| Summary: | Folder contains 56 pages compiled by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s.• •
LISTING OF WPA WRITERS
WPA Federal Writers Project of Alabama
(Alabma writers Project)
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Editorial Department
.... C
The following list was developed because there was no general
information found with the WPA Federal Writers Project of Alabama
(Alabama Writers Project) materials. While reorganizing the files
(new folders, new labels) names of the writers were picked up and
listed alphabetically a Nothing else t"al what is shown here is known
about these people. E.~
IJtllJr£'{ I:.~ L. 'IV&' R~"J#I I" Co JJN
Na. m- esC_:::o::;u::;n:.:..:t.=l.::e.::s:,....:&;-.:D=i;::s..:t..:r..:i:.;c::.t:....N:::;um=b:.:e:.:r:..!..-=e..:t.::c:..:, ~ ~
.BAlit4o .... 1 A .. ,~" .;J, (,.,.v,,~,.-~ zLJj-
Balker, Benjamin 0 Mobile, #6
rnard, George 5;' Dale, #3 (Ozark) •
Beverly, Frances V MObile, #6
Bigbee, Bessie Houston, #3
Bishop, Agnes Ware Dallas, #3
805'11/.1.(. ;tf- "Co-&--",- 'I'll. J II-.v,-/.,J J
Bowman, Annie Leigh scamoia, #6
Brantley, Clarence Mobile, #6
Browning, Willie E Tallapoosa, #3
Bunce, William H Jefferson, #5
Burch. M M Clarke, #6 (f&.
Bu.rgess, Janet
Burke, William P
Burns, Nell
.. Cain, Maude (Mrs 0 0)
Cater, Emma
Cleburne, #2
Jefferson, #5 Editorial Department
Autauga, #3
Tallapoosa. #3 (Alexander City)
Bullock, #3
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Chism, Eunice (Mrs)
Clark, Luther
Clinton, Mary J
Coleman, Victoria
())untryman, J H
l.A. ... t( I c:;... L •
Cour ic, Gertha
())x, Zelma
~r.itt"e..n.d.en, Elizabeth ~ ..,,~ . Cunn1ngnam, L1 l1e Mae
Cunningham William
cu.. \ s~ u... ,.,c L. c.
Dean, Annie Dee
Dennis, Florence Y
Diard, Fran~ois Ludge~e
Dobbins, Lucy
Dobson, Noma
(Mrs)
Walker, #4
Jeffelson, #5 Editorial Department
Chil9bn, #3, Monroe & Washington, #6
Calhoun, #2
Jefferson, #5
Su""'-Ie'/t!...j"-' (?)
Barbour, #3
Wilcox, #6
~UllOC • #63 t '= III. -* arke, #
alhoun, #2
tv I,) ) itJ "
Conecuh. #6 (Evergreen)
Butler, Elmore, Montgomery, all #3
Mobile, #6
Shelby. #2
Talladega. #2
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Dombrow, Mitchell
Donigan, Charles M
Draysprings, Mary
Driesbach, Maude
Drummond, Anna
Jefferson, #5 Editorial Department
Colbert. #1
DeKalb, #2; Montgomery, #3
Jefferson, #5 Editorial Department
Mobile, #6
Dudley. Mary B Dallas. #3
c.
• Tallapoosa,
,
Alabama Writers Project
LISTING OF WPA WRITERS
Ellis, Ralph
Elliott, Hannah
Ellison, William W
Engs, Elizabeth V
........ Evans, Lawrence F
£u ~'"' AI (1, £ tilt!'
Farrior, Mabel
Fields, Lois
Finnell, Lillian
Floyd, Katherine
Foster, Allen C
Fowler, Margaret (Mrs)
Foster,
Franklin, Charles L
Gibson,
Golden, Clarice H (~)
""...- Hall, Covington
Henderson, Ida
Hallonquist, R L
Hammond, Alice
vHarper, Edward 1=
P 2
Etowah, #2 "L
Colbert, #1, (J ~/.....-,
Jefferson, #5 Editorial Department
MObile, #6 (Crichton)
Baldwin, #6 (Fairhope)
.:If. ~-+ II: ':J-Colbert,
#1, Lee & Bullock, #3
Cherokee, #2, Colbert, #1, Pike &
Tuscaloosa, #4
Russell, #3
Jefferson, #5 (Research Editor)
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Cleburne, DeKalb, #2
Tallapoosa, #3
Jefferson, #5; Editorial Dept for Shelby, #2
Pike, #3
Elmore, #3
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DeKalb, #2
Monroe, #6 (Perdue Hill, Ala)
Elmore, #3
Talladega, #3
Jefferson, #5 Editor
#3
V" Hand, Woodroe
VHartley, Helen S
Harvell, Mary G
........Heflin, William L (1v1J.h,.J)
Henry, Vera L
H''!'l P/>t/". To (M••)
HickS, James C
Holt, David
Hooten, W B
Ingram, Jane (Mrs)
Jackson, Louise G
Johnson, Alexander B
Johnson, Lula M
Johnson, Niorna
Jones, Mary Pride
Jordan, Ira 5
Ji,rJ.If/ll1
W.~.
,/ Klein, Preston C (Mr~~)
Kyser, Halsa Alison
/Kytle, Jack
Lamb, Willie M
Laity, Jesse 0
Lavender, Annie D
Leake, Mabel Ford
Lee, Mary
leNoir, Mary Bruister~
Livingston, Mary E
Jefferson, #5 Editor
Mobile, #6
Washington, #6
Jefferson, #5 Editorial Department
Ha.le, #4
~ttfe,~ctarke, Conecuh, Washington, All #6
Mobile, Baldwin, #6
Choctaw, #6; Clay, #2; Coffee, #3; Fayette, #4
Cherokee, #2
Jefferson, #5
Butler, #3 .... !f" ..".- ~#1'/I~ ~,..r.
Jefferson, #5
St Clair, #2
Mobile, #6
Jefferson, #5 Editorial Department
J,..~~ C4lJ/t.-ty -3
Lee, #3
Dallas, #3
Jefferson, #5 Editorial Department
Geneva, 1f3
Chilton, caffee, #3
Hale #4
Butler, Coosa, #3
Talladega, #2
Choctaw, 116
Autauga, #3
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Alabama writers Project
,LISTING OF WPA WRITERS
-. P 3
Long, Bessi e
Lucky, R 0
Lynn, Lois
McClung, Littell
McEven, John K
ft1(t,. tNI /f.yI I-IIJ~
vMcDonald, N ',ft"..Mrs';J
McDowell, Charles B
Marzoni, Pettersen
Max, Sally V
Miles, Myrtle (Miss)
V Mit ,uA"'~"'J Bd"IoN,.In-t
Mills, John Proctor
Moore, Bessie Haley (~s)
Mundro, Achmet H
Oden, Demps A-'t-' .. J.~.-/
v'O'Brien, Susie R
Padgett J Frank
Perry, Celia
v Perry, Rhussus L (c.. ..lo~ ~J)
Y'Petterson, Josephine F
Pittman, sallie (Mrs)
Poitevent, Myrtle
Pollard, Maggie
Poole, Mary A
Porter, Louise (Colored)
Porter, Marie
Pow c.t.J.. It 1l1V~ rL
Pratt, Hester
VPrine, Ila B
Purdue, Florence B (Mrs)
v Reese, Marie
Reinecke, Rowena
Rice J Edward
v1Rogers, Adelaide
Russell, Susan
Russell,
Samek, Genevieve
Jefferson, #5
Tusca loosa, #4
Choctaw, #6
Lauderdale, #1
Consultant?
CJ~e""E"1A..s--
not §iv€n ~,.Joe/"'J... bc..r-l'J J&..f,(et:VMI lh, i.S
Coffee, #3
Jefferson, #5 Editorial Department
Mobile, #6
State Director of Project, Jefferson, #5
1id,.utf.utJ- lk,:J J ,J;-4kR..SoAl Q,J.-..s-
Coosa, Montgomery, #3
Walker, #4
Jefferson, #5
Jefferson, #5 Editorial Department (Lauderdale,#l)
Perry, #4
Etowah, Cherokee, #2
Jefferson, #5
Macon, #3
Mobile, #6
RandOlph, #2
Clarke, #6
Fayette, #4
Mobile, #6
Mobile, #6
Madison, #1
;rH'.f. C"o. d~ ~d./~ .. ,,1. CJJ('+
Pickens, #4
Mobile, #6
Wilcox, #6
; Lowndes, #3
Mobile, #6
Jefferson, #5
Montgomery, #3
Colbert, Marshall, #1
Washington, #6; Tallapoosa, #3
Colbert, #1; Jefferson, #5
!i!:'~<;.\?¥ ,••Levi ,0, (Jr )(w'5")
Singer J Lenn1e
Skinner, Johanna
Slaughter, Lena P (Mrs)
small, Epsie
Colbert, Ifl
Ce-Ioh, 'o" coitI'JaJw- ,J #6
Elmore, #3;
Washington,
Macon, 113
(Butler, Ala)
Jefferson, #5
#6
Smith, Gordintsic,
smi th, J Morgan
Smith, Janie Kate
Spitzfaden, P F
Springer, A R
SOOtl> '''', S/ld. f
Cleburne, Shelby, #2
Jefferson, //5
Etowah, #2
Mobile, #6
Lauderdale,
J-J "" ... • ", ..- ) 'Jf.j
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July 11, 1938
ORK OF
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1. \ rl • ot Tenant arc r. an belr r .llle.. Very llt\l.
tru \ ortby ..\erlal on \ la au J.c\ 1. ayalla le. Tbe kln ot
a\ory \b \ 0 ba oolho\8 1. b.a\ 111uet.raUd by th
hl.tory on p • 260 tt. ot F a 1 ot
uper\ 8. V ce. Tbl. oa.e bt.\ory a. l\ten
oNelll d tlr.\ publlabed ln tbe • b., dally
n••ap per ot Rale1sb, t rom whlob 1t a. taken by Mr. V oe. Mr.
