The Black Cabinet: The Untold Story of African Americans and Politics During the Age of Roosevelt

by Jill Watts

In the early 20th century, most African Americans still lived in the South, disenfranchised, impoverished, terrorized by white violence, and denied the basic rights of citizenship. As the Democrats swept into the White House on a wave of black defectors from the Party of Lincoln, a group of African American intellectuals--legal minds, social scientists, media folk--sought to get the community's needs on the table. This would become the Black Cabinet, a group of African American racial affairs experts working throughout the New Deal, forming an unofficial advisory council to lobby the President. But with the white Southern vote so important to the fortunes of the Party, the path would be far from smooth.Most prominent in the Black Cabinet were Mary McLeod Bethune, an educator close to Eleanor Roosevelt, and her "boys" Robert Weaver, a Harvard-educated economist who pioneered enforcement standards for federal anti-discrimination guidelines (and, years later, the first African American Cabinet secretary); Bill Hastie, a lawyer who would become a federal appellate judge; Al Smith, head of the largest black jobs program in the New Deal at the WPA; and Robert Vann, a newspaper publisher whose unstinting reporting on the administration's shortcomings would keep his erstwhile colleagues honest. Ralph Bunche, Walter White of the NAACP, A. Philip Randolph, and others are part of the story as well. But the Black Cabinet was never officially recognized by FDR, and with the demise of the New Deal, it disappeared from history.

Jill Watts's The Black Cabinet is a dramatic full-scale examination of a forgotten moment that speaks directly to our own.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Race, American History, Biography, Social Justice

560 pages, Hardcover

First published May 12, 2020

Reviews

[Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have ever taken an American History course, the topic of the Black Cabinet usually gets a cursory overview. The Black Cabinet is usually described as a group of African American leaders and intellectuals who President Franklin Roosevelt assembled to advise him on issues important to the African American community. That well known description is FALSE. In Jill Watts’ new book, she tells the true story of how the Black Cabinet formed in the FDR years and the successes and failures that the group faced.

The Black Cabinet is a well-researched book on the history of national African American politics from the early 20th Century through the age of Franklin Roosevelt. Readers will be amazed to learn about the Black Cabinet’s roots and its battles with Presidents of both parties in the first three decades of the 20th Century. However, things began to change during the Depression years and the African American vote which had been reliably Republican since the time of Lincoln was now up for grabs. Lifelong Black Republicans began to flirt with voting for the Democrats and in 1932 Franklin Roosevelt is elected president, with the help of Black votes, promising a New Deal for the American people. However the New Deal was not beneficial to African Americans at the very beginning and throughout FDR’s tenure; progress for African Americans came in fits and starts. The Black Cabinet was influential in pushing and advocating for policies that would help African Americans. Watts’ unveils that the Black Cabinet consisted of over 100 members but had five core influential members: Mary McLeod Bethune, the titular leader of the Cabinet, Robert Weaver, Bill Hastie, Al Smith, and Robert Vann. Many students of African American history may be familiar with Bethune but may not be familiar with her “boys” as they were affectionately called. Watts does a great job covering their lives, their successes and the challenges they faced as Black Cabinet members. All five core members had to fight to be heard and were strong advocates for their causes, all at the risk of losing their jobs, being transferred to other agencies, or being labeled a Communist by Members of Congress.

Many American historical books put the president as the focal point of the story; however Watts’ book does not do that. FDR is of course an important figure but this book is about the bureaucratic figures behind the scenes that pushed for change. The members of the Black Cabinet were not officially appointed by FDR, neither were they confirmed by the Senate, but these informal leaders and scholars had a major impact on civil rights and economic policies affecting African Americans in the 1930s and 1940s. They were also precursors to the modern Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Many of the policies that they advocated for did not come into fruition during their time in the Roosevelt administration but were enacted in the decades to come. Watts’ phenomenal book sheds light on these figures; they need to be known by more people. Students of history and politics will enjoy reading this groundbreaking work.

Thanks to NetGalley, Grove Press, and Jill Watts for a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

My review can also be found on Medium: https://medium.com/ballasts-for-the-m...

I also hosted a book discussion with the author on May 17, 2020. You can read the highlights here: https://medium.com/ballasts-for-the-m...

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Jill Watts, Grove Atlantic, and Grove Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

I stumbled upon this book by Jill Watts a while back and thought that it would make the perfect addition to my collection, as I seek to open my mind about all things related to politics and history, particularly those that were not as well-known. As race clashes rise to the surface once again on America, Watts takes the reader back in time to after the dust of the Civil War, and one president in particular who sought to begin offering a degree of racial equality. Watts explores how the freeing of the slaves and those who were oppressed came slowly to American society, so used to having the inequality in place. Watts hints that some of the post-War presidents flirted with the idea of advisors and those who could speak for the black population, though no one really gave much effort until Theodore Roosevelt during his time in the White House. Teddy opened some doors, but things within the Republican Party began to fray for the African American population, as it soon became apparent that Roosevelt was giving only lip service to the needs and desires of the black population. With the Great Depression and the ushering in of a new dawn with Franklin Roosevelt, there seemed to be hope, particularly when the new President Roosevelt wanted advisors within many of the government agencies who were African Americans, shaping the approach of service delivery as well as a different approach to how America might be run. While not a formal inner circle, there was a loose name given to this group, the Black Cabinet. This group would meet and their quasi-leader, Mary McLean Bethune, was a strong advocate, holding FDR and the larger government machine accountable. While the New Deal was being apportioned out, Bethune liaised regularly with FDR (and his wife) and kept up a rigorous speaking tour to rally citizens towards the rights of blacks in this new and adventurous country. This continued and Bethune stumped for FDR’s re-election happily, helping Democrats toss off the image of the party for slavery, as the roles were reversed. Bethune did all she could, using others within the Black Cabinet to help her, giving hope to a population who were so used to being oppressed. Watts shows how new issues were explored through the Black lens and FDR relied on Bethune and her advisors to offer solutions. However, as war rumbled in Europe, the New Deal began to show weakness, though FDR held firm to using Bethune’s power of drumming up support to ensure an unprecedented third term in the White House. With that, the neutrality that FDR pitched was in name only, as funds were shifted around to support a war effort. Bethune sought to capitalize on this, seeking black participation in all aspects of military life and integration as a key part of the entire process. Military officials balked and pushed back as much as they could, though FDR knew he would have to offer something or turn his back on Bethune and the Black Cabinet, sure to alienate the voting base they controlled. Into the 1940s, American sentiments shifted and there was no longer a New Deal sentiment. Watts closes her book out in the early days after FDR’s 1944 presidential victory. With the win, FDR sought to end the war, though his health ended him first. With his passing, so went the push for the Black Cabinet and strong advocacy for black rights. It did return in the form of other leaders, but Watts argues that none had the ear of or the inner connection to the African American population that FDR held. A powerful book and eye opening for those who enjoy this sort of piece. I’d recommended it to fans of US political history, as well as those who find race relations to their liking.

