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Storyline
Carolina Political Union speakers, 1937–1938
Three speakers the student Carolina Political Union brought to Memorial Hall in 1937 and 1938: Klan leader Hiram W. Evans, Soviet ambassador Alexander Troyanovsky and German ambassador Hans Dieckhoff, with the questions each faced.
In briefA student organization, the Carolina Political Union, brought the national head of the Ku Klux Klan and the Soviet and German ambassadors to Memorial Hall in 1937 and 1938. In November 1937 Hiram W. Evans of the Klan spoke to about 1,000 people; the Weekly reported that he pictured the Klan as opposed to violence, and hecklers, among them faculty members, attacked him and were applauded. In February 1938 Soviet ambassador Alexander Troyanovsky drew a packed hall and, the Weekly reported, a laugh with his plain answer about the trials of former Soviet officials. On February 16 German ambassador Hans Dieckhoff reviewed what he called the injustices of the Treaty of Versailles and took questions only on foreign policy.
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The full story
On November 17, 1937 Hiram W. Evans, national head of the Ku Klux Klan, spoke in Memorial Hall for more than two hours to about 1,000 people under the Carolina Political Union, a student organization. The Weekly reported that he pictured the Klan as opposed to violence and said it did not enroll Catholics or Jews. In the question period hecklers, among them faculty members E. E. Ericson and L. O. Katsoff, attacked him and were applauded. On February 8, 1938 the union brought Soviet ambassador Alexander Troyanovsky to speak on Soviet foreign policy to a packed hall. Asked about the trials and executions of former Soviet officials, he answered, the Weekly reported, that conspirators were tried and, if found guilty, executed, and the crowd laughed at the plainness of the reply. On February 16 German ambassador Hans Dieckhoff spoke under the union to a crowd that filled the hall. He reviewed what he called the injustices of the Treaty of Versailles and said Germany wanted a just and stable peace. He agreed to answer questions only on foreign policy, which ruled out questions about Hitler's purge.
In the chronology
Events in this storyline, in date order. See these 3 dated events in the chronology →
- Ku Klux Klan leader Hiram W. Evans speaks in Memorial Hall Evans, the Klan's national head, spoke for more than two hours to about 1,000 people under the Carolina Political Union, a student organization. The Weekly reported that he pictured the Klan as opposed to violence and said it did not enroll Catholics or Jews; in the question period hecklers, among them faculty members E. E. Ericson and L. O. Katsoff, attacked him and were applauded.Search the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, November 19, 1937, p. 1
- Soviet ambassador Alexander Troyanovsky speaks in Memorial Hall The Carolina Political Union brought the ambassador to speak on Soviet foreign policy to a packed hall. The Weekly reported that when asked about the trials and executions of former Soviet officials he answered that conspirators were tried and, if found guilty, executed, and that the crowd laughed at the plainness of the reply.Search the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, February 18, 1938, p. 2
- German ambassador Hans Dieckhoff speaks in Memorial Hall Speaking under the Carolina Political Union to a crowd that filled the hall, the ambassador reviewed what he called the injustices of the Treaty of Versailles and said Germany wanted a just and stable peace. He agreed to answer questions only on foreign policy, which ruled out questions about Hitler's purge.Search the index · The Chapel Hill Weekly, February 18, 1938, p. 1
Background on UNC & Campus Life
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Research sources
Sources and research tools for this storyline. Research guide: Follow an event across several accounts.
Background
- Carolina Political UnionNCpedia Concise historical background
- Carolina Political Union (A Right to Speak and to Hear: Academic Freedom and Free Expression at UNC)UNC-Chapel Hill University histories, exhibits, and research guides
Collections and databases
- Carolina Forum of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Records, 1937-1966UNC-Chapel Hill Includes the Carolina Political Union's correspondence about speakers from 1937.
- NC LIVE: prepared search for Carolina Political Union speakers, 1937–1938 Library card Search NC LIVE for this subject and Orange County. You can change the search terms. Sign in through your North Carolina library to access the materials.
Local help
- Rebecca B. Wall Local History Collection, Orange County Public Library The county library’s local-history room at the Main Library in Hillsborough: books, journals, maps, and microfilm of county records from 1752
- Local History Help Hours and request formOCPL Local History Liaison Meet with the Local History Liaison at the Main Library, usually Mondays from noon to 3 p.m., or send a question using the online request form
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