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The Resource The New Deal's Black congressman : a life of Arthur Wergs Mitchell, Dennis S. Nordin

The New Deal's Black congressman : a life of Arthur Wergs Mitchell, Dennis S. Nordin

Creator
Summary
  • In this fascinating biography, Dennis S. Nordin chronicles the life of Arthur Wergs Mitchell, the first black Democrat to be elected to Congress. Although he is now one of history's forgotten figures, Mitchell was once almost as well known among black college students as Jesse Owens and Joe Louis. Nordin, however, shows that Mitchell's achievements and thus his fame were the direct result of his questionable deeds. Mitchell found himself owing his political success and thus his loyalty to the Chicago Machine. Because he was under strict orders from Chicago Mayor Ed Kelly not to cause problems or be confrontational, Mitchell favored the Machine's interests over those of his constituents. It was only in the later years of his political career that Mitchell began to show opposition to his Machine backing. He had been an opponent of the NAACP in his first years in Congress, but later became a strong supporter of an NAACP antilynching bill. In 1937, Mitchell sued three railroad companies for not offering equal treatment and accommodations for all passengers. The case went to the Supreme Court, which gave Mitchell a favorable ruling. As a result of these "confrontational" acts, the Chicago Machine quickly decided to endorse Mitchell in the elections of 1942
  • In his research, Nordin relies on such primary sources as manuscripts, newspapers, and court records, as well as information from interviews with Mitchell's friends, neighbors, colleagues, political rivals, and widow. Woven tightly together, these sources form a narrative that reveals a most complex and intriguing individual, a man whose political and moral views and acts were strongly linked to the goals of the great Chicago political Machine
Language
eng
Work
Instance
Label
The New Deal's Black congressman : a life of Arthur Wergs Mitchell
Title
The New Deal's Black congressman
Title remainder
a life of Arthur Wergs Mitchell
Statement of responsibility
Dennis S. Nordin
Creator
Subject
Genre
Language
eng
Summary
  • In this fascinating biography, Dennis S. Nordin chronicles the life of Arthur Wergs Mitchell, the first black Democrat to be elected to Congress. Although he is now one of history's forgotten figures, Mitchell was once almost as well known among black college students as Jesse Owens and Joe Louis. Nordin, however, shows that Mitchell's achievements and thus his fame were the direct result of his questionable deeds. Mitchell found himself owing his political success and thus his loyalty to the Chicago Machine. Because he was under strict orders from Chicago Mayor Ed Kelly not to cause problems or be confrontational, Mitchell favored the Machine's interests over those of his constituents. It was only in the later years of his political career that Mitchell began to show opposition to his Machine backing. He had been an opponent of the NAACP in his first years in Congress, but later became a strong supporter of an NAACP antilynching bill. In 1937, Mitchell sued three railroad companies for not offering equal treatment and accommodations for all passengers. The case went to the Supreme Court, which gave Mitchell a favorable ruling. As a result of these "confrontational" acts, the Chicago Machine quickly decided to endorse Mitchell in the elections of 1942
  • In his research, Nordin relies on such primary sources as manuscripts, newspapers, and court records, as well as information from interviews with Mitchell's friends, neighbors, colleagues, political rivals, and widow. Woven tightly together, these sources form a narrative that reveals a most complex and intriguing individual, a man whose political and moral views and acts were strongly linked to the goals of the great Chicago political Machine
Biography type
individual biography
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorDate
1942-
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Nordin, Dennis S.
Government publication
government publication of a state province territory dependency etc
Illustrations
illustrations
Index
index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Mitchell, Arthur Wergs
  • Legislators
  • African American legislators
  • United States
  • United States
  • New Deal, 1933-1939
  • United States
  • African Americans
  • Mitchell, Arthur Wergs
  • United States
  • New Deal (1933-1939)
  • African American legislators
  • African Americans
  • Legislators
  • Politics and government
  • Race relations
  • Illinois
  • United States
Label
The New Deal's Black congressman : a life of Arthur Wergs Mitchell, Dennis S. Nordin
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 301-313) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Control code
ocm36241771
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
xiv, 320 pages
Isbn
9780826211026
Lccn
97004478
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)36241771
Label
The New Deal's Black congressman : a life of Arthur Wergs Mitchell, Dennis S. Nordin
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 301-313) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Control code
ocm36241771
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
xiv, 320 pages
Isbn
9780826211026
Lccn
97004478
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)36241771

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