I won’t profess to being an expert at all on this subject and read it more out of interest. I enjoyed how Watts took the reader through the backstory of post-Civil War America and how it came together effectively to show the sentiments of the new ‘black’ population, those who mattered and were no longer simply chattel. The rise to importance of this race, seeking equality, can be seen in the early part of the book, though things were slow and somewhat stilted as the population (and politicians) sought to come to terms with this new attempted equality. Watts explores the interest FDR took in the movement and how he was kept in the loop repeatedly by those he felt could offer him a new ‘black’ perspective. Watts breaks things up along the FDR presidential elections, showing how important the black voice and vote became as time contained, with Mary McLean Bethune acting as a conduit throughout the process. With chapters that show the advancement (or reversion) of policies as they play into the hands of the black population, Watts shows how things wax and wane at different times. With decent chapter lengths and a great deal of information, the reader can digest the topics with ease, helped along by a chronological narrative that flows with ease. Watts develops her strong points throughout and shows that FDR was a harbinger for better race relations in the United States, though there was surely much that needed to be done. However, he took the black voice seriously, not pretending to speak for them, but using some of their own to speak to him. Brilliantly penned and something I will return to read again, of that I am sure.

Kudos, Madam Watts, for shedding such a needed light on the topic at hand. I learned so very much from this book and cannot wait to try more of your work.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1944 when it had reached its end, one member of the Black Cabinet wrote: “The black cabinet was a power.....in spite of what you’ve heard and read, there were a dozen Negro advisers in government who could mold governmental policy in housing, employment, legal, justice, education, health and relief.”

This book was really comprehensive, beginning with an earlier group of advisers in the early 1900s. It’s primary focus, however, was on an informal group of African Americans hired by New Deal agencies and cabinet departments, including: Robert Vann, Henry Hunt, Eugene Kinckle Jones, Forrester Washington, Lawrence Oxley, William Thompkins, Bill Hastie and Robert Weaver. Mary McLeod Bethune, educator, feminist and friend of Eleanor Roosevelt, was given extensive coverage. FDR wasn’t really interested in hearing the advice of the Black Cabinet members, but they persisted in trying every possible leverage they could summon. I’ve read several American history books in the last year and I’m a little tired of reading that the roadblock to doing what was right was always the desire to appease Southern voters. ‘Oh no, we can’t [abolish slavery, pass an anti-lynching law, desegregate the Navy, etc.], the South would never allow it.’ “....FDR and the Democrats had dispensed choice White House patronage positions to many white loyalists from below the Mason-Dixon line. This placed Roosevelt behind a solid barrier of white southerners who controlled the Oval Office.”

I found the book interesting and educational, but there was a little too much detail for me. There were so many attempts ( and failures) to make progress, and so much infighting. Nevertheless, I have nothing but respect and gratitude for those men and women who worked so hard for what they believed in. “While these members of the Black Cabinet diverged in backgrounds and approach, all agreed on two key points: they shared a common goal in securing human rights and social justice for African Americans; and they all maintained faith that American democracy and its system of government provided the framework through which that goal could be achieved.”

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

[Don Gerstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard to believe the level of racism present in the United States less than a century ago. From the backroads to the halls of government, there were restrictions so that the races would not have to mix. Stir in the Roosevelt years of the Great Depression and you begin to understand the issues that challenged those who dedicated their time and energy to create equality among all Americans.

The Black Cabinet was the unofficial name for a brain trust of African Americans during the presidential years of FDR. Initially, a few were given token hires within the government where they were supposed to be able to give their insight and ensure both blacks and whites received aid during the Great Depression. They themselves experienced racism in their departments. Non-whites were not allowed to eat in the department dining room, and at one point, the entire secretarial pool refused to work for one of these pioneers. These were the years when the Democrats and Republicans battled over votes of the African American community, even though both sides promised much and delivered little. Those in the Black Cabinet battled a President who would listen yet hesitated to move forward due to political issues, and administrators who marginalized and blocked their efforts. Yet though there were many setbacks, there were accomplishments that are described in the book.

Author Jill Watts provides deep detail of the people involved, painting a picture of their backgrounds and how they ended up becoming a part of the Black Cabinet. While most of us remember reading the skeletal history of the Great Depression and Roosevelt’s New Deal, never before have I had the opportunity to be able to learn about this slice of history, one that had great effect upon the United States. The author backs up her work with a long section of references as well as an extensive listing of books and pamphlets. The research is impressive and adds many small items that enrich the story. Though the book is long the detail keeps it interesting. Five stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Grove Press for a complimentary ebook of this title.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit that I'm leery of reading books about black historical events by white authors. The voice feels condescending at times and most always tends to be sympathetic to the white people that had to coexist among black people. *GASP*

Jill Watts delivered a well researched and thorough work of nonfiction in The Black Cabinet: The Untold Story of African Americans and Politics During the Age of Roosevelt. The evolution of it's members, the backstory of the Republican and Democratic parties and the vital role The Black Cabinet played in the Presidential elections of that era leading to FDR's tenure and his New Deal.

On more than a dozen occasions, I found myself comparing the political and racial climate of today to that of the 1930s and 1940s. The blantant disregard for black lives until their vote is needed. The publicly racist views of a president and/or his lack of a response to acts of terrorism towards black people speaking volumes to and empowering the racists of the country to express their rage toward the innocent is ever present today. The similarities between 1932 and 2020 do not surprise me. It saddens me. Yet, there's always a voice (or 4) unafraid to speak for the voiceless.