MoNel11 ha. had no \ecbnlo .001010 loal tralnlns bad no
.001010 lcal eup.rYl.lon when he wrote bl. 0 •• hl.tory. It
_a••rltt.n pur.ly a. a ne••p p.r jcb, bu\ It. Yalue ha. be.n
r.oognlz. tor aoolologloal a••ell aa n•••p.per purpo••••
Tbl. oa•• 1. ol\.d acau.e ot tbe po••lbl. objeotlon
\hat OlUY eoololo lit an set ca.e bi.torie. \bat are wor\b
•• \\lng. Tbe taoe 1. \b \ wben .oeiolo l.te .e\ aucb at. rial
tbey.n.rally \reat tbeir aubject. aa ab.\rao Uon., and bUe
an normou...ount ot otati.\i~ material i. aYailable on
t., \b r. e no\ ayailabl. a\ the pre.ent time ln print
anywbere a cany .. one-b lt ozen aooura\e oa•• blatorie. ot
aotual tenan\ tar••r ••
Tbi. kl ot a\er al ned. only \c be ntloned ln
or .r tcr It. 1.For\a ce \0 be re 11zed. Tbe t ot that lt b
not en 0 011 ohd .~ane \ba\ tbe .xl.Un••cholarly dl.clpllne
wblcb ml b\ enaage ln \h. colleo\lon ot .uch at rlal. haye had
th.lr aUen\lon dlrec\ed al•••here I and, In tact., their pre.ent
at.tl\U e t.oward thelr .u~je t tt.er and thelr tec nlqu•• are
auch to precludl tbelr cono.1Ylng ot aucb ork aa 1. d••crlb.d
h.r. or th.lr dolns the ork .atl.t ctorl1y at\.r lt h • b n
.aorlb d.
Tb. ap rcaob to thl••ubj.ct. by tbe .crk.r. on tb.
F••ral rltar.' ProJ.ot 1 1 t rom a buman p~lnt ot Yle.
corr .pon in 010..17 wl th tbe point ot Yl.. ot the bourn' let
exc.pt tbat certAln .1.ple teohnlque wl11 be ••tabll.bed d
tollo 4 ln order to aaura he gr.ate.t po••lbl. a curaoy In
\b. hl torle. tbat are collected.
at.rlal t tbe klnd .ugse.\ed b re ou bt to be
collect.d tro ey.ry ou\b rn .\ te, trcm all typ•• at t.nant.,
trom c••ual t • labor.ra, .bar.croppera, .bar. r ter.. d
renter., ougbt to lnclu e all be or. taport t type. ot
tarmlng. 1be Dlr ctor ~ tbe 'arm e curlty Admlnl.tratlon ln
thla re 1 n baa been conaulted an h. ttered to make ayal1able
tbe re.ource. ot hl. ottice and per.onnel In .0 tar a. po••ible.
The .. 1.t • ot otber encle. c n be .ecured aa work oe. on.
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2 JUly 11, 19:58
• t.orl.. of Fa
uch lnt.r•• t. ln t.bl.
but. the ccll.ct.lcn cf
n r. d Tb.lr Fa.l1l... Ther. 1. nct. a.
.ubJect. at. pr•••nt. a. t.h.r. la ln anb,
a t..r lal on 1t. 18 Ju.t. a. lmportant..
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3. t.orle. of Il11 Vl11as. orker. and Th.lr Faml11••• At. pr ••ent.
no 11f. bl.t.orie. of ml11 Tl11a!. work.r. are ln exl.t..no. "hlah
can make y olalm. to aoouraoy. Th.r. baT. b••n flot.lonal work.,
t.b.re baT. b••n dlaou'.lone of ed'loatlonal poUoh., r ellslou.
10 .r.blp, welfare work, nd numb.r. r1 .tud1ea whloh b Y8
appll.d .001010glo 1 t.obnlqu... It. 1. not."ort.ty tbat 1n a
revl•• of Lol. Maodon ld'. t 1 H • W1nlfr.d Rau.obenbu.oh
00 ented,·I~ i. to b. r.sr.t.t.ed t.bat. ebe dld not lnolud. li'.
bl.torl•• of tb. 1I0r. important 111 typ••••
a • ->out.b.!m Cot I) !l!jr V111 I!.!.,
by J. J.Rbyn. 1. t.ypio of t.be kin of work biob b a b .n d e
by aooiolollat.a ln tbh f 18ld. It. illuatrat.. the volu.a .. w.u
a. t.b. lialt t.lon. of t.ohnlcal 0 1010 io 1 prooedur. aa oonC.
1T.d by aooiolo lat. at pr••ant. In t.hl. book of 14 P....
no in lTldual .111 ork.r app are .. a 11Tina per. n w bas a
pe.t and a rea.ent.. Tb••• 1. not. on a1 1. 11fe bl.t.ory ln tb.
book of ltber 1 lTldu 1 or a faal1y.
A. I bav. lndioat.d aboT., tb. aocl010slat.'. tralnin
1••ucb th t. h. t..nd. to i count tbo value of .uoh mat.erlal.
R. res d. lt a. ·Journ 11.tlo," or "llterary," and wblle h.
wl11 .e .uoh at. rial aft.r lt ha. b••n pr.par.d whan lt ault.
hie purpoae. to 0 ao, ha oannot ba relled upon to .nooura •
t.b. coll.otlon and rltlna of It.
It. 1. cla r t. yon~ ho a bed axp.rl.nce ln
r •••nt.l II t..rlal t.o tbe r.ddins publio, n ly tb. publisbar
or edltor of • n. par or the b.s qf a pu 11 bi flrm, tb t.
matari 1 of t.l. kind wlll of lnt.er••t to the pub lc an 11
be rea. lf it i. mad. aTallabl. ln 100 tora.
Tb. pres.ntation of t rlal f t 1. kln 111 for
th flr tia. open up a wl • fl.1d llt rary 0 lTlt.y. It
.111 not only proTl ••ouro. aat.erlala for aut.bora, but. ill
.bo t. b. po..lbiUti.. f t.ba • of t.ohnlquu of ot.h r 18clpllnea
ln lat. rlns mat. rl • It. may ••lbly or.at.. an••
lit.rary It. la not. propo'.d to do b.r. bat. ha. b••n
don ln nat..a 1.t.lc nOT.l.. The aut.bora of natur 11at.lc .la
sanerally hava not. bad at. tb.lr command t.b. aimpl. t chnlqu.a
.blob lI&y be appll.d t.o in ur. tb. accuraoy of atarlal.
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July 11. 19 IS
t. ora na 10 rYlco 0 0 otlona 1 To Cl\l
No no 0 a ~ytbl a ut oloyat r boya. oltroa oa. boaat1
abor alr1a. ao a J rka. arooory olorka, Fly. ·T n oont atoro
alr a. d ot r aployooa bo .or ln at bl1a ont. on tho
In atro to ot our to cl\loa. 0 11 orary ott ntt n
b en 1 t t la roup. ut no n .a bo C ouracy
t ro baa n ln tho 11torary portr y 1. t t.o b yo. In
aool010g1 1 ork auoh poroona a p arablc ~or la 10
at tlotl 1 co.pl1atlona••0 a atractlona. ho, aa a roup.
h YO attlt oa, ouat a blblta, nd oth r oocl010 10 1
o r ct rlatlca. No. hen rtl laa on tho 11 oa or 0 c
p op 0 r ln a ra. bu tb 0 ua al11 oro only -aUoo.
1041yl 1 x orl0 0, oro. \ 1 a h ro la to prooant
la ox rl.o a bolo.
