The First Ladies

In DC, 1934, Mary meets with fellow Black activists Robert Vann, Eugene Jones, and Robert Weaver, a Harvard graduate and great debater. Vann runs the Pittsburgh Courier newspaper and has been appointed to an office in the Roosevelt administration as has Eugene. Vann explains that his position is in name only; he doesn’t make a difference, and many white people refuse to work with him. Eugene has had the same experience. However, Robert Weaver works directly with Mr. Foreman and shares his positive experiences with the New Deal.

Mary understands Robert Vann’s and Eugene’s frustrations, but she believes thanking Roosevelt is the positive route to go to gain his further actions on their behalf. Mary starts drafting the thank-you letter, but Vann won’t sign. Instead, he’ll publish the letter in the Courier.

They’re interrupted by a call for Mary. On the phone, Eleanor tells her not to make the thank you too exuberant because Franklin isn’t budging about meeting with Walter White; he doesn’t plan to do more than his public statements about lynching. They hatch a plan to have Walter meet Franklin in the White House by happenstance.