Get Discount 10% Off
Subscribe to our newsletters now and stay up-to-date with new arrivals, updates and deals.
MILLIONS OF TITLES TO CHOOSE FROM
Currency
We Are in Charge Now: Corruption and Intrigue in World War II Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming, was a boomtown during WWII. In 1941, a Quartermaster Replacement Training Center was built at...
- $28.80 USD
- $28.80 USD
- Unit price
- per
Please hurry! Only 1077 left in stock
Couldn't load pickup availability
Cheyenne, Wyoming, was a boomtown during WWII. In 1941, a Quartermaster Replacement Training Center was built at Fort Francis E. Warren, west of Cheyenne, to train thousands of soldiers. The two military installations brought millions of dollars into the Capital City. Like other military communities, Cheyenne saw an increase in vice during the war. Gambling became widespread, as did prostitution and the illegal sale of alcohol.
The Fourth Regiment, based at the Quartermaster Replacement Training Center, was African American. Cheyenne had a small population of Black citizens, most of whom lived on the city's West Side. Soldiers in the Fourth Regiment often visited the clubs and restaurants in that part of town.
Only two months after taking office in 1944, the newly elected mayor, Ira Hanna, along with the chief of police, a captain, and a sergeant, began demanding that African American club owners offer gambling and prostitution and pay "protection money." Shortly after the extortion began, several Black businesspeople, led by club owner Lola West, approached the Cheyenne Police Department and the county prosecuting attorney, Byron Hirst. A sting operation was arranged. The four were arrested, tried, and convicted, and all served time in the Wyoming State Penitentiary.
Historian Rick Ewig's research into WWII-era Cheyenne uncovers the city's many colorful residents, many of whom were exploited by a dishonest mayor and his chief of police.
Their corrupt racket was brought to a dramatic end by a young county attorney and a group of business owners, led by an African American woman.
Author: Rick Ewig
Publisher: Wordsworth Publishing LLC
Published: 06/01/2026
Pages: 206
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.83lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.56d
ISBN: 9798993960036
About the Author
Ewig, Rick: - Historian Rick Ewig holds bachelor's and master's degrees in history from the University of Wyoming. Formerly Associate Director of the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming, he also worked at the Wyoming State Archives, Museums, and Historical Department for many years. Ewig was editor of the "Annals of Wyoming", the state's historical journal for many years and also was a key organizer of the Wyoming History Day program. He joined the Wyoming State Historical Society in 1982 and served as the society's treasurer in the 1990s and later served four years as the society's president. He has published a number of articles in "Annals of Wyoming" on various topics, including "McCarthy Era Politics: The Ordeal of Senator Lester Hunt," and for Cheyenne's 150th anniversary he authored "Cheyenne: A Sesquicentennial History".
Returns Policy
You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).
You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).
If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.
Shipping
We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.
When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.
Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.