Does anyone know who originally coined the term “Gore Files” when referring to Harry Anslinger and the Bureau of Narcotics collection of newspaper articles professing the evils of marijuana? Was it Anslinger himself or a pro-marijuana author?
ANSWER–In an e-mail from Larry Sloman, author of the 1979 book Reefer Madness, he proclaimed to be the one who coined the term “Gore Files”.
Looking for an FBI WANTED poster of Victor Licata (Florida Ax Killer said to have been high on marijuana when he slaughtered his family). Several articles seem to suggest that the feds distributed a Wanted Poster to law enforcement and major newspapers some time after his escape from a Chattahoochee, Florida prison on Oct. 14, 1945. A Denver Post article entitled “Peddlers of Marijuana Lead Youth to Crime” (July 18, 1948 p 1, Sec C), contains what looks like an artist’s rendition of Victor Licata, which could have come from a Wanted Poster.
Always interested in obtaining old cannabis recipes (pre 1940’s). Typically the best ones are from India like Bhang & Majun (also spelled Majoom, Majoon, Majum) Majun also goes by the name Alwa and Halva. Many books briefly mention old cannabis recipes, but rarely go into enough detail to actually make them.
I am an avid collector of Mezz Mezzrow references (born Milton Mesirow Nov. 9, 1899, died Aug 5, 1972). Interested in jazz articles discussing this controversial clarinet and sax player, even ones that only briefly mention him and his activities. In the future I plan on compiling a reference list containing the dozens of Mezzrow articles I have found during my marijuana research. I am very interested in working with a jazz historian on a publication about the life of Mezzrows after publishing his book “Really The Blues”. Oddly enough, I haven’t been able to find the few newspaper references Mezzrow mentioned in his book. A brief mention of the articles can be found on page 289 (first edition). The stories are in regards to Mezzrow’s band, the “Disciples Of Swing” being the first mixed jazz band.
Is there anyone who can help me track down the following articles? The stories are thought to appear between November 28th 1937 and January of 1938, based on the New York Times article “News And Gossip Of Night Clubs” that mentions the Harlem Uproar House gig having occurred (Nov. 28, 1937 p. 10X). A researcher visiting The New York State Library would yield the best results for the following articles, as well as being able to do more extensive reference searches (card catalogs, newspaper clipping collections, special collections of music material, etc…)
Also looking for a Mezz Mezzrow album cover said by Leonard Feather to mention the Harlem Uproar House gig having been “vandalized by fascist hoods”.
Also looking for the date when Bernard Wolfe’s afterword to ”Really The Blues” was inserted into the book? Some time aftert 1968, but before October 1985?
Also looking for Mezzrow’s two lost trunks, one lost in New York early on in his career, containing among other jazz memorabilia his 365,000 words cut out of Really The Blues during the editing process, and the second trunk lost in Paris after his death in 1972 containing Really The Blues Part Two previously submitted to Henry Miller in 1970.
Also looking for the original twelve-inch acetate discs of Mezz Mezzrows “Really The Blues Concert”, performed on January 1, 1947, in New York’s Town Hall. The recording was latter edited and transferred to record and distributed by Jazz Archives in 1978. I bought the Jazz Archive version of “Really The Blues Concert” for my collection and was greatly disappointed to find Mezzrow’s commentary on the music was edited out. On the back of the Album author Chris Albertson stated, among other things, that “The album ends, as did the concert (except for some commentary and a few plugs by Mezzrow)” On the lower right corner the record album the jacket also states “Special thanks to Chris Albertson who made this valuable source material available to us from his personal collection.” but upon contacting Chris he stated that he had never owned the original acetates of the concert and does not know what happened to them. The next step is contacting the other people involved withthis jazz vinyl, which are as follows, Executive Producer: Marvin Goldsmith & Jerry Valburn, Technical Supervision: Jerry Valburn, Transfer & Editing: Jack Towers & Jerry Valburn, Mastering: Don Van Golden & Soundwave Studios, Cover Art & Production: Jayo Zabriskie, Liner Layout: Madeline Sloan. — I have contacted Dan Morgenstdern, who in turn contacted Jerry Valburn for me, who did the Transfer & Editing of the concert. Evidently, Jerry Valburn obtained the “Really The Blues Concert” from the late Kurt Stern, but Jerry has no idea who Kurt obtain it from or what happened to the original twelve inch acetate discs. Oddly enough, the late Kurt Stern is not even mentioned on the album, so no real leads have been obtained yet.
