The Fifth Column in the South
- Title:
- The Fifth Column in the South
- Alternate Title:
- The Fifth Column in the South
- Collection:
- Persuasive Maps: PJ Mode Collection
- Creator:
- Kamp, Joseph P.
- Date:
- 1940
- Posted Date:
- 2024-04-25
- ID Number:
- 2543.01
- File Name:
- PJM_2543_01.jpg
- Style/Period:
- 1940 - 1959
- Subject:
- Communism & Cold War
Money & Finance
New Deal
Politics & Government
Slavery/Race - Measurement:
- 23 x 15 page (centimeters, height x width)
- Notes:
- This is the cover of a pamphlet by Joseph P. Kamp warning of communist infiltration, agitation, and sabotage in the Southern U.S. The pamphlet begins with an "Indictment" of this "alien-bred and alien-minded Fifth Column" of "Communists, Socialists and Reds of a hundred varied scarlet hues." Their "anti-American and anti-God" conspiracies "threaten to bring economic ruin, moral bankruptcy, and the destruction of time-honored Southern traditions." (pp. 5, 6). This is followed by more than 30 pages of "Exhibits" detailing the alleged misconduct of many individuals and organizations, including the ACLU, CIO, WPA, National Youth Administration, U.S. Department of Education, United Mine Workers, New York University, and (repeatedly) Eleanor Roosevelt. (The text of the pamphlet does not explain why the Soviet hammer-and-sickle symbol is shown only on Alabama, Missouri, and Tennessee, or why the Tennessee version is larger than the other two.)
Joseph P. Kamp was a long-time officer of the Constitutional Education League and author of numerous works associating the American labor movement with Communism. The collection includes a large poster map he produced in 1941, "The Fifth Column Menaces America on a Thousand Fronts" (ID #2294). He had a well-known record of pro-Nazi activities before the U.S. entered World War II, as well as anti-Semitic views. After the war, he attempted to link President Eisenhower to the "communist conspiracy." Carleton 1985, 118. In the 1950s, Kamp was twice tried for contempt and once convicted after failing to respond to Congressional requests for information about his organization’s contributors. New York Times, June 29, 1951, p.8.
For related materials in the collection, Search > Communism.
Cornell University Library is pleased to present this digital collection of Persuasive Maps, the originals of which have been collected and described by the private collector PJ Mode. The descriptive information in the “Collector’s Notes” has been supplied by Mr. Mode and does not necessarily reflect the views of Cornell University. - Source:
- Kamp, Joseph P. The Fifth Column in the South. New Haven: Constitutional Educational League, Inc., 1940.
- Format:
- Image
- Rights:
- For important information about copyright and use, see http://persuasivemaps.library.cornell.edu/copyright.