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1 111 oal Klnln ,1 ort t.
o •
Tb 0"0 lotor1 \eo 1 10 any
lpl1Ln.. troa 0 0 lysla, ea t 'lUrll r1
• 101 to tool 1 aolono , tal. ya It a be
to 111uatr to. to prOYO r lar.0Yo, polnt.. 0
otto pt co 1 ot 0 r al puroly tor lta h
lnt roat, roly tor tb Yaluo ot 0 ra'o rtra a ot
1 lY14ual llyoa.
5. Tho a kln f .at rial oan bo 0 11 ot don al 0011 oua
0 upaU.. upo. auob a tboao ln lumb rl , 81nln ,
tl bl •
• 1 a. la oal ro of
t.1 o at
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JO • IS are t 0
(a1a r J ot.
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July 11, 193&
7. L.sal C.... on ural Gouth.rn Lan lord-Tanant Ralatlon••
Prot•••or red MoCall ot th. UnlT.r.lty t orth Carolina
ch 01 ot La h. bo.n oonsult.4 a. to 1. ro 1 ., and ha.
ln 10 t.d to .0 tha' h. wl11 ••1at ln lr.otlns the cclleotl
ot thl. m t rlal. Tbe worker Who 00. thl. job wl11 hay. to
1 arn bo to ua. 1.S lnd.x•• and wl11 then h ve to u•• the
to locat. oa. a ln r.porta, whlch wl11 bo oopl.d by a typl.t.
T 0 er n. - on. to looat. 0•••• in r .port. and tb. otb.r
to copy -. wl 1 b. d.quat. to 0 tbl. Job. It wl11 be noo••••ry
to check tb. oar.rulno•• wlth whlch c .0. r. loo.ted, an bo
accu cy wlth lob tb r pert••r. coplsd, but thl. c n b.
uo,.O lthout Y lttlculty h tever. ducb t rlal, c.r.rully
.1 ot.d d accurat.ly copl. y be at Sre.t Talu••ven ~
lt 1. n ver publl.h.d. At pr••ent no suoh ooll.otion exists,
an n anywhwr.. de y movo or over m • any .U8so.tlon
tb t Y .uob colleotl n .bould bo aa 0, ln .plt. or tbo
obvlau.ly t 1. rt 00 ot rural .outh rn ~nant-l dlord
r.l.tl • It 1. probablo that at loa.t ns T.ry T.lu.bl.
book could b. publl.he •• a oon••queno. or tbi. work.
8. t n Drlnki It.. Fro h. 11ttlo materlal whloh
baa alr•• y b on col t04 0 t 10 aubJ ot by the FOderal
rltera' Frojoot, it •• known tb t th r. 1. tho wldeat Tarl.tion
in oaUns and lnkl habit. tbrouSbout tbe oountry. Thl. 1.
.ubj ot ot sro.t l.port 00 to tho So~th. Tho 000 .r.tion
or dl.tl01ana, the advl0. ot phy.l01 • an .001010gi.ta
would be u.. ln oolleotl thl. mat.rl.1. Tbe ork done on
thi••ubjeot would not SiT••p 0 tal att.nUon Illerely to
plotur••que h It., but woul oolloot ba.l0 lntor••tlon w lob
la r coul e u••d y any 1 clpllne. and s.nol•••
9. Southern Heal h n Pl••a... n thl••ubj.ot notbi or
any oon••qu.no. 1. ln prlnt. That whiob 1. aval1abl. 1.
• 0 ttar.d nd tr.s ntary. A oomp .b.n.1T. ork, oar.rully
on., wlth .chnl0 advio. sald c. but pr••ent d ln an
unt.ohnlcal anoer,.o tbat lt could r.acb a arse public,
wou14 b. oxv.aely valuable. pitticul ti •• tbat 1111 ht •••
lnaupera 10 at ir.', woul di.aplllar un .r the proper kin
ot dlr.ctlon t the proj.ot. .cbnlc directlon 0 ld b•
• ir bl. ror two r.a. n •• T.chnloal 1••otlon woul be
un ..lr.bl. r r t 0 rea.ona: tir.t, the kin ot work .air.d
woul bav~ to b. pr•••nt. ln an unt.ob 10 1 .annerl •• 0 n ,
t 00 p.r.tl 0 ••T.r.l 1.01plln.. ould • n.o••••ry
i any no i.olplin. 0 lnat.4 tb. proo.d r. or .t.rmln.d
tb. mo ot pre••nt tlon ot the at rlal., th r ••ult ml bt
b. a work ot teohnlo lak ortanc., but not the klnd ot rk
th.t 1. 0 nt .plat.d b.re. Thla Job would b. or. dlrtio lt
tben any pr••iou.ly m.ntlon.d. It would lnvolv. oar.tul
••l ••tlon or p.r.onn.l tro the 'rlter.' Proj.ot, en lt would
b. nao••eary tor tbl. p.r.onn.l to baT. ea.y aco ••• to pby.l01aD8,
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July 11, 19~
dletlcl e, aoclol let., an allot th•• riou. ieciplLn••
whioh oul be able to si.e ...i.tanoe. ot courae, it.i t
be impo.ei le to S. tbe teob ioal id nee tbat would be
ne.ded. For in.tance, it th bea a ot tba State oard. ct
He lth retu.e to ,i.e a .ice critici••, tb. att.mpt. to
do thi oul ail. we.er, thore ia every reason t belie••
that tull coo~ratlon ould ba ,i. n ln the great aJorlt,
ot Lnet e••
10. Poor Wbite. In tbe outh. Tbere le actual road na.. d
Tobacco Roa in aeor gla, and tbe people and .cene. on thi.
road are uppo••d to b. tbe one. r.kine C ld ell u.e in hi.
o.el. In Vir.lnia, le•• tb n 1 .ile. tr the ti n'.
Capitol, ae.er 1 ye • '0 betore tbe t • Security Adminiatration
toun an r.loca e baa, th re wer in 1.olat hollo.
in th .ount ina, a.e erate 88ilie 0 par bla in a • waye
to too Mr. C_ld ell'e T9 &9 i-Ho The.e p ople a e
aa 1 a ot th outh'. poor-w Ite robl • The exi.tence ot
thi ola. ot roone, th lr ceatry, thair phy.ic 1 d
• ntal ch r otori.tio., thair oco patl ,n., .tom. h bito
•• be.n a 0 n r • r.i 1 .ubJect tor a cent , an elt.
The C esle Ccrpcration a rew year. '0 arent a lot or • ney
to ake a .tud ot poor whita. in cuth Atrlca, but n asoncy
ba.. n tlt to mako a eimil atUdy tor tbe outharn State••
uch a otudy oul o.orlap tc.o extant witb othara in icated
abo.e, but it ia .urtici.ntly tAnit. d 1.tinctiv. to
ba b ndled aO a .aparatll proJeot. The hi.torical si 0 d
t ia obl. ia de lt with in an ea.ay entitl d, Jl~ Tr itioD
ot ~ .i ,in Cql Ht! in tn ~o~, .dit.d by • • Couch.
TbalHt.t xam le ot technical procedure 1n the .tudy t a
.roup of poor "Lit.. i.1 ';9U olJi by 8harllW1 an II nry
of th Univeraity of Cbioe o. It. wo d ba 1 hly d alrable
to a pl tbe tecnni ue. of be rm.n I enry t.c a te "outta rn
co uniti. t but It oul b lapoa.ible tor the ed r 1 ritera'
Fr j ct to 10110 the tecb leal proce ure ot tbie hlghly
.p. cl liB d Job. Th taak t e rlt.r.' roj.ct ld e
to 1 cate a cb co i tie. P e • non-technic de.crip-tiona
ot be.. The a i. n ad tor one .01 eta non-technlcal
ture on th .ubjeot.
11. Bio ra bi. f e roe. wbo na.e c le.ed Dl.tinctl.n. very
Scuth rn ta e ba a number of Wagroee h ba.e clleved
po.ltion ot importa ce In tbeir communiti • .veral volum •
coul be da on thl .ubJ ct, d It i. probabla t t wore
could be to to publlah the ••
•
• - ..... . -- . •
,V-C 'il :FOR T::.£ COLLECTIC or LIFE RISWRD:S
1. aterial. are to be collected on tenant farmers end their fami les.
f rg 0 ere and their familiee, cotton mill villagers and their femilies,
persona and their families in 8~rvlee oc~pation6 in towns and cities,
and persona and their families in miscellaneous occupations 8uch as
lUl:lbering, ainina, fishiag. turpentininG. Saoples showing the nature of
the materials to be collected are attached heretO•.
),5""."
2. e life histories tlq range from approximately" ees ~lee...._.....".''''''''o''''''~'';''''.--
(0,00 0
to fs¥. wr f'VQ ~8.i~a~ words or more. depending upon the interest of
1\
the uteri&1.
