Franck Roberts Havenner was a member of Congress representing California’s fourth district and the director of the Labor Union Party in San Francisco. Born in Sherwood, Maryland in 1882, Havenner attended George Washington University and Stanford before becoming a journalist for Bay Area newspapers. He served as Hiram Johnson’s secretary from 1918-1921, later serving on the San Francisco Board of directors until his election to congress in 1937. After his unsuccessful campaign for San Francisco mayor in 1939, and losing his race for reelection in 1940, Havenner served on the railway commision until 1944, when he was reelected as a congressman until 1952. In this interview, Havenner discusses his journalism in pre-WWI California, San Francisco city politics, organized labor, and accusations of communism.
