The Palmer Raids
Palmer Raid arrestees awaiting investigation and deportation at Ellis Island on January 3, 1920. Corbis Images for Education database.
On January 2, 1920, the US federal government conducted the largest set of political attacks in its history. “The Palmer Raids,” were illegal and anti-constitutional, which does not negate the damage they did to free speech, freedom of the press, or political engagement. Directed by the Justice Department, in tandem with the Labor Department (which was responsible for alien deportations), they are named for Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, who ordered them. Later in 1920, Palmer would make a serious run as candidate for the Democratic nomination as President.
Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer golfing, March 1920. Library of Congress.
But, the January 2 campaign’s primary architect was the 25-year-old Justice Department rising star deputy J. Edgar Hoover. Having spent the previous weeks building up enemy lists, Hoover (more about him in future posts) targeted people and places connected to the Communist Party USA, the Communist Labor Party, or just communist ideology—especially non-citizen residents. The raids happened in 35 US cities, but may have hit New York City hardest of all.
Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer, April 1920. Library of Congress.
Hoover ordered the raid to start at 9:00 p.m., but In New York, they began at 8:30 p.m., when Special Agent Frank Francisco and his team arrived at the offices of Novy Mir, the Russian-language Communist newspaper. In the ensuing hour, they raided twelve additional sites, including Communist Party headquarters at 183 Henry Street and 255 Grand Street,* and the Communist Labor Party headquarters at 274 Grand Street. They confiscated records everywhere, and, of course, detained and interrogated everyone in sight. Those with proof of citizenship mostly escaped arrest; those without were sere mostly sent to Ellis Island to await deportation.
Jacob Adler's Grand Theatre, 255 Grand Street, at Chrystie Street. Illustration from Brockhaus and Efron Jewish Encyclopedia (1906–1913)
Seven hundred New Yorkers were arrested that night and 2,800 across the country, figures that do not include the thousands who were molested, harassed, or displaced, figures that only hint at the destructive impact of the raids.
*255 Grand also happened to be the address of the Grand Theater, NYC’s first theater built specifically for Yiddish productions. Presumably, there were offices upstairs. The shared address may not have been a coincidence.