Charges against Marvin Pittman
Board of Regents Meeting
May 30, 1941
At the May 30 meeting of the Board of Regents in Athens, Dr. Marvin S.
Pittman and Dean Walter Dewey Cocking of the School of Education at the
University of Georgia were charged with misconduct and alleged to have
advocated an end to racial segregation. Dr. Pittman was charged with
several counts. First, Pittman was charged by the Governor with being
involved in "local partisan politics" in Statesboro. Pittman was alleged
to have removed Talmadge banners from Statesboro streets prior to a rally
on August 20, 1940. Pittman responded to these allegations by claiming
that banners had been taken down due to their violation of city
ordinances. Second, Pittman was alleged to have profited from his farm
and embezzled money from the Teachers College. Third, Pittman was charged
with teaching "racial equality" and "Communism" to the students of the
college.
Novotny, p. 9-10
"Communist" book controversy