The Forgotten Memoir of John Knox

Professor Hutchinson talked about the book he co-edited, The Forgotten Memoir of John Knox: A Year in the Life of a Supreme Court Clerk in FDR’s Washington, published by the University of Chicago Press. Professor Hutchinson said that John Knox served as private secretary and law clerk to Associate Justice James C. McReynolds, who was said to be one of the most disagreeable justices in the U.S. Supreme Court. Justice McReynolds was nominated to serve on the Supreme Court during the year when FDR attempted to “pack the court” with judges who would approve his New Deal agenda. Mr. Knox kept a meticulous daily record of his life and surroundings, and his memoir is an insider’s view of the conflict between Roosevelt and the Supreme Court. It also portrays a Washington culture now long gone, in which most justices worked from their homes, supported by a small staff. The book includes a gallery of period photos of Knox, McReynolds, and other figures of the time. close