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The following letter from
American Life Histories,
1936-1940 was written in Hebrew by Mr. Greifer, a Spring Valley, New York farmer.
Mr.Greifer gave the letter to a federal writer in 1938, in hopes that it would appear in
the newspaper. Who does Mr. Greifer seek to represent in his letter? What messages does
Mr. Greifer communicate to the President?
View the entire interview with Mr. Greifer. Use your browser's Back Button to return to this point.
"To Our Illustrious President:
Our Holy Books say: A poor man is like a dead man. You came and
resurrected the poor man from the dead. You came and said: 'Wake up, forgotten man. I will
give you new life. I will give you a new deal .' Like the prophet, Nathan, who said to
King David: You have so many sheep and yet you want to take the last sheep of the poor
man; so you said to the rich, to the Wall St. bankers: Leave the poor man his last sheep.
Let him also live. All the rich men hate you for that. They know that you brought new hope
to the poor plain man. They know that never again will the old times come back. May I end
respectfully that your name, our illustrious President, will live forever." View the entire interview with Mr. Greifer from American Life Histories, 1936-1940. Use your browser's Back Button to return to this point. |
Progressive Era to New Era |
Great Depression and World War II |
Postwar United States
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