As a native of Daytona Beach, Florida, Mary McLeod Bethune and her institution, Bethune Cookman College (University) were engrained in me. History, right next door. I was familiar with her role as an educator and advocate for womens' rights. Her involvement with The Black Cabinet and role as a political influencer has not been given it's just due, until now. Jill Watts beautifully chronicles the evolution of The Black Cabinet and how influential this group was in advocating for African Americans while simultaneously battling racism, nepotism and all the other-isms of the day. FDR was a key figure but this story focuses on Mary McLeod Bethune the defacto leader, nurturing and inspiring the other key members of The Black Cabinet: Robert Vann, Bill Hastie, Robert Weaver and Al Smith. Reading about this strong black woman leading this squadron of strong black men was moving for me. The bright and bold Black Americans named in this book is a true gift and a piece of our American history that should be told and shared.


Thank you to NetGalley and Jill Watts for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Lulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Black Cabinet was the unofficial name for a group of Black Americans who were public policy advisors (for black issues) during FDR’s presidency .

This book covers the black vote in America and how important it is today. It also covers the switch in political parties for black Americans and the foundation it laid for civil rights. There were over 100 members in the Cabinet, but this covers the most influential including Mary McLeod Bethune and Dr. Robert Weaver.

I feel like this should be part of the required curriculum in high school and college. The author did an outstanding job with research and presenting the facts as they were.

[Caleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary McLeod Bethune is not discussed often enough in mainstream history classes. She was remarkable even by modern standards. This book made me want to learn more about the green book used for travel by people of color.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

***I was granted an ARC of this via Netgalley from the publisher.***

When we think about the strides made in civil rights for African Americans in the US today, we usually think back to the 1960s and the likes of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Others even further back to WEB Du Bois and Marcus Garvey. However, much or at least not enough attention has been paid to the group known as the Black Cabinet, a group whose exploits are chronicled in the book the Black Cabinet: The Untold Story of African Americans and Politics During the Age of Roosevelt by Jill Watts. In this book, Watts covers the beginnings and decline of this group of black federal employees under the Theodore Roosevelt and its reemergence under the presidency of FDR with the likes of Mary Mcleod Bethune, William Hastie, and others. Watts looks at their struggle to obtain the benefits of the New Deal for African Americans, keep their jobs in the federal government and not look like they were selling out to the black community when at times it looked like their efforts were not successful. Watts does an excellent job of relating their highs and lows bringing the lives of these incredible African American men and women into focus. This book goes to remind the reader that much of the advances in civil rights has been through the vocal and silent efforts of black federal administrators and grassroots organizations demanding changes rather than it being handed to them. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and receiving an education on this part of American history.
Rating: 5/5 stars. Would highly recommend to a friend.

[Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am sad to say that the topic of the Black Cabinet was not taught to me in high school or college, and all of this information was new to me. I am glad to have read the book, but disappointed in my history teachers and professors. When will America realize that Black History is simply History. We should not have to take a class with the word Black in front of history in order to learn about the Black people who created history in our country.

Ms. Watts takes apart the idea that this group of Black Americans was assembled to advise FDR on issues important to the Black community. She shares why the cabinet is formed and what worked well and what didn't. The book is thorough and well-researched and exposed me to people I didn't previously know about, but also to some problems in the New Deal that I didn't know about. I will be honest and say that I have always had a rose-colored glasses view of Roosevelt's New Deal. I have admired his policies that helped to bring the US out of the depression, built infrastructure and put people to work. After reading this book I am now aware of the disparity between how it worked for Whites versus Blacks. It shouldn't be surprising, of course. But I still find it disappointing. And after realizing how the Black vote aided FDR in his bid for the presidency I was left feeling sad and angry.

In The Black Cabinet, Watts’ tells the story of five influential members (out of more than 100) who were most instrumental in making history: Mary McLeod Bethune, the titular leader of the Cabinet, Robert Weaver, Bill Hastie, Al Smith, and Robert Vann. (By the way, I love that the biggest name is a woman!) These five members had to fight at every step. They risked their jobs. They were labeled Communists. They were incredibly strong advocates and I am glad to now know their names. Their impact on policies in the 1930s and 1940s is far-reaching. And, although quite a few of the policies they fought for were not enacted, they often came into use much later.

I am glad to have read this one. I learned a lot

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS. SHOULD. BE. REQUIRED. READING.

Filled with so much history, much that is never [or seldom] told [I know that I knew very little of what I read], this should be required reading for everyone. It once again tells of how the white supremacy tried to push people of color down and how they rose and rose and rose and even with much adversity, not only survived, but thrived and grew. Led by Mary McLeod Bethune [who seriously did not know what NO meant, especially when it was a NO because of the color of her skin or because she was a woman or both], The Black Cabinet was an important part of America's history and of the time of FDR. I was constantly flabbergasted by what I was reading - so many things that are continually hid from America - it is important that we know our history, good or bad. FDR, while doing much good for this country, was very slow in helping black America and the problems of housing, jobs and the hideous practice of lynching. And while we cannot discount all the good he DID do for this country, learning about his unwillingness to address the practice of lynching and decrying it as evil and punishable was extremely disheartening. And really makes the good he DID do look trivial and inconsequential.

I highly recommend this book and I also recommend the audiobook, read by the incomparable Bahni Turpin. Ms. Turpin makes this book come alive and brings you right into the time and actions that are going on. It is one of the better narrations I have listened to in a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic/Grove Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Obsidian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please note that I received this book via NetGalley. This did not affect my rating or review.

Not too much to say. This was a solid book of history though a bit dry at times (as much history books are) and I enjoyed it. I honestly recall hearing about this when I was in college, but had no idea about the "Black Cabinet" during high school. Since I focused most of my studies on Far East Asia, I never really delved deeper into U.S. history after my degree prerequisites. I think Jill Watts does a great job of providing details about the period of time (during the Franklin D. Roosevelt years of 1933-1945).

I thought that that this book was eye-opening about racism that many of this officials had to deal with. Many were seen as "token" hires and had to deal with discrimination in the cabinets/departments there were working in and or heading up. I think many would want to give Roosevelt some credit here, but you also see how a lot of times he did nothing more than lip service. For example, a lot of African Americans did not benefit at all from many of the New Deal Acts that were passed. Shocking I know.

