Blanshard, Paul, 1892-1980

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Author and social and religious commentator.

From the description of Paul Blanshard papers, 1912-1974. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 34419299

Paul B. Blanshard was an author and a noted social and religious commentator, perhaps best known for his book American Freedom and Catholic Power . Blanshard was born in Fredericksburg, Ohio in 1892. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1914 then did graduate work at Harvard, Columbia, and Union Theological Seminary. He was ordained a congregational minister in 1917 and served a brief period as pastor of a church in Tampa, Florida. In 1918, Blanshard left the ministry for the trade union movement. From 1920 to 1924 he was educational director for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America in Rochester, New York, and in 1925 he served as field secretary of the League for Industrial Democracy, which position he held until 1933.

With the depression, Blanshard became increasingly involved with issues of urban reform. From 1930 to 1933, he served as executive director of the City Affairs Committee of New York City. Here he led investigations on the problem of municipal corruption and this eventually led to a position with the reform-minded La Guardia administration. During World War II, Blanshard worked as an economic analyst and consultant to the Caribbean Commission of the Department of State. He left in 1946 to become a full-time writer.

The subject that most exercised Blanshard as a writer was the Roman Catholic Church, particularly its political power and influence. In Blanshard's view, according to one writer, the Roman Catholic Church was "institutionally antithetical to democracy and politically antagonistic to American pluralism and individual liberty." Blanshard was most vehement in his denunciation of the church's hierarchy which he felt used its power in the United States to control policy on matters of education, social issues, and foreign affairs. Blanshard expatiated this theme in several books, the most important of these being American Freedom and Catholic Power published in 1949.

Blanshard was married three times. In 1915, he married Julia Sweet Anderson who died in 1934. In 1935, he married Mary Hillyer Kolski who died in 1965, and in 1965, he married Beatrice Mayer. Blanshard had two sons, Paul Blanshard, Jr. (b. 1919) and Rufus (b. 1921), and a twin brother (Percival) Brand Blanshard, a prominent professor of philosophy at Yale University. Blanshard died in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1980.

For more detailed biographical information, the researcher should consult Blanshard's autobiography, Personal and Controversial (1974). There are also files in the collection containing biographical and genealogical information (see Summary Content List).

