Descriptive Summary
	Creator:	Gardner, Virginia
	Title:	Papers
	Dates:	1922-1990
	Abstract:	Virginia Gardner (1904-1992) was a journalist, Communist, and biographer of Louise Bryant. She worked at several midwestern newspapers before joining the Chicago Tribune in 1930. Around 1937, she joined the Communist Party and was fired from the Tribune for her union activism in 1940. She then went to work for the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee in New York and was briefly Executive Secretary of the American Council on Soviet Relations in Washington D.C.. She was active in the Citizens Committee for Harry Bridges, and wrote for the Federated Press (a labor news service), The New Masses, Peoples World (the CPUSA West Coast newspaper) in Los Angeles and the Daily Worker in New York where she covered the Rosenberg case in 1953. Gardner wrote The Rosenberg Story in 1954 and Friend and Lover, a Louise Bryant biography in 1982. Gardner died in 1992. The collection includes her correspondence, documentation of her political activities, research materials, manuscripts, autobiographical materials and articles.
	Quantity:	8 linear feet (8 boxes)
	Call Phrase:	Tamiment 100

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Historical/Biographical Note

Virginia Gardner (1904-1992) was a journalist, a communist, and biographer of Louise Bryant. She was raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas graduated with a B.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri in 1924, then worked at several Midwestern newspapers before joining the Chicago Tribune in 1930. Gardner gradually became a radical, joined the Communist Party c.1937, led the small Newspaper Guild group at the Tribune, and was fired for her union activism in March, 1940.

Blacklisted in Chicago, she moved to New York where she worked with the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee. After her divorce from journalist Marion (Red) Marberry, Gardner moved to Washington, DC in 1942, and was briefly Executive Secretary of the American Council on Soviet Relations. Between 1940 and 1942 Virginia Gardner was active as a member of the Citizens Committee for Harry Bridges, serving as its Executive Secretary in 1941. From 1942-1943 she worked for the Federated Press (a labor news service), resigning over its unwillingness to criticize John L. Lewis. Gardner next worked for the New Masses, resigning in 1947 when it became a monthly.

She moved to Los Angeles, working for the Peoples World (the CPUSA West Coast newspaper) until her dismissal in 1951, and was then briefly employed at a meat packing plant. In 1952 Gardner moved to New York where, again, her first job was at a meat plant in Jamaica, Queens, before being employed by the Daily Worker where she covered the Rosenberg case in 1953, and later wrote The Rosenberg Story, which was published in 1954. In 1959 Virginia Gardner left the Worker, and between 1960 and 1962 worked as a medical writer. From 1963 to 1971 she worked as editorial assistant to Corliss Lamont. Her Louise Bryant biography was published in 1982. Soon afterwards she began working on her own autobiography. Gardner died in San Diego on January 5th, 1992.

Chronology

June 27, 1904: Born in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. Has two older sisters, Gertrude Miller and Catherine Carson.

1910: Mother dies when she was 10 years old.

1921 to 1924: Attended University of Missouri, graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism.

Dec. 17, 1927: Married Jerome Butler, a socialist newspaperman and copy reader

1927: Employed at the St. Louis Times.

May 1927: Father dies.

1929: Hired by Chicago Tribune.

July, 1937: Married Marion (Red) Marberry whom she described as a leftist who never joined the Party. He was also a newspaperman and wrote three books:Joaquin Miller American Poet (1953); Vicky: A Biography of Victoria Woodhull (1967); The Golden Voice: A Biography of Isaac Kelloch (1947).

September, 1937: "Decided to join the Communist Party."

April, 1938: Joined the Newspaper Guild in Chicago.

1938: Active in Hearst strike in California.

1939: Joined the Communist Party.

1939: Filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board regarding unfair treatment at Chicago Tribune.

1939: Assisted in publishing the Tribunit, a publication of the Chicago Tribune workers.

March 22, 1940: Dismissed from Chicago Tribune, because of involvement in Guild activities at the paper.