3. An outline is attached bareto. This outline shows the natura of
the subject matter which should ba covered in the life history. Bowever.
it i. not desired that each life hie tory or story follo~ this outline in
a rigid manner. The otories ~ll not be useable if they are constructed
on a rigid pattern. For inB~"nCel the writer may reverse the order of the
outline. he tlq begin with any item which he considers of special importance
in the case under consideration. he may follow the whole outline or limit
himself to a part of it in any particulrr story. It is immaterial whether
the stories are written in the first, second, or third person. Insofar 8S
possible. the stories Ehould e told in the words of the p-rsons who are
consulted. The effort should be de to get definite information. Avoid
generalities
"!wi not cade
~ such ss "t ose vho are industrious and ambitious ~ do well."
good use of opportunities•--;,herever poul<; Ie expend ouch
wording to <;iva det n, thtot is. exactly who.t industry and ambition mi-ht
have done or vhat the opportunities ~ers ~t co d have been used. In
eeneral avoid the expre88i,n of judgment. The writer will, of course. have
f
to exsrcise judgment in determining the course of a c'nversation through
•
• • ·~ual for the Collection of Life Histories 3
outl ns. It will bs best to go ahead end treat such topics end not wait
to ask for permission to deal with them. Hgwever, no at te director
sl·ould allow writers to abendon the outline and sample stories to such
p~ extent as to chance the nature of the work. Topics in the outline
must be carried in the meoor,y. Procedure in gett~ng stories Dhould be
conversational, not that of questi nnaire. People like to talk end if
given a fair chance they will talk end wl1 as::r whot they think.
7. All the stories do not ~,ve to be solemn end packed with inforQation.
If at amusin'" incident reve"ls the attitude of a family towardo some i
portent preblem th... tl is incident mouJd be related. :Be sure, however,
tMt any incidents of this kind ht've really Mppened, that they are not
ancient, are not second-hand and have not been told over and over agnin.
They should be used only when they come fir t-hand end >Ihen they are
obviously fresh end authentic.
B. The pur;>ose of this work is to secure matsrial uhich will rive m accurate.
honest. intereoting. end fairly comprehenciv~view 9f the kind of ife thet
is lived by the majority of the people in the south. It is extremely important
that faoilies be fairly oelected, that those .~o get elon well
or fairly well be selected for stories as well as those that make a less
~~vorable impression. ~ SUb-normal. the normal, the above normal, all
should have stories written about thPm. A. the wark get. elonr. it will
be necesss17 to e"!""'d it In order to hclude other illr'ortant roups, but
insofar as _osoible. a "~inninf': ahould be made wi th the groups indiceted
aboTe. In those ""rts of the South where cotto,," te i e llIlUIufactu ne is
unimportent. and other industries domlno te the scene. these other industries
shou 0. be selected for treat<lent. J'or Inst-nce, in end around :BirminghllD,
Al bema, both families in textile mnnufectur'nc and families working in co 1
end iron industries should be treated.
'. - • '00 P Y •• O.-J.-
1. haUT
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2.
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.t
OU fLINE A.'l D PROGRAl'l OF TilE BOOK
FOREIGN LAW'JAnE PIlFSS OF Ell YORK
The book ~ill deal with the fOTeien lanQuaga press in the metropolitan
area of New York
J
that is~ it will include the commuting area of New JeraeYJ
fro", which many residents of foroign stoel: commute to or from Now York. In that
state Q number of foreign Ian uOQo newspapers OTG published and wi1~ly rEad in
Naw York City and vice veTBO.
New York~ being the principal port of ~ntry of imniQrants to Amnrico J
hoe the 10Tgest population of fcreion stock and th~ greatent variet a of imni~rQn
groups in thia hemisphere and tha mo&t r presentative foreion 1 nQuag9 press of
ony city in the world. Only ChicngoJ can J to d cortoin extent J compare with thi~
city. In the hhtory of tho for~ign lQn~uQ e press tho life of tho !iuccaaaiva
first end second generations of foro{gn 8to~k is mirrored) ropre30ntino the
history ~nd progress) the rise end tho ~cr;canization of the maiority of Now
York's inhabitants.
This 3tudy should alIa include th'" Tish prOBS) though it is printe'd 1:'\
[noliah and not in Gaolic) because it is ae much the pross of C~ immigrant
element (1S i8 the press in non-Enol ir.h lCllgunges. 'the Irish) at least in the
firat and second g&neration) represent a distinctive foreign elom nt with its
special characteristics) traditions and coh~sion.
While) in principle) the NeOro newepapOT'3 sh.;:luld not bo includodj
because their lanqucge is £nOlish and oTe not C\Tg:lnS of ir;-..nioranta j tho W'ostIndian
Ne;ro press in New York and thosa Negro pap?rs j which publieh a epacial
column for the West Indians) should b3 m&ntioned.
• PART i
I NT RODUCTORY PART
here. To many national minority groupe opposino their government on nationalistic
or political grounds j this country gQV~ for the first time the opportunity to
publish dissenting opinions. several of those oroups were never nole to print
The book will d~pict the general aspects of the foreion lanQUcg~ press j
common to all newapopers published and read by immigrants and their offspring.
It will show how the liberty of the pross and opinion in Americ~ have
been a strono incentive for tho croat ion of many foreion languaoe newspapers j
as no imMiorant group enjoyed as much liberty of the pre• ss in its own c•ountry as
I
I,
•
•
•
•
- 2 -
any npwspapers at all in their ho~a countrios} as publications in their 1~n9UaOG8
WeT" entirely prohibitQd {such 08 Ukrcinicn.. i..atvio.:l} Lithuanian.. tsthanicn itl
pre-waf Rusaio.. Armenian in Turkey.. etc.). The freedom to publish all shades of
opinion mode it possible for the foreign language press 1n this country to become
often more vivid.. mora varied Gnd ln~ere8tino than in the home countries. Mony
of the founders and editors of lhese papers ware political refugoes" mon of
varied experience and oreat aneroy .. but unable to adjust themsolvQs to the
political and economic alIl'.Oap;,Ore of Europe. Harc they found tha opportunity to
express themselvGs" to dovelop thQir abilities and to bpcome useful to their own
ethnic groups and to this country.
This part will also discuss:
oj The pecularities of foreiQn newspaper :rintino and publishinQ and their
traditions imported to ...nericQJ extcrio cspcctsJ • 'PC7TO?itYJ format; tho
proportion of American news to homp news an~ the );oportio~ of nows to editorials
and pTc?agondoJ or propaganda in fo~ of :~loT~d p~~s; the s?ocial features Which
differentiate theso papers from the .aEarl.can P:'Q.:!3, the gradual droppinQ of
characteristic foreign f9atur~6 and introdvc~ion of typiccl American foatures J
such as lllustrQticnsJ aports J c.artoo\!S, condc st:-.:.ps. Finally it will outline
the progress from primitive pri~tinQ mothcds to modorn Amarico" systems) such
09 thb:tntroductlon of linotype) 3t~root~paJ rotoQTavure, rot~ry presses) etc.
b) The COl'lU'aOn featuros of those p'-pore accordinQ to their character J Buch
as religious .. nationolist J propoga:tdist, puroly iafornativa J organizational or
party popers J and papers ,If exclusively lecal intt'rest.·
c) The OQnerol char~cter of their influence on the life of the immigrant
groups and the attitude of these pnpers toward A~ericon lifo J as well as the
attitude of Amarica toward these immigrant groups .
•
d) How the foreion lanouoQe press facos t~e double problem of conciliat ir'OJ
adapting or interprpting for ita readers Amorican politics ond events in ralat ion
to the events and the politics of the homa country.'
e) The chanocs in the attituciee of this pr~ss toward important events in
Europe and America at varioue period~. How somo of themJ which at the beoinnin
ware no more than house organs of foreion oroups informing their readers about
evonts at home.. later took more interest in American lifo... and helped the
immiQrants to adapt themselves to their environment J thus Qidino their
Americoni~Qtion.
f) The reI iOious pres8J its propaoanda and scope.
0) How later thQ irnmiQrant pre5s~ originally divided only by notionalitYJ
split accordino to political lines~ attitudes toward the World War J the post-wQr
creation of new notiona .. and the recent conflicts in the Eastern hemisphere.
•
•
•
,
•
•
•
Note:
i ..
2.
4.
5.
6.
- 7 -
QUESfIONNA!!lE
The following questions should be answer~d separately for
each newspaper.: Q1J.estions on which sati!3fa0tory a.nswers
cannot be obt&ined shoui.d be o&rked "unob~ldnable-:"
When woe the paper founded, and where! Give exact dote and
address. Oescriba the house, whore possible, end locality
~rker81 section, foroign quarter, etc.). A.rty unusual
circumstances connect~d with the founding of the pap~r should
bo described._
Who were the founders (groups, clubs, etc')J the publishers
Qnd the editors of the paP~T1 ~ard they i~i9rant8 or
notive-born of immigrant porents1 Why did they le~ve their
country' Did they ploy an i"lPortant Tole in the life of
their colony here, or in N~rican p4blic life, or aftor
severing connoction with their paporY (For instance,
R0880ni J one of the oditors of the IWW paperJ Prol,tarlo,
became minister under Muasolini; Qnd another (Serrati)J
became the leader of tho Socialist Porty of ItalYJ etc.>
Capital with which the paper started (:f possible to obtain).
