Socialist Platform; Evils of the Capitalist System; Old age pensions
August 7, 1932 Prospects for Socialism in the United States
August 8, 1932 The Socialist Party faces the Campaign Issues
August 10, 1932 Comrade J. Sheinberg elected Chairman; Leo Hirsch requesting to speak in Memphis; Political Conditions in Germany
August 17, 1932 L. V. Philippi elected Chairman; Trade Unions and Political Action
6 August 24, 1932 17 year old Dena Scheinberg spoke on Unemployment Insurance; Open discussion
August 28, 1932 Letter from state secretary; John H. Compton to be candidate for Governor
August 31, 1932 J. Scheinberg elected Chairman; Comrades Braun and Perlman appointed to contact WMC to have them broadcast the radio speech of Norman Thomas on September 14th; Frank Lavatch spoke
September 7, 1932 L. V. Philippi elected Chairman; Marxian Socialism; Small business
September 14, 1932 R. H. Gowling elected Chairman; Listened to radio address of Norman Thomas; Possible banquet for Thomas
September 21, 1932 L. V. Philippi elected Chairman; Contribution for state campaign; October 8th for Norman Thomas to speak in Memphis
Folder 3 October 1932 (27-47)
October 5, 1932 G. J. Baun Presiding; Luncheon to be held in honor of Norman Thomas at Hotel DeVoy
September 28, 1932 George Pardue elected Chairman; Campaign Committee Updates
October 15, 1932 The Literary Digest
October 12, 1932 J. Scheinberg elected Chairman; Campaign Committee Updates; Norman Thomas
October 16, 1932 Final Arrangements for Norman Thomas
7 October 18, 1932 Financial Report of Norman Thomas Mass Meeting at Ellis Auditorium
October 19, 1932 J. Scheinberg elected Chairman; An offer for cooperation on election day
October 20, 1932 Joe Simons elected Chairman; Listened to radio address of Norman Thomas; Biography of Eugene V. Debs; Tribute to departed comrades
October 26, 1932 Comrade Braun elected Chairman; Dr. W. R. Amberson spoke on the political and economic conditions in Germany
Folder 4 November 1932 and Election (48-60)
November 2, 1932 R. P. Oppermann elected Chairman; John H. Compton, a farmer from Riverton, Fentriss County, Tennessee, the Socialist candidate for governor, stopping in Memphis; Memphis Community Fund; Socialist Study Groups
November 6, 1932 Listened to John H. Compton, candidate for governor
October 31, 1932 Socialist Party of Tennessee Letter
Socialist Instruction Ballot
Folder 5 November 1932 – December 1932 (61-84)
December 2, 1932 L & S Press Service
Article - “The Socialist Avalanche That Failed”
Article - “How 40,000,000 Really Voted”
November 9, 1932 Financial Report; Committee appointed to help YIPSELS get organized; Entertainment Committee; Unemployment
8 November 16, 1932 G. J. Braun elected Chairman; Significance of the German election of November 6; American Election of November 8
Article - “Technocracy – Boon, Blight, or Bunk?”
Folder 6 Technocracy Illustrated
Technocracy Illustrated
Folder 7 Technocracy Articles (85-91)
Technocracy Articles
Folder 8 The Technocrats’ Magazine
The Technocrats’ Magazine
Folder 9 November 1932 – December 1932 (92-98)
November 23, 1932 J. Scheinberg elected Chairman; Individual members to volunteer subscribing to various socialist papers to be sent to the reading room
November 30, 1932 G. J. Braun elected Chairman; International War Debts
December 7, 1932 Norman Thomas; H. Wiersema discussed Technological Unemployment
Folder 10 December 1932 (99-105)
Newspaper Articles – Unemployed Citizens League
“Where the Goose Hangs High”
9 December 14, 1932 Membership Growth; Motion to discontinue weekly meetings until further notice and to meet the first and third Wednesday of each month
Folder 11 (106-125)
December 9, 1932 Labor and Socialist Press Service
December 17, 1932 Labor and Socialist Press Service
Article - “The New Shot-in-the-Arm Farm Plan”
Article - “A Warning to Capitalists”
December 31, 1932 Labor and Socialist Press Service
Folder 12 January 1933 – February 1933 (126-139)
January 4, 1933 General Party Work
January 6, 1933 Labor and Socialist Press Service
January 18, 1933 Robert P. Opperman lead the discussion on Technocracy
February 1, 1933 Discussion on state meeting in Nashville
February 12, 1933 Protest against the removal of West Tennessee State Teacher’s College from Memphis; Joe Simons performed guitar; Education in the United States; Report of Resolutions Committee
February 24, 1933 Hillel Rogoff spoke on Hitlerism, What it is and its danger to the Peace of Europe
February 26, 1933 State Conference of Tennessee Socialists; Four Year Plan
10 Folder 13 March 1933 – April 1933 (140-149)
March 12, 1933 50th Anniversary of the death of Karl Marx;
March 12, 1933 Western Union Telegram Memphis Local Socialist Party Announce a Meeting to Commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Death of Karl Marx
March 1932 – March 19, 1933 Recap Report Cash Receipts and Expenditures
March 26, 1933 Finances; Committee appointed to find out who was behind the movement to indict members of the Memphis Police Department for the murder of a negro named Carlin