1940: Moved to New York where she worked with the Women's Division of the Democratic National Committee.

1941: Voted as lifetime member of the Newspaper Guild.

1941: Acted as Executive Secretary of the Citizens Committee for Harry Bridges (President of the ILWU),in New York City in an attempt to prevent his deportation from the United States.

1942: Moved to Washington D.C.; Divorced Marion (Red) Marberry (January); Begins work at Federated Press, a labor news service; serves as Executive Secretary to the American Council on Soviet Relations, a precursor to the National Council of American Soviet Friendship (NCASF).

1943: Resigned from Federated Press. Began working as Washington correspondent for New Masses.

1947: Resigned from New Masses, and moved to Los Angeles; where she began working for The Peoples World

1948: Subpoenaed to appear before the Tenney Committee (California's Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities).

1949: Wrote a few articles for Masses and Mainstream.

1951: Dismissed from The Peoples World.

1952: Moved back to New York; employed in Jamaica, Queens in a meat packing plant.

1954: The Rosenberg Story, published by Masses and Mainstream.

1955: Began work at the Daily Worker.

December 1959: Resigned from the Worker.

Feb.-June 1960: Worked on staff of Factor, a monthly magazine which covers issues related to psychiatry.

1960 to 1962: Freelanced as a medical writer.

1962: Left the Communist Party.

1963 to 1971: Employed as editorial assistant to Corliss Lamont.

1982: Published Friend and Lover, a biography of Louise Bryant (New York:

1984 to 1989: Worked on her unpublished autobiography.

1989: Grandson, John Dorney dies; in failing health.

1992: Dies in San Diego, January 5th.

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Scope and Content Note

Series I. Autobiography contains a lengthy and rather personal unpublished untitled autobiographical typescript, related correspondence, and a genealogy and other biographical materials.

Series II. Correspondence is divided into personal (family and friends) and political correspondence and spans the years 1922 to 1990. Personal correspondents include her son John Marberry, her nephew John Gardner, several friends, and boyfriends Brady Pryor, Dud Jarret, Paul Cawthron, Andy Anderson, John McShane, and Milt Rogart and his wife. The political correspondence is with communists, other radicals and several well-known writers, including Bill Allen, Sender A. Garlin, Ammon Hennacy, Corrine Hardesty, Corliss Lamont, Kay Hall Sessions, Frank Spector, John Tessitore, Nick Unger, Harry and Nikki Bridges and William Appleman Williams.

Series III. Political Activities, is divided into two sections: A. General, which contains files on the Rosenberg case, the American Council on Soviet Relations, and Gardner's testimony before various legislative committees; and B. The Harry Bridges Case, which contains clippings, correspondence between Gardner and Harry and Nikki Bridges, and Citizens Committee for Harry Bridges materials related to the campaign to prevent his deportation from the United States.

Series IV. Journalism Career, consists of five chronologically arranged subseries that represent the different newspapers and the various cities in which she lived and worked, and which primarily contain copies of Gardner's articles, and correspondence. The subseries and employment/residence dates are: A. Chicago Tribune (1930-1941); B. Federated Press (Washington D.C., 1942-1943); C. New Masses (Washington D.C., 1943-1947); D. Los Angeles (1947-1952), Peoples World; E. New York (1952-1980s), Daily Worker and after.

Series V. Correspondence Addendum. Consists of correspondence from the 1970s and 1980s.

Series VI. Research Files. The files for Friend and Lover consists of Gardner's extensive and unusually rich research files for her biography of Louise Bryant. Contents include clippings, correspondence and interviews with prominent friends and associates, ephemera, primary source documents including a copy of Bryant's marriage license (to John Reed), and a typescript of the book. The Rosenberg Story Research Files contain clippings and other ephemera.

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Arrangement
	The collection is organized into six series: I. Autobiography; II. Correspondence; III. Political Activities; IV. Journalism Career; V. Correspondence Addendum; VI. Research Files.
	Folders are arranged either alphabetically or chronologically based on the nature of the series.

