Daily Doc: Lorillard, Jun 22, 1984: The tobacco industry and African Americans
Daily Doc: The tobacco industry and African Americans
Title: No title
Lorillard, Jun 22, 1984
Bates #: 93113195/3197
June 26, 2000
This is a letter from the president of Black Media, Inc. (a New York City-based African-American media company) to the vice president of the Philip Morris Tobacco Company, an apparent response to a solicitation for general support from the African-American community. I found this letter surprising for the extremely fervent support it shows that the African American community gave the tobacco industry (particularly surprising in light of the "Uptown Revolt" that occured just a few short years later). This sentiment emanates from the tobacco industry's history as a source of support for the African-American community in this country. The writer points out that for many years the tobacco industry provided Blacks with decent-paying jobs when decent-paying jobs were hard to come by, and, once hired, promoted them to executive-level positions, supported their institutions and charities, etc. In empathizing so strontly with the tobacco industry's woes, however, the writer of this letter goes so far as to compare the prejudice and racial bigotry suffered by African Americans with the strong anti-tobacco sentiment welling up in the U.S.:
"...because we as Black Americans have long felt the brutal blows of bold, bigoted and unbecoming behavior. In other words, we are in a position such that we can empathize almost totally with you."This letter indicates that a very powerful vein of support for Big Tobacco emanated (and may still emanate) from some facets of the African-American community...
CITATION
Title: No title
Type of Document: Letter
Author: Benjamin Hickman Wright, President, Black Media, Inc. Recipient: Mr. Stanley Scott, vice President, Philip Morris Company Site: Lorillard Tobacco Company document site http://www.lorillarddocs.com/
No. of Pages: 3
Bates No. 93113195/3197
Date: 19840622
URL: (I will provide the URL of the first page so you can enlarge the copy for easier reading. I recommend using the 1.5x image scale to get a clear view) http://www.lorillarddocs.com/getimg.asp?pgno=0&start=0&bool=Negro%20and%20marketing&docid=93113195/3197&docnum=1
Found Using Search Criteria: "Negro and marketing"
QUOTES
Dear Stan:
We are, indeed, extremely pleased to respond to your request that we consider creative ways of supporting the tobacco industry as a whole. We see ourselves has having a mutual interest in doing so for two reasons as follows:
1) The Black Economic Issue: Black tobacco farmers and Black factory (and other) employees have long represented an unusually high percentage of that industry So, whatever hurts that industry, hurts many of our people in a disproportionate way.
2. The Matter of Simple Justice or Equitable Consideration: While we are mindful, without doubt, of the many allegations against smoking, we know that "drunk driving" with many teenage and other deaths on the highways and "cirrhosis of the liver" which greatly shortens life do not emanate from smoking. Further, the many "cardiac arrests" and "high blood pressure" victims of the food industry's processing methods and excessive use of salt and refined sugar cannot be attributed to the tobacco industry.
Yes, Stan, these industries are not under anywhere near what would seem as "proportionate" or equitable attack as is the tobacco industry. Thus, on the basis of simple justice or equity, we are extremely sympathetic...because we as Black Americans have long felt the brutal blows of bold, bigoted and unbecoming behavior.
In other words, we are in a position such that we can empathize almost totally with you.
Aside from the above two reasons, Stan, the tobacco industry truly has been our friend, and the friend of many others, in many ways, as well as over a long period of time...Thus, because we owe so much to you...[we will] do the following in response to your request for industry-wide support.:
1. A feature story in the National BLACK MONITOR....[T]he National BLACK MONITOR bow is the official interorganizational publication at the national level for the well over 80 major community-builidng organizations associated with the national Assault on Illiteracy Program (AOIP)....
Dr. Roark and "Big Bob" have suggested that this feature focusing on the important "stake" that Black Americans have in the tobacco industry be of at least two full pages in length in this powerful "Family and Community Organization" magazine. Their reasoning is that all of our leadership should be enabled to understand why none of us can afford to stand by idly while anyone is being mistreated...and, in this instance it is we in the Black community who are suffering disproportionately.
2. Encouragement of Similar Features in Other Media: This would include a wide range of media which are part of our "family" ...
3. A Continuing Campaign of "Public Service-Type" Messages: We need to meet with your "PR" people -- and those of other companies in the industry. Our aim would be to help develop some "make-real-sense" messages on behalf of your industry that we could run without cost to anyone in the tobacco industry...
4. Enlist Personal Assistance From Black Leadership: When approached in the proper way, there is little doubt that almost all of the AOIP leader[ship] can be enlisted to be of massive and unprecedented help on behalf of the cause of equity and justice for the tobacco industry. that industry took leadership in hiring Black sales reps when few others would treat us equitably. that industry advertised with us when no other did so. That industry took leadership in providing scholarships when few others did so...and that industry is still the leader in supporting the United Negro College fund....
...Stan, this provides you with the flavor of what we would like to do to help your company as well as help the American Tobacco Company, Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corporation, Lorillard, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and others....
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Anne Landman, Regional Program Coordinator
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