Richberg, Donald Randall (1881-1960)

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Donald R. Richberg to Jane Addams, December 21, 1912

Jane Addams to Donald R. Richberg, January 25, 1913

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Birth Date

1881-07-10

Death Date

1960-11-27

Birthplace

Knoxville, Tennessee

Biographical Text

Donald Randall Richberg and his father established a law firm in Chicago, Richberg & Richberg, From 1913 to 1915 he served as a special state's attorney, and from 1916 to 1919 he was a special master for a Chicago city court of chancery. During this time, he helped the City of Chicago in a case against the People's Gas Company. During the Great Railroad Strike of 1922, he became the general counsel for the Railway Employees' Department, representing the railway unions, and in 1926 he co-authored the Railway Labor Act. Also in 1926, he became counsel for the Railway Labor Executives' Association, helping to draft the Norris-La Guardia Act. In 1932, Richberg helped to found the National Progressive League, supporting Franklin D. Roosevelt in his run for President of the United States. After Roosevelt won, Richberg was a member of the presidential transition team, helping to draft the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA). This led to his appointment to general counsel of the National Recovery Administration, where he was in charge of defending Section 7(a) of the act. However, Roosevelt then created the National Labor Board to defend this section, which Richberg opposed and fought. In 1934, Richberg was appointed the director of the Industrial Emergency Committee and put in charge of the Executive Council and the National Emergency Council. However, other members of the administration did not approve of this, and after various political attacks, Richberg resigned, returning to the NRA as Executive Director of the National Industrial Recovery Board. In this position, however, Richberg became involved in double-dealing, lying to the President and not bringing up issues with the President after promising others he would do so. Richberg also became very pro-business, angering both labor unions and the NRA. In 1935, the Supreme Court ruled that Title I of NIRA was unconstitutional, and Roosevelt terminated the Board, causing Richberg to resign, Richberg then turned to writing and practicing law, working with Davies, Richberg, Beebe, Busick & Richardson. He continued to be consulted for drafting legislation, and he helped draft the Taft-Hartley Act and a bill that would have stopped school desegregation in Virginia. He also lectured at the University of Virginia School of Law from 1949 to 1952. Richberg married Elizabeth Harriet in 1906. However, they later divorced. Richberg then remarried to Lynette Mulvey, but they divorced in 1924 after Mulvey sued Richberg for desertion. Richberg then remarried once again to Florence Weed, and they had a daughter together. Richberg died in 1960.

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Rightsholder being researched

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DeLora, Renee

DeLisi, Julianne

Lichon, Sara Catherine

First appears

1912

Bibliography and Links

"Donald Richberg Sued by his Wife for Desertion," Chicago Tribune vol. 83, no. 47, 1924, p. 7.

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Wikipedia

Citation

“Richberg, Donald Randall (1881-1960),” Jane Addams Digital Edition, accessed September 25, 2020, http://digital.janeaddams.ramapo.edu/items/show/3757.

Richberg, Donald Randall (1881-1960)

Item Relations

Harold L. Ickes to Jane Addams, January 6, 1913

Illinois Progressive Service Committee List, ca. January 18, 1913

Paul Underwood Kellogg to John Rogers Commons, April 10, 1913

Paul Underwood Kellogg to Louise de Koven Bowen, April 12, 1913

Report of Department of Social Service and Industrial Justice, Progressive Service Committee, April 23, 1913

Special Report of the Progressive National Service (April-May 1913), July 3, 1913

Special Report of the Progressive National Service (April-May 1913), July 3, 1913

Frances Alice Kellor to Paul Underwood Kellogg, July 17, 1913

Report and Resignation of Paxton Hibben, Bureau of Education, Progressive National Service, November 18, 1913

Harold LeClair Ickes to Jane Addams, August 5, 1914

Donald R. Richberg to Jane Addams, December 21, 1912

Jane Addams to Donald R. Richberg, January 25, 1913

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