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Separated Material

There is no information about materials that are associated by provenance to the described materials that have been physically separated or removed.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Open for research without restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection. For more information, contact
Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012
Phone: (212) 998-2630
Fax: (212) 995-4225
E-mail: gail.malmgreen@nyu.edu

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Access Points
	Subject Names:
		Allen, Bill, 1914-
		Bridges, Harry, 1901-.
		Bridges, Nikki.
		Bryant, Louise, 1885-1936.
		Gardner, John.
		Gardner, Virginia.
		Gardner, Virginia. Friend and lover.
		Gardner, Virginia. Rosenberg story.
		Garlin, Sender A.
		Hardesty, Corrine.
		Hennacy, Ammon, 1893-1970.
		Hilliard, Noel, 1929-
		Lamont, Corliss, 1902-
		McGrath, Tom, 1916-
		Richmond, Al, 1913-1987.
		Rosenberg, Ethel, 1915-1953.
		Rosenberg, Julius, 1918-1953.
		Sessions, Kay Hall.
		Spector, Frank.
		Tessitore, John.
		Unger, Nick.
		Williams, William Appleman.
	Subject Organizations:
		American Council on Soviet Relations.
		Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Ill.)
		Citizens Committee for Harry Bridges.
		Communist Party of the United States of America.
		Daily worker (Chicago, Ill.)
		Masses & mainstream.
		Newspaper Guild.
		People's world.
	Subject Topics:
		Collective bargaining -- Journalists -- Illinois -- Chicago.
		Communists -- United States.
		Journalism, Communist -- United States.
		Single mothers -- United States.
		United States -- Foreign relations -- Soviet Union.
		Women communists -- United States.
		Women journalists -- United States.
	Document Types:
		Articles.
		Autobiography.
		Biography.
		Birth certificates.
		Clippings.
		Correspondence.
		Death certificates.
		Files (document groupings)
		Interviews.
		Newspaper columns.
		Typescripts.

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Administrative Information

Provenance

This collection was donated by John Marberry, son of Virginia Gardner, on June 21, 1990.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date (if known); The Virginia Gardner Papers; Tamiment 100; box number; folder number;
Tamiment Library/Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012, New York University Libraries.

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Container List

[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]

SERIES I. AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
Subseries A: Personal data documents.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	Address Book	undated
1	2	Correspondence seeking residency at Renwick Gardens.	undated
1	3	Genealogy	1954-1984
1	4	Insurance Book	1952-1953
1	5	Misc. personals.	1922-1985
1	6	Personal Data	1971-1973
1	7	Photoprints	1951-1983
1	8	Photoprint copy of 50th Reunion of Fort Smith Class	undated
1	9	Wills, etc.	1968-1987
Subseries B: Autobiography.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	10	A Summary	undated
1	11	Chapter Plan	undated
1	12	John Tessitore's copy with his comments.	undated
1	13	Chapter 1 -Other Singular Lives	undated
1	14	2 -Life at Columbia Missouri.	undated
1	15	3 -Saskatchewan.	undated
1	16	4 -Pawhuska.	undated
1	17	5 -From Fort Smith to Kansas City.	undated
1	18	6 -Father.	undated
1	19	7 -Depression.	undated
1	22	8 -Dr. Gerty.	undated
1	20	9 -Red and I Marry.	undated
1	21	10-Red Joins The Picketline.	undated
1	22	11 -John is Born.	undated
1	23	12 -A Stupid Business.	undated
1	24	13 -I Got Sold Down The River.	undated
1	25	14 -The Letter Bridges Pocketed.	undated
1	26	15 -Father and Son.	undated
1	27	16 -Back to Reporting.	undated
1	28	17 -An Exciting Visitor.	undated
1	29	18 -New Friends and Old.	undated
1	30	19 -I Learn a Lesson, or 1 or 2.	undated
1	31	20 -Criticism and SelfCriticism.	undated
1	32	21 -Back to New York.	undated
1	33	22 -Not the Best of Years.	undated
1	34	23 -Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.	undated
1	35	24 -Milt Again.	undated
Subseries C: Correspondence re Autobiography.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	36	Carrol, Joe	1985-1986
1	37	Cohen, Hy (Publisher)	1988
1	38	Gerty, Dr. (Psychiatrist)	1964-1987
1	39	Pashe, Vic	1985-1986
1	40	Re: publication of autobiography	1984-1989
1	41	Richmond, Al	1985
1	42	Research notes	undated
1	43	Stevens, Don	1940-1985