From the guide to the Paul Blanshard Papers, 1912-1979, (Bentley Historical Library University of Michigan)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Paul Blanshard Papers, 1912-1979 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Paul Blanshard collection, 1961. Billy Graham Archive & Research Center
referencedIn Arnold, Melvin. Papers, 1945-1956 (inclusive). Harvard University, Divinity School Library
creatorOf Hall, Bolton, 1854-1938. Miscellaneous manuscripts, 1905-1940, n.d. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf City Affairs Committee of New York. Correspondence with Theodore Dreiser, 1930. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn The Nation, records, 1879-1974 (inclusive), 1920-1955 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Joseph L. Blau Papers, 1912-1987. Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn The Nation, records, 1879-1974 (inclusive), 1920-1955 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn League for Industrial Democracy. League for Industrial Democracy. Pamphlets, 1922-1978. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Blanshard, Paul, 1892-1980. Correspondence to Johan Thorsten Sellin, 1980. University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Oswald Garrison Villard papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Gannett, Lewis, 1891-1966. Papers, 1681-1966 (bulk 1900-1960) Houghton Library
creatorOf University of Pennsylvania. Radio-Television Office. Correspondence to Johan Thorsten Sellin, 1959. University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Brand Blanshard papers, 1873-1989, 1913-1989 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
creatorOf Cooley, Charles Horton, 1864-1929. Charles Horton Cooley papers, 1872-1930. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Blanshard, Brand, 1892-1987. Brand Blanshard papers, 1873-1989 (inclusive), 1913-1989 (bulk). Yale University Library
creatorOf Society for the Prevention of Crime (New York, N.Y.). Correspondence with Johan Thorsten Sellin, 1942-1944. University of Pennsylvania Library
referencedIn Charles Horton Cooley papers, 1872-1930 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn La Piana, George, 1879-1971. Papers, 1878-1972. Andover-Harvard Theological Library
referencedIn Young, Art, 1866-1943. Art Young correspondence, 1891-1943. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn League for Industrial Democracy. Pamphlets, 1922-1978. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives
referencedIn Blau, Joseph L. (Joseph Leon), 1909-1986. Joseph L. Blau papers, 1912-1987. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Arnold, Melvin. Papers, 1945-1956. Andover-Harvard Theological Library
creatorOf Paul Blanshard Papers, 1912-1979 Bentley Historical Library
creatorOf Nation (New York, N.Y. : 1865). The Nation records, 1879-1974 (inclusive), 1920-1955 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Gannett, Lewis, 1891-1966. Papers, 1681-1966 (bulk 1900-1960) Houghton Library
Role Title Holding Repository
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associatedWith Ad Hoc Committee to Lift Ban on The Nation. corporateBody
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associatedWith Anderson, Jack Northman, 1922- person
associatedWith Anderson, Jack Northman, 1922- person
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correspondedWith Gannett, Lewis, 1891-1966 person
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associatedWith Gilbert, Charles Kendall, 1878-1958 person
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associatedWith Green, William, 1870-1952 person
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associatedWith Hall, Bolton, 1854-1938. person
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associatedWith Harrington, Donald. person
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associatedWith Lamont, Corliss, 1902- person
associatedWith Landon, Alfred M. (Alfred Mossman), 1887-1987 person
associatedWith La Piana, George, 1879-1971. person
associatedWith Lasker, Bruno, 1880-1965 person
associatedWith Latham, Harold Strong, 1887-1969 person
associatedWith Lathrop, John Howland, 1880-1967 person
associatedWith League for Fair Play. corporateBody
associatedWith League for Industrial Democracy. corporateBody
associatedWith League of Women Shoppers. corporateBody
associatedWith Lee, Alfred McClung, 1906- person
associatedWith Lee, Jennie. person
associatedWith Leiper, Henry Smith, 1891- person
associatedWith Lerner, Max, 1902- person
associatedWith Lewis, Anthony, 1927- person
associatedWith Lipphard, William B. (William Benjamin), b. 1886 person
associatedWith Livingston, Goodhue, 1867-1951 person
associatedWith Lodge, John Davis, 1903-1985 person
associatedWith Lord, John Wesley, 1902- person
associatedWith Lovett, Robert Morss, 1870-1956 person
associatedWith Luce, Henry Robinson, 1898-1967 person
associatedWith Lyons, Louis, 1897- person
associatedWith MacGregor, Frank Silver, 1897-1971 person
associatedWith MacKay, John Alexander, 1889- person
associatedWith MacLeish, Archibald, 1892- person
associatedWith Mallett, Reginald, 1893-1965 person
associatedWith Matthews, Herbert Lionel, 1900- person