How wos th3 paper issusd! p~ c dailYJ semi-woakly or
weekly! Note shifts in issu1ng the paper. SOM,a,time6
weeklies bec~~o dailies J and vice vorsa. Give dates
of such changes •.
Give the number of pOg9S J and the circulation at various
periods--its riso and d~clin9. Give the dates of smnllost
and lcrgost circulation. Circulation outside of the atate
in Which the p~per is published. ~en did tho decrease 1n
circulation sot inr (This informc.tion can be obtained
pCrtially from old issues of thO Internatlonal Year Book of
th. Ed.tor and PublISh". Ayr.. aandbook. etc.)
If the paper disappeored oive 1ateJ how 10n9 it existed and
reason for dieapper.rance. Wcs it revived under cnother namGJ
or replQcGd by a siMilar paper? If paper merge~ with Qnother
publicctionJ give dato and detoils J and whethor the paper with
Which it margod had the sarno or ~ diff&rent policy:-
•
•
•
- 8 -
7. What was or is its tendency.. PU:P08~ 01 policyt (propagandistic
or infor~tive.. political or party paper.. educQti~nol or cultural ..
fraternal .. union or society organ.) was or is it Q~ited down to
its readers or does it tTt to be "int.ellectualt tl Doe8 or did it
work for Ai.ericanizotionf Does or did it emphasize sports or
support the labor movement or nationalist movements hare and
abroad.. or religious and cultural traditions! Was or is this
newspaper for or a~Qin8t the national policy of the government
of the country of origin; was or is it mOTe concerned with the
interests of the foreign colony h£re!
8. The social 5totU9 of it, rpo~ers (~hotner workers .. skilled or
unskilled.. business reople 01 in ellectuals).
9. Give the proporti~n of the nc~S devoted to locel news of the
OroupJ local news of the community in ~cnerQlJ .totionol news
of this country" and fo:-eiQr news. Describe tho nature of
the foreign n~ws. Give 018C the propoT~ion of n"}ws devoted
to politics" labor" religion and cultural activities" such as
literaTYJ art and musiC criti~ismJ (in~luding folk arts and
folklaT9) . Spoce gi van to hu,:lor" sot i Te of nat iva or ATnorican
life and types i
pnrodie~ etc.
iJ. What was or is the paporls attitude in importo~~ not:on01 events
and e~Tgencies" 8uch 08 the Civil War (if it existed ~t that
till".eL the WOT_d Wc.T J thO? Hew Daal" the WPA., at..:,,, toward such
personalities as TheodoTG Roosevelt J Woodrow Wil~onJ Franklin
Delano Roos9vel t; toward the Qpli t in the labor movement (CrOJ
AFL)!
•
••
•
•
H. Had OT hOB it cdverti8orr~nt8; what kindJ what was the proportion
of advertising paoeB to the n9W8 PQ9CBt Whet wce OT is the
influence of the advertisements on its editorial palicieat Does
it or did it publish odvertieoments for laTge corpoTotinns or
government institutions" or ontGrpri~eB such as naticn~l railroads,
shipping linesJ tQurist officesJ national Gnd international
fairs end exhibiticnsJ and does or did it get Qretis news services
fT~m foroign'nQws a90nciest
i2. Wos or is the paper subsidized direetly cr indirectly by 9rC'ups
or parties abroad, or in this country (see cbove queBti~n)'
••
•
•
- 9 -
i~. DoQS or di<! the pop,:r support or opt. ('189 lOCCll bC'8S9& ..
individual leaders s abu898 J ward he~ler8J TOmfflQny..
Haguei 8m.. etc'
14. Does it maintain th, purity of the mother tonoue .. extent
of unification of the local dialect terms of the various
sections of the h~m9 country into a common notive language..
penotTotion of American terms into the language used in the
pnper? How and to what extent .. cwd in what lines.. did the
language gradually become corrupted by American-English
ingredients?
is. Did nr doee this paper have a~ Enqlish langucge column or
BGction? When an how many yecTe nitar the foundation of
the peper did this English s~ction Btort? W~S it abanjoned..
and if so when?
16. ChCTacteristic8 or curiositles of make-up.. fOIl1\Qt and size~
typogrophy~ layout~ titles~ similcrities in n~me and appecrcnc~
to important forGign pOf'er9~ "feuille~on8." OCG8 the paper use
photos~ illustrction8~ cartC'lons, or (~omic strips~ and when did
it start thom!
17. How did or does the newspaper Qat ih news?--A.P.; V.P.; Hav{ls~
Wolff or oautschQS Ncchrichton Bureau, City News service,
federated Press, Hearst'~ Intornational or Universal services,
from Legetion releasGs, frorn clubs, a88ocic:tions, etc., from.
foreign corrospondents, from. foreign papers received here, or
by pilfering English lQ~gu~99 newspapers.
,
•
•,
is· Trace the m.iQrction of the paper (for instance fr~m .ow York to
Chicago and back), or whother newspaPQr i8 published outside Jf .
the metropolitan area ond has an office or cddrG8S here (for
instance, whethoT the paper is printed or published in New Jersay
and Tfiimd mainly in New York and vice varso).
19. Which foreign iI!l.ported newspapers havQ a fair sized sale on
special newsstands in New York CityT Where ore the sa newsstands?
How large is tho sale of each paper? WhdttBndonciee or trends
do theso papers Tepresent? This includes ~ls0 fOTeion ne~SpQp.T5
of political 8mioros~ such cs German anti-nazi newspapors outside
of G9rmany~ Itnlian anti-fascist pa~ers outside of It~ly and
~ussion anti-bolshevik publications printed outsi~e ~f the Soviet
Union.
•
,
c.., lite rna letters on TII!SII: ARE OUR LIVES:
•
"I CCIIl814er t!le book a verT %W"'jrmble contr1b\lt1on to our U terature
and our Ufe. The storles are exceed1D&l7 V'lIll told lIlld I - sme t!ler
represent cODd1t1cms ex1st1!l6' mMlII68t m11110ns of our people. Ther not
onl1 represent t!le cODd1t1onll, but also the state of m1nd and t!le po1nt
of v1ew of m1ll10DB. As I read the storles, I could not help th1Dl<1ne
of the lIOrk of Mr. R11s, printed as I recall 1n the 90's, ent1tled "Bow
the other Halt L1ves" • But Ws lIOrk 1s more real1st1c. It seems to
me thet 1t 1s dest1ned to taIcs an 1mportant plaos 1n the U terature of
our countrJ. I heart111 COIISZ'&tulate 10u and all WO have had part 1n
the creation of th1. ft"erkable work."
---Senator J. W. BaUer
"The book 1e d1st1nct1vel1 orlg1nal 1n 1te approach to the large f1eld
1lh1ch 1t CO'fOrs ••••'l'hose 1dIo have been 1nterv1ned v1v1dl1 have furn1Bhed
t1retllsDd 1ntcmaat1on about t!le Uves the1 11ve. This 1s much
I1lO1fl usetlll to the student ¢ eo"," 'dcs lIlld to the 1ntarested publio
thlm the caapoeite, mocmbe @ pictures 1lh1ch V'lI see 1n IIlOst of the
modenl el1lllh novele. The various reporters are to be congratulated
on the ...,. 1n 1lh1ch ther have preserved the d1alect of these people
and f'I",""d 1t 1n 1aJ:leua8e 1lh1ch gives the sketches force and life ....
TBIlSE ARE COl LIVES ahould be an 1ncent1ve to rlght th1Dl<1ne people,
further to rwooq the lot of share croppers, m1ll hands, and others. I
be11eve 1t will do a great deal to Ws snd, even though a 0rT J1A1 SO
up thet these arc 3Ust a few em- 0811"S, OVllr drllmat1Jled. The p1ctures
arc too real for Iln1 effective flarc-back against 1lhat 10u and
10Ilr associates have 80 well dODO; The book v1ll occupr a high up place
lIIIlOllS those 1lho ~ wish to seo 1mpro.-.nt 1n our econam1c cond1t1one."
--- Burton Craigo
"Iou have mator1al hero 1lh1ch 1s ab801utcl1 pricoless. I lIOuldn ' t
speak of 1t as 11torature 1n tho strlct sense, for tmt word 1m;pl1es a
k1nd of trans-roalit1. It is a flOOd deal better thlm IllUch of 1lhat passes
for Uterature, lIlld 1!q bellef is that 1t will have a measureless 1nfluenco
on future writ1ng, fiot1onal and non-fict1onal, about the South.