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SERIES II. CORRESPONDENCE
Subseries A: Correspondence with relatives.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	44	Carson, Catherine	1933-1984
1	45	Carson, Catherine - Newspaper article re: her novel	1939
1	46	Dorney, John	1989
1	47	Dorney, John - death	1989
1	48	Gardner, Carolyn	1970
1	49	Gardner, Carolyn: Newspaper article re death of	undated
1	50	Gardner, John (VG's nephew)	1964-1965
1	51	Gardner, John (VG's nephew)	1970
1	52	Gardner, John (VG's nephew)	1976
1	53	Gardner, John (VG's nephew)	1977
1	54	Gardner, John (VG's nephew)	1978
1	55	Gardner, John (VG's nephew)	1979
1	56	Gardner, John (VG's nephew)	undated
1	57	Gardner, John (VG's nephew)	1965
1	58	Gardner, John (VG's nephew)	1980
1	59	Marberry, John (VG's son)	1947-1984
1	60	Marberry, John and family photoprints (photocopies of)	1976-1977
1	61	Marberry, Red (Marion) - John's father	undated
1	62	Marberry Relatives	1939-1962
1	63	Miller, Gertrude	1929-1967
1	64	Miller, Gertrude Miller - burial of	1969
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	1	G.R. Wood of the Above Ground Review, discusses John Gardner	1973
2	2	Misc. from relatives	1930-1987
2	3	Misc. notes and correspondence	1984-1990
2	4	Misc. notes and correspondence	1930-1939
Subseries B: Correspondence with close friends
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	5	Anderson, Brady	1925-1930
2	6	Cawthron, Paul and Dud Jarret	1923-1943
2	7	Frank	1970-1973
2	8	Gauldin, Sara	1982-1987
2	9	Gauldin, Sara - on the Manuscript of Louise Bryant	undated
2	10	Gauldin, Sara - Poetry	undated
2	11	McShane, John	1935-1981
2	12	Pryor, Brady	1922-1943
2	13	Rogart, Milt (see chapter 24 of autobiography)	undated
2	14	Rogart, Pat (Milt's wife)	1970-1971
2	15	Sullivan, Nancy	1984-1987
2	16	VG's copies of outgoing correspondence	1946-1989
Subseries C: Political correspondence
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	17	Abrowitz, Murray - M.D.	1964-1981
2	18	Allen, Bill	1944
2	19	Coleman, Louis (Limey)	1974-1975
2	20	Coover, Robert	1977
2	21	Garlin, Sender A.	1965-1983
2	22	Garrigue, Jean - Poet	1972-1973
2	23	Grossner, Isabel	1984-1988
2	24	Hardesty, Corrine	1983-1986
2	25	Hennacy, Ammon	1958-1969
2	26	Hillard, Noel	1954-1978
2	27	Hillard, Noel	1979-1985
2	28	Lamont, Corliss	1985-1987
2	29	Lamont, Corliss	1975-1978
2	30	Lamont, Corliss - regarding his autobiography	1969
2	31	Lindsay, Vina	1928-1929
2	32	Marzani, Carl - Regarding trial of	undated
2	33	McGrath, Tom	1956-1970
2	34	Murray, George and Virginia	1972-1989
2	35	Harvey O'Conner, Harvey - obituary	undated
2	36	Richmond, Al	1981-1983
2	37	Rosemary	1967
2	38	Segure, Rose	1966-1973
2	39	Sessions, Kay Hall	1962-1985
2	40	Spector, Frank	1951-1985
2	41	Stone, Jack and Bert Stone, (Jack edited On The WashingtonRecord, copy of volume I, June 27, 1965, is included	1955-1970
Box	Folder	Title	Date
	42	Tessitore, John A.	1981-1989
	43	Under, Nick	1971
	44	Williams, William Appleman	1966-1967