One of the most important things about the men and women who belonged to this group was the fact that they laid the foundation to the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s in the United States.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Black Cabinet is a deep dive into how the unofficial group of Black intellectuals brought about social change during the FDR years. Part one swiftly covers the early 20th century where things were pretty bleak all around. I was especially angry after reading about many presidents how blatantly allowed lynchings and refused to outlaw them.

I especially loved learning more about Mary McLeod Bethune as the Black women's center in my hometown was named after her. Her friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt was vital to the cabinet being taken seriously by the president and his immediate staff.  This is quite a fact-heavy book that includes surfaced stories of smaller figures who helped shaped the cabinet. It leans more into historical text that presents what happened and less of a narrative text with commentary. I highly recommend this to be taught in schools to shine a light on how hard and long people have been fighting for civil rights in America.

Full review on my blog: https://teresaelectro.wordpress.com/2...

Reviewed as part of Cannonball Read 12, an annual memorial book challenge to fight cancer one book at a time. More info on CannonballRead.com

[Josh Hedgepeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book provided by NetGalley

You can watch my reading vlog and review on my YouTube Channel;

5/5 stars
I approached Jill Watt’s book with a little trepidation. I was intrigued by the concept and the topic because it’s not something I’ve ever heard of. History is not my profession, and I know there’s always more for me to learn. As the publication data approached I grew wary of reading it. It wasn’t that I wasn’t interested in learning about what was in it; I was just worried about my ability to comprehend what I read. Some of these more academic books can be really difficult to get into and read through. It doesn’t help that I’m a better reader when listening to audiobooks. Lucky for me, May was a tough month, and I was late to reading this. By the time I got to it the book was published. The audiobook was out. So I chose to listen to it. And I’m glad I did because I ended loving the audiobook. What’s more, I also think this would probably make a fantastic book to read physically as well.

The black cabinet first informally started in the age of Theodore Roosevelt, not long after the reconstruction when we begin to see a few black figures begin to get a voice in the federal government. Unfortunately this is also the time of the reconstruction when the federal government was supposed to be keeping the South from implementing things like Jim Crow, basically forcing them to follow the law rather than be resistant as they were prone to do.

Unfortunately, black Americans proved to be more trouble than it was worth, so the Republican party decided to let it go. Any issues to do with black Americans was put to the sideline. Voices were ignored and after Theodore Roosevelt left the office the few people in the black cabinet were removed from the federal government and lost any sway they might have had. A few presidencies passed and we begin to see a few voices pushing back on this idea that the Republican party as the party of African Americans.

African-Americans may have played a part in the election of Woodrow Wilson, but that democratic win was also in part due to a third party candidate. Around the time of FDR we begin to see black Americans really pushing for his election. We see people thinking that this might be the candidate who can represent them and can make things happen.

When he finally is elected, we begin to see a few African Americans again in positions of power. They weren’t a cohesive group of people, nor was it anything formal orchestrated by FDR. These were just a few individuals placed throughout the federal government or in organizations tied to the government. In fact fractions begin to form as certain African Americans push back against each other in the fight for civil rights and equality.

Income Mary Bethune and things change. Where there was a fraction there was now a group of people held together by this amazing woman who was capable of inspiring and leading them into standing together. Across FDR’s several administrations, they would go on to decrease black unemployment and increase funding in black American education. They fought for in the military, but this battle was not completed before FDR’s death in his fourth term.

While by the end of the book we may begin to feel a bit disenfranchised by all the ways in which they failed to get everything they had strove for, Watts still helps us recognize that despite their shortcomings they played an immeasurable part in the move towards civil rights. They set the stage for Kennedy who introduced the civil Rights act. Even before him, FDR’s successor would go on to desegregate the military, something FDR fought against out of fear or apathy. Of course, eventually Johnson would sign into law the civil rights act. Johnson had a had a relationship with Bethune before he took office, and it is impossible to measure the effect that kind of connection may have had on him. Many of the civil rights figures, who you may be more familiar with, were inspired by people like Mary Bethune.

In all of this, FDR is often remembered as being responsible for putting together this group of people to help advise him. However, that is not the case. The reason in which they could not get everything they wanted was because of FDR and his cabinet. FDR may not have played an active role in fighting them, but he stood by and let the rest of his administration do that for him. Either out of a desire to prevent it or a apathy toward African American, he would consistently fail to act. Any of the few actions that may have happened under his presidency were done very much against his will. To him the problems about the Americans were too much of a risk.

In his death he may have been memorialized as this civil rights figure, but it is important to recognize that the progress of his time was not due to him. It was due to this group of people who fought him every step of the way. While his untimely death (well he did get elected four times) may have caused a slight rewriting of history, it’s important to remember that this was because of a group of African Americans who put themselves at risk to fight for equality and they deserve to be remembered. What’s more, I think this book is very relevant today when we think about the existing inequalities whose existence is similarly denied or marked as unavoidable. What’s more, it speaks to the need for representation. When people say why do we need a women of color VP, this is why. They aren’t just overlooked when qualified, their viewpoints are necessary to truly overcome our inequalities.

Now the book itself was fantastic. There were times where I got a bit lost. A part of that is just because it is very detailed, and there are a lot of names we need to remember. Mary Bethune is just a leader here, and there are four or five other important figures who you might want to take note of. I mentioned them in my video review and vlog. Watts begins the book with an introduction where she talks about this basic setup of Bethune guiding the black cabinet and her relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt and how FDR really played no part in the black cabinet. However, I would have liked if she had mentioned the other key figures there too just so that I would have known to keep an eye out for those figures. When we’re talking about so many different individuals in history, it’s easy for these more significant individuals to get lost in the details. Once I identified them I did a better job keeping up, but that was really my only complaint in this book.

However, even with that one complaint I never stopped being thoroughly engaged. I enjoyed reading this. I did not want to stop; I wanted to find out what happened next even if have a general idea of what was to come. I was also just very excited to learn about history and politics. I’m excited to continue learning and to find other resources about the past. I’m interested in learning more about the civil rights movement and the different people who played a role in the past and the intricacies that are often lost in the history books. For that, I applaud Watts.

I adore this book, and I’m so happy that I read it. Any hesitation I had about it being too academic or too difficult to read was wrong. I highly recommend this book if you have any interest in the history of civil rights movement or politics because it is fascinating for all of those reasons.