In fact, I pred10t that 1t will be m1ned, more or less scrupulousl1, for
18ars to caIl8, br both noveUsts and playwrights. This 1s the t1nd' of
bt_n1zed soc101ogy for 1lh1ch Bob :r.¥nd pleads 1n a fort!lcall1nS book,
l!ilawl~ for What? ....It opens endless doors. It deserves widoopread
attent1on, and I em 1nc11ned to think will got 1t....I WnIc 10u have
done a notable thing, and the men and wanen 1lho worked on the 1nterv1ovs
havo achioved B<IIlD roall1 m&sterl1 roporting." ---R. L. Duffus
•
2
"I t.h1Ilk it's a vondorf'ul beg1Iln1ns you've l:lado. '!'he collocting and
publlshiDB of such unprejUdiced character p~s ought to la;y a
oound. basis for truo "socio1og1.caJ. findinss." ....Tb1s is the stuff of
lifo 1tsolf -- people with thoir hopes, frustrations, ambitions, attainmonts
and thoir drelllllS ••••They will be a storehouso for tho croat1ve
wr1tor as voll as those of a sc1ont1f1c bent." --- Paul Groen
"It se..... to me that the book would be invaluable to anYbodY We 'W8I1ted
to make a serious studY of haw more than half the people in the South
live. It tells a good deal more than statistics of the humen erosion
thet has been concClll1tent with the erosion of our land. It is a fine
studY, too, in attitudes. Art:1 ~ We is interested in h'mn needst
• regardless of whether he is a sociologist, would find it sury read1ns.
---Msrk Ethr1c\ae, k Qour1or Journal, '!'he Lou1sv111s T1mes.
"These sketchss are unique, it seEmlS to 1IlO, SDlOIlll all the th1nga thet
have been dono in the social field. '!'heir s1;yls is distinctive aDd
their content is va1uab10 and 1llum:1nat1Dg••••rea1 biography of tho
0""'''''' mn of tho South." ---Rupert B. Vance.
"I t.h1Ilk the menmr in wtUch the writer has caught that intangible
th1ng callod the •spirit' of those characters is alJIIost unce.nn;y; I
rocall a numbor of Just such 'liOlIlSn as !oIlr;y Rumbly, and tho charactor
is pictured so vividly and accuratoly I could alJDost smell tho cotton
lint in tho story. I be110ve ;you have in thoeo storios matorial of
a vory interost1Dg nature to tho gencral public." --- E. D. Fow10r
"It is rare that mterial so fa1tl1f'ull;y reflecting the experiences
and thoughts of people near the bottan is printed. If I vas still
teaching and 'W8I1ted to shaw a student wat the tenant system is like
I t.h1Ilk I would start with lItiDS of the life histories in the book ....
It v1ll be extlemely useful to everybodY We 'W8I1te to get sCIDSth1ng
done for people in the fixes it describes." --- George S. Mitchell, Fs=
Security Adm1n1strat1on, U11ted Stetes Department of Agriculture.
"T1lI!SE Am: 0llR t!VE'3-1s a rovo1ut1onar;y book. It pract1call;y SIIlOunts
to a biographical diat1onar;r of h8!Mtrung and thwartod poop1e of
America; Its mothod of exam1ning a cross-section of the population
is as truthful and honest as tho sketches thcnnso1ves. lIhat this book
has dono for North Carolina. and Tonnossoo domen<la to bo ropoatod in
other sections of tho nation." --- Erskine Cbllbroll
,
• , • •
"Those doclmlflnts arc 1I1toresU"'l!' rovoeJ.1n8 1Ds1ghts for above, but ld.D
to, "Inll " 1I1terost" report1DB. ---Robort 11. Bouso.
"You have, 111 TIlJ!SE ARE OUR LIVliS, an oxcellont picture, first hand, of
folk t.housbts and 1ltQ1I, cover1DB a wiclo nlD/!O of porsons, :t"rall the martyr
te tho villa1D. In 1t I see, self stated, a history of what has ccme
nbout 111 the VBJ of s001al revolution in the past thirty ;yeors. The
work baa the vitality of a DBWBpllpor reporter I s collect1on vithout
e:z:eegeratione." ---nizabeth It>dox Roberts
"I relPl1"d Ws material as bav1Dg profound eisn1fiC8Dce, especially for
social soience. With a fov notablo exceptione, studente of soc1ology
havo had to depend upon socond hand sourcos and the pre-digested materiale
or s<>Doral observers. It is unfortunate that most of the books in the
field havo relied heav1.ly upon statistics and broad generalizations about
th!iir moaning. ~s collection of authentic stor1es out of the actual
li....s of tho peoplo gives the bre&th of life. It is the h'_n aspeot of
a problllll 1ltl1ch baa so long been a matter of statistical averages. n-uth
111 this case is more po1gnent and e~ and real1st1c than even the
best or fict1on; ...I recCirlieW 1t not only all a valuable sourcs of
matsrials for the stud,}' of soo1al life 1n the South, but also as sood
reading-. " --- C!larles S. Jolm8on
~ congratulate you heart1ly on this book. It '\IllS well vorth clo1DB,
and 1t is exactly the k1Dd of thine that I rejo1ce to see a Southern
press publ1eh1DB. It's for 'truer" than Bn;f stat1st1cal tables, s0010logical
or econado, that could pose1bly be sot together, because 1t shove,
as stat1st1cs never can, tho folks behind tho abstract c1phers.
And espec1ally, I bel1eve, 1t is valushle 1n revoal1DB the "plain poople"
of the South, vIlo have so generally beon eithor 19nored or oo:r1catured,
DO lees b;r the campllers of s001al so1ence tables than b;r rUiiNlt1c or
realist1c fict10n writsrs ... ;~s book suggosts te me thet the pose1bil1t1es
of the self-reliant spirit 8IIIOng our people have boon qu1ts
cm>rlooksd b;r our plan-makors.: ..Tho IIUl1 and substanco of rq reaction
is about this: your book shove that thore' s probably as much of tho
older American spir1t in the so-oll1led backward, "feudal" South as Bn;fvbere
elee, and probably more of 1t....It '\IllS a mighty sood idea to
publish the book. I heartily hope it gets a sood heo:r1DB." ---DoMld
Davideon
"I read 1t with 1J!ITIAooe interest, as ero-bod:r muet, and with the feel1DB
that here we were gett1ng down to rock bottan, with a much greator
variot;r of material than in Bn;f othor Survtl;r I know of....I noodnI t tell
you that lIlOSt of tho book 1s first-rats roporting and a sood deal of it
is firat-rate neva wr1t1DB too." -- E1JIIer Davis
• • • •
• • • • •
5
Excorpts fran roviOWB of TllIim: ARE OUR :LIV:&S:
"Thoir true stories, as told to mombers of tho Federal \h'1tors I Projoct, nro
strenser than IIlOst fiction that has bosn written against a bBokground of Southorn
scenes. Textile worlrors are tho boreas of lifs histories that ere told
with the s1mplicity of a Cheld10vi shm'o croppors, teoont farmers, lendlorde
end worlrors at """'\JT odd .lobs, CCIlIIO vividly to lifo. The result is one of tho
most reveBl1ns boolro that has boon writton on fo~s-that InrSOlJ" JIl<lIro tho
plight of the South vtlat it is. 'l'ho book is sociology, but it is " nOlI llDd
fasoinet1ns motivation of a th""lO that hils boon drT end .abstmot in the pnet
end porhllps too unrelated to tho individUlll lives that go to JIl<lIro up tho
social structure. • • Tho Foderal \h'1tors I Project hils producod " book that
is as 1mportent as lUlY that hils bosn written sincc tho cultural renaissanco
dmmod bolow tho Potcmo.c. The writers wo contributod to it desorve well of
tho futuro." ·--W111illlll SMnde M>o.chom in Tho NOlI York T1mes Book Roviow.
" ; : : a book lIB eloquent lIB an album of M1rgaret llourke-1/h1to's Southern
photographs•••• A cr1tics+ ConsresBional investigator 1188 reported IllBt
week 88 cempla1n1ns that the Naahville Writers' Project had producsd nothins
but 'a large volume conta1n1ns the stories of bootblacke, plantation workers,
m1ll workers and others of the so-called low-inCCIIIS groups.' It ian't true i
but I hope the gentlemen stirs ths COnsreWh_ to read the book. 'l'hoy would
have a livelJ" even1nsi and it lIl18ht 40 &Oi8O of thlllll a lot of SOOd. ibis, too,
is America." --- Lewis Gennett in The NEllI York litrald Tribune.
" ; • : SCIIISth1ns nEIII in sociological writ1ns, a 421-page Tol1llllO of ~5 such
true stor1es. ; • It gives the South its IIlOSt PUIl80nt picture of c'''''on life,
tho \h'1tors' Projsct its stroneest claim to literar;y dist1nction;"-·-T1me.
