F. Palmer Weber
Encyclopedia
Frederick Palmer Weber was an American activist and businessman. Born in Smithfield, Virginia, he became involved in radical politics when he was sent to a tuberculosis sanatorium as a teenager.
in 1934, an M.A.
in 1938, and Ph.D.
in 1940, from the University of Virginia
, all in philosophy
. While a student, he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa
and the Raven Society
. Nominated three times for a Rhodes Scholarship
, he was denied the prize because of his criticism of British policy in India
and because he participated in radical politics.
Between 1934 and 1940, he served as an instructor in Philosophy and Economics. Around 1968, he returned to Charlottesville
, where he helped to found the Lawn Society, a fundraising group for the University. He also became a founding member of the Associates of the White Burkett Miller Center for the Study of the Presidency, and an adviser to the Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies.
There are two endowed professorships at UVA named after him: The F. Palmer Weber Research Professorship in Civil Liberties and Human Rights in the School of Law; and the F. Palmer Weber Medical Research Professorship, for Oncology in the School of Medicine.
and was a member of Franklin D. Roosevelt
's New Deal
group known as the Brain Trust
. He served as staff director for the House of Representatives Tolan Committee to Investigate the Concentration of Economic Power; staff director for Sen. Claude Pepper
's Committee on Education and Labor, founder of the National Committee to Abolish the Poll Tax, and he served on the staff of the Kilgore Committee.
In 1948 he became Southern Regional Director for the Progressive Party
, and ran that portion of former Vice President (under President Roosevelt) Henry A. Wallace
's presidential campaign. Because of the Progressive Party's association with Communism, the Wallace campaign was the end of his career in mainstream politics.
. In 1946 he was elected to the National Board of the NAACP—the first white person to be so recognized. He served for a time on the ACLU President's Advisory Committee.
.
He also served on the Boards of Smithfield Foods, the Washington Spectator, and the Southern Regional Council
.
Academic career and involvement with the University of Virginia
Weber received a B.A.Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1934, an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1938, and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1940, from the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, all in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. While a student, he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
and the Raven Society
Raven Society
The Raven Society is the University of Virginia's oldest honorary society. Founded in 1904 by University student William McCully James, and named in honor of the famous poem by Edgar Allan Poe .According to its constitution, one of the Raven Society's main goals is "to bring together the best men...
. Nominated three times for a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
, he was denied the prize because of his criticism of British policy in India
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
and because he participated in radical politics.
Between 1934 and 1940, he served as an instructor in Philosophy and Economics. Around 1968, he returned to Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, where he helped to found the Lawn Society, a fundraising group for the University. He also became a founding member of the Associates of the White Burkett Miller Center for the Study of the Presidency, and an adviser to the Carter G. Woodson Institute for African-American and African Studies.
There are two endowed professorships at UVA named after him: The F. Palmer Weber Research Professorship in Civil Liberties and Human Rights in the School of Law; and the F. Palmer Weber Medical Research Professorship, for Oncology in the School of Medicine.
Political career
After receiving his Ph.D. he moved to Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and was a member of Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
's New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
group known as the Brain Trust
Brain Trust
Brain trust began as a term for a group of close advisors to a political candidate or incumbent, prized for their expertise in particular fields. The term is most associated with the group of advisors to Franklin Roosevelt during his presidential administration...
. He served as staff director for the House of Representatives Tolan Committee to Investigate the Concentration of Economic Power; staff director for Sen. Claude Pepper
Claude Pepper
Claude Denson Pepper was an American politician of the Democratic Party, and a spokesman for left-liberalism and the elderly. In foreign policy he shifted from pro-Soviet in the 1940s to anti-Communist in the 1950s...
's Committee on Education and Labor, founder of the National Committee to Abolish the Poll Tax, and he served on the staff of the Kilgore Committee.
In 1948 he became Southern Regional Director for the Progressive Party
Progressive Party (United States, 1948)
The United States Progressive Party of 1948 was a left-wing political party that ran former Vice President Henry A. Wallace of Iowa for president and U.S. Senator Glen H. Taylor of Idaho for vice president in 1948.-Foundation:...
, and ran that portion of former Vice President (under President Roosevelt) Henry A. Wallace
Henry A. Wallace
Henry Agard Wallace was the 33rd Vice President of the United States , the Secretary of Agriculture , and the Secretary of Commerce . In the 1948 presidential election, Wallace was the nominee of the Progressive Party.-Early life:Henry A...
's presidential campaign. Because of the Progressive Party's association with Communism, the Wallace campaign was the end of his career in mainstream politics.
Labor And Civil Rights Activism
In 1944, he became research director of the Political Action Committee for the CIOCongress of Industrial Organizations
The Congress of Industrial Organizations, or CIO, proposed by John L. Lewis in 1932, was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 required union leaders to swear that they were not...
. In 1946 he was elected to the National Board of the NAACP—the first white person to be so recognized. He served for a time on the ACLU President's Advisory Committee.
Business career
Exiled from politics, he was still able to work on Wall Street. Beginning in 1954 he worked for Morris Cohan and Co, then Troster-Singer, then Spear, Leeds & Kellogg, then Tucker Anthony and Day, which was ultimately purchased by John Hancock InsuranceJohn Hancock Insurance
John Hancock Financial is a loose term for a United States insurance company which existed, in various forms, from its founding on April 21, 1862, until its acquisition in 2004 by the Canadian insurance company Manulife Financial. It was named in honor of John Hancock, a prominent patriot...
.
He also served on the Boards of Smithfield Foods, the Washington Spectator, and the Southern Regional Council
Southern Regional Council
The Southern Regional Council is a reform-oriented organization created to avoid racial violence and promote racial equality in the Southern United States. Voter registration and political-awareness campaigns are used toward this end. The SRC evolved from the Commission on Interracial...
.
External references
- Obituary in "The Nation"
- UVA press release announcing endowed chairs
- Virginia Quarterly Review article mentioning his civil rights work
- FERI essay on campus radicalism in the 1930s
- Review of "Days of Hope: Race and Democracy in the New Deal Era" - Discusses many of the political battles of the New Deal in which F. Palmer Weber was involved.