Records of the Division of World Trade Intelligence and its Successor, Division of Economic Security Controls -- Records of Interdepartmental and Intradepartmental Committees (State Department (RG 353) [CIVILIAN AGENCY RECORDS -- Department of State and Foreign Affairs Records]

The Division of World Trade Intelligence prepared the original "Proclaimed List of Certain Blocked Nationals" and maintained its various supplements and revisions from 1941 to 1946. The lists named persons and companies, resident in areas outside of enemy control, who directly or indirectly rendered substantial aid to the enemy war machine. Those listed were denied the privilege of trading with the United States.

After the victories in Europe and the Pacific, the List was reduced to a "hard core" of the worst offenders. With the concurrence of the Departments of the Treasury, Justice, and Commerce, the Department of State announced the withdrawal of the "Proclaimed Lists," also known as the "American Black List," effective July 8, 1946.

Record Set of the "Proclaimed List of Certain Blocked Nationals" 1941-1946 (Entry 36)
   
                Arranged chronologically. Record set of "Proclaimed List of Certain Blocked  Nationals," July 17, 1941; the seven supplements to the List, July 28, 1941-  January 14, 1942; Revisions I through X of the List, February 7, 1942-December  20, 1945; the supplements to each Revision; and the notice of the List's  withdrawal, July 8, 1946. As additions to and deletions from the List required  continual changes in its composition, supplements to the original List, revisions of  it, and supplements to these revisions proved necessary.
        Boxes 1-2 location: 250/67/30/07

Proclaimed List of Certain Blocked Nationals Case Files 1941-1948 (Entry 36A)

        Boxes 1-16 location: 250/67/30/04

British Statutory List 1940-1946 (Entry 37)

        Arranged chronologically. File copies of the various amended versions of the  British Statutory List, issued pursuant to the Trading with the Enemy Order  through the Board of Trade, Amendment No. 9 for 1940 (August 3) through  Amendment No. 16 for 1946 (June 11), plus the Revocation of the  List, July 6,  1946. The British Statutory List was very similar to the American Proclaimed  List, in that it published the names of persons and firms in areas outside of enemy  control who had in some way rendered significant aid to the enemy war machine,  and that those listed were proscribed from trading with the British Empire. {Note 1}
        Boxes 2-3 location: 250/67/30/07

British War Trade Lists 1941-1944 (Entry 38)

        Arranged chronologically. File copies of the War Trade Lists Nos. 6-18, June 1,  1941-November 1, 1944, and of the Advice Notes which supplemented the Lists,  1941-1945. The British War Trade Lists, issued by the Ministry of Economic  Warfare, differed from the British Statutory List in that they contained all the  information included in the latter, as well as the names on the British Black List  and Ships War Trade Lists. The War Trade Lists were thus more comprehensive  than the Statutory Lists, and were considered confidential, whereas the Statutory  List was published. With the cessation of the British Black List on May 26, 1945,  the War Trade List no longer differed significantly from the Statutory List, and a  notice that no further Advice Notes would be forthcoming was issued on June 23,  1945. Boxes 4-6 location: 250/67/30/07

British M.E.W. "G" List 1941-1943 (Entry 39)

        Arranged chronologically. File copies of the British Ministry of Economic War
        (MEW) "G" List, Nos. 4-10,  September 1, 1941-March 1, 1943, with  supplements to the List. The main purpose of the British MEW "G" List was to  indicate to censorship, import, export, contraband, and other controls that  transactions in which a name on the List was concerned required special watching.  A Ships "G" List formed an annex to this list and its supplements. The MEW.,  which issued both the MEW "G" List and the Ships "G" Lists, announced on May  31, 1943, that it was discontinuing them because developments in economic  warfare had rendered such lists less useful. Boxes 6-7 location: 250/67/30/07

Canadian Lists of Specified Persons 1940-1945 (Entry 40)

        Arranged chronologically. File copies of the Consolidations of the Lists of  Specified Persons, 1940-1945, and of Revisions Nos. 9-62 of the Lists, March 24,  1941-November 29, 1945. The Lists of Specified Persons contained the names of  all persons residing and/or carrying on business in neutral countries with whom  persons in Canada were prohibited from trading under the Consolidated  Regulations Respecting Trading with the Enemy, 1939.
        Boxes 7-8 location: 250/67/30/07

Proclaimed Lists of Various Countries 1941-1944 (Entry 41)