Update January 2020
Reflecting of the rest of 2020, I realize this book was even better than I realized. It deserved 5 star instead of the 4.5/5 I originally gave it.
Check out my top Nonfiction Books of 2020 list where I talk about how much I love it!

[Tonstant Weader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Black Cabinet is a history of the informal group of Black federal employees who worked within FDR’s New Deal agencies in order to influence them to help Black Americans. They helped ensure that Black people were hired by New Deal jobs programs like the WPA and the CCC. This history also tracks the history of the Black vote shifting from the party of Lincoln to the party of Roosevelt.


The Black Cabinet in 1938
Republicans took the Black vote for granted, believing they were still owed for Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation sixty years after it happened. However, Black people were devastated by the Depression and the GOP philosophy of limited government made it worse. With FDR, they saw a belief in an activist, involved government. Wisely, they reasoned that a government willing to regulate business to protect workers could become willing to regulate in order to protect civil rights while a party that believed in keeping its hands off could never come around to using the law to guarantee the rights of Black people.

With amazing details such as how a manicurist made the initial personal connection that led to Black leaders agreeing to support the Democratic Party, a party deeply associated with slavery and the Klan. They believed by helping Democrats win, they could influence policy and their gamble paid off, though not nearly so well as they hoped.



The Black Cabinet is fascinating, full of the small personal details that make history so engrossing. It also shows the throughline of civil rights activism throughout the 20th century. Fans of FDR will probably be disappointed. He is so often a distant figure, one who is most consistent in reluctance to lead on civil rights when he was focused on the Depression and World War II. Eleanor is far more active and has a much bigger role in this history. It is definitely a history of two steps forward and one step back – as is the history of Black liberation.

I would recommend The Black Cabinet to anyone interested in the history of civil rights and Black liberation. The New Deal played a huge part in building the middle class and middle class wealth such as housing equity and more. The New Deal did far less for Black people, creating a wealth gap that continues to this day. But imagine if the New Deal had gone forward without the tempering influence of The Black Cabinet.

I received an e-galley of The Black Cabinet from the publisher through Edelweiss.
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...

[George1st · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although not American I have always had an interest in its culture, politics and history and in recent years I have witnessed an uncovering of past events leading to a reassessment of previously accepted beliefs and interpretations. Jill Watt's has here produced a powerful and moving examination of a deeply significant but hidden contribution to the struggle of African American's to achieve social justice and equality. This is at times a complex story but Watt's masterly work tells how a group of African Americans known as The Black Cabinet or Black Brain Trust would form an unofficial group serving as public policy advisers during FDR's New Deal Administration.

This is a story of courage, determination and sheer willpower as The Black Cabinet would face an administration that was at best apathetic and at worst hostile to the plight of the African American community. This was a time when Roosevelt was fearful of the power of the Southern segregationist Democratic Party and that they would derail his New Deal.

This is a shocking story and although I was aware of the existence of Jim Crow laws below the Mason Dixon Line I was unaware that as late as the 1940's federal buildings in Washington DC were rigidly segregated including offices, toilets and drinking fountains. Here we learn of how through The Black Cabinet's influence African Americans would switch from voting Republican to Democrat and how they pioneered federal anti-discrimination guidelines ensuring that African Americans would benefit from the new deal. Comprehensive biographies of the main participants are found here together with an appreciation of their lasting legacy for they laid the groundwork for the success of the post war civil rights movement. To understand the present you need to understand the past and I therefore recommend this book to all those interested in American politics and history.

[Read-n-Bloom · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay book on a group of African American men and women, especially Mary McLeod Bethune, who worked together in the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, on behalf of African Americans. The FDR administration really did not help the African American man and woman, though history writes it as FDR did and even then news reported he was a great helper of them. There was great submission to the white southern democrats who carried at that time strong racial resentment and hate against the African American. But the Black Cabinet worked together to try to change things for their African American family. And because of their efforts they helped to change things for them and help them.

[Christine]

Jill watts did an amazing job of explaining the black cabinet and there contributions for change in america. It was a great start we still have a ways to go. It was a history lesson that I wish I would have had in school. She gave you a look at how African Americans were treated while working in the federal government and the programs they started. I have a different appreciation for the new deal and how the government needed to take care of all americans. I have a better understanding of the hatch act. Robert Weaver Mary McLeod Bethune and the other members should be celebrated. Looking forward to reading other books by Ms. Watts thank you mocha girls read for the recommendation.

[Porter Broyles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever hear of Mary McLeod Bethune?

I had, but only because I had heard of Bethune-Cookman college.

Had I seen a book about her, I would not have picked it up.

This book could easily have been retitled "Mary McLeod Bethune", but if it had been would anybody pick it up. I know that I would not have. A book about the "Black Cabinet", that's a different story. The catch is that the Mary McLeod Bethune became the power behind the "black cabinet".

[BernieMck · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that shines a light on a group of black people that worked tirelessly, in the White House, to get African Americans the rights they inherently deserve, in spite of segegation and Jim Crow. This book is packed with information that every American should be privy to.

[Leatrice · Rating 2 out of 5]

A interesting read about Blacks in politics. Just a little long and seemed a little repetitive some parts.

[DEBORAH SHAW · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is something I never learned in school! The most important thing learned is these individuals fought a long hard battle for rights etc.. and the battle still needs to be fought! Individuals need to vote local, national. Keep their voices heard.

[Koko · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this book at all, it is 4 times too long. It is extremely repetitive . I don't understand the high ratings. Best thing about this book is Bahni Turpin does the audio version. Nonfiction books do not have to be boring (see my review of Free State of Jones or Hidden Figures).

[Daniel Poeana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent, in-depth, and worthwhile history to read and digest. Jill Watts unearths how Black men and women collaborated and fought for civil rights within the federal government from the early 20th century to the end of World War 2, laying the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement.

Watts especially emphasizes the role and influence of Mary McLeod Bethune, a Christian Black woman and president of Bethune-Cookman University (a HBCU in Daytona Beach, FL), who united Black federal employees across departments and agencies into a Black Cabinet to advocate for civil rights and fight the influence of Southern Jim Crow on DC.

