Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
This is BANNED BOOKS WEEK. Here’s a book, written by Jesse & Frank James’ first cousin Dan James. Like Jesse James, the book was banned in its day. But today, Dan’s book is famous, widely read, and seriously studied in college courses, together with his films. So, too, is Dan James.
Daniel Lewis James was blacklisted, first as a Hollywood screenwriter after co-writing the screen classic The Great Dictator with Charlie Chaplin. Then later, Dan James was banned as a novelist.
The House on Un-American Activities Committee, convened by the U. S. Congress, branded Dan James as a Communist on evidence of hearsay. Dan was driven underground to write B-movies instead, one of them the screen classic Gorgo.
When Daniel Lewis James published his novel Famous All Over Town under the Hispanic pen name of Danny Santiago, the Hispanic literati exposed him. Attempting to ban his book, they brown listed Dan James and Danny Santiago, the fictional author who did not exist.
Today, Dan’s novel is celebrated and taught in college in Hispanic studies classes. The chapter in my book, Jesse James Soul Liberty, about Dan James, titled “All For the Underdog,” has been made into a play, commissioned by the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago. The play was written by the award-winning Hispanic playwright, Carlos Murillo.
There have been various efforts to ban my book, Jesse James Soul Liberty. The Northfield Historical Society will not carry the book in its bookstore. Do they fear the return of the James family to Northfield in book form will steal the fortune they gather each year celebrating Jesse James defeat?
The Kansas City Star has refused to review the book, because, they say, the book’s publisher is not on the newspaper’s list of approved publishers. Do they fear a publisher who isn’t a gatekeeper will slip something new into the book market? Will that new information threaten what they’ve already approved?
A Missouri state representative, when asked about making the book available at James Farm & Museum in Kentucky, has stated, “I couldn’t give a s _ _ t about Jesse James!” Many of Missouri’s politicians today would simply like to be rid of the name and its association. They think that banning a book about the Jesse James family will erase the outlaw’s sad history. They believe that restricting what people read, and banning what they think people should not read, will guarantee proper social behavior.
I wish them all every success for banning my book, as well as others. Banishment certainly will ensure my book will be around for generations to come. History has proved, authors of banned books tend to become very successful, and their books become widely read. As my book shows, among the James family being banned or persecuted is evidence of significant accomplishment.
As much as books are banned by those of lesser intelligence, banned books are celebrated by those of higher intelligence. After all, isn’t that how one gains higher intelligence? By reading books? By reading all kinds of books? You will know a person’s level of intelligence by the number of banned books they read.
Stray Leaves Daily
Daily updates from the family of Frank & Jesse James with stories, photos, & two searchable genealogy databases.
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THE FIRST IMMIGRANT TO AMERICA OF OUR JAMES FAMILY . . .
Stray Leaves, our website below, now reaches back into the 17th century to bring you the story of our first immigrant, John James, in narrative form.
John’s story comes to us through original documents and seasoned source citations, which are also provided.
What John James Tells Us
• He arrived at Jamestown.
• He transported 10 indentured people.
• He was rewarded with a land patent.
• The location of his land can be visited today.
• He and his neighbors comprised the important founding families of Virginia.
• The location of origination of the James in the Old World, as Jesse James family historians say is Pembrokeshire, Wales is disputed and unproven.
• The name identity of John’s wife as formerly stated by traditional genealogists is disproved.
• John James arrived as an oligarch and royalist with no pretensions to democracy or self-rule.
• Early James family wealth was accrued in the tobacco culture and by land speculation.
• John and his family were followers of the Church of England.
• His children and grandchildren remained savvy and street-wise, relating well with common people.
• Generations beyond the grandchildren of John James produced significant diversity in America’s people and culture.
Read about John James, the Immigrant now.
John James – Immigrant Cavalier to the New World
ericjames.org
The first foothold of the James family in the New World was secured by John James, the Immigrant. John was born about 1623. Sometime before 1690, he died.
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When this happens, it’s usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it’s been deleted.Will the real DAVID JAMES, please, stand up and come forward? Are you still drinking this stuff?
Founder of Churchill Downs race track, Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr. is a 4th cousin, twice removed of Frank & Jesse James.
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it’s usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it’s been deleted.