Rare midcentury Boy Scouts promotional brochure advertising the benefits of scouting to an African American audience.
Very good plus.
Price: $225.00
"Boys want action and adventure."
This scarce BSA pamphlet extols the organization's effectiveness in producing of "men of Christian character," illustrating its claims with several photos of Black scout troops and scoutmasters, backed by testimonials from eminent Black civic and religious leaders: D.V. Jemison, president of the National Baptist Convention; Roy Wilkins of the NAACP; Lester B. Granger of the National Urban League; and C.C. Spaulding, president of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance, then America's largest Black-owned business. At the time of printing, the BSA was officially opposed to discrimination but entirely comfortable with locally mandated troop segregation and exclusion of Black scouts from leadership roles, and would remain so until the NAACP — under the executive direction of the same Roy Wilkins quoted within — forced the issue in a 1974 lawsuit. OCLC locates just one holding of this publication.
Read more: Zaron Burnett, "I Was a Black Boy Scout. The BSA Needs to Face Its Racist History," MEL Magazine; Gene Demby, "Boy Scouts' Repeal Of Gay Ban Mirrors Its Approach To Racial Integration, NPR.
n.p. [Boy Scouts of America], [circa 1950]. 6'' x 3.5''. Original tri-fold pamphlet. Cat. No. 4803 / 500001145. Illustrated with black and white photographs. Light edgewear and creasing, tiny scuff to front.
We work hard to meet our ethical responsibility to describe our material accurately. All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned for any reason within 30 days. Please notify us before mailing a return.
We guarantee the authenticity of our items. All materials are original (meaning not facsimiles or reproductions) unless otherwise noted. First editions (meaning first edition, first printing) are explicitly stated. TPM is a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America and upholds their Code of Ethics.
All photographs are of the actual item for sale. We're happy to provide additional images on request.
All domestic orders ship gratis. For orders under $250, free USPS media mail shipping is included; orders $250 and over ship USPS Ground Advantage. International orders over $1000 also ship gratis. Expedited, overnight, as well as other carriers (UPS, Fed-Ex, etc.), may carry additional costs beyond quoted rates. All orders receive tracking information and a direct contact in case of any questions.
International buyers are responsible for any customs, taxes, and related import fees. Please note that we are unable to accomodate requests to misrepresent, misdeclare, or otherwise falsify customs documents when shipping internationally. We appreciate your understanding.
We accept all major credit cards, Paypal, Venmo, check, money order, and bank wire. We are happy to bill institutional buyers' needs. Sales tax will be added to applicable purchases. Items subject to prior sale.
If for any reason you are dissatisfied with your purchase, please contact us. We prioritize our long-term relationships far above any individual purchase, and we want you to love your item as much as we loved cataloguing it.
Type Punch Matrix is a Washington D.C.-area rare book firm founded by Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy.
Read more about TPM.