associatedWith McGraw, Harold Whittlesey, 1918- person
associatedWith Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis), 1880-1956 person
associatedWith Miller, Clyde R., 1888- person
associatedWith Moehlman, Conrad Henry, b. 1879 person
associatedWith Monroney, Mike, 1902- person
associatedWith Moore, Hugh, 1887-1972 person
associatedWith Muller, H. J. (Hermann Joseph), 1890-1967 person
associatedWith Muste, Abraham John, 1885-1967 person
associatedWith Nader, Ralph, 1934- person
associatedWith National Council on Freedom From Censorship. corporateBody
associatedWith Nation (New York, N.Y. : 1865) corporateBody
associatedWith Nation (New York, N.Y. : 1865). corporateBody
associatedWith Neuberger, Maurine Brown, 1907- person
associatedWith New York (N.Y.). City Affairs Committee. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (N.Y.). Dept. of Investigation corporateBody
associatedWith New York (N.Y.). Dept. of Investigations and Accounts. corporateBody
associatedWith Non-Partisan Committee for Harry W. Laidler for City Council. corporateBody
associatedWith O'Dwyer, William, 1890-1964 person
associatedWith O'Gara, James Vincent, 1918- person
associatedWith Oxnam, G. Bromley (Garfield Bromley), 1891-1963 person
associatedWith Peale, Norman Vincent, 1898- person
associatedWith Pearson, Drew, 1897-1969 person
associatedWith Phillips, Thomas Wharton, 1874-1956 person
associatedWith Pike, James A. (James Albert), 1913-1969 person
associatedWith Pitkin, Walter Boughton, 1878-1953 person
associatedWith Planned Parenthood Federation of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Poling, Daniel Alfred, 1884-1968 person
associatedWith Post War World Council. corporateBody
associatedWith Poteat, Edwin McNeill, 1892-1955 person
associatedWith Potofsky, Jacob, 1894- person
associatedWith Protestants and Other Americans United for Separation of Church and State. corporateBody
associatedWith Raines, Richard Campbell, 1898- person
associatedWith Reuther, Victor G. (Victor George), 1912- person
associatedWith Rice, Paul North, 1888-1967 person
associatedWith Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962 person
associatedWith Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945 person
associatedWith Rose, David Kenneth, 1902-1963 person
associatedWith Rugg, Harold Ordway, 1886-1960 person
associatedWith Russell, Bertrand, 1872-1970 person
associatedWith Sanger, Margaret, 1879-1966 person
associatedWith Saxe, Karl, 1892- person
associatedWith Schlesinger, Arthur Meier, 1917- person
associatedWith Schroeder, John Charles, 1897-1954 person
associatedWith Seabury, Samuel, 1873-1958 person
associatedWith Shapiro, Rose. person
associatedWith Sheen, Fulton J. (Fulton John), 1895-1979 person
associatedWith Shipler, Guy Emery, 1881- person
associatedWith Sinclair, Upton, 1878-1968 person
associatedWith Society for Ethical Culture (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Society for the Prevention of Crime. corporateBody
associatedWith Society for the Prevention of Crime (New York, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Sorensen, Theodore C. person
associatedWith Spivak, Lawrence Edmund. person
associatedWith Stein, Robert, 1924- person
associatedWith Stevenson, Adlai E. (Adlai Ewing), 1900-1965 person
associatedWith Stokes, Anson Phelps, 1874-1958 person
associatedWith Stout, Rex, 1886-1975 person
associatedWith Stuber, Stanley I. (Stanley Irving), 1903- person
associatedWith Sulzberger, Arthur Hays, 1891-1968 person
associatedWith Susskind, David, 1920- person
associatedWith Taft, Charles Phelps, 1897- person
associatedWith Tate, Jack B., 1902- person
associatedWith Taussig, Charles William, 1896-1948 person
associatedWith Tead, Ordway, 1891-1973 person
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associatedWith Thayer, Walter Nelson, 1910- person
associatedWith Thomas, Norman, 1884-1968 person
associatedWith Ulich, Robert, 1890- person
associatedWith United States. Dept. of State. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Michigan corporateBody
associatedWith University of Pennsylvania. Radio-Television Office. corporateBody
associatedWith Vallee, Rudy, 1901- person
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associatedWith Viereck, Peter Robert Edwin, 1916- person
correspondedWith Villard, Oswald Garrison, 1872-1949 person
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associatedWith Warren, Earl, 1891-1974 person
associatedWith Weeks, Edward Augustus, 1898- person
associatedWith Wendt, Gerald, 1891- person
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associatedWith Williams, Charl Ormond, 1885- person
associatedWith Woodfolk, Josiah Pitts, 1894- person
associatedWith Wylie, Philip, 1902-1971 person
associatedWith Yerkes, Robert Mearns, 1876-1956 person
associatedWith Young, Art, 1866-1943. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Latin America.
Latin America
Subject
Religion
Birth control
Church and state
Clergy
Clergy
Demonstrations
Presidents
Strikes and lockouts
Strikes and lockouts
The nation
Women
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1892-08-27

Death 1980-01-27

Information

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Ark ID: w6gj02cf

SNAC ID: 32360321