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SERIES III. POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
Subseries A: Political activities
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	45	VG's statement before Senate Judicial Committee regarding Francis Biddle's nomination as U.S. Attorney General.	1941
Box	Folder	Title	Date
	46	American Council on Soviet Relations	1942
	47	American Council on Soviet Relations	1942
	48	VG's annotated copy of Party Voice, V.II, #6, September to October 1954.	undated
	49	VG and the Tenney UnAmerican Committee	1948
	50	Political Beefs	1955-1976
	51	News Release to Moscow Tass and Sovietskaya Kultura, regarding death of Fred Ellis.	1965
	52	News release from, New York StateCommunist Party, State Committee,	1957
	53	Misc. apparently from Party Members	1959-1970
	54	Related to publication in Catholic Digest of "Labority Within Cloistered Walls," 1961.	1961
	55	National Committee to Reopen Rosenberg Case	1988
	56	Unidentified, but related to a Congressional Committee Hearing	undated
	57	Misc.	1928-1990
Subseries B: Harry Bridges Case.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	1	Findings and Conclusion of the Trial Examination in the Matter of Harry Bridges, a publication of the U.S. Government Printing Office	1939
3	2	Newspaper clippings and Brief by Lawyers Guild on Harry Bridges Case	1941
3	3	ILWU Handbook in recognition of Harry Bridges	1941
3	4	Releases from Citizens Committee for Harry Bridges	1941
3	5	Newspaper clippings on Harry Bridges Case	1941
3	6	Newspaper clippings on Harry Bridges Case	1941-1942
3	7	Auditors Report on Citizens Committee for Harry Bridges and other correspondence related to his deportation	1941-1942
3	8	Newspaper articles on Harry Bridges Case	1942
3	9	Harry Bridges letter to Citizens Committee and VGM	1942-1983
3	10	Lawyers Guild to President of the U.S. requesting cancellation of Harry Bridges deportation	1945
3	11	Correspondence between VGM and Harry and Nikki Bridges, includes newspaper clippings	1985-1986

