The Southern Conference for Human Welfare (SCHW) (1938-1948) was an organization that sought to promote New Deal-type reforms to the South in terms of social justice, civil rights, and electoral reform. It folded due to funding problems and allegations of Communist sympathies; its successor was the former sub-group the Education Fund.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Southern Conference for Human Welfare (SCHW)
Map of the U.S. South (2011), region supported by the SCHW
During latter years of the Great Depression, US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) recognized that many New Deal programs were failing in the US South. In 1938, he convened a group of southern, liberal scholars and writers to investigate conditions. Their investigation resulted in A Report on the Economic Conditions of the South, calling the South "the nation's number one economic problem" based on low wages (and resulting low incomes) as well as public services. Two members of the group were Joseph Gelders, an organizer for the CPUSA's International Labor Defense, and Lucy Randolph Mason, scion of the famed Randolph family of Virginia, then public-relations representative for the Congress of Industrial Organizations ("CIO") in the South. They advocated for a regional conference "to address the repression of civil liberties in southern cities," which both FDR and wife Eleanor Roosevelt embraced.[1]
Many politicians soon left the SCHW due to public perception as a Communist front.[1] In her memoir, Virginia Durr recalled that the SCHW was "red-baited constantly." Attackers included prominent New York lawyer Morris Ernst of both the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and National Lawyers Guild (NLG)–where Ernst had also led internal anti-communist efforts.[3]
SCHW also experienced a "chronic shortage" of funding. It cancelled its 1939 convention. It had a hard time paying meager salaries to staff. After the end of World War II, celebrities (e.g., Frank Sinatra, Orson Welles) helped raise funding, which led to creation of a subsidiary Southern Conference Educational Fund (SCEF), an educational and non-political arm, headed by James Dombrowski of the Highlander Folk School. As SCEF formed, membership in SCHW declined. Labor unions, e.g., the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the CIO, already facing pressure from new regulations in the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act, distanced themselves from the SCHW as a Communist-tainted, radical organization. Meanwhile, the SCHW refused to take a clear anti-Communist stance, which left it exposed to investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) (and earlier Dies Committee[4]). Even "stalwart supporters" like Eleanor Roosevelt distanced themselves.[1]
Disbanding
During 1948, the SCHW split over its support for presidential candidate: some members supported Progressive Party candidate Henry A. Wallace, others the Democratic Party's incumbent US President Harry S. Truman. SCHW officers met in November 1948 and voted to end the floundering organization.[1] On November 20, 1948, SCHW leaders met at Monticello, Virginia and passed a resolution to reformulate the organizations's last remaining group, the Southern Conference Educational Fund (SCEF), "committed solely to the ending of segregation in the south." Next day, November 21, 1948, SCHW leaders voted to disband.[6]
^ abcdef Woodham, Rebecca (7 July 2008), Southern Conference for Human Welfare (SCHW), Encyclopedia of Alabama, retrieved 7 November 2019
^ Krueger, Thomas A. (1967). And Promises to Keep: The Southern Conference for Human Welfare, 1938-1948. Vanderbilt University Press. ISBN9780826510938. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
^ abDurr, Virginia Foster; Barnard, Hollinger F. (1985). Outside the magic circle: the autobiography of Virginia Foster Durr. University of Alabama Press. pp. 155 (red-baiting), 195, 243, 249, 257–258. ISBN9780817302320. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
^ ab Egerton, John (1994). Speak Now Against the Day: The Generation Before the Civil Rights Movement in the South. Knopf. pp. 73 (Dies Committee), 138, 166, 272, 285, 289–302. ISBN9780679408086. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
^ McWhorter, Diane (29 June 2001). Carry Me Home: Birmingham, Alabama: The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution. Simon and Schuster. pp. 47–55, 57, 59, 65, 69, 75n, 76–77, 77n, 83, 89–92, 210, 122, 158, 189, 223, 248, 300, 317, 470, 555. ISBN9780743226486. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
^ ab Lay, Graham (17 September 2018), An honorable defeat: The Southern Conference for Human Welfare and the radical prehistory of the Civil Rights movement, Medium, retrieved 7 November 2019
External links
The Carolina Story: A Virtual Museum of University History - Frank Porter Graham and SCHW
August 18, 2023
