Research Catalog

Title

Lester Walton Papers, 1905-1977.

Author

Walton, Lester A., 1882-1965.

Supplementary Content

Finding Aid

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945.
• Barclay, Edwin, 1883-
• Tubman, William V. S., 1895-1971.
• Firestone, Harvey Samuel, 1898-
• Jones, Thomas Jesse, 1873-1950.
• Minton, Henry M., -1946.
• Swope, Herbert Bayard, 1882-1958.
• O'Neal, Frederick, 1905-1992.

Description

11.2 lin. ft.

Summary

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.

Donor/Sponsor

Schomburg NEH Automated Access to Special Collections Project.

Subjects

• Harlem (New York, N.Y.)
• New York Amsterdam news (New York, N.Y. : 1919)
• New York (N.Y.) > City Commission on Human Rights
• Newspaper Guild of New York
• African American diplomats
• Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
• Diplomatic and consular service, American > Liberia
• Liberia > Foreign relations > United States
• Theatrical managers > New York (State) > New York
• Liberia > Commerce
• Walton, Lester A., 1882-1965
• Liberia > Economic conditions
• Lafayette Theatre (New York, N.Y.)
• Jack, Hulan E
• African American journalists
• African American newspapers > New York (State) > New York
• United States > Foreign relations > Liberia
• Ambassadors > United States
• New York age (New York, N.Y. : 1957)
• African Americans > Civil rights
• Coordinating Council for Negro Performers

Note

• Phonograph records transferred to Moving Image and Recorded Sound Division.
• Five boxes of photographs transferred to Photographs and Prints Division.
• Artifacts transferred to Art and Artifacts Division.

Source (note)

• Rochester, Walton
• Rochester, Marjorie

Biography (note)

• Lester Aglar Walton enjoyed a multi-faceted career in the entertainment field, as a journalist, American ambassador to Liberia, and civic leader.

Processing Action (note)

• Processed

Call Number

Sc MG 183

OCLC

NYPW090000007-A

Author

Walton, Lester A., 1882-1965.

Title

Lester Walton Papers, 1905-1977.

Biography

Lester Aglar Walton enjoyed a multi-faceted career in the entertainment field, as a journalist, American ambassador to Liberia, and civic leader. Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1882 he was awarded 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).

Walton began his journalistic career with the "St. Louis Star" in 1902, later wrote for the "New York Age" and "New York World." He also served as arbitrator in a labor dispute between the Newspaper Guild of New York and the "New York Amsterdam News" (1957-1959). Walton's involvement in the entertainment field included his roles as manager of Harlem's Lafayette Theatre and chairman of the Coordinating Council for Negro Performers.

An active Democrat, Walton 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. He also negotiated with the Liberian government for the construction of a port in Monrovia and concluded commerce, navigation and aviation treaties.

Walton concluded his career as commissioner for the Commission on Intergroup Relations, a New York City agency founded in 1955 which later became known as the Commission on Human Rights. Until his retirement in 1964, Walton worked with the Commission in the fields of civil rights and civil liberties, especially fair housing practices. His death occurred in 1965.

Finding Aids

Inventory available.

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Finding Aid

Added Author

Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945.

Barclay, Edwin, 1883-

Tubman, William V. S., 1895-1971.

Firestone, Harvey Samuel, 1898-

Jones, Thomas Jesse, 1873-1950.

Minton, Henry M., -1946.

Swope, Herbert Bayard, 1882-1958.

O'Neal, Frederick, 1905-1992.

Research Call Number

Sc MG 183