Tillett, Gladys
Avery , interviewee
[TAPE 2, SIDE A]
[START OF TAPE 2, SIDE A]
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
come back. In the meantime Dorothy McAllister of Michigan was
Page 48 taking over what they called head of the women's
division in the 1940 campaign. Molly Dewson was vice chairman of the
Democratic Committee but she wanted Dorothy McAllister (very able) to
run the 1940 campaign. Molly Dewson asked me to run the speakers bureau
again in 1940. I had worked as hard as possible and succeeded in getting
to every engagement. I knew 1940 was going to be a tremendously
important campaign. So Molly Dewson asked me to come back. She was still
vice chairman of the Democratic National Convention. Said "You know how
to do it and you've done it. And the people know you." You see that she
thought that was tremendously important… I got acquainted, through the
speakers campaign, with leaders in the various states when I was
arranging their meetings and talking to them and setting it up. And if
you got your speaker right they thought you were competent and
interested in their success—naturally they wanted to have successful
meetings. And I thought about it carefully. And my husband said "They
need you. Go on up there and do this." He wanted me to do it because he
felt like it was of great interest to me and I could do it. So he was
right behind me. And I went and I did run it and it came out very well.
And Ed Flynn, from the Bronx, boss of the Bronx, was the chairman and I
thought, "He'll wonder about somebody from down here in the South,
having the organizing experience and ability." But I did do it and we
didn't have any difficulty. And I understood the need of the party
leaders for speakers and we had good and friendly relations… In a
Page 49 big organization there's negotiating and sometimes
I was called onto do it. I got to know the other leaders working. When I
left I went around to see Mr. Flynn. He was an interesting person. You
might think he would be aloof. He was easy to work with and had many
interests. For example, he was a great flower grower. He'd bring in the
most beautiful flowers. Always had one on his desk, which impressed me
as unusual. That the leader from the Bronx had this sort of interest in
beauty and so forth. I got to know him pretty well. So when I left and
went around and told him that I had come up there and known that I was
going to have the boss of the Bronx there and I was going to run the
speakers bureau. And here I found somebody who had fresh flowers on his
desk every morning and I was very much impressed. We laughed gaily about
it and I told him goodbye and came on back. And then later on he called
and told me he'd like to talk over some things with me and would I come
up there and see him. And nobody would believe me but I didn't think he
was calling me up to ask me me to be vice chairman. I thought he really
respected my judgment and wanted to ask me who in New York or
Philadelphia or somewhere—not the South—would I advise. But I went up
there and when he asked me I said "Why Mr. Flynn, you know I can't do
that. I have a family and I have a husband" and I said "I don't know how
I could work it out." He said, "Well, you could do some of the work at
home." He said "Now remember…"
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
Had a woman been vice chairman before?
Page 50
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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Molly Dewson was one of the early ones in 1932, but not the first. Emily
Newell Blair of Missouri had served and I think a woman from Tennessee…
You see, people became more interested in women's meetings as they
learned the value of them—after two campaigns with women leaders men
learned the value of women's leadership and political action and after
Pearl Harbor women were needed as men went off to war. And so, and I…
all the way along I thought the women should be elected, not appointed.
And I had Miss Dewson to stand with me, that if I were I would want the
Democratic National Committee to elect me just as they elect the
chairman. And that was done. I thought that was an important principle
to establish. And so it was… I said, "Well, I'll tell you. I'll go home
and if you'll give me about a month on this, I'll tell my family and I'm
going to let everybody in the family vote on it. And if I get a hundred
percent of the vote—I give everybody twenty-five percent of the vote—why
I'll let you know." He said "That's all right." … again, talked about
Jim Farley. "Look what he did. Ran the post office and ran the
committee. And all you've got to do is just run your home and then you
can go out and speak and go back home and do some of your work.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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Nothing to it. [Laughter]
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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No, no.
[Laughter] Nothing to it. Of course
my husband was interested in it. And the whole family was. And Gladys
had been up. My oldest daughter had been with me
Page 51
and she was very interested. She had been with me, you see, the first
campaign just in prep school and went up and had her little job. So it
was, they were conditioned, interested, and understood what it was all
about. And found it fascinating. So I did. This was in '40. And then the
convention in '44 of course was a tremendously fascinating one.
Interesting.
And I participated, of course, in that and nominated—I've got copies of
my speeches. I spoke…
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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You made the keynote address to the women?
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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To the Convention at a night session.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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In '44.
