Interview: John B. Summers, April 10, 1984

Interview: John B. Summers, April 10, 1984

Political campaigns

Democratic Party (U.S.)

Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )

African American leadership

African Americans--Politics and government.

African American politicians.

African Americans--Employment.

Discrimination in employment.

Race discrimination.

Philadelphia (Pa.)--Social conditions.

John B. Summers (b. 1888) was born in Columbus, Ohio. The son of an AME Church minister in Columbus, Summers was raised by a prominent family in Ohio, before moving to Philadelphia in 1918 after being rejected for the draft. Summers was able to find work at Hog Island Shipyard thanks to family connetions, which started his long career in politics and working with the labor organization movement. Summers would become one of the leading figures of politics in the African American community, although he mostly worked behind the scenes, and played a key role in their switch from Republican to Democrat.

1984-04-10

audio

2014OH185GN037

Charles Hardy

John B. Summers

Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923.

African Americans--Societies, etc.

African American newspapers.

Civil rights demonstrations

Civil rights movements--United States