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SERIES IV. JOURNALISM CAREER
Subseries A: Chicago Tribune 1930 to 1941
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	12	Chicago Tribune Newspaper articles by VG	1930-1937
3	13	Misc. correspondence and research materials while at the Chicago Tribune	1937-1940
3	14	Tribune correspondence	1937-1940
3	15	Photocopy of 12/25/38 Picture Section of Chicago Tribune includes a picture OF VG	1938
3	16	Correspondence:Don Max, possibly Tribune related	1939
3	17	Tribune manuscript	undated
3	18	Photocopy Chicago Sunday Tribune cover page	1938
3	19	Disposed. Same as Folder # 15 in this Series.	undated
3	20	Tribune stories by VG	undated
3	21	Disposed.Same as Folder # 18 in this series.	undated
3	22	Correspondence regarding Tribune firing	undated
3	23	settlement of VG's Tribune case	1940
3	24	Tribune articles by VG	1930-1938
3	25	Tribune Documents	undated
3	26	Photocopies of photoprints "Signing of Hearst Chain Peace Formula" ending Chicago strike.	1940
3	27	Correspondence:Guild activities at The Tribune	1937
3	28	Copies of the Tribunit, Guild newspaper of the Chicago Tribune workers	1938-1939
3	30	Correspondence: Newspaper Guild of New York and Chicago	1941
3	31	St. Louis Newspaper Guild Newsletter	undated
3	32	Union Songs by Chicago Newspaper Guild	undated
3	33	Guild activities and songs.	undated
3	34	Eulogy for Morgan Hull of Los Angeles Newspaper Guild	undated
Subseries B: Federated Press, Washington D.C. 1942 to 1943.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	35	Political hassles at Federated Press	1942-1943
3	36	Federated Press articles by VG	1942-1943
3	37	Federated Press articles by VG	1943
3	38	Letter of resignation	1943
3	39	Correspondence and Union Leader	1943
3	40	Correspondence: Job related	1942-1943
Subseries C: New Masses, Washington D.C.1943 to 1947.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	41	New Masses:Articles by VG	1944-1947
3	42	New Masses: Articles by VG	1944-1947
Subseries D: California employment, 1947 to 1952.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	43	Peoples Voice; New Masses:Articles by VG	1946-1947
3	44	Challenge Newspaper: Articles by VG	1947
3	45	Correspondence: Regarding Councilman Davenport's anti- communist attack and Los Angeles Fire and Police article	1948
3	46	Peoples World speech in San Francisco fundraising effort	1948
3	47	Correspondence:Masses and Mainstream	1949
3	48	Newspaper article by VG in Daily Peoples World	1950
3	49	Newspaper article by VG in Daily Peoples World on Terminal Island, in Our World newspaper	1951
3	50	Daily Peoples World: Correspondence	1950-1952
3	51	Peoples World:Articles by VG and correspondence	1951
3	52	VG's case from California Review Committee, regarding Peoples World employment	1951-1956
3	53	On getting fired by Slim, correspondence etc. from Peoples World employment	1951
Box	Folder	Title	Date
	54	Political notes to self on Slim Meeting,	undated
	55	Peoples World staff meeting speech by VG	undated
Subseries E: New York employment and miscellaneous job relatedactivitiesto 1990.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	56	Daily Worker article by VG "Is this the answer to a tenant prayer."	1955
3	57	Newspaper article by VG in the Worker, includes notes,	1953-1958
3	58	Notes on Daily Worker articles	1956-1959
3	59	Correspondence: Ben Levine, "Daily Worker Unsung Hero,"	1976
3	60	Daily Peoples World and Daily Worker articles by VG	1948-1957
3	61	Daily Worker Radium Story by VG	1956-1957
3	62	Articles by VG	1956-1957
3	63	Correspondence from Charles Headly to Daily Worker editor	1957
3	64	Articles by VG while at Chicago Tribune, Federated Press, and Daily Worker	1930-1957
3	65	Correspondence to editor, Party Voice, Party Affairs,and Daily Worker	1958
3	66	Newspaper articles by VG in the Worker	1959
3	67	Correspondence regarding VG's article in Science and Society,	undated
3	68	Newspaper article by VG on "Cotton Picking,"	undated
3	69	Newspaper article by VG on "Cotton Picking," John Rankin, Congressman	undated
3	70	Correspondence: From VG regarding employment status at an Unidentified newspaper	undated
3	71	Notes and rewrite of story by VG on, "Veteran Telegrapher"	undated
3	72	Press Release regarding Talk Show by VG	undated
3	73	Speeches by VG	1949

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SERIES V: CORRESPONDENCE ADDENDUM
Box	Folder	Title	Date
4	0.1	Correspondence - to be integrated	undated
4	0.2	Correspondence - to be integrated	undated
4	1	Correspondence	1969-1971
4	2	Correspondence	1972-1975
4	3	Correspondence	1977
4	4	Correspondence	1978
4	5	Correspondence	1979
4	6	Correspondence	1980
4	7	Correspondence	1981-1982
4	8	Correspondence	1983
4	9	Correspondence	1984

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SERIES VI: RESEARCH
Subseries A: Friend and Lover (Research Files, Typescript)
Box	Folder	Title	Date
0	10	Appendix	undated
0	11	Book outline	undated
0	12	Book party invite	undated
0	13	Book proposal	undated
0	14	Caption material	undated
0	15	Chapter 2	undated
0	16	Chapter 4	undated
0	17