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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In '44. I've got a copy of that speech and of the one in Philadelphia in
'48.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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I'd love to have that. Do you have all of your papers…
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
Well… I've got a lot of papers and I think I've got a consecutive
representation of papers. What the newspapers said about me, you know,
and that type of thing. I've never really organized them. I've just
never had time. Something just keeps happening, you see.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
Have you kept your correspondence all through…
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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Not all my correspondence. I regret that. But… I do have some. I have
many… I have some letters and things.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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I'd love to have a chance to look at your things some time.
Page 52
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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Well, it's not organized enough. It's just dropped in the… you know… I
hope to get it organized.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
Well you should get a student that's working on some aspect of politics
to organize it for you.
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
Well, if you just… I always… I can get them out. I get things out, of
course.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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Well how long then were you head of the women's division?
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
Well as long as anybody's ever… 10 years … Well, I was head of the
women's division… I was vice chairman, yes. Then I had someone to help
me. I brought India Edwards in. She had worked on the Chicago Tribune.
She was a Democrat. She'd lost a son in the war. And we became close
friends. She followed me. I resigned in 1950. See that was the year that
Frank Graham ran for the senate and it was a racial issue and it would
have been wrong, as I viewed it… a racial issue must be met in one's
state—in the South. And India was very gifted. She had not started out
in politics but she was an experienced and able newspaper woman and was
the first editor of the Democratic Digest, an
excellent Democratic publication. We were close as workers together and
have long been friends.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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So you resigned to come back to the state and work for Frank?
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
Yes.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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I saw a newspaper clipping from I think 1948 saying
Page 53
that it was rumored that you were about to resign. Do you remember what
that was about?
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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Well, I don't know. Maybe speculation. Maybe a guess by someone, I don't
know.
8
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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What about the '48 campaign? That was quite a stormy battle…
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
Yes it was, but Truman won. India was a splendid executive and had worked
closely with me for a number of years and her newspaper background was a
great asset… We went on the train with the President and Mrs. Truman
several times.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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Were you instrumental in… I think the North Carolina delegation was the
only support Truman got in the South in 1948. Isn't that right?
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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Truman was not unpopular in N.C. I know people liked him… one thing, of
course, used against him in the South was his appointment of the Civil
Rights Commission, you know. Frank Graham served on that. That was one
thing that we had to meet in his campaign. Frank Graham had served on
the Civil Rights Commission—appointed by Truman. Willis Smith made a big
issue of this when Frank Graham ran for U.S. Senate. I had a young man
who was writing a paper on him…
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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Joe Herzenberg.
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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Herzenberg. He came by and he was doing… of course I was a … Frank
Graham's campaign was a racial issue campaign. He almost won the
campaign in the first round.
Page 54 Then came the Supreme
Court decision and what the papers said. I made it clear…
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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How did that 1950 campaign affect you?
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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With Frank?
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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Yes.
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
It was… I directed the women's organization of the Graham Campaign for
Senate… oh, I never worked as hard on anything in my life. And I went
all through the east of N.C. holding women's meetings. That's where the
racial issues gave the greatest trouble. And in addition a crucial point
in that was the decision of the Supreme Court which came down between
the primary and the runoff election.
9
The runoff was between Frank Graham and Willis Smith, which was one of
the most bitter racial campaigns I think we've had in the state of North
Carolina.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
Well Jesse Helms was his campaign manager, wasn't he? Who was responsible
for those tactics do you think?
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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Both the candidate and the campaign manager appeared responsible.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
I thought Helms was Willis Smith's campaign manager.
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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Helms used his radio station against Frank in what many regarded an
irresponsible was.
10 The Supreme
Court decision in regard to schools came at a critical moment
Page 55 in the campaign—just prior to the runoff primary
vote…
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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… one of the school desegregation decisions…
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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It was reported that the opposition had people meeting school busses
telling the children "Go home and tell your parents Frank Graham is just
going to bring the Negroes in."
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
How did Dr. Graham and his campaign staff decide to meet those
smears?
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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Well, of course, I went and met with groups of women. They had meetings
and I talked about the fact of human rights and talked about the fact of
women and what he had meant in North Carolina for their children. What
he meant to education. How he had…
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
Did you just try to avoid the issue of school desegregation?
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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Of course not.
11 You couldn't avoid
it—any more than school desegregation can be avoided in Boston now. The
radio played a big part in the campaign, and Smith used radio widely
without ceasing.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
How did you deal with it?
