Description:

Albert Einstein
Princeton, NJ, February 13, 1945
Albert Einstein TLS Re: Membership in the Non-Political Korean American Cultural Association, An Affiliation That Would Attract the Notice of the FBI
TLS
A 1p typed letter signed by Albert Einstein (1879-1955), then a resident scholar the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University, as "A. Einstein" at the conclusion. February 13, 1945. Princeton, New Jersey. Typed on watermarked paper. Expected wear including flattened transmittal folds, even toning, and a few isolated smudges. Partially rusted marks and scattered holes from staples and thumbtacks located in the four corners. Else near fine. 8.375" x 11."

Einstein wrote this letter to Dr. Changsoon Kim (born 1904), the cofounder of the Korean American Cultural Association (KACA). That scientist wrote in part: "I thank you for your letter of January 1rst offering me the chairmanship of the Honorary Scholars Committee of your organization. I feel, however, not justified to accept the chairmanship of this committee, but I shall gladly be willing to become a member of it."

The mission statement of the Korean American Cultural Association, a non-political organization established in Los Angeles in 1939 and incorporated in Honolulu in 1944, was to promote mutual cultural understanding. Its purpose was "to preserve what has been achieved in Korean history for the benefit of future generations… [and] also to bring about a better understanding between the Orient and the Occident," as reported by the "Honolulu Star-Bulletin" in 1947. KACA successfully set up multiple scholarship funds in university libraries throughout the United States to finance the collection and curation of Korean language books.

KACA was founded in the 1930s, during a period of aggressive imperial Japanese territorial expansion into Korea, Manchuria, and China. Many Korean expatriates in the American diaspora believed that the Japanese occupation fundamentally threatened Korean culture, language, and history, and they wanted to safeguard this legacy by fostering inter-cultural cooperation. Just one year later, in 1946, Dr. Changsoon Kim published his comprehensive treatise, "The Culture of Korea, Racial Background, Sketch of Geography, History, Religion, Literature, Art, Science, Music, Economic Background, and History of Revolutionary Movement" through the auspices of the Korean American Cultural Association.

In the letter, Einstein agreed to serve as a member of the KACA Honorary Scholars board. He was true to his word: he did indeed serve in such a capacity in June 1948, according to a San Francisco-based FBI informant who reported him. Einstein's role was explicitly cited in the voluminous FBI files kept on the scientist between the 1920s and 1950s. This specific reference appears on a heavily redacted page of the now declassified "Albert Einstein FBI Files," Part 5 of 9, p. 122. (A scan of the page is included for reference.) The FBI noted Einstein's affiliation with the Korean American Cultural Association as proof of his suspected Communist leanings.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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    Dimensions:
  • 8.375" x 11"
  • Artist Name:
  • Albert Einstein
  • Medium:
  • TLS

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