Really The Blues Concert Credits
SIDE ONE
1. Darktown Strutters Ball (A) (Shelton Brooks)
2. The Blues (A) (Ad-Lib)
3. Muskrat Ramble (A) (Edward Ory)
4. Sammy’s Boogie Woogie Blues (B) (Sammy Price)
5. You Can’t Do That To Me (C) (Wesley Wilson)
SIDE TWO
1. There’ll Be Some Changes Made (D) (Higgins-Overstreet)
2. Friar’s Point Shuffle (D) (McKenzie.-Condon)
3. Really The Blues (D) (Mezz Mezzrow)
4. Really The Blues (Extension) (D) (Mezz Mezzrow)
5. High Society (D) (Williams-Piron)
(A) Muggsy Spanier, coronet; Sandy Williams, trombone; SidneyBechet, soprano sax; Sammy Price, piano; Wellman Braud, bass; Baby Dodds, drums
(B) Sammy Price, piano; Bady Dodds, drums
(C) Coot Grand and “Kid Sox” Wesley Wilson, vocal with Wesley Wilson, piano
(D) Same as “A” but add Mezz Mezzrow, clarinet
Can anyone help me contact jazz critic Nat Hentoff, associate editor of Down Beat magazine from 1953 through 1957? I tried to contact Nat several times with no luck. I was hoping he could explain his February 11, 1953 Down Beat article “Counterpoint” by Nat Hentoff on page 5. One of the harshest criticisms of Mezzrow that I have ever found referenced in a publication. Toward the end of Hentoff’s Counterpoint article he also quoted from a French publication called Jazz-Hot about a Paris concert review that he claimed to back up his harsh criticism of Mezzrow, which I would like to examine in hopes of laying this one to rest. In his article Nat Hentoff quoted this statement in regards to the Paris J.M.F. sponsored concert (Jeunesses Musicales de France), “The concert itself was characterized by Jazz-Hot as “beaucoup de bruit pour rien” (a lot of noise for nothing). ” However, when I conducted my search through Jazz-Hot magazine from Dec 1952 through Jun of 1953 I failed to find the quote.
Feb. 27, 2010 update–I was informed that Nat does not communicate by e-mail, evidently he still prefersSASE’s. In late December, 2009 I received a reply to my enquiry. From what I can tell by his poorly written letter, he apparently did not feel the need to explain his statments or the one he attributed to Jazz-Hot in the ”Counterpoint” article. He just took the opportunity to bash Mezzrow again without an explanation. Nat sounds like a a broken record, he just repeats the same bull shit over and over again.
Any help with my reference searches will be greatly appreciated.
I am looking for a late 1800’s dictionary that mentions the etymology of marijuana/marihuana/mariguana (Spanish, Portuguese, English etc…)So far, no dictionary has provided a deriving source for the word mariguana that checked out. Nor have I been able to find the word “maraguango” in any credible dictionary (mentioned in The Military Surgeon Nov, 1933, vol. 72, p.269).
My extensive research has failed to find evidence of the Anslinger-Mellon family connection through the marriage of Martha Anslinger (maiden name Denniston) mentioned by dozens of writers.
For years I have requested help from researchers through Harry Anslingers wikipedia’s discussion page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Harry_J._Anslinger There was no mention of the family connection said by numerous authors to reside in the Altoona Mirror, Altoona, PA., Newspaper obituary of Martha Anslinger on October 10, 1961 p.22. After posting my previous obituary comment regarding the “Citation needed” on the wikipedia discushion page it was replaced with (ref. #22 Valentine, Douglas (2004). The Strength of the Wolf: The Secret History of America’s War on Drugs. Verso Books. pp. 16. ISBN 1-85984-568-1.) I obtained a copy of Valentine’s book “The Strength of the Wolf” for the Mellon reference. Upon my examination of page 16 in the book, referenced as #22, their appeared to be a reference mistake. Valentine should have referenced #21 Douglas Kinder, “Bureaucratic Cold Warrior: Harry J. Anslinger and Illicit Narcotic Traffic,” Pacific Cost Branch, American Historical Association, Pacific Historical Review, 1981, 172-3.” Kinder’s book did mention the “Martha Denniston Leet” reference as #5, admittedly though, reference #5 has dozens of citations. However, near the end of the reference, Kinder states “Anslingers appointment to the Narcotics Division is explained in John K. Caldwell to Cotton, June 28, 1930, item no. 811.114 n16/1813. box 4917, State Department General Records, decimal file 1930-39, National Archives, Washington, D.C.”. I obtained a copy of the Caldwell letter in question, but no mention of Martha was found.
I believe that Douglas Kinder, with his extensive amount of primary references in his Bureaucratic Cold Warrior article, would be able to provide the Mellon reference if I could only find him. Does anybody know how to contact Douglas Kinder???
On 12/18/09 I contacted David Cannadine, author of “Mellon, An American Life”, regarding the Mellon -Anslinger family connection. He replied that he was sorry to say that he hadn’t come across any evidence of the connection.
Can anyone else provide me with another reference lead regarding the Anslinger-Mellon family connection?
Uncle Mike