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
We talked about it … that if you were going to have black people and
white people you ought to educate all of them and try to make good
citizens out of them all. Frank Graham was a man to be trusted… and… I
think I felt it was of great importance to go into it. And I felt that
the more we met the issue the stronger we would be. And I found
Page 56 deep interest among women… women appreciate the
greatness of character of Frank Graham and his great contribution as
president of a great university… And he had done nothing but give
everybody the right to be educated—black and white. And then you, of
course, bore down on his contributions to North Carolina, which were
indeed great, and… I found no difficulty with women's groups, in a
sense, because they all … I had been over the state so much and I had
personal contact with many groups. And having been at women's college I
knew people really all over the state because that was really our
only…
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
It would be interesting to know how the vote broke down along the lines
of sex in that campaign. Have there been…
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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I think women to a great extent were for Frank, especially those who had
sent their children to UNC at Chapel Hill… I've got some things that my
husband wrote at the time.
12 There
were three candidates, the Supreme Court decision came between the first
vote and the second primary and the opposition bore down heavily on this
and made an effort to frighten people about the future. It was said at
the time that money was sent into N.C. to defeat Dr. Graham, but I have
no way of knowing what was true and I would not comment on this at all…
Dr. Graham was always honest about what he stood for and … I spent much
campaign time speaking at meetings
Page 57 supporting
Graham. I raised money in North Carolina and in other states to pay for
radio time, etc.
13 I spent much time
in Eastern Carolina—driving myself in my own car… There was a big move
to win the South. It was widely reported that the opposition forces met
school busses and sent word to parents warning them of the racial
problems if Graham was elected.
14
Willis Smith was elected. It is difficult to pin the blame for vicious
race attacks on any one.
15… Graham
and I gave complete time to the most bitter racial campaign in the
history of N.C. … I resigned from the Democratic National Committee in
April 1950 to organize for Frank… I was not involved in the party, held
no office in the party.
16 Later on I
was asked to help at Mecklenburg Democratic Headquarters during the
McGovern campaign and I worked through that campaign. Yeah. I aided in
bringing in speakers, and planning meetings and raising funds—Liz
Carpenter and Sissy Farrenhold came to Charlotte with a number of
speakers. We held a very successful women's meeting with large
attendance. And that was the only big meeting held. And of course you
can't help but feel that if you could have done more it would have been…
fine.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
Well, were you involved in trying to… when the
Page 58
question arose… what the state's response was going to be to the Brown
decision. Whether massive resistance…
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
Well, I've always been on the broad view of the blacks and when I was…
I'd forgot about this… when I was, for example, when I was in Washington
during the Roosevelt … Truman campaign, not campaign but era. After… It
was after the campaigns, I think, when Truman was president. Anyhow,
they were going to have a big dinner. Mr. Hannegan, the chairman, the
Democratic chairman at the time. And the Democratic Women's Club was to
hold a dinner meeting in the Mayflower Hotel. Mr. Hannegan was away. He
was en route to Arkansas to make a speech. And a black woman that I knew
well and who had run for congress in Michigan came to confer with me,
she said "Mrs. Tillett, I know the Democratic Club is going to have this
dinner at the Mayflower Hotel." I said "Yes, the club's putting it on
and it's going to be held at the Mayflower Hotel." And she said, "I
think three women, black women, ought to be invited to that."—all have
given leadership in the Democratic Party. There'd never been a black at
a dinnermeeting. And the Democratic club was putting it on and it was to
be held in the Mayflower Hotel. Which just… you see… it wasn't held at
the club. It was being held… Mrs. Truman was coming, I was speaking, and
the chairman was speaking. And it was a definite Democratic party
affair, although the club had set it up. And so when she came in, I
said, "I want to answer you as I would answer
Page 59
anbody who came in here. I think that the black women who have worked
should be at that meeting. And I can only say to you I'm not on the
board of the club. It's separate from the committee. But I will do
everything that is humanly possible to get you there. There will be no
difference in the request of a white woman and a black woman in this
respect. And I think Mrs. Bethune has made a great contribution and I
think you and… " there was another one that had an official position in
the office, a congressman from Illinois and I knew her. So I went to
work and I sat down and I called the president of the club. She was the
wife of a man who was head of the War Labor Board. And of course from
New York. I said "I've called you about something that I think is a very
important matter." And I said "I'm sure you know when the Democratic
Club, which is a volunteer organization, has an important meeting and
the wife of the President is coming and the vice chairman of the
Democratic National Committee is speaking. And when Mrs. Truman, in the
absence of her husband, is sitting on my right, the Democratic Committee
