Darlington Hoopes

Darlington Hoopes (September 11, 1896 – September 25, 1989) was an American politician and lawyer who served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives as a member of the Socialist Party of America. He served as chairman of the Socialist Party of America from 1946 to 1968.

Darlington Hoopes
Chairman of the
Socialist Party of America
In office
1946–1968
Member of the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
In office
1931–1937
Personal details
Born(1896-09-11)September 11, 1896
Harford County, Maryland, U.S.
DiedSeptember 25, 1989(1989-09-25) (aged 93)
Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partySocialist Party of America
Social Democratic Federation
Socialist Party USA
EducationUniversity of Wisconsin School of Agriculture

Hoopes was born in LaVale, Maryland, and educated at the George School and the University of Wisconsin School of Agriculture. He ran for multiple offices with the Socialist nomination and served in multiple position within the Socialist Party; with him later becoming chairman of the party. He served as the Socialist Party's vice-presidential nominee during the 1944 presidential election and as the party's presidential nominee during the 1952 and 1956 presidential elections. Hoopes conducted the last presidential campaigns of the Socialist Party of America. He briefly joined the Social Democratic Federation in the 1930s before returning to the Socialist Party and later joined the Socialist Party USA after the dissolution of the Socialist Party.

Early life

Darlington Hoopes was born on September 11, 1896, in LaVale, Maryland, to Quaker parents. He graduated from the George School in 1913, and attended the University of Wisconsin School of Agriculture. In 1921, he was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He married Hazelette Miller, with whom he had three children.[1][2][3]

Career

Hoopes ran to be the Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Berks County, Pennsylvania, with the Socialist nomination in 1927, 1929, and 1957.[4][5][6][7][8] From 1928 to 1932, he served as Assistant City Solicitor of Reading and then as City Solicitor of Reading from 1936 to 1940.[1] He served as the Socialist nominee for Governor of Pennsylvania during the 1946 elections.[9]

Hoopes became a member of the Socialist Party of America in 1914.[1] During the 1920s he served as secretary of the Socialist Party of Pennsylvania.[10] Hoopes served as a member of the national Socialist executive committee during the 1930s.[11] Hoopes was selected to serve as the chairman of the Socialist Party of America's 1934 national convention by a vote of 69 to 61 against George E. Roewer.[12] He served as chairman of the Socialist Party of America from 1946 to 1968.[13] Hoopes joined the Socialist Party USA in 1973.[14]

In 1936, the Socialist Party of Pennsylvania severed its connection with the Socialist Party of America over ideological and tactical differences.[15] Hoopes remained with the state organization outside of any national organization. On February 7, 1937 the Socialist Party of Pennsylvania called an "Eastern States Conference of Social Democratic Organizations" in Philadelphia which moved forward towards establishing a new organization, the Social Democratic Federation.[15] Hoopes was named to the 7 member committee which issued a call for a National Convention in Pittsburgh, to be held May 29–31, 1937.[15]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Hoopes won election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1930, with the Socialist nomination alongside fellow Socialist Lilith M. Wilson. Hoopes and Wilson were the first third party delegation to serve in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 1917.[1][16] During the 1930 campaign Hoopes had been arrested for attempting to conduct a political meeting without a permit, but the charges against him were later dropped.[17][18] He was reelected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1932 and 1934.[19][20] Hoopes ran for reelection in 1936, but lost in the general election.[21] Hoopes sought election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1938, but lost.[22]

Presidential and vice-presidential campaigns
Darlington Hoopes served as Norman Thomas' vice-presidential running mate during the 1944 presidential election.

On June 4, 1944, Hoopes was selected by unanimity to serve as the vice-presidential running mate to Norman Thomas, who was seeking the presidency for the fifth time.[23] The Thomas and Hoopes presidential ticket placed fourth in the general election and received 79,019 votes.[24] During the 1948 presidential election Hoopes was nominated for the vice-presidential nomination by the Socialist Party of Pennsylvania.[25] However, Tucker P. Smith won the party's vice-presidential nomination at the national convention.[26]

On May 5, 1952, the Socialist Party of Massachusetts endorsed Hoopes for the Socialist Party of America's presidential nomination and Robin Myers for the vice-presidential nomination.[27] Hoopes was won the party's presidential nomination by an unanimous vote after his two opponents dropped out and Samuel H. Friedman was selected by unanimity to serve as his vice-presidential running mate.[28] Hoopes was selected to serve as the party's presidential nominee after Thomas announced that he would not seek the party's presidential nomination again.[29] During the campaign Hoopes spent $150 and in the general election he placed sixth after receiving 20,203 votes.[30][31]

