W.O. Saunders

William Oscar "W.O." Saunders

William Oscar "W. O." Saunders (1884–1940) was an American newspaper publisher, journalist, essayist, magazine contributor, satirist, critic of rural American life and culture.[1] One of his most famous writings was "The Book of Ham".[2]

Reputation

Saunder's bravery and willingness to champion unpopular causes and opinions compared to many in the Southern States was admired by other writers and newspapers. H.L. Mencken wrote of Saunders "if the South had forty editors like Saunders, it could be rid of its problems in five years." [3] When Saunders wrote stridently in his editorials against lynching in the South, some Northern newspapers reprinted and commented on his material. One of the editors of The New York Age declared:

"We wish again to express our admiration for Mr. Saunders. He lives in a Southern state and openly publishes his brave, strong words against the sins' of the people amongst whom he lives. If anybody doubts that this takes real courage, he knows nothing about the question."[4]

Saunders, "the Independent" Newspaper and controversy

In 1907 Saunders founded "the Independent" newspaper and would remain its editor for over 20 years. Saunders was unafraid to confront what he saw as graft and corruption. The Independent, through his hard hitting editorials, became the instrument of his crusades. These resulted in him being sued for libel over 50 times. He won every case. He was assaulted, shot at and once had to run to escape tar and feathering. He began wearing a soft cap due to having so many bowler hats destroyed by people angry with something he had written[5]

a Saunders editorial from the Independent, circa 1922

Political involvement

Saunders had a lifelong interest in politic issues. One result of this is that he was elected to the North Carolina General Assembly. He proposed key legislative changes to the use of the death penalty and the standardization of weights and measures for farmers. The weights and measures Bill was passed. The anti death penalty measures he proposed were defeated.[6] During his time in the General Assembly Saunders also agitated for better treatment of children under 14 years old working in factories.[7] In 1923 Saunders represented Elizabeth City on the North Carolina Fisheries Commission[8]

Defence of Julius Rosenwald against anti semitic attacks

Saunders had strong beliefs about confronting corruption and bad behavior whether in government or in other social institutions, such as the church. In 1924 Saunders became involved in a long running controversy called "the Battle of Elizabeth City". That year a visiting Evangelist named Mordecai Ham began an evangelistic campaign in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. As part of this Ham initiated a slanderous campaign against a prominent Jew, Julius Rosenwald. Rosenwald was the President of Sears-Roebuck and a well known philanthropist. Ham accused Rosenwald of organizing interacial prostitution rings exploiting white women.[9] Saunders investigated Ham's claims finding them to be false and published a series of critical editorials in his newspaper, the Independent. Saunders contacted the District Attorney of Chicago, prominent Chicago Church leaders, Journalists and businessmen to examine Ham's accusations against Rosenwald. They unanimously defended Rosenwald and stated the charges were untrue and absurd. A prominent State Attorney in Chicago, Robert E. Crowe telegrammed Saunders stating: "If the charges that you refer to were not so maliciously false I would term them silly.[10] The President of the Chicago Baptist Ministers Association, Dr. Johnson Myers, said "He has helped Protestant churches and scores of other good institutions. He has been the friend of every good cause... Such false charges made by an evangelist ought to discredit him in your community.[11]

Saunders then published a collection of material regarding Ham's anti-Semitism and unfounded accusations in pamphlet form, called "the Book of Ham".[12]

Agitating for Civil Rights

Saunders is credited for using strongly argued and worded editorials to prevent the lynching of an African American who had been wrongly accused of raping a child. He also agitated for the County Commissioners to fund agricultural advisors for Black Farmers.[13]

The Wright Brothers Monument

Saunders used his journalistic and organisational abilities to promote the role the Wright brothers had in the history of North Carolina. He published an interview with one of the eyewitnesses of their historic flight, John T. Daniels, in Colliers Magazine in 1927.[14] He is seen as the originator of the plan to build a monument to the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk.[15] Saunders was the President of the Kill Devil Hills Memorial Association, the group that organized the building of the memorial. He achieved his goal and was part of the official party at the groundbreaking ceremony for the memorial on February 4, 1931.[16] He later wrote a souviner guide to the Wright Brother's Memorial.[17] In 1937 Saunders wrote a second historical guide to the area, including the memorial and Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island(see section below).[18]