is involved." And I said "These three black women feel, and I concur,
that they should be at this dinner." And she said "Gladys, if you
weren't from the South I would tell you you didn't understand." And I
said "I do understand. And that's the reason I've called you. And I
think we should talk very seriously and earnestly about it." I was
tactful, but firm that these party leaders should be present. And then
she said, the next thing was "What do you
Page 60 think I
should do about it? And I said "Well, now that you've asked my advice,
I'll give it." And I said "If I were the president of the club I would
call in my board. I would present the matter to them and I would talk
with club leaders of the board ahead of time and ask their support, plan
the meeting in advance. And I really believe that committee, that board,
will vote with you. If you plan it and if you meet it forthrightly. Get
some leaders." And she did have her leaders with her… one was the wife
of a cabinet member from Texas and she was insistent on having the three
black women attend. And she was a strong supporter. I was told she said
she'd resign if they were not invited to attend. It carried almost
unanimously by the club board. And the three black women, distinguished
in their own right, were honored guests. It was not long before black
women were invited to join the National Democratic Women's Club, and I
think India Edwards who followed helped greatly in achieving this.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
Just… before… because I want to be sure and do this in case Bobby comes
back. Can you suggest other women who were involved in these…
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
National Club. India Edwards and her husband and a number of women from
our Democratic headquarters were hosts while I sat by Mrs. Truman… I
wish Molly Dewson were living. She's died.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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Do you know any women who were involved late in the suffrage movement who
would be interesting to talk to?
Page 61
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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I will try to think up some if I can. So many people have passed away and
so many… Mrs. Archibald Henderson was quite a leader. She's died.
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
Is this her daughter that lives in Chapel Hill, or her daughter-in-law?
Mary Henderson?
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
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I guess it's her daughter-in-law…
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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Do you remember Mary Henderson? She was Archibald Henderson's sister I
think. They were both involved in the suffrage movement.
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
There were two sisters…
- JACQUELYN HALL:
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Sisters-in-law, I think it was. Mrs. Archibald Henderson and Mary
Henderson. And I just… I looked in the Chapel Hill phone book and saw
that their…
- GLADYS AVERY TILLETT:
-
Well, Mary Henderson, from Salisbury, she was, she ran, she was vice
chairman before I was, I think. There were about two people, several
people, who… I was not the first state vice chairman is what I'm really
saying. Then Mary ran for the national committee but lost. And I really
don't know… is she still there?
- JACQUELYN HALL:
-
Well, there's a Mary Henderson in the phone book and I just haven't had a
chance to check yet to see if that's the same Mary Henderson … [interruption]
END OF INTERVIEW
1. The Daily Vacation Bible Schools were the
forerunners of day care centers for children. The man who initiated the
movement hoped to have day care centers in all churches, I was told. You
will find them in most churches today.
2. One of the objects of establishing Woman's
College was that of teacher training. A student was given free tuition
if she taught two years after graduation. Most of the students taught.
The college also trained in the Business Training Department. Some went
in business positions. A majority taught school. I taught one year after
graduation and I paid my tuition as did all who didn't teach two years.
3. I was precinct vice-chairman in the 1928
election—religious issue—my precinct was the only one in Mecklenburg
that carried for Al Smith. This impressed party leaders.
4. There were North Carolina leaders in the
women's movement. Mrs. Palmer German was an early North Carolina
National Committeewoman. She had built a following, served as president
of the North Carolina Women's Clubs.
5. Waightstill Avery's diary is in UNC library.
His office was burned in Charlotte by Cornwallis. Many of his books
burned. I was told as a child that the article founding UNC was written
in Waightstill Avery's handwriting. He was first attorney general, they
said.
6. For the issue of the legal status of women,
see the attached report of the state meeting of the League.
7. The Mecklenburg League of Women Voters
directed the first registration campaign for women and it was very
successful.
Raleigh News and Observer
9. Another fact which increased focus on the
race issue was that Frank Graham had the contestants take West Point
exams (instead of selecting political appointments). A black boy won,
and this became an issue in the campaign, although he did not go, as it
turned out, to West Point. The reason, I believe, he was third in line
(grades on entrance exam) and the two white boys went.
Greensboro Daily
NewsBaltimore Sun
11. Possibly you can read some of the material
preserved in the UNC library on the campaign.
Raleigh News and Observer
13. See campaign materials.
News and Observer
15. Note the xerox copy of "White People Wake
Up Before It's Too Late", signed by the "Know the Truth Committee."
16. See campaign materials.