April 9, 1933 J. Scheinberg elected Chairman; Memphis Local chapter awarded a copy of Walls and Bars for leading in Tennessee
April 16, 1933 Report of committee to hold joint conference with Workmen Circle, Junior Circle, National Verband, Ladies Progressive Society, and Young Peoples Socialist League for a joint May Day Celebration
April 23, 1933 J.C. Thompson, President of the Farmers Union of Arkansas and State Organizer for the Socialist Party in Arkansas request to visit; May Day Celebration
April 24, 1933 Report of Committee of joint conference to make arrangements for May Day Celebration
April 30, 1933 Tentative Program of Joint International May Day Celebration
Folder 14 May 1933 – December 1933 (150-159)
May 2, 1933 J. C. Thompson, Farmers Labor Union of Arkansas; Y.P.S.L. and MUCL delegates to the Continental Congress
11 May 10, 1933 Comrade J. C. Thompson
May 24, 1933 Change of meeting dates for the summer; study group in socialism will be formed
June 4, 1933 Meeting was not held
June 18, 1933 Meeting was not held
July 9, 1933 Meeting was not held
July 23, 1933 National Industrial Discovery Act
August 13, 1933 Comrade Ensley Tiffin elected chairman; Communication read from James O’Neal (editor of New Leader,) J. L. Gracy (Recording Secretary of Local 3439 United Mine Workers of America,) and the National Office
August 27, 1933 Review of Textbook A.B.C. of Socialism
September 10, 1933 Southeastern Conference of the Arbeiter Ring; Contributions for striking coal miners
September 24, 1933 Hitlerism in Germany
October 8, 1933 Only 8 of 60 members in good standing; Finances; L.I.D. lecture series; G. J. Braun to meet with the Ladies Progressive Society; J. Scheinberg to meet with the Workmen Circle
October 22, 1933 Eulogy for Comrade Hillquit; Poem to honor all departed comrades; H. G. Terlisner presented a brief history of the Memphis Local chapter since its organization in 1903
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November 12, 1933 W.E. Johnson, organizer for the Socialist Party in the state of Arkansas and Mr. and Mrs. J. E. Mitchell of the Tyronza, AR chapter were present; Socialist Party tactics helping farmers in Arkansas; Dr. Amberson reported the Peabody Hotel Georgian Room had been secured for the L.I.D. Lecture Series
November 26, 1933 Ticket Sales for the League of Industrial Democracy Lecture Series; Investigate N.R.A. violations
December 10, 1933 Communication from National Executive Committee for unpaid bills; 1934 L.I.D. lecture series; striking miners
December 31, 1933 Permanent committee to investigate and help prosecute N.R.A. Violations
Folder 15 January 1934 – September 1934 (160-172)
January 7, 1934 Police Chief refusing to allow an interracial meeting at the Peabody Hotel, meeting was moved to the Lyric Theater
January 14, 1934 Members dropped from rolls for not paying dues; Ticket sales for lecture series
January 28, 1934 Endorsing the idea of putting full time organizers in the field
February 11, 1934 Race Relations
February 25, 1934 Meeting Cancelled
March 11, 1934 Finances; Tyronza Survey
March 25, 1934 Sharecropper Survey
13 April 8, 1934 Anti-War Meeting
April 22, 1934 Membership; Finances; G. J. Braun nominated as delegate to the National Convention of the Socialist Party; G. J. Braun, Dr. Amberson, and Blaine Treadway appointed to a committee to meet with representatives from the Workmen Circle, Y.P.S.L. Young Circle, and Ladies Progressive Society for a joint May Day Celebration
May 6, 1934 – Announcement 1934 Joint May Day Celebration
May 6, 1934 Joint May Day Celebration; Sale of stamps for Austrian Socialits; Sale of Red Ribbons
May 13, 1934 Women and Socialism
May 27, 1934 Fascism
June 10, 1934 Comrade Ensley Tiffin elected Chairman; Literature supplied to the Transient Bureau
June 24, 1934 1934 Socialist National Convention
July 8, 1934 Membership; Finances; National Convention
July 22, 1934 Congressional and State Legislative Ticket discussion
August 12, 1934 Declaration of Principles
August 26, 1934 Member Death; TVA as an issue in the next city campaign
September 9, 1934 Farm Tenants Union
14 Folder 16 October 1934- December 1934 (173-185)
October 7-8-9, 1934 Professor Roy Burt, national organizer for the Socialist Party spent three days speaking in Memphis
Flyer - Free Public Lectures by Professor Roy Burt October 7-9, 1934
Biographical Sketch of Roy Burt
October 2, 1934 Telegram Confirming dates for Roy Burt
October 5, 1934 Correspondence from Mattie de Haan, National Headquarters to G. J. Braun
October 14, 1934 Fundamentals of Socialism
October 28, 1934 Adoption of By Laws; Tyronza Sharecropping
November 11, 1934 Youth Peace Meeting; Tyronza Sharecropping
November 25, 1934 Roy Burt Lectures; By Laws Committee
By Laws of Memphis, Tennessee Local of the Socialist Party of America
December 9, 1934 Farm Tenant’s Union; Election of Officers and Chairmen
December 16, 1934 Mobilization Day; Comrade Braun presented the history of the Memphis Local chapter, beginning in 1912 when he joined
December 30, 1934 Strikers; Northcross Plantation; 1935 Lecture Series
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