{"value"=>"<p>Norman Thomas was a much beloved and respected figure, even among those who did not share his views. The many dinners and receptions given in his honor testified to this fact, and they were an effective way of raising money for the causes Thomas espoused.</p> <p>The records of these events found in Series VI include invitations, guest lists, letters confirming or declining attendance, office records of the committees planning the events, programs and other memorabilia, as well as testimonial letters and congratulatory telegrams from fellow socialists and enough prominent persons to fill a \"who's who\" of liberal intellectuals, politicians, labor and religious leaders, and political activists. Among these individuals are John Dewey, Morris Ernst, John L. Lewis, Van Wyck Brooks, Morris R. Cohen, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, the Reuther brothers, Martin Luther King, Bertrand Russell, David Ben Gurion, Robert F. Kennedy, Henry S. Coffin, Jawaharlal Nehru, Martin Buber and Alan Paton.</p> <p>The papers are arranged in subseries by individual event and further divided into files according to type of material where necessary.</p>"}