William Allen White’s role as a political influencer was the focus of this autumn’s final “Sunday at the Site” event Sept. 30 at Red Rocks, 927 Exchange St.
Rebekah Curry, public services supervisor at Emporia State’s Special Collection and Archives, and Danica White, graduate library and information management student, spoke about how William Allen White used his editorials and his run for office to help sway public and political opinion.
“His position as editor of ‘The Gazette,’ (and) his skill as a writer, helped make him one of the important figures, not only in local politics but also in state and even national politics,” Curry said. “I think that his influence can still be seen today.”
During the event, they discussed a range of William Allen White’s writings and political activities, starting with his first editorial, “What’s a Matter with Kansas?” and ending on his time chairing the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies in 1940.
His official entrance into political campaigning began in 1924, when William Allen White entered the gubernatorial race to actively oppose the presence of the Ku Klux Klan in Kansas, according to Curry.
“Although White lost the race, he did much to turn public opinion against the KKK,” Curry said.
His campaign also helped elect the attorney general who denied the KKK a charter that would have allowed them to legally operate, according to Curry.
William Allen White’s political activity continued into the 1940s, when he chaired the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies, organized letter writing campaigns, rallies and radio addresses, according to Danica White.
A combination of poor health, attacks against the committee and himself, and looming foreign policy caused William Allen White to resign, Danica White said.
“He believed that the U.S. would soon have to enter the conflict and he felt he could no longer stop this progression and he couldn’t really bring himself to promote going into war,” Danica White said. “White’s leadership of the Committee…represented his last great hurrah. He spearheaded a drive for national unity.”
Those interested in learning more about William Allen White role’s as a political influencer can also attend “The Political Life of William Allen White” at 7 p.m. Oct. 9 in ESU Special Collection and Archives, according to the archive’s Facebook page.