Les Surréalistes à Garry Davis

The Surrealists declared their solidarity with the “Citizens of the World” movement and its founder, Garry Davis, who became famous for interrupting a session of the United Nations at the Palais de Chaillot in November 1948. Davis was supported by the Front humain movement, with which Breton had been collaborating since the spring. The poet took part in several world-citizenship meetings, and in February 1949 the entire group sent its support to the young activist through this tract entitled “Les surréalistes à Garry Davis.”

This copy was folded, stamped and addressed to Gaston Ferdière: the address “Médecin chef de l’Asile de Rodez, Aveyron” has been crossed out, and the letter forwarded to “Villa Ugarte à Anglet, B. Py. [Basses-Pyrénées].”

Several exchanges of letters at the time of the meeting of April 30, 1949, organized by Breton, “Pour Gary Davis,” attest to recurring contacts between the two men during this period.