Chapter 29
Summary
- The chapter is set in the reception area of the NAACP office in New York on December 16, 1933, where Mary Bethune is greeted warmly by the staff.
- Walter White, the executive secretary, is also present and he discourages staff from overwhelming Mrs. Bethune.
- Mary scolds Walter for being harsh with the staff, and they proceed to his office for a meeting.
- Walter reveals he recently returned from Maryland where he was working on the George Armwood case. Mary Bethune expresses concern for his safety, recalling previous incidents when he infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan under disguise.
- Walter presents Mary with a copy of the Pittsburgh Courier with a headline critiquing her public praise of President Roosevelt's actions against lynching.
- Mary justifies her actions explaining that Roosevelt’s stand against lynching is a noteworthy action that no other American leader has taken before.
- Walter disagrees, arguing that mere words won't achieve anything, and criticizing Roosevelt for not meeting with them nor demonstrating sufficient action against lynching.
- Mary responds positively, pointing out the progress made under Roosevelt's New Deal, which has seen more colored appointments in federal government including Robert Vann, Eugene Kinckle Jones, Robert Weaver and Bill Hastie.
- Walter counters by pointing out that many of these appointments are tokenistic, with the appointed officials left without actual work to do.
- Mary reveals to Walter that she has been working closely with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to increase federal appointments for colored people and also to push for anti-lynching legislation.
- Walter expresses skepticism about Eleanor’s interests in these issues given her privileged background. However, Mary defends Eleanor, insisting that one does not have to directly experience hardship to empathise with those who do.
- Mary suggests that Walter should meet with Eleanor to discuss their goals directly. While Walter is skeptical about being allowed into the White House, Mary clarifies that the meeting could take place at the NAACP offices. Mary believes that their office could be the road leading to the White House and the solution to ending lynching.