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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (May 13, 1916)
The Monitor A Weekly Newspaper devoted to the civic, social and religious interests of the Colored People of Omaha and vicinity, with the desire to contribute something to the general good and upbuilding of »the community. Published Every Saturday. Entered as Second-Class Mail Matter July 2, 1915, at the Post office at Omaha, Neb., under the act of March 3, 1879. THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor and Publisher. Lucille Skaggs Edwards, William Garnett Haynes and Ellsworth W. Pryor, Associate Editors. Joseph LaCour, Jr., Advertising and Circulation Manager. SUBSCRIPTION RATES, $1.50 PER YEAR Advertising rates, 50 cents an inch per issue. Address, The Monitor, 1119 North Twenty-first street, Omaha. Telephone Webster 4243. RACE CONSCIOUSNESS AND RACE CONFIDENCE Ideally, we are Amerjcans, and among the most loyal of America’s loyal sons. And these are days—the beginning of an era. of international complications in which the United States is destined to play an import ant part—when Americans loyal to the core, will be sadly needed. This fact will be increasingly apparent within the next few years, perhaps, months, Americans and Americanism are to pass through the testing fire, and thank God, the Colored American will be able to stand the test. Naturally, we would prefer to be regarded simply as Americans, striv ing each according to his ability to contribute to the welfare of our com mon country. But, unfortunately, and here we only state a fact which must be apparent to the most superficial observer, we are thought of and treated as a distinctive race group, "a thing apart,” like Mabel Martin, im mortalized by Whittier, in the life of city, community, state and nation. We state this fact without bitterness, for we believe that, although it may be difficult for us to see it, there is a divine purpose back of it. It is go ing to work out all right in the end. This is developing in us a race con sciousness, limiting itself now, but gaining force by that very limitation, which will make us a tremendous so cial, industrial and political power in this nation. This race consciousness ; manifesting itself in race confi dence, which is gradually revealing to us our latent and unused powers of organization for the support and development of our own business and industrial institutions. We are being thrown back upon and compelled to develop our own resources. The out come of this means strong business institutions, groceries, dry goods stores and similiar enterprises which will command respect and give us recognition in the commercial world. This will mean employment for our youth from which they are now de barred. We are gaining race conciousness and with it race confidence which means commercial and industrial e mancipation. Cultivate race confidence by supporting race enterprises race business and professional men and women. AMERICAN o, YES, ALWAYS:BUT SINCE IT IS FORC ED UPON US COLORED Americans first. The Monitor is growing, thank you. We are grateful for your support and are doing our level best to merit it. Beautify your homes. Buy homes. ADVERTISING—ITS VALUE TO YOU. Suppose that all signboards, all posters, all newspapers and every means of advertising should suddenly disappear; then perhaps you would realize the real necessity of advertis ing. You would realize that adver tising is live news, that the merchant who advertises has something to tell you of vital interest to yourself that you can save money by reading and patronizing advertisers. Now, the advertising which you see in The Monitor Is of pre cisely the same, if not more value to you. A merchant ad vertises in The Monitor because he appreciates Colored trade, and is will ing to go after it on a business basis. Right here, remember this- that ad vertising costs money, and that it is a business, not a charitable proposi tion. Advertising is the life of any newspaper. No publication, no mat ter how fine it may be, can exist with out it. Now, if you sincerely desire to boost The Monitor and make it one of the strongest papers in this country, patronize the men who pat ronize us. The more advertising we sell, the stronger your paper will be come; the stronger your paper be comes, the stronger and more power ful you will become. A clean, pro gressive newspaper is just as essen tial to our welfare as the mighty bul wark of our churches. Therefore boost The Monitor and your race by patronizing the men who patronize us. Please tell them that you saw their ad in your paper, The Monitor. —J. L. JUSTICE TRIUMPHS Americans, irrespective of raccial groups, who believe in justice and fair play, should rejoice at the vic tory which has been won by Miss Bosfield in Boston. In a competitive examination she was successful in securing the position of stenographer in the Medfield hospital, a state Institu tion. She was notified to report for duty. She did so. Although the authorities were surprised to find that she was colored she was put to worn. No question was raised as to her competency, but she was told that she could not eat in the dining room, but that her meals would be served in her room. She was given a room over the MORGUE, note this please. She refused to submit to these conditions. She was then discharged for insub ordination. No, no, This was not in Mississippi; but in MASSACHUS SETTS. But the young woman had friends. It finally was taken up to Governor McCall who ordered her to be reinstated. Doubtless Miss Bosfield will be still subjected to mean, low petty perse cution, unworthy of a perple who plume themselves on their “superior ity”, which will call for much for bearance and self-restraint upon her part; but we believe that she is a young woman of spirit and discretion who will stand the test. We are glad to note that justice in the case of this young .women has triumphed. We give credit to William Monroe Trotter, who through the Ilostan Guardian championed Miss i Bosfield’s cause, and was ably sup ported by the leading white press of that city. We are very pleased to announce that the Monitor will carry a depart ment devoted especially to the inter ests of railroad men. This department will be under the caption “Among Railroad Men,” and will be In charge of Mr. J. William Shields, who for merly acted in this capacity on The Progressive Age. We are very sure that this feature will prove popular with the railroad boys. News for this department should be sent to Mr. Shields, at 2406 North Twenty-fifth street, Omaha, or to the Golden West Hotel, Portland, Oregon. We want The Monitor to be eagerly hailed as a welcome weekly visitor by the great army of railroad men throughout the West. Unite. Concentrate. Co-operate. People are becoming interested in birds. The Monitor, believing this to be a good thing, begins with this issue the publication of a series of articles on “Common American Birds ’ which we are sure will prove both interesting and instructive to our readers. We announce with pleasure that Mrs. Wyatt Williams has consented to be our agent and correspondent at Lincoln. We ought to have, and be lieve we soon will have, a large num ber of subscribers among the wide awake members of our race in Lin i coin. Preparedness is the topic of the day. Be prepared for any line of work in which you desire to excel. Mrs. Henry Buford has opened a studio of dancing at her residence, 3510 Blondo street. Classes Monday nights. For information call Webster 2023. Children’s classes Saturday afternoon.—Adv. I 1512 Farnam Street McQUILLIN ! leart of Omaha | JOHN B. STETSON HATS Neckwear 50c to ?2.00. Lewis Underwear, Imperial Underwear and Vassar Underwear, Interwoven Hose. ■ The House That Jack Built. i i Good Plumbing Necessary To Good Health t YOU WANT BOTH—THEN SEE | E. C. BRADY 1 | PLUMBING ANI) HEATING CONTRACTOR { IPhones: ..Shop—Webster 2520. Residence—Florence 527. t 1910 North 21th Street ♦ We Carry a Full Line of Plumbing Repairs. Prompt Attention. | Pleased to Serve You. J n | Courtesy—Good Merchandise— i Moderate Prices h I - i i 11 1 Thompson-Belden’s HOWARD AND SIXTEENTH STREETS i To Street Car j Patrons IWhy not occupy the vacant space in the I front part of car ? The front part of the car is always less crowded than the rear, and the front door affords a convenient exit. We earnestly ask your co-operation in this respect. l * j Omaha & Council Bluffs Street j Railway Company T