Hoopes and Friedman were selected to serve as the party's presidential and vice-presidential nominees during the 1956 presidential election. However, the sixty delegates to the Socialist Party of America's national convention to not spend large amounts of money or effort on campaigning for president and would instead seek write-in votes for Hoopes and Friedman.[32] In the general election he placed tenth after receiving 2,128 votes.[33] Hoopes' 1956 presidential campaign was the last conducted by the Socialist Party of America before its dissolution in the 1970s.[14]

Later life

From 1957 to 1962, he served as president of the Pennsylvania Equal Rights Council. He also served as president of the Berks County Bar Association from 1961 to 1962.[1] On September 25, 1989, Hoopes died in a nursing home from natural cases in Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania.[30][1]

References
  1. "Darlington Hoopes, Socialist, 93; Twice Party Choice for President". The New York Times. September 27, 1989. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020.
  2. "Darlington Hoopes". Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020.
  3. "Today's Birthday". The Morning Herald. September 11, 1956. p. 14. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Leave Judgeships Open". Reading Times. April 26, 1927. p. 1. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Judge of the Court of Common Pleas". Reading Times. November 8, 1927. p. 1. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Socialists Appear to Have Made Clean Sweep at City Hall". Reading Times. November 9, 1927. p. 1. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "1929 Judgeship". Reading Times. July 15, 1929. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "Qualifies as Socialist Candidate For Bench". The Plain Speaker. September 4, 1957. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "State Socialists Name Candidate for Governor". The Pittsburgh Press. February 11, 1946. p. 9. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Insurgent Drive On in State Now". The Times-Tribune. July 15, 1924. p. 1. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Hoopes Offers Broad Program". Reading Times. June 2, 1934. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Hoopes Named National Head by Socialists". Sunday News. June 2, 1934. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "Darlington Hoopes Papers [Microform]". Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "The Ghost of William Penn: Darlington Hoopes - 'It Can Be Done!'". Daily Times. August 7, 2012. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "SDF Calls Convention at Pittsburgh, May 20," The New Leader [New York], vol. 20, no. 7 (Feb. 13, 1937), pp. 1-2.
  16. "Socialists Are Only 3rd Party in House". Reading Times. November 12, 1930. p. 11. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Ass't City Solitictor of Reading Is Arrested by Allentown Police". The Morning Call. October 12, 1930. p. 5. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. "Socialist Discharged by Municipal Court". The Morning Call. October 14, 1930. p. 11. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. "Reelected in 1932". The Morning Call. November 10, 1932. p. 18. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. "Hoopes and Wilson Reelected". Reading Times. November 7, 1934. p. 11. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. "Easily Win Assembly Seats". Reading Times. November 5, 1936. p. 3. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. "Majority Clear-Cut". The Pittsburgh Press. November 9, 1938. p. 11. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. "Norman Thomas Heads Socialist Ticket 5th Time". The Mercury. June 5, 1944. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. "1944 Presidential Election". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020.
  25. "Pa. Socialists Nominate Professor for President". York Daily Record. February 16, 1948. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. "Norman Thomas Again Heads Socialist Ticket". The Daily Republican. May 10, 1948. p. 8. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. "Hoopes Is Indorsed". The Philadelphia Inquirer. May 6, 1952. p. 9. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. "Socialists' Presidential Choice Is Reading Man". The Daily Gazette. June 2, 1952. p. 3. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. "Darlington Hoopes Socialist Choice for President". Daily American. June 3, 1952. p. 1. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. "Darlington Hoopes, Socialist Politician". Lancaster New Era. September 27, 1989. p. 1. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. "1952 Presidential Election". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020.
  32. "Socialists Nominate Hoopes, Friedman". The Times-Tribune. June 11, 1956. p. 24. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. "1952 Presidential Election". Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Archived from the original on October 13, 2020.

Further reading
  • J. Paul Henderson, Darlington Hoopes: The Political Biography of an American Socialist. Glasgow, Scotland: Humming Earth, 2005.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Norman Thomas		 Socialist Party Presidential candidate
1952 (lost), 1956 (lost)		 Succeeded by
Frank Zeidler (1976)
Preceded by
Maynard C. Krueger		 Socialist Party of America Vice Presidential candidate
1944 (lost)		 Succeeded by
Tucker P. Smith
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