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Creator
Walton, Lester A., 1882-1965
Call number
Sc MG 183
Language
English
Preferred Citation
[Item], Lester Walton papers, Sc MG 183, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library
Sponsor
Home to Harlem Project, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Repository
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

The Lester A. Walton Papers document his diversified careers as a journalist, diplomat, and civic leader and consist of personal papers, material on his entertainment and journalistic careers, his tenure as the American representative to Liberia, his political activities, general correspondence, and printed matter.

Biographical/historical information

Lester Aglar Walton, journalist, diplomat and civic leader, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, April 20, 1882 of working class parents and was a graduate of Sumner High School in St. Louis. He held three honorary degrees: Master of Arts from Lincoln University in Chester, Pa., 1927, LL.D. from Wilberforce University, 1945, and the University of Liberia, 1958. In 1912 he married Gladys Moore, daughter of Fred A. Moore, publisher of the New York Age. They had two daughters.

Walton began his many faceted career as a golf writer on the St. Louis Star. From 1902 to 1906 he was general assignment and court reporter, and as such was the first African American to write for a daily paper in St. Louis. In 1906 he left St. Louis and moved to New York City, and by 1908 he was manager and theatrical editor for the New York Age (1908-1914 and again from 1917-1919). From 1922 to 1931 Walton was a special writer for the New York World. When the World folded he became feature writer for the New York Herald Tribune (1931), but resigned when the newspaper refused to give him a by-line. He returned to the New York Age in 1932 to serve as the newspaper's associate editor. During his journalistic career Walton became interested in world affairs and several of his special writing assignments were abroad. The most noteworthy of these were as news correspondent at the Versailles Peace Conference in 1919 and at sessions of the International Liberian Committee in 1933. Walton also served as arbitrator in a labor relations dispute between the Newspaper Guild of New York and the New York Amsterdam News (1957-1959). He was a member of the Society of the Silurians, an association of journalists.

During the late teens and early 1920's, Walton was active in the entertainment field. He worked as the manager of Harlem's Lafayette Theater from 1914 to 1916 and from 1919 to 1921, and was the dramatic lyricist for the theater. During World War I, as a member of the Military Entertainment Service, he supervised theatricals among African American soldiers. Walton later served as Vice President of the Negro Actor's Guild and in the 1950's was chairman of the Coordinating Council for Negro Performers. This group was dedicated to promoting African Americans in every branch of the entertainment field. During his chairmanship Walton strove for greater integration of African Americans in television and radio. Walton wrote a few songs in his career, commencing in 1905 and ending in 1956 when he wrote a song entitled "Welcome to New York," dedicated to Mayor Robert F. Wagner. Also, he wrote the song "Jim Crow Has Got to Go," a rallying song for civil rights workers in the 1950's.

Walton's political career began in 1913 when he launched a movement, with the assistance of the Associated Press, for the spelling of the word Negro with a capital "N." An active Democrat, he served as director of publicity of the Colored Division of the Democratic National Campaign Committee in 1924, 1928 and 1932.

President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Walton as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Liberia in 1933, a position he held until 1946. Among his accomplishments, he concluded significant treaties between the United States and Liberia, including the terms under which the American government established a United States Army base. Walton also negotiated with the Liberian government for the construction of a port in Monrovia and concluded commerce, navigation and aviation treaties.

As a longstanding member of the Harlem community, Walton sought to make local improvements for African Americans. He was one of the original members of the Commission on Intergroup Relations, a New York City agency founded in 1955 which later (1961) became known as the Commission on Human Rights. Under Mayor Wagner, this Commission worked in the fields of civil rights and civil liberties, especially fair housing practices. Walton retired from this volunteer post in 1964. His death occurred on October 19, 1965. His wife, Gladys, died in approximately 1977.

Scope and arrangement

The Lester A. Walton Papers date from 1905 to 1977. The papers provide information on his diversified careers in the entertainment field, journalism, as the American ambassador to Liberia from 1935 to 1946, as a commissioner for the New York City Commission on Human Rights from 1956 to 1964, and on various political activities in which he was engaged. Aspects of his personal and family life are represented in the papers as well.

The Lester Walton papers are arranged in seven series:

  • Personal Papers
  • Entertainment Career

    The ENTERTAINMENT CAREERseries, 1905-1963, contains music and lyrics for songs written by Walton and a small amount of correspondence pertaining to his years as manager of Harlem's Lafayette Theater. There is also correspondence and printed matter from the Negro Actors Guild of America, in addition to stories, poems and music written by individuals other than Walton, some of whom are not identified.

    The Coordinating Council for Negro Performerssubseries, 1951-1955, Consists of correspondence Walton wrote as chairman of this organization. The purpose of this Council was to promote African American performers in all aspects of the theatrical profession.

  • Journalistic Career

    The NEWSPAPER CAREERseries, 1913-1965, contains a small amount of correspondence with the New York Age,the New York Amsterdam News,and staff members representing other newspapers. Contained in this series is correspondence regarding capitalizing "N" in the word "Negro," and a membership roster and printed material from the Society of the Silurians.