"It reade like a novel but it isn't; It is the actual stor;r of very typical
Southern people lIB gathered fi'Clll thoir 0Im lips by members of tho Federal \h'1tors'
Project in !i:lrth Carol1ne, Tennessee and Georgia. On its pages h'mwJ
beings epoak lIB mBM beings: • ; Tho result is epoch-lIlIlk1ng; It rescuos the
Southern massss fi'Clll the kind- but cold clutch of the ta.Iror of social statistics,
the me.Iror of S\lllll total, tho genoralilly finder, tho devoted but dull
viewer with e.1anl;
"Tho problems of tho South are sorved in this trul;y fino work 1d11ch Mr.
Couch has conducted by brins1Il8 to lifo the pooplo wan tho problame inTolvo.
Without that brins1ns to lifo, """'\JT of us have beon gettins a littlo bit bored,
a littlo 1ncl1nod to the fam1l1e.r attitude of boins sure tho preachor would
S8J the right thins end that 1d1Bt ho would S8J would be Il8 uninterestins Il8 it
would bo right. For a lone t1mB this col\llll1 hils boen convincod that the South
has ,Just "bout all tho statistics and all the knovledge of its problems that
it noode and that tho .lob now is to make tho sUbjocta-matter live and broatho.
T!IF.'3E ARE OUR :LIV:&S doos that." -- John Templo Grnvos, II, in Tho Binn1!J8ham
~-limUd.
•
•
• • • •
6
" •• • Mr. Couch and. his cO"'"\lOrkcre have DUccoodod so voll that tho ontorpriBO
bids fair to being ono of tho lIIOre outotanding of an administration
which has produced 'projects I rtIll81ng fran tho TVA to boon-doggling. • • Mt-.
Couch and his holpors have succeeded in producing SOlJ¥)thing new in h,-" interest
atorios Ilnd at tho snmo tmo have mads wbnt ~ be a laeting contribution
to the hiatory of tho Roosoveltorn." ---Winston-Salem JournoJ. and
Sontinol;
"Po""rful as literature, more eloquent than p886s of marshaled statistica,
nearly svery one of these thirty-five sections is excellent reporting. :IT
other material acCUlllUlated in this project is as vital and interesting it
should be pUbliehed, and the searchlight ~ well be turned upon other sections
of the nation." --- Tho Nashvillo TennessOBn.
"Tho dialoguo, and particularly the dialoct, is auporb, and tho 1dlols volume
is an important contribution to our understanding of Southern civ1l1zation•••
It is a balancod a,mp<>siUll1 which malros no offort to gloss over the realities
of life 8IIlOIlS the sharecroppers and mill handa, but which also oXhibite an
awareness of So1ithcrn initiativo, onterpriao, and thrift." ---Virgin1us
DablXly in Tho Saturd.!l,z Rovi"" !1! Litorature.
"In ono afternoon, throe senators 'WOre seen with oopios of TRESE ARE OUR LJ:V]S,
1flliquo acoount of life in tho south publiahod by tho Ullivorsity of North
Carolina." --- Draw Pearson and Robort S. Allon in "Washington Joklx'l'!-Go-Round:'
"It is aoother kind of guida book; and bottor than any road doscriptions it
pointe vaye of knav1ng 1/hat Amorica is lim. • • incidentally oconanlc illustration,
troquontly lIIOv1ng dremn, alvaye h'mN] document. ; • ousht to be
only tho first of a long series of such books covoring tho ontiro oountry:
such a penoramic record as :Balzac and Zola toguthor could not accallplioh but
'WOuld havo enviod." --- Tho Providenco Sund!l,y Journal.
"Thoso livos nrc the vory stuff. rJf fiction, yet thoy arc real stories of
real peoplo." --- Tho Nashv1llo ll!l,rp>r.
"The effect of the 1dlole is"that of history of a new and peculiarly honest
kind; • • an eloquent and ~t record. • • Mo,y it prove to be the first
of a new Beries of American Guidss-." --- Ralph Thanpson in The New York Times •
. "The medi\ll1 employed is not that of the soc1dogical resoarcher nor of the
sojourning foature writer; rather, the projoct witors have employed both
lIlDdia, infusod them with tho breath of vibrant reality, then prooooded to
'let tho pooplo toll thoir awn stories' • • • llalllocracy never chantod a loudor
chorus. • • TRESE ARE OUR LJ:V]S ~ be sot down already as one of the lIlDSt
bJportont and uniquo contributions to tho litoraturo of the South made in our
tUle." ---Editorial in the Ashoville Citizon-T:lmes.
•
•
I
•
,
• • •
7
"Tho 1dea behind the publicat10n of this MY book 1s so fresh lind dramat1c
that ono wonders 1f !llJ1th1nB to be wittan about tho Southorn proletariat 1n
the future vill be readable~ • ~ Whitos and Negroes are repreaontod in 1to
pages. Reading wbAt they bc.vo to sq 1s lim talk1ns to a I'1vnoh fanDDr after
bc.v1ng loarned his language frcn a school pr1Jller. It's all indescribably real,
lind offers as true a p10ture of the sub-South as CaldWoll and Wh1to's You
Have Beon Their Fooes." ---~Foature, ~oato.
"It 1s not except'onal s:!lllPly because 1t 1s witton by Southorners aliout Southerners,
nor evon because 1t 1s printod in tho South. Fict10n and soc10logical
studies of that manufacture we bc.ve had before. Th1s book 1s unusual becaUBe
1t 1s a departure in book..-JdDg, becaUBB 1t goes to tho people themselvos
for the narrat10n of the stortes of their Uves••• Tho publicat10n of
TlmlE ARE Ot!! LIVE3 v1ll be awaitod vith interest by1!llU'lY 1dlo bc.va had reason
to speculato on the probab1l1t10s of BUCCOSS of the ldnd of 'cooperat1vo
111"1t1n(l' in wh1ch the vormrs on tho Foderal projects necosaar1ly bc.vo been
BIl@Il8"d~" --- M?1:n1DI5 (l'Ia8hv1lle) ~ssoan.
"Not fict1on, not sc1ence, but rather a collect1on of true stortos wh1ch giva
overy 1ndication of be1n(l really true. Hero 1s life lIS 1t 1s lived f1'tJm day
to day by thouallnd.e of people in tho South. • • The 1dea behind tho book 1s
amaz1ngly s:!lllP1e. WJ:J;r hasn't 1t been thought of before?" ---Csro Green
Russell in "The Litorary Lantorn" in ~ Greensboro D!rllz News and The
Charlotte Observer.
"It 1s not a soc10logical treatise: It is not fictioneorine, nor is it proP"
8"nda to appeal to the f!lD!ltic, as was UNCLE TOM'S CABIli. But you can
laugh or you can cry. You can trace the errant down to his misery, or the
noble up to BUccess, but 1t is only becauBO the facts bc.ppan to arouse !lIlIOtions.
~ • Those 1dlo believe 1t is 1lIlpossible to me.ke a good story out of a
aories of real lifs incidents, Y1ll find a revelation here." --- Eugene
Anderson in The ~on ~~
".• • .• probably the most ponetrat1n(l, the most vital and most understand1n(l
volume on Southern peoplo ond thoir lives that has yet appeared. : ; It is
to be hoped that this first volume of people's livos vill 80 prove itS worth
that there vill be forthccn1ne other collsct1ons of theso stories ft'<ml a
vider area in tho South. ~: .certo.1n to bc.ve 11 profound 1nfluence on futuro
approaches to Southern probl8lll8 and Southern writiIl8S:" --- Cnrl ThanpSOD in
Tho News and Observer.
"In TBJ!l3E ARE Otll LIVE:! several dezen writers shav wbAt theT CIIn do WIlen given
a chance and the result is so startline and gratif11ne that it briIl8S evidence
to the 111"1tine world that there are -D1 untspped sources of almost greatness
in the Journalistic world: • • It 1s a history of the South of the last quarter
csntury in every daTl!bg1.ish." --- The Wilson (N.C.) Da1lz T:!JDas.
•
• • •
8
"TRESE ARE OUR LIVE> is a new adventure in rsading••• ]lore too ill' a wa.lth
of soc1ologtca.l data presented to appsa.l not to lIOC1ol0ll1sts a.lone • • • entsrta1n1ng
and 1ntonnat1ve. It should be required reading for those 1Iho are trring
to improve e<md1t1one :In the South. For:ln their lI1mple narrat1vell, these
'typ1ca.l' people beve delved to the roots of our problEllllll." --- Oren Stephens
:In the Arkansas Democrat.
"S~, unaffectedly, :In their own languaaB, our no1gbbors, end our neighbors'
neighbors, and tho folk who crowd the 8aturda;f IItreets, toll their lito historios:
Sano YEt recollll1zs as old acquaintances, and sClll8 w seo for tho first
t1me: lfaving board their atories, 'I/O kDop with us an :lntonse awareness of
their poignant oxiatonco. ; : The fiold that this unique volUlllO opons, hawover,
prell88'ls much success in the endeavor, and perhaps, an avallening of the 'lost
people' ." _n Robert lleg1ater :In k GreeJl!!boro W:q 1feVII.