In this book, you’ll experience the following themes:

* How the GOP took the Black vote for granted since the Civil War concluded, and how Black voters eventually transitioned their support to the Democratic Party
* How Black representation grew in the Federal Government throughout the early 20th century
* The advent of tools like affirmative action and anti-discrimination clauses in federal contracts
* The fight against federal policies and programs that by design disadvantaged Black Americans
* How Black Americans viewed the New Deal as an opportunity to close economic gaps and the role of racial affairs advisors within federal agencies and programs
* Attempts by anti-Communists in the House to investigate Black civil rights advocates as alleged subversives
* Attempts by Black Americans to unite resources into collective action—both the successes and struggles
* The role of the Black press on American political thought and practice
* Bethune’s close and unique relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt
* FDR’s enigmatic position on race and equality in America especially as he attempted to hold onto Southern Democratic votes that could neutralize his presidency and economic agenda
* The juxtaposition of America’s fight against fascism while preserving Jim Crow and the subjugation of Black Americans at home
* Attempts to proliferate and institute Southern Jim Crow within federal buildings and programs

For me, this history was new and highlighted how surveys of US history tend to skip the plight of Black Americans between the period of Reconstruction and the verdict in Brown v Board of Education. Several weeks ago, I found a LIFE magazine from the 1980’s commemorating the life of FDR, and hidden deep within the book was a small portrait of Mary McLeod Bethune with a one sentence caption, a easter egg hinting at a greater story if you seek it. You’ll learn the names and histories of many Black men and women like Robert Weaver (the first Black federal cabinet head) and Bill Hastie (the first Black federal appellate judge).

[Laura Hoffman Brauman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up expecting to learn more about the Black Cabinet, an unofficial group of African Americans in politics during the 1930’s and 1940’s. Watts absolutely delivered on that - from a political history perspective, there was much here that I didn’t know and I appreciated the insight that I gained on what was happening behind the scenes in American government at the time. What I valued even more was what I didn’t know I was going to learn going into this reading experience. Nothing in my education about the Great Depression or the New Deal examined the experiences of Black Americans at this time. While issues of general discrimination at the time were taught, I don’t recall anything in my history classes that specifically called out the ways that the New Deal programs worsened situations for Black Americans. It was very educational to see how Watts examined this issue and explored the impact of the government programs that I had always heard spoken of as being beneficial to Americans. It’s one more example for me of the way our educational systems are biased - this should absolutely be a part of our curriculum in our schools. I also really appreciated the way Watts expanded my perspective on the Civil Rights movement. With the exception of Mary McLeod Bethune (who I only had a surface knowledge of and who I really want to read more about - what an amazing woman), most of the leaders discussed in this book were not familiar to me. I wasn’t aware of how big my knowledge gap was on this time period of the Civil Rights movement and it was good to dig into this and learn about the leaders who were doing the good and difficult work during the 1930’s and early 1940’s. Again - more information that should be part of our educational curriculum.

[Michael Grega · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was blown away by this novel. Perhaps one of my favorite historical reads to date. Watts worked meticulously to craft a narrative of which wasn’t shared with me in classes nor discussed much in New Deal history books. She presents a convincing counter argument to the idea that civil rights activism was stagnant throughout much of the Depression-WW2 era. Well researched with a strong ending, this is a must read for any history buffs or for those interested in civil rights history.

[Peg - The History Shelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in a long while, a book comes along that pulls back the curtain on an unheralded time in America’s civil rights past and leaves one inspired and eager to learn more. The Black Cabinet: The Untold Story of African Americans and Politics During the Age of Roosevelt by Jill Watts is an invaluable historical contribution to an overlooked era of American history that had far-reaching impacts for African American civil rights movements still to be born.

Jill Watts is the author of several books, including Hattie McDaniel: Black Ambition, White Hollywood, and professor of history at California State University San Marcos. Investing 12 years of research into The Black Cabinet, she documents a largely forgotten and clandestine unofficial council of African American economists, educators, journalists, and lawyers who advised the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration on racial affairs during the Depression Era and, eventually, beyond. This “Black Cabinet” of experts were the vanguard of a new movement that fought not only to improve the economic plight of African Americans under FDR’s New Deal of the 1930s, but to secure equality and justice for an oppressed and often persecuted and terrorized minority.

Under the indomitable leadership of the accomplished, confident, and determined African American educator, Mary McLeod Bethune, the Black Cabinet contained a bustling and often bristling coterie of the best and brightest. While bitter rivalries were often rife among the mostly male Cabinet, the shared belief and commitment to achieving black equality under the law was the glue cementing this diverse set of backgrounds and personalities.

Watts brings to life these fascinating and inspiring lives, such as Robert Weaver, economist and longest living member of the Black Cabinet, whose perseverance would result in the first appointment of an African American to the “white” cabinet of President Lyndon B. Johnson as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Robert Vann, prominent newspaper editor essential in shifting black votes and political loyalties away from the Republican Party and to the Democrats; William “Bill” Hastie, lawyer and civil rights advocate who went on to become the first African American governor of the Virgin Islands, in addition to being named as a federal appellate judge later in life. To be sure, the Black Cabinet contained many other, slightly less prominent—but no less important—members throughout its existence, and Watts includes them and their contributions with exhaustive research (the bibliography and notes are must reads, as well). She also does yeoman’s work describing the often tedious work these sterling minds were given as early federal appointees in FDR’s new administration, the discrimination they fought and suffered, and ultimately, the groundwork they laid for future generations of civil rights warriors, both within and outside the government.

However, the biggest star of Watt’s book is the “star-led” woman who acted as the sun to the orbiting male minds who displayed little of the contemporary misogyny of the time. Mary McLeod Bethune was a force that kept the Black Cabinet on point and united even when its internecine quarrels threatened to end it, time and again. Bethune rightly deserves her own full-length biography. Born to former slaves in 1875, the fifteenth of seventeen children, she was an excellent student with huge ambitions that led to her founding her own school that eventually became Bethune-Cookman College (now University) in Daytona, Florida, in 1929. A lifelong Republican up until Roosevelt’s candidacy, Bethune grew disgusted with the continued lip service of the increasingly discriminatory Republicans and encouraged the black community give the Democrat Party and Roosevelt a chance. The enduring friendship of Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt mark some of the warmest passages in the book, at the same time highlighting the influence Bethune exercised within the Roosevelt administration and her own Black Cabinet circle.

