Franklin Roosevelt's Zombies

May 9, 1934, The Spartanburg Herald reported “Even Zombies Got New Deal” about FDR‘s experience with zombies while in Haiti as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (1913-1920).

This was a subsection in an article entitled “The New Deal in Washington” by Rodney Dutcher:

You might think that the Zombie problem was at least one which Roosevelt never had thrust upon him. Fact is, though, he was handling that once in 1918.

Now, it’s only 1934 so they explain zombie:

Zombies, as you may have learned from William Seabrook’s writings or the movies, are Haitians who have died only to be raised from the grave and harnessed to plows which they pull forever after. Anyway, that’s the story.

The reference to William Seabrook likely regards his story “The Magic Island” published in 1929. Another story of his “Dead Men Working in the Cane Fields” is available in a new collection “Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!” edited by Otto Penzler – available at amazon & reviewed in wall street journal.. The reference to “the movies” is surely referring to Bela Lugosi’s 1932 movie “White Zombie”. Recall also that the United States occupied Haiti from 1915 to 1934

The article continues (about F.D.R.):

You can’t be a Zombie if you’re not taken from the grave within three days, which is why Haitians watch their friends’ graces for that period.

The Zombie Question is a big issue in Haiti, Roosevelt as assistant secretary of the navy, had to write a constitution for the island republic.

He heard about the Zombies and inserted an article forbidding the disinterment of any body until after three days.

“THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO FEAR, IS FEAR ITSELF… AND ZOMBIES” from teddyandtheyeti.blogspot:

AND Speaking of FDR’s enemies and William Seabrook’s stories, “occultist and writer William Seabrook” is also referenced in a LIFE magazine photo set from 1941that depicts a “hex party … to kill Adolf Hitler by voodoo incantation.”
from LIFE magazine:

related previous posts from zombielaw:
1937 – GOP is Zombies
1940 – Bob Hope’s Zombie Democrats
1944 – Luce’s “Hillman’s political zombies”

CORRECTION: FDR didn’t write Haitian constitution; only an exaggerated boast. See The White Zombie is American Law and Corporate Control (FDR revisited)