        Unarranged. File copies of individual editions of the Proclaimed Lists of  Australia, the Netherlands, Venezuela, El Salvador, Chile, France, and Brazil.
        Box 8 location: 250/67/30/07

Miscellaneous Materials Relating to Black Lists 1941-1945 (Entry 42)

        Unarranged. Lists compiled by the British Ministry of Economic Warfare of  undesirable or suspect seamen, 1943-1945; a copy of "The Federal Register," Vol.  8, No. 12, containing regulations governing the allocation of various scarce  materials; and lists of Latin American firms that were aiding or had dealt with the  enemy, prepared by the Treasury Department in July 1941.
        Box 8 location: 250/67/30/07

Materials Relating to Distribution of the Proclaimed List 1941-1946 (Entry 44)

        Arranged chronologically. Lists of those to whom the proclaimed List was sent,  instructions to recipients for reporting on persons and firms whose names should  be considered for inclusion in the List, examples of such reports, requests for  copies of the List, and memoranda relative to List distribution.
        Boxes 9-10 location: 250/67/30/07

Case Files 1941-1946 (Entry 45)

        Arranged by the List, supplement, revision, or supplement to the revision under  which the case was considered; thereunder chronologically; thereunder  alphabetically by country; and thereunder alphabetically by surname of firm name.  The case files consist of summaries of the information available on individuals and  firms being considered for inclusion in the Proclaimed List and of the decisions  made in each case. Boxes 10-61 location: 250/67/31/01

Records of Actions taken by the Proclaimed List Committee 1941-1946 (Entry 46)

        Arranged by the List, supplement, revision, or supplement to the revision under  which the case was considered; thereunder chronologically; thereunder  alphabetically by country; and thereunder alphabetically by surname of firm name.  Records of the actions taken by the Proclaimed List Committee with regard to  each case that it considered. The records consist of lists of individuals and firms  whose names were to be added to, deleted from, or subsequently considered  (action pending) for inclusion in the Proclaimed List.
        Boxes 62-65 location: 250/67/32/01

Memoranda for the Committee 1941-1946 (Entry 47)

        Arranged chronologically and thereunder alphabetically by country. These  materials primarily consist of memoranda detailing special circumstances affecting  the cases of individuals and firms whose names were considered for inclusion in  the Proclaimed List, its supplements, revisions, and supplements to revisions;  procedures to be followed in compiling revisions and supplements; instructions on  reporting information regarding cases before the Proclaimed List Committee; and  other matters relating to the Committee's work.
        Boxes 66-69 location: 250/67/32/02

Working Papers Relating to the "Hard Core" List 1945-1946 (Entry 48)

        Some arranged chronologically, some alphabetically by country. These materials  consist of memoranda setting forth the principles for inclusion of the names of  individuals or firms whose activities had placed them among the "hard core" of  enemy sympathizers or supporters in their countries of residence on the later  revisions and revision supplements of the Proclaimed List, and of lists of names of  those who qualify, do not qualify, or required further investigation before a  decision could be made, for the "hard core" List.
        Boxes 69-72 location: 250/67/32/02

Miscellaneous Reports 1941-1946 (Entry 49)

        Some arranged chronologically, some alphabetically; others unarranged. These  materials consist of press releases relative to the activities of the Division of World  Trade Intelligence, 1943-1946; recommendations for actions in cases under  consideration by the Proclaimed List Committee; miscellaneous instructions and  procedures; and notes on indexing.  Boxes  73-74 location: 250/67/32/03

Index to Lists of Blocked Nationals 1941-1946 (Entry 50)

        Arranged alphabetically by country, thereunder alphabetically by surname or firm  name, with subdivisions for names deleted from the List and names on the British  Statutory List but not on the Proclaimed List. The card file consists of 5 x 8 inch  index card containing names, addresses, information as to why the name was on  the List, and references to related names and/or cases.
        Boxes 1-21 location: 250/67/32/03.
                        Boxes 19-20 contains Blocked Swiss Nationals

{1}Return to text A section of the Intelligence Division (MEW) was responsible for collecting evidence about firms and individuals suspected to have dealings with the enemy with a view to their being placed on the Statutory List or Black List. British firms were prohibited by the Trading with the Enemy Act operated by the Board of Trade and the Treasury from dealing with such firms and the lists were also used as evidence by the Contraband and Enemy Exports Committee. The placing of names on the lists was under the control of the Black List Committee which included representatives of the Admiralty, the Ministry of Shipping and, later on, of the United States.