    The Newspaper Guild of New Yorksubseries, 1957-1961, regards the grievance between the Newspaper Guild of New York and the New York Amsterdam News,for which Walton served as arbitrator. The grievance issue involved the failure of Powell Savory Corporation, publishers of the New York Amsterdam News,to pay wages for eight employees as stated in collective bargaining regulations.

  • American Representative to Liberia

    The AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVE TO LIBERIAseries, 1930-1965, consists principally of material generated during Walton's tenure as ambassador, 1935-1946, particularly correspondence, Walton's personal financial papers, invitations to a variety of official and other events, and official addresses Walton delivered. Correspondents include President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Liberian presidents Edwin Barclay and William V. S. Tubman, Harvey S. Firestone, Jr. of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, Thomas Jesse Jones who was Educational Director of the Phelps Stokes Fund, Henry M. Minton, M.D. of Philadelphia, Herbert Bayard Swope who was executive director of The New York World,and Liberian Entertainments Company which showed films in Liberia. Official correspondence includes comments on the status of the situation in Liberia, economic activity, foreign and commercial relations with Britain, Italian Invasion of Ethiopia, problems with Legation personnel, role of the United States in Liberia, and corruption and incompetency among Liberian officials.

    A variety of printed matter also comprises this series, some beyond the 1946 date of Walton's ambassadorship. Included are texts of addresses delivered by presidents of Liberia C. D. B. King and Edwin Barclay, reports, a publicity program and text of Walton's address relating to President Tubman's 1961 visit to the United States, and news clippings pertaining to Liberia published in that country and the United States.

  • General Correspondence

    The GENERAL CORRESPONDENCEseries, 1911-1965, for the most part was maintained separately by Walton, hence this order has been kept. There is substantial correspondence pertaining to Liberia following Walton's 1946 resignation, including correspondence with George Padmore, American ambassador to Liberia in the 1950's and Clarence L. Simpson, Vice President of Liberia, 1944-1952, who became Ambassador to the United States in 1952. There is also correspondence relating to newspapers and organizations such as Tuskegee Institute, Universal Negro Improvement Association, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, African Methodist Episcopal Church and other religious and community groups. A few of Walton's numerous correspondents in this series are Charles C. Huitt, Hulan E. Jack, Henry M. Minton, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jr., Herbert Bayard Swope and William V. S. Tubman. Correspondence with friends and colleagues and invitations are included in this series. There are also numerous Christmas cards from friends, colleagues and professional associates.

  • Political Activities and City of New York Affairs

    The Political Activities and City of New York Affairs series 1925-1964, includes an article Walton wrote on capitalizing "N" in the word Negro, press releases and correspondence pertaining to the Atlanta based Commission on Interracial Cooperation, the President's Committee on Fair Employment Practice and material regarding African Americans during World War II, correspondence with New York City's Mayor Robert F. Wagner and Walton's activities in Democratic Party campaigns, which includes substantial correspondence with James A. Farley.

    The subseries New York City Commission on Human Rights,1955-1965, includes records pertaining to the establishment of the Commission, reports, minutes of meetings, press releases, newsletters, and material regarding discrimination in housing, including reports and transcripts of hearings. News clippings deal with Walton's 1965 retirement from the Commission.

  • Printed Matter

    PRINTED MATTER, 1926-1953consists of numerous news clippings including articles written by and about Walton, published material regarding World War II, Haile Selassie's visit to New York in 1954, newsletters of civil rights and religious groups, printed matter re race relations, schools, Walton's home town of St. Louis, Missouri, United Nations reports and fraternal organizations. There is also material regarding African countries other than Liberia. Note that printed matter concerned with Liberia has been placed in the series "American Representative to Liberia."

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

Gift of Walton Rochester and Marjorie Rochester, 1978 and 1984.

SCM 78-26

SCM 78-30

SCM 84-10

Revision History

This finding aid was updated by Allison Hughes. (2020 November 10)

Processing information

Processed by Janice Quinter; Machine-readable finding aid created by Apex Data Services; revised by Terry Catapano.

Separated material

The following items were removed from:

Name of Collection/Papers Lester A. Walton Papers

Accession Number SCM 78-26, SCM 78-30, SCM 84-10

Donor: Walton Rochester and Marjorie Rochester

Date received: May 1978, June 1978, July 1984

Date transferred: 1980, April 26, 1991

The item(s) listed below have been sent to the division indicated, either to be retained or disposed of there. Any items that should receive special disposition are clearly marked.

Schomburg Library:

1 box of books, periodicals

Schomburg Art and Artifacts Division:

1 fiber bag made in Liberia, ca. 1930's

Walton's Liberian stamp collection on air mail envelops

1 fan from undertaken/embalmer

Schomburg Photographs and Print Division:

5 Abs of photographs

Accessioned by:Janice Quinter

Date:4/26/91

Using the collection

Location

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division
515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801
Second Floor