The Black Cabinet also explores the inner workings of New Deal governmental agencies and the many obstructions the racial affairs advisers ran into over and over. Watts shows how the Black Cabinet seized the unique opportunity as Federal workers to not only advocate and build financial relief programs for Depression-era blacks, they believed the New Deal offered the chance to fight discrimination and injustice at all levels of society. Their work consisted of building coalitions and advocating for equal employment opportunities, fair wages, as well as the urgent appeals for passing anti-lynching legislation, to name only a few of their long list of civil rights demands. Many were not achieved during their lifetimes, but the seeds were planted.

Watts’s elegant and understated writing never leads the reader by the nose, but rather lets these vanguard civil rights leaders speak for themselves. The Black Cabinet is essential reading, now more than ever, to remind Americans of how long and hard the road to achieving civil rights was and still often is for African Americans. The courage, dignity, and fortitude of the men and women of the Black Cabinet serve as a continuing inspiration for all of us.

- Peggy

Also check out my video review at my BookTube channel: https://youtu.be/FvOlm2xrOvY

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected and Important

I went into this book believing I knew something about this period and some of the people Jill Watts chronicles. I was shockingly and happily wrong. Watts unearths an incredibly important time in U.S. history and offers us the gift of some truly vital American pioneers and civil rights warriors.

[Ron Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the dark side of the FDR era. South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn cited this as an example of how African-Americans can't be left out of Build Back Better like they were with the New Deal.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

In The Black Cabinet, Jill Watts excels at providing nuanced historical context that I wasn’t aware of, especially in the early going, sometimes just in a simple parenthetical; it’s rather fitting, given that the entire subject of the book is a group that I had never been aware of. The Black Cabinet’s relative obscurity in history is fitting, as the president with whom they are most associated, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, never even acknowledged, much less sanctioned, its existence.

The Black Cabinet originated informally in 1908, the name a joking reference to “Le Cabinet Noir,” a group supporting the eighteenth-century French royalty by suppressing political opponents. Despite the influence of Booker T. Washington, they were little enough known that when William Howard Taft assumed the presidency from Theodore Roosevelt, he was unaware of the group. A version of this Black Cabinet lasted until the presidency of Woodrow Wilson, whose candidacy some notable black leaders, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, backed, arguing that he could not be any worse with respect to race relations than were Roosevelt or Taft, but he proved to in fact be so, in line with what might have been expected of a southern Democrat at the time, and his administration quickly set to work removing African Americans from federal positions, effectively undermining any power that the Black Cabinet, comprised mainly of black federal employees, still had.

Such jobs had largely been handed out by whites who considered them to be solid Republican party boosters, and were considered patronage jobs, intended to ensure the loyalty of the black vote without giving them any true power, which the people given the jobs had to work to secure for themselves. FDR’s candidacy was the first time that the Democratic Party felt emboldened to actively pursue black voters, and they were somewhat successful in doing so, in party because they encouraged African Americans to stay registered as Republicans, the party familiar to them, if they wanted, while voting Democratic in the general election. Much of the thinking of the African Americans who voted for Roosevelt was that they could help to put him over the top with the hope of making him beholden to them, though this had not worked in the case of their giving decisive support to Republicans in the past and seemed unlikely to work in this case, given that the Democratic coalition was heavily still heavily dependent on white Southerners promoting white supremacy.

The black community was concerned that African Americans appointed to federal positions by the Roosevelt administration were at risk of becoming little more than symbolic stamps of approval, conferring the presumed imprimatur of approval from the black community, rather than being able to serve in a way meaningful related to their job titles, which were commonly along the lines of racial-affairs advisor. In 1934, a group of people in such positions was formally coined the Black Cabinet, by the same black press who had made the original Black Cabinet known to the extent that it was, bringing the sobriquet and in so doing establishing what was then a loose collection of colleagues into something that became an institution in part by virtue of having been discussed as already being one.

As might be expected given such a start, the black press played a large role in the second Black Cabinet’s story from the beginning, and not always in desirable ways; the introduction of the cabinet members to the public was one they deemed overly negative, and so they set about immediately countering by commissioning pieces puffing themselves up to counter the substantial critiques that they were facing. Later, black newspapers would become a battleground between factions of the cabinet, sometimes posing behind pen names and exposing the backroom discussions and workings of the collective. This internal squabbling, too, was a defining trait of the Black Cabinet, and increasingly so as the number of black federal employees, and thus the size of the cabinet as well, grew; the number of different ways of thinking and different approaches eventually allowed for battle lines to be drawn on multiple fronts, which didn’t so much break the group apart so much as lead to inaction in any one direction, and a state of affairs such that the only effective action was undertaken more or less individually.

Before the size of the cabinet expanded, though, there was a smaller group that was capable of a certain degree of collective action, although it did not cohere immediately. But even in this more functional state, there were resentments even when there weren’t outright disputes, including resentment towards those few of the racial-affairs advisors who actually managed to make any significant progress, because of that very reason. Even accomplishments often prompted infighting, with accusations that cabinet members had exaggerated their contributions to reforms or had entered the federal service by ignoble means, by way of the spoils system rather than on their merits.

There is a sort of desperation reflected in firsthand accounts of questionable veracity from Black Cabinet members, a desperation both to indicate that change had been accomplished, and that specific individuals were responsible for it; consequently, many individual claims end up being negated, or at least discounted, to a degree that what achievements there were are not, in fact, attributed to any one person but to the group as a whole, however individually a goal might have been accomplished, in a wryly amusing twist on the possible original intentions behind the claims. Cabinet members’ touting of marginal gains can be read as indicating what bad shape the system was in that such gains appear to be significant progress, or as the desire to believe that they had effected change, or both.

Quite frequently, Watts has to specify many accounts as being claims of the participants, in part because so many cabinet members had incentives to amplify their own roles in generating certain outcomes and in part because the informality, and necessary secrecy, of the Black Cabinet meant that in many circumstances, the recording of meetings or plans did not exist, as such notes could be discriminating. The idea of a cabinet specifically concerned with African-American affairs with respect to the New Deal died in a Congressional committee, and Roosevelt expressly prohibited the creation of one to formally advise him. As such, the mere existence of the Black Cabinet, however loosely defined, could have been perceived as insubordination on behalf of the federal employees comprising it; however, few white federal employees ever knew of its existence, despite the prominent mentions of it in the black press, so unaware were they of the newspapers focused on covering African American life.