southern, conference, human, welfare, schw, 1938, 1948, organization, that, sought, promote, deal, type, reforms, south, terms, social, justice, civil, rights, electoral, reform, folded, funding, problems, allegations, communist, sympathies, successor, former,. The Southern Conference for Human Welfare SCHW 1938 1948 was an organization that sought to promote New Deal type reforms to the South in terms of social justice civil rights and electoral reform It folded due to funding problems and allegations of Communist sympathies its successor was the former sub group the Education Fund 1 2 3 4 5 6 Southern Conference for Human Welfare SCHW Map of the U S South 2011 region supported by the SCHWSuccessorSouthern Conference Educational Fund SCEF FormationNovember 20 1938 84 years ago 1938 11 20 FounderJoseph Gelders Lucy Randolph Mason Hugo Black Aubrey Willis Williams Mary McLeod Bethune James Dombrowski Bibb Graves Virginia Foster DurrFounded atBirmingham AlabamaDissolvedNovember 21 1948 74 years ago 1948 11 21 PurposePromote social justice civil rights electoral reformHeadquartersBirmingham Alabama Contents 1 History 1 1 Background 1 2 Founding 1 3 Activities 1 4 Disbanding 2 Works 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditBackground Edit Eleanor Roosevelt here in 1938 with George T Bye upper right Deems Taylor upper left Westbrook Pegler lower left embraced the SCHWDuring latter years of the Great Depression US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt FDR recognized that many New Deal programs were failing in the US South In 1938 he convened a group of southern liberal scholars and writers to investigate conditions Their investigation resulted in A Report on the Economic Conditions of the South calling the South the nation s number one economic problem based on low wages and resulting low incomes as well as public services Two members of the group were Joseph Gelders an organizer for the CPUSA s International Labor Defense and Lucy Randolph Mason scion of the famed Randolph family of Virginia then public relations representative for the Congress of Industrial Organizations CIO in the South They advocated for a regional conference to address the repression of civil liberties in southern cities which both FDR and wife Eleanor Roosevelt embraced 1 Founding Edit Civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune 1949 was an SCHW co founder in 1938On November 20 1938 the Southern Conference for Human Welfare convened for the first time in the Municipal Auditorium of Birmingham Alabama Attendees numbered 1 200 a quarter of whom were African American They included United States Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black Works Progress Administration director Aubrey Willis Williams civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune Highlander Folk School co founder James Dombrowski Alabama governor Bibb Graves and activist Virginia Foster Durr SCHW s interracial nature was particularly unsettling for many white southerners and experienced disruption by segregationists leading to negative publicity in local newspapers 1 Activities Edit Many politicians soon left the SCHW due to public perception as a Communist front 1 In her memoir Virginia Durr recalled that the SCHW was red baited constantly Attackers included prominent New York lawyer Morris Ernst of both the American Civil Liberties Union ACLU and National Lawyers Guild NLG where Ernst had also led internal anti communist efforts 3 SCHW also experienced a chronic shortage of funding It cancelled its 1939 convention It had a hard time paying meager salaries to staff After the end of World War II celebrities e g Frank Sinatra Orson Welles helped raise funding which led to creation of a subsidiary Southern Conference Educational Fund SCEF an educational and non political arm headed by James Dombrowski of the Highlander Folk School As SCEF formed membership in SCHW declined Labor unions e g the American Federation of Labor AFL and the CIO already facing pressure from new regulations in the 1947 Taft Hartley Act distanced themselves from the SCHW as a Communist tainted radical organization Meanwhile the SCHW refused to take a clear anti Communist stance which left it exposed to investigation by the House Un American Activities Committee HUAC and earlier Dies Committee 4 Even stalwart supporters like Eleanor Roosevelt distanced themselves 1 Disbanding Edit During 1948 the SCHW split over its support for presidential candidate some members supported Progressive Party candidate Henry A Wallace others the Democratic Party s incumbent US President Harry S Truman SCHW officers met in November 1948 and voted to end the floundering organization 1 On November 20 1948 SCHW leaders met at Monticello Virginia and passed a resolution to reformulate the organizations s last remaining group the Southern Conference Educational Fund SCEF committed solely to the ending of segregation in the south Next day November 21 1948 SCHW leaders voted to disband 6 Works EditSouthern Patriot SCEF newspaper See also EditClifford Durr Virginia Durr Eleanor Roosevelt Franklin Delano RooseveltReferences Edit a b c d e f Woodham Rebecca 7 July 2008 Southern Conference for Human Welfare SCHW Encyclopedia of Alabama retrieved 7 November 2019 Krueger Thomas A 1967 And Promises to Keep The Southern Conference for Human Welfare 1938 1948 Vanderbilt University Press ISBN 9780826510938 Retrieved 7 November 2019 a b Durr Virginia Foster Barnard Hollinger F 1985 Outside the magic circle the autobiography of Virginia Foster Durr University of Alabama Press pp 155 red baiting 195 243 249 257 258 ISBN 9780817302320 Retrieved 7 November 2019 a b Egerton John 1994 Speak Now Against the Day The Generation Before the Civil Rights Movement in the South Knopf pp 73 Dies Committee 138 166 272 285 289 302 ISBN 9780679408086 Retrieved 7 November 2019 McWhorter Diane 29 June 2001 Carry Me Home Birmingham Alabama The Climactic Battle of the Civil Rights Revolution Simon and Schuster pp 47 55 57 59 65 69 75n 76 77 77n 83 89 92 210 122 158 189 223 248 300 317 470 555 ISBN 9780743226486 Retrieved 7 November 2019 a b Lay Graham 17 September 2018 An honorable defeat The Southern Conference for Human Welfare and the radical prehistory of the Civil Rights movement Medium retrieved 7 November 2019External links EditThe Carolina Story A Virtual Museum of University History Frank Porter Graham and SCHW Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southern Conference for Human Welfare amp oldid 1149115395, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
