Who was Dr Milton SJ Wright?
Heidelberg, 1930-1932
According to popular understanding, a seemingly remarkable encounter took place in Heidelberg in the autumn/fall of 1932. African-American Phd scholar Milton S.J. Wright had just completed two years of study in Germany and had received his degree certificate. Just before returning to the USA he went with friends for dinner at a top hotel. On entering the hotel he was allegedly detained by Nazi Stormtroopers and taken to a room to be questioned by none other than Adolf Hitler. It is claimed that Milton Wright was the first black person Hitler had ever met in person. The brief interrogation then turned into a 3-4 hour dinner for two and the pair are said to have discussed all manner of topics.
The “facts” of this encounter have been cited more than a dozen times in various books and magazines in the 90 years since. Milton himself wrote a 7-page first-hand account of the meeting in an article in Ebony magazine more than 20 years after it allegedly took place.
Milton SJ Wright Links
‘The Historical Development of Negro Journals‘ Milton SJ Wright, Masters Dissertation, Columbia University
19XX - The Crisis ‘Color and the League of Nations‘ Vol 38, Oct, Milton SJ Wright
The Crisis ‘Exchange Students‘ Vol 40, 8 - Milton SJ Wright (Aug 1931)
‘Die Wirtschaftsentwicklung und die Eingeborenen-Politik in den ehemaligen afrikanischen Schutzgebieten Deutschlands von 1884 bis 1918‘ PhD paper, Heidelberg University, (1932)
‘The Outlook for the Negro Graduate‘ Milton SJ Wright, The Sphinx, (May 1937)
‘Does the Negro Really Care?’ Milton SJ Wright, The Sphinx, May 1938
‘Letter from Milton S. J. Wright to W. E. B. Du Bois’ (March 28, 1941)
‘Noble Greeks or Savage Barbarians‘ Milton SJ Wright, The Sphinx (October 1947)
‘Education, Citizenship drive in High Gear‘ Milton SJ Wright, The Sphinx, May 1953
Mentions of Milton SJ Wright**
** Mentions of his Heidelberg lunch
‘The Crisis, vol 38‘ (1931)
‘The SPHINX | Volume 23, 2‘ (May 1937)
‘Indianapolis Recorder - news article‘ May 1937
‘J. A. Rogers interviews man who was “quizzed” by Adolph‘ by JA Rogers, Pittsburgh Courier (30 May 1942) **
‘Meet the Negro‘ Karl E. Downs (1943)
‘Sex and Race: Why white and black mix in spite of opposition‘ Joel Augustus Rogers (1944) **
‘Defiance Crescent News - newspaper article‘ April 1946
‘San Antonio Register - news article‘ October 1953
‘The SPHINX | Volume 39‘ (May 1953)
‘The SPHINX | Volume 42, 3‘ (August 1956)
‘Haiti Sun - news article‘ November 1956
‘Distinguished Negro Georgians‘ Cornelius V. Troup (1962)
‘Black biography, 1790-1950: a cumulative index, Volume 3‘ Randall K. Burkett (1991)
‘The Report, Volumes 35-36‘ The Society (1995)
‘From Black to Schwarz: Cultural Crossovers Between African America and Germany’ Maria I. Diedrich (2010) **
‘Hazing and pledging in Alpha phi Alpha: An Organizational Behavior perspective’ Oscar Holmes IV (2011)
‘A Man Named Doris’ Juliete Parker
‘Race War!: White Supremacy and the Japanese Attack on the British Empire’ Gerald Horne
‘President Rembert Stokes of Wilberforce: 1956 to 1976’ Gabriel Adebayo Omolewu
‘Amerikastudien, Volume 47‘ J. B. Metzlersche (2002)**
‘"Of the Coming of John [and Jane]": African American Intellectuals in Europe, 1888-1938’ Corey D.B. Walker (2002)
‘A History of Black Musicians in Germany and Austria, 1870-1961: Race, Performance and Reception‘ Kira Thurman, Phd paper (2013)
‘Dr Lewis Walker interview [video]‘ (Feb, 2015) **
‘Conversations with Hitler or – Quid Est Veritas?: Apostles & Victims, Volume 1’ Mary Bell (2018) **
‘PhD Student Meets Hitler‘ Amanda Mae (2018) **
‘Doris Miller, Pearl Harbor, and the Birth of the Civil Rights Movement’ By Thomas W. Cutrer (2018) **
“First black man to have an audience with AH“
Did you know Milton SJ Wright?
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