Heber Blankenhorn was a 20th-Century American journalist and union activist who served on the National Labor Relations Board and recognized decades later by the U.S. Army as both Distinguished Member of the PSYOP Regiment and original "Silver Knight" for his service during both world wars in the "Psychological Operations Regiment."
In 1910, Blankenhorn joined the staff of the New York Evening Sun. By 1914, he had become assistant city editor. He followed labor issues, unions, and strikes. He served as a propaganda expert in France during World War I.
In 1919, he became co-director of the Bureau of Industrial Research. He worked directly with the InterChurch World Movement and, through it, the Steel Strike of 1919. In 1921, he also served as acting publicity director for the Amalgamated Clothing Workers' Union, where he helped establish the New York Leader. By the early 1920s the Socialist Party was in severe membership decline and funding of the New York Call became correspondingly tenuous. In a last-ditch effort to save the paper, it was reorganized in the fall of 1923 to include non-Socialists in its management. On October 1, 1923 the name of the paper was formally changed to the New York Leader as a reflection of this new orientation. Pacifist minister Norman Thomas, formerly of The World Tomorrow, was named as editor of the publication. Heber Blankenhorn became managing editor, Evans Clarkbusiness manager, and Ed Sullivan sportswriter. This effort to stabilize the daily newspaper's funding was unsuccessful, however, and the New York Leader was terminated just six weeks later. From 1921 to 1924, he wrote two books on steel unions and contributed to labor journals. In 1924, he joined the staff of Labor magazine.
Federal service
In 1935, he accepted a position on the public relations staff for the National Recovery Act. He became an assistant to Senator Robert F. Wagner and helped pass the National Labor Relations Act. He went on to serve as industrial economist to chairmen of the National Labor Relations Board and the La Follette Committee for its hearings on the Ford Motor Company. He returned to service for the U.S. Army during World World II on a psychological warfare team and reached the rank of colonel. In 1946, he returned to service on the National Labor Relations Board and resigned in 1947.
Return to federal service
In 1949, he directed a UAW investigation into attempted assassinations of Victor and Walter Reuther.
Return to journalism
In the 1950s, he returned to journalism, based in Europe on staff to Labor magazine, then retired to Alexandria, Virginia, to write his memoirs.
In 1936, Blankenhorn married Ann Washington. He died on January 1, 1956, at home in Alexandria, Virginia.
Awards
Blankenhorn received the Legion of Merit for service during World War II. In 2014, he received posthumous recognition as a Distinguished Member of the PSYOP Regiment. In 2015, he received posthumous recognition from U.S. Army's John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School as the "original Silver Knight" of the PSYOP Regiment.
Blankenhorn served as captain of the Psychologic Subsection in Military Intelligence Branch and then Propaganda Section during World War I. They had no directions or instructions. He led by improvisation 28 men to produce three million copies of 21 separate leaflets. He returned for similar service during World War II.
Works
Books: Blankenhorn had not finished memoirs at his death in 1956:
