WAUEkrothNelsPHColl601.xmlGuide to the Nels and Fair Taylor Ekroth Photograph Collection 1946-1952Ekroth (Nels and Fair Taylor) Photograph CollectionFunding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries© 2004 (Last modified: 2/16/2024)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English.Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard).University of Washington Libraries, Special CollectionsPH0601Ekroth, Nels S.Nels and Fair Taylor Ekroth photograph collection1946-195213 photographic prints (1 folder, 1 oversize folder)Collection materials are in English.Photographs of prominent Progressive Party members, including Henry Wallace, Vincent Hallinan, Charlotta Bass, and W.E.B. Dubois, and political rallies and protests in the 1940s and 1950s.

Nels Ekroth and his wife, Fair Taylor Ekroth (1910-1990), were civil rights activists and supported various labor movements, political rallies, and protests during the 1940s and 1950s. Fair Taylor Ekroth was an officer of the Progressive Party in 1948 and the two met in Seattle in 1949, when both were working for the Progressive Party. Nels was investigated by the Committee for Un-American Activities and lost his job on Seattle's waterfront as a result.

Following World War II, U.S. relations with the Soviets had deteriorated and by 1949 the Chinese Communist revolution was underway. In response, the Truman presidency developed an international policy of "containment" towards Communism. Part of this policy involved the Marshall Plan, implemented to spur the economic recovery of Europe following the war. This policy, as well as domestic labor policy, was not popular with the newly formed leftist Progressive Party, endorsed by both the Communist Party and American Labor Party of New York. Henry Wallace was a prominent member of the Progressive Party. He served as vice president of the United States under Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1940 to 1944, but in 1946, while serving as secretary of commerce, he was dismissed by President Truman for his empathetic position towards Russia. In 1948 he was the presidential candidate for the Progressive Party, campaigning against the Marshall Plan. Scant voter support led Wallace to leave the party in 1950. In 1952, Vincent Hallinan was the Progressive Party candidate for president of the United States; his vice-presidential running-mate was Charlotta Bass. After a weak voter response, the party disappeared. Hallinan also gained notoriety for time spent in McNeil Island prison in 1952 for tax evasion.

A political ally of the Progressive Party, Hewlett Johnson was the Dean of Canterbury from 1931-1963 and was known as the "Red Dean" because of his outspoken liberal and radical views. Famed writer W.E.B. Dubois shared views with Johnson and with the Progressive Party. In his essay, The Nation , he argues that the strong bipartisan support in the United States makes it impossible for a third political party to rise.

This collection contains photographs of political figures, as well as social and labor union protests. Included are portraits of the Progressive Party's 1952 presidential candidate, Vincent Hallinan, and his vice-presidential running mate, Charlotta Bass. The collection also includes images of the Progressive Party's 1948 presidential candidate, Henry Wallace, and Hewlett Johnson, who was the dean of Canterbury from 1931-1963.

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Source: Nels and Fair Taylor Ekroth, Seattle, Wash., 1967, 1973, 1979, 1990.

Processed by Julie Stranton and Jocelyn Spicer, 2003. Revised by Sarah Nelson, 2004. Revised by Kate Norgon, 2019.

The oversized photograph was relocated from the Nels S. Ekroth Papers (Accession no. 689-1), Aug., 1989. The rest of the collection was probably relocated from the Ekroth Papers near that time (Accession nos. 689-1 through 689-5), but the record is unclear.

Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)Baldwin, Calvin Benham, 1902-1975--PhotographsBass, Charlotta A., 1880-1969--PhotographsCampbell, Donald James--PhotographsCarter, FredDownes, Olin, 1886-1955--PhotographsDu Bois, W. E. B. (William Edward Burghardt), 1868-1963--PhotographsEkroth, Fair TaylorEkroth, Fair Taylor--ArchivesEkroth, Nels S.--ArchivesHallinan, Vincent--PhotographsJohnson, Hewlett, 1874-1966--PhotographsNewman, Louis I. (Louis Israel), 1893-1972--PhotographsO'Connell, Jerry Joseph, 1909-1956--PhotographsTaft, Robert A. (Robert Alphonso), 1889-1953--PhotographsWallace, Henry A. (Henry Agard), 1888-1965--PhotographsProgressive Party (U.S. : 1948)Progressive Party (U.S. : 1948)--PhotographsSeattle (Wash.)--Politics and government--20th centurySeattle (Wash.)--Politics and government--20th century--PhotographsBlack-and-white photographsPhotographsCommunity activists--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsDemonstrations--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsKorean War, 1950-1953--Protest movements--PhotographsPacifists--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsPolitical activists--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsPolitical candidates--United States--PhotographsProgressivism (United States politics)Public meetings--Washington (State)--Seattle--PhotographsBusiness, Industry, and LaborCivil RightsLabor UnionsPhotographsPolitical CampaignsPolitics and Politicians

 

Political Figures11Charlotta Bass1952 12Vincent Hallinan1952Jo Banks, Chicago, Illinois 13Vincent Hallinan with C.B. Beanie Baldwin and crowd at his release from prison1952 14Vincent Hallinan with C.B. (Beanie) Baldwin and crowd at his release from prison1952Fred Carter, Seattle, Washington 15Crowd with anti-Korean War and other protest signs at Vincent Hallinan's release from McNeil Island prison1952Fred Carter, Seattle, Washington 16Hewlett Johnson, Dean of Canterbury1948 17Hewlett Johnson, Dean of Canterbury, at reception in his honor, New YorkNovember 14, 1948Julius Lazarus

Olin Downes, W.E.B. DuBois, Rabbi Louis I. Newman, Rev. Donald J. Campbell.

18Henry Wallace and Jerry J. O'Connell1948Fred Carter, Seattle, Washington Protests, Rallies, and Labor Disputes19Office and Professional Workers Protest, CIO, Seattle Wash.1946Fred Carter, Seattle, Washington 110Robert Taft and protest against the Taft-Hartley Law, at King Street Station, Seattle Wash.1946 111Rally for Hugh De Lacy for CongressSeptember 1946Al Smith, Seattle, Washington 112Henry Wallace speaking at a rally to defeat the Mundt Bill, University of Washington campus, Seattle Wash.May 20, 1948Fred Carter, Seattle, Washington M27313Panorama of opening session, National Founding Convention of the Progressive Party, Convention Hall, Philadelphia, PAJuly 23-25, 1948Standard Photo Service Co., Philadelphia (8499-P-1)