Even without knowledge of the gatherings of the Black Cabinet, the actions of the Roosevelt administrations and the white officials in them led to the unintentional dilution of the effectiveness of the cabinet, by way of the very much intentional. The constant chaos of New Deal programs being introduced and the creation of wartime agencies provided ample opportunities for black federal employees to be shifted from agency to agency in the guise of promotion, while their actual movement in terms of whatever power they may have wielded, was in fact lateral at best, and often downward. The growth of programs under Roosevelt also meant that fieldwork and duties outside of Washington increased, allowing for their power, collective and individual, to be reduced and decentralized.

Black Cabinet members often faced criticism—sometimes from within—for being accommodationist, and were in fact nearly always publicly supportive of Roosevelt and the New Deal, even if they were strenuously expressing disapproval and working to change policies of New Deal agencies behind the scenes, generally only differing publicly when they were specifically construed as supporting new policies that codified discrimination that had previously only been practice rather than law. But even as they stayed publicly supportive, some grew to feel that they had been hired intentionally to be muzzled, once again used as a public relations tactic to help ensure a supportive black voting bloc for a president without his being required to implement any substantial changes to the daily affairs of African Americans in return. Even views of Roosevelt, his effectiveness, and his true racial attitudes differed widely between factions of the Black Cabinet.

Many of the large patterns remained the same in the Roosevelt administration as in previous ones, Republican and Democratic. Racial-affairs advisors were loath to reveal the truth of Roosevelt’s questionable, at best, record when it came to racial policies, especially those concerning African Americans, because they were afraid of tarnishing the president’s reputation with African Americans; once again, they were in the position of continuing support for someone who had demonstrated little interest in addressing their concerns, and in so doing confirming some of the impressions of the Black Cabinet. A similar tangled logic worked in the opposite direction as well, with efforts made by the Black Cabinet to enhance their public image in black communities, knowing that if they were perceived to have lost their lofty standing in the minds of the African-American public, white administration officials would have reason to disregard their already marginalized opinions even more. The black press, with the public’s interests in mind, did not necessarily have the same defensive attitude towards the president’s reputation, nor the Black Cabinet’s, and increasingly learned to no longer be fooled by small accomplishment for which the Black Cabinet was responsible; the same newspapers that had noted the establishment of the Black Cabinet and helped to prop it up could, at a certain point, no longer believe in the level of efficacy its members might have liked to believe in.

I can imagine complaints, were The Black Cabinet a work of fiction, that it doesn’t have enough narrative action; strictly speaking, this wouldn’t be true—there is plenty of action, bureaucratic and procedural, and very little to show for it. I, for one, enjoyed the procedural nature of the narrative that patiently showed how information was gleaned and intercepted with the help of African-American domestic staffers and messengers across Washington, who were in turn used to advance policy recommendations, following their extensive and protracted formulation, by circumventing the calcified obstruction omnipresent in official channels. Every so often, there are somewhat small moments where all the elements necessary for some course of action to come to fruition seems to fall into place perfectly, keeping this from being purely a record of frustrated resistance.

Many of the actual accomplishments of racial-affairs advisors had to be downplayed at the time, lest it serve as incentive for defunding those of the New Deal programs that managed to address the concerns of black Americans; a delayed report of the state of African-American affairs could keep the pressure higher to take corrective action. Other of their accomplishments could not be touted because it would appear like puffery of themselves or the administration, too close to the popular perceptions of the cabinet members. And some of their largest victories only manifest as negations of what might have been, such as the blocking of policies that would have formally (or more formally) sanctioned and institutionalized discrimination and segregation. But even retrospectively, the gains made by the Black Cabinet seem minor, or symbolic at best, although that is more of a reflection of the existing conditions, which were bound to make nothing they accomplished seem sizeable enough. The cabinet’s largest legacy may have been in the development of legal and political strategies that became widely adopted for the later advancement of civil rights legislation and judicial victories, as well as in the building of networks among African-American federal officials. In addition, the appointment of experts in the fields of racial-affairs analytics was radical at a time when such positions were typically offered as spoils of victory.

However, any such recognition of trends they had begun would have to wait. The demise of the Black Cabinet was protracted and apparent; while the Black Cabinet was still thought of as comprising essentially all of the African-American federal employees based in Washington, a smaller senior group also came to be thought of as the Black Cabinet by 1943, a splintering that was only the latest manifestation of the lack of cohesion and unity in the larger group. These two Cabinets resisted Roosevelt’s efforts to create a centralized Bureau of Negro Affairs, preferring instead to retain influence throughout a variety of government agencies rather than being walled off, with African Americans treated more like wards of the state, but this could not stop the eventual machinations that made the Black Cabinet obsolete; by 1943, the Roosevelt administration did not eliminate racial-affairs positions as feared, but instead increasingly, and then almost exclusively, appointed whites to these positions, resulting in an eventual racial-affairs advisory brain trust wryly referred to as the White Cabinet.

This was the final manifestation of the impulse that had typically prevailed in the White House to turn, even when the decision was made to address the dissatisfaction of African Americans, to white officials, and by early 1944, the Black Cabinet was officially declared dead by the same black press that had been so critical in asserting and defining its presence through the years. At the same time, with no relationships left that needed careful preserving and no internecine feuding to skew perspectives, the Black Cabinet began to get its due, even if just for the access and input its members had had to the policy making process, regardless of results; the Black Cabinet could be valued in death as it could not in life, with expectations now more correctly gauged and with no need for the members to be provided with additional motivation to continue reaching for ever more progress. Watts continues that tradition of clear-eyed appreciation, not of “Roosevelt’s Black Cabinet,” as it came to be referred to in the wake of its breakup, but the Black Cabinet, in it own right and as its own entity.

[Dawn Wells]

Best book I’ve ever read. This was a time in history when racism, and the depression ruled and ruined the lives of many. This semi private group of black leaders assisted in the Roosevelt years. Bravo! So well written and developed. A must read for everyone