Sale 2471 - Printed & Manuscript African Americana, March 29, 2018

280 c   (MILITARY—WORLD WAR TWO.) American Red Cross. Statement of Policy Regarding Negro Blood Donors. Mimeographed memorandum, 11 x 8 1 / 2 inches, on red and black American Red Cross letterhead; mailing folds. Accompanied by the original stamped enve- lope and a cover letter from a Red Cross official to a local chapter chairman in Iowa, explaining that “differences of opinion on this subject are such that they cannot be reconciled by the Red Cross,” 20 October 1943. Washington, DC, 21 January 1942 [500/750] The memorandum reads in part: “The Red Cross, in agreement with the Army and the Navy, is prepared hereafter to accept blood donations from colored as well as white persons. In deference to the wishes of those for whom the plasma is being provided, the blood will be processed separately so that those receiving transfusions may be given plasma from blood of their own race.” This policy of segregating blood was controversial at the time, and was based purely on prejudice—there is no scientific distinction to be made between “black” or “white” blood, both of which ran equally red in wartime. To add to the irony, Charles R. Drew (1904- 1950), an African-American physician, had been instrumental in developing the blood bank technology which saved so many lives in the war, and was the first director of a Red Cross blood bank. The segregation of blood was done over his vocal objections. 281 c   (MILITARY—WORLDWARTWO.) Correspondence between the NAACP and the Judge Advocate General regarding the Fisher-Loury rape case. One Autograph Letter Signed to Brigadier General JohnWeir, and two carbon copies ofWeir’s responses, each 11 x 8 1 / 2 inches; paper clip stains, minor wear. New York and Washington, 1944 [300/400] In June 1943, two African-American soldiers, Frank Fisher and Edward Loury, were charged with raping a woman on the French island of New Caledonia. They were convicted despite denying the charges, which received substantial news coverage back home. In this 30 March 1944 letter, Leslie Perry of the NAACP writes to Brigadier General John Weir in the Judge Advocate General’s office, sending a legal brief (not included) in Fisher and Loury’s support: “I believe you will find this very interesting reading.” He also requests “detailed information with regard to the four enlisted men . . . who were sentenced to death by courts-martial.” Attached are two related carbon copies of related letters sent by General Weir: one dated 5 April to Roy Wilkins of the NAACP, concerning “the rape cases involving four negro soldiers and one negro seaman”; and another dated 6 April to the office of the Undersecretary of War, asking them to respond regarding the “cases of Fisher and Loury.” 282 c   (MILITARY—WORLDWARTWO.) Panorama group photo of the 318th Black Anti-Aircraft Balloon Battalion (Colored). Photograph, 5 1 / 2 x 30 inches to sight; matted and framed. Not examined out of frame. [Tennessee, circa 1942?] [200/300] This unit was formed in August 1942, trained at Camp Tyson in Tennessee (where this shot was presum- ably taken), and became the 78th Signal Construction Battalion in 1944, when they were serving in the Philippines. Provenance: Skinner auction, 11 May 2011, lot 93 (source of the identification). 282