The Lost Colony

Saunders had a keen interest in local history. He helped lead the Roanoke Island Historical Association with D. B Fearing, a state Senator from Dare County . When travelling in Germany Saunders went to a passion play. This was the extensive outdoor religious play at Oberammergau in Bavaria. He was extremely impressed and began to dream of a similar spectacle in North Carolina involving an outdoor production of the historical accounts of a 16th Century English settlement on Roanoke Island founded by associates of Sir Walter Raleigh. The colony had mysteriously disappeared without trace during the Anglo-Spanish War.[19] He contacted Frederick Koch, the founder of the PlayMakers Repertory Company at the University of North Carolina to help create such a play. This led to the writing of a "The Lost Colony" outdoor drama by Pulitzer Prize-winning North Carolina author Paul Green. Saunders convinced Green to write the play for the 350th Anniversary of the founding of the colony, which would be in 1937.[20] The project had the enthusiastic backing of United States Senator Josiah William Bailey and Congressman Lindsay Warren who heard Saunders presenting the idea while they were in North Carolina on a fishing expedition.[21] The play became so well known that the President, Franklin D. Roosevelt came to one of the performances. The event was so popular it continued to be performed, despite being originally planned as a single, one-off performance.[22]

Destruction of the historic Independent newspaper office

In 2004 Saunders' old newspaper office, from which he had fought so many battles, was demolished. An addition to the local public library was built on the site. Local preservationists had fought to stop the building from being destroyed due to its significance to local history.[23]

Musical about Saunders

A musical based on Saunder's life and exploits called "The Independent Man" is being written by Brian Hobbs. Hobbs is an accomplished musician who grew up in Elizabeth City and was involved in Musical Theater in New York. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts , and now lives and works in Sweden. He previously wrote a musical on the life of poet Edgar Allan Poe.[24]

References

  1. ↑ "The Independent Man", Keith Saunders, Edwards and Broughton ; [S.I.] : Saunders Press, 1962
  2. ↑ Powell, W.S. (editor) Dictionary of North Carolina Biography Vol. 5, P-S. Chapel Hill ; London : University of North Carolina Press, 1988.
  3. ↑ "NC Historical Marker Website". State of North Carolina. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  4. ↑ Johnson, J. Contributing Editor.The Wages of Sin. Thursday January 27. 1916.P.4.
  5. ↑ Berry, M. Legendary Locals of Elizabeth City. Charleston, South Carolina : Legendary Locals, 2014.
  6. ↑ Powell, W.S. (editor) Dictionary of North Carolina Biography Vol. 5, P-S. Chapel Hill ; London : University of North Carolina Press, 1988
  7. ↑ Zipf, K. Labor of Innocents: Forced Apprenticeship in North Carolina, 1715-1919. Baton Rouge : Louisiana State University Press. 2005.P. 142-143.
  8. ↑ The North Carolina Yearbook, 1923. A.Hoen and Company. Richmond, Virginia. 1923.
  9. ↑ Hill,S. Lippy, C. and Wilson, C. Encyclopedia of Religion in the South. Georgia: Mercer University Press, 2005, P.365.
  10. ↑ Saunders, W.O. The Book of Ham Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The Independent, 1924. P,16.
  11. ↑ Saunders, W.O. The Book of Ham Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The Independent, 1924. P,13.
  12. ↑ Saunders, W.O. The Book of Ham Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The Independent, 1924. .
  13. ↑ Price, G.Folks Around Here. Bloomington, Indiana: Authorhouse. 2008. P.40.
  14. ↑ Saunders, W. O. Then We Quit Laughing. Collier's, Sept. 17, 1927, vol. 80, no. 12, pp. 24, 56.
  15. ↑ North Carolina Stopping Points North Carolina State Historical Marker Information. W. O. Saunders 1884-1940. North Road Street at East Colonial Avenue, Elizabeth City, NC, USA.
  16. ↑ Downing, S. On this day in Outer Banks history. Charleston, South Carolina: History Pres. 2014. P.45.
  17. ↑ Saunders, W. O., ed. A Souvenir Handbook of the Wright Memorial. Elizabeth City, N.C.: The Independent, 1935.
  18. ↑ W O Saunders Two historic shrines : the Wright Memorial and Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island. Elizabeth City, N.C.: W.O. Saunders, 1937.
  19. ↑ North Carolina Stopping Points North Carolina State Historical Marker Information. W. O. Saunders 1884-1940. North Road Street at East Colonial Avenue, Elizabeth City, NC, USA.
  20. ↑ Green, P. A Southern Life: Letters of Paul Green, 1916-1981. Chapel Hill. University of North Carolina Press. 1994. P.302.
  21. ↑ Green, P.The Lost Colony: A Symphonic Drama of American History Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press. 1954.
  22. ↑ Wright, R. Explorer's guide North Carolina's Outer Banks and Crystal Coast : a great destination Woodstock, Vermont: Countryman. 2013. P.38.
  23. ↑ North Carolina Stopping Points North Carolina State Historical Marker Information. W. O. Saunders 1884-1940. North Road Street at East Colonial Avenue, Elizabeth City, NC, USA.
  24. ↑ Hobbs, B. The Independent Man. Accessed 18 January 2014.

Further Reading on W O Saunders

External links

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