"lIere :In this book, more _II'"able than llIl7 novel because ta.les are actual lits
storiell told b7 the people tI'P;""'elvell, each lIelJllBDt of the population baa its
manent:" _n Ifarold Preece :In The Ch1cea2 ~;J;i Record.
" ; • : about the IIIOtIt 1mportant Southern book of """l7 ;yearll." --- C<'J:w>ron
Shipp :In The Cllllrlotte 1'1"",,:
" • .• • the work of IM07 writers a.ll of th... posaellBed of considerable ab1lit 7.
The book was well conceived and the execution is ent1re17 ~1sfactor7; It is
a valua.ble contribution to the rell10nal literature of this part of America.. "
--- n,., Charlotte Observer.
II'" ~ .,. • • • carries force and reveallnB detail on the nov South. • ; r<=srka.blY
BUccesllful, SClllO of the se~ tr1via.l detailll as ~st1vo and vivid B.8
Itlrgaret BourkD-White 's pbotographs of the 88!JIA people lIh1ch appoared':In 'You
IIlve Seen Their Faces.'" --- MQ- Comoron in The Nev York ~lWJt;
" ••' • book of CBBO hiateries lIh1ch, apart tr.. str1k1ng, :In the aggrcBl'to, an
orig1nal and s1llll1f1cant note :In the stud;y of the conteD!p0rar7 soc1a.l-ocODClll1c
schemo, malm livelier reading than '""07 a novel • • • 1le7ODd our onthus1ssm
for the book as entertaining roading lll4tsria.l, we beve boon struck b7 the
uniqueness of the idea involved;" --- Albert Goldate1n in the nov Orleg
~s-P1C!lJ!!!t'!•
"The reader's first reaction after CClllPiOting TRESE ARE OUR LIVE> is aDO of
'WOnder that such a book haen't boen dono bofore. It is so succollstul end 80
conv:lncing, SO 1ntormnt1va and so packDd with hl~ drama that futuro ,studonts
and observors of southam life will not be ablo to do witheut it. • • a book
with a 'I/Oa.lth of 1ntomat1on and with thnt olus1ve qUIl11t7, the human touch.
• • .Ne one vho vants a knovlodso of the pooplo of tho south can aftord to
miss TRESE ARE OUR LIVE3." _n Durhllm (N.C.) Ilora.ld,
•
• • • • -
9
"••• pndeewrtb;y f'l'Qll e:ny point of view, vilether po11ticeJ., eocieJ., or
11tel"8X7. • • It cle81'S IlWIQ' the dead wood of morbidit;y and~t;y and
rediecovere the 111.,.." realit;y of the South." --- V. 7. Shelton in the Sen
F;rapci!!!2 CFo!l1cle.
"It>re then e:ny echolarl;y work in lIOciolos;y thi8 book depiete the looeJ. 8cene
in eJ.l the pathoe and the traee~ of the faote. Thie is socieJ. reporting at
its best, without e:ny attempt at a heightening of sffects or e:ny desire to
pronounoe .1UdBlDent." --- J!ooJt:o;f-t!l!-M:mth Club News.
"Each etor:r is an j!ll!lAdiate, ~e experience for the reader; ; ; It this
vol1mlll ~ be accepted as a fair e 'oa>le of what is to oaDO, there should be no
question about the reoeption of future publications;" --- Dallas 1feVB.
"These l1fe h1etor1es are different in fona f'l'Qll tho8e the eooial yorker 'presents;
the;y v1U enlarge her ~t1ve perception of haw people 11""•••"
--- Tbo P!Im1],z.
"To this reviever it seoms that bore the 70deral Vr1ters I Projoct hall at last
struok that noat cClllbination of 11tel"8X7 worth and 80cial doCUlllOntat1on for
Wich no doubt it hall been striving." --- Rupert B. Vanoe in Boston Evon1ps
Trans"*1Jlh
n . - • • • • TImlE ARE OUR LIVES i8 IIIOre than a eooieJ. doo1mlent. It is a book of
oClllpEllling interest and offers tansible evidenoe of the value of the federal
wr:ttors projeot." --- The M1sm1 Dai,),z News.
"The v.r1tors vbo have trsneor1bed the stories of the South's groat disposscsllOd
have contributed an jmportant obronlole of the problems 1Ih1oh the South facos,
and 1Ih1ch, soon or late, the countr;y as a Wele must help to solve:" --- The
Pasedena Star-Nows.
"Tbo book is lXIl!p08cd without bias; it is good sociolos;y and SCllll> of it, good
11terature." --- New Haven JournaJ.-COurier.
"This book possibl;y would not have boen so authentic had it not beon cClllplled
b;y WPA field workers, We have 11vod int1JDatel;y with their charaoters and, w
suspect, shared their surfe1'1nge. Far too men;,- books havo been v.r1tton about
the South b;y authors We sk1!lI!IAd the surface but wose thoughts and feelinss
were ellen to that 1Ih1ch 110s bcnooth." --- Harold Preeoo in the NaIr York
Da11,r. Vorksr.
•
• • •
•
10
I'. • ,'real literature, and rauerkable l1terature••• a picture that DO one
vrlter, 1ItIateTer h1e facilitios or talents, could haTe producod;· •• \/hen tho
~ CaDl!lS for sociologists to probe liion, deop~ into those t1llles, such books
as the80 vill be of greater valuo than a ve17 great deal that !laB boen vrltten
vith IIIOrO fiUOIlC7 and polish. PortiCClll of it v1ll ehock you, but you vill bo
glad to have road it;" --- b'1c111ta FaUN (rons) T1mes.
"'ImsB ARB OOR LIVES v1ll appeal to readers of all sorts; but the revi<Mlr
wuld oopocialJ.;y c,""",nd it to the regional M,elist vbo v1ll hero find enough
autbontic stutt to fill out a score of noTllls; For ~ once in tho reading of
.35 autobiogreph1os did the reviCJWOr suepoct that tho iDterviover' 0 leg had
boon pullod; and that stor;r !laB its valuo also." --- Los ~lss ~;
"Valid as ecc1010gical docllllDnts, ~ haw tho autbontic ring of literature in
the cadence of folk speech and in the restraint IlZld understatement of their
real1811l. In relation to that penltlnial prob18lll area, the South, this 'VOl\IIDS
!laB the net effect of mak1ng Faulkner IlZld CaldWell se8lll possible but theatrical.
; ; it 80<11I8 that here tho Federal Wl."iters' Project !laB at last struck thet
~t cClllbinatlon of 11terar;r vorth and social doc1.lllOntatlon for wlI1ch no doubt
it !laB been etriving." --- Rupert B; Vance in the Boston Tran!!Ori~.
-
"As literature, SClllEl of tho etorios equal the bost fiction. Yet these are
real stories, of real folk, vbo 11Te their lives, have their hopes -- if ~
for a pair of lace eurts1ns -- and moet their tragedies with a courage and
fortitude thet make scme of the rest of us look like weaklings••• The
stories; •• wore gathered as part of the Federal Wr1~5rs' ProJoct in North
Carolina and other Southern states. 1he;y represent a unique contribution to
the material dealing with the 11fo of tho South; Fiction deals with 1IIIag1nar;r
or cCl!lp08ite characters. Other books doal with s,_ories and abstractions,
but here are the actual 11fe h1etor1es of a large cross 8Oction of the
population: • •
"Theso rocorde are t1lllol;y for man:r of the 1nstit1l1ons, custans, habits and
even oxprossions of opeoch are rapi~ disappearing. ; • We hear much about
the submerged third, but here in these stories 110 meet first hand a group of
people aga1nst vbaa tho cards have alva;ys boon stacked. :Being poor 1'1Ull the
start, tho;y are pre;y to all the l"'r&Bites thet make thoir 11ving off of the
III1S017 and lII1efortuno of other... Tone of statistics could not point IIIOre
cloar~ thet SClllOthing is vrong 1IC1."Wero; •• Ml.". Couch (and Ml."s. Couch),
tho Works Progress AdIII1nistrat1oo, and the people th<lll8elves, both narrators
and recorders, are dne a 'VOto of thenke for this vivid and intero8ting record
of our time." --- Cbalice Co;yle in tho Wasl!1:nBt<m Post.
"The significant and ref'reeh1ng thing, of course, is thet the 'South's vellknovn
probl<1118 -- 1ncClllO, health, housing, birth control, et"., otc. --- are
discuseed solel;y b;y the poople th""",olves, and as a result these problOlll8
reSl"1n their true moaning and interest. • • • take it fi'all 000 vbo Wll.ll born
,
• •
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