The Blind History Lady, By Peggy Chong

In a letter to Jacobus tenBroek dated May 16, 1941, Lute Wilcox, president of the United Workers for the Blind (UWB) updated Mr. tenBroek on the efforts of the UWB on behalf of the Colorado affiliate of the Federation.  The UWB had sent out letters to elected officials including a letter to California Governor Olson in support of Federationist, Perry Sundquist asking that he be appointed to Chief of the Division for the Blind in the California State Department of Social Welfare.  Sundquist was appointed to the position until his retirement in 1968.

Lute,  himself  wrote more than 100 individual letters to Colorado editors explaining the new NFB, its goals and activities, encouraging the news editors  to write a news article or editorial about the new organization and the UWB’s involvement and support of the NFB. 

Wilcox also updated tenBroek on Colorado’s legislative efforts.   The Pension for the Blind of Colorado had been increased to $40 a month during the past session.  Wilcox expressed his concern to Mr. tenBroek that, just as before, when the state increased the funds through the Blind Pension, other government bodies found a way to decrease, or make the blind pensioner pay for more out-of-pocket expenses previously covered by a local agency or charity. 

In 1941, the slogan for the UWB, at the top of the letterhead read, “All for one and one for all, There are 2000 blind in Colorado”.  Another line at the top proudly stated that the UWB was a member of the National Federation of the Blind.