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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 10, 1926)
W- The Monitor ^ £ NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS s a THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. —_______________________________ _ $: * a Year—5 Cents a Copy OMAAHA, NEBRASKA, DECEMBER 10, 1926 Vol. XII.—No. 24 Whole Number 594 H * ISE CLEANER IS ARTIST; AWARDED HARMON PRIZE New York.—Announcement of the first of a series of awards to Negroes of American residence in recognition of their outstanding creative work was made Tuesday by the Harmon Foundation and the Commission on the Church and Race Relations of the Federal Council of Churches. A total of $3,000 in cash, with gold and bronze medals will be dis tributed in the William E. Harmon awards for distinguished achieve ment, under the direction of Dr. George E. Haynes, the Commission’s Secretary, in the fields of literature, fine arts, science, including inven tion, education, business, including industry, and religion. Six first prizes of $400 each with a gold medal and the same number of sec ond prizes of $100 with a bronze medal, were awarded to persons who were considered to have created something of national signifcance in the several fields, and one award of $600 and a gold medal was given to a white man for outstanding work in improving relations between white and Negro people in America. For mal presentation in the home cities of the successful candidates will be made on January 1, which is Eman cipation day. Juries of five specialists in the type of work being considered, pass ed upon the entries in each kind of achievement. On every jury at least one member was a Negro. Among the judges who acted were: John Hays Hammond, scientist and author; Edwin E. Slosson, chemist and editor of “Science Service”; Grosvenor Atterbury, architect; Henry G. Leach, editor of the "For um"; John H. Finley, editor of the “New York Times”; Paul Monroe, director of the International Insti tute; Sam A. Lewisohn, financier; J. E. Spingam, author and literary critic; Dr. Preston Ware Oren, com poser and musical editor; Harry T. Burleigh, composer and soloiBt of St. George’s Episcopal Church, New York; William Stanley Braithwaite, poet and author; Dean William A. Bering of the school of architecture, Columbia University; and Henry S. Dennison, president of the Dennison Manufacturing company. Palmer C. Hayden, a houseclean ing jobber in Greenwich Village, won the first award in fine arts with five oil paintings of water scenes. They were “Boothbay Harbor”, “Portland, Maine”, “Haverstraw, N. Y.”, “The Sheepscot”, and “The Cove". While making his living do ing odd work in general cleaning h« has devoted his spare time for sev eral years to his brush, and pre viously his art work has come to the attention of but few outside his circle of acquaintances. Mr. Hayden was born in Widewater, Va., lives at 29 Greenwich Avenue, New York, and is 33 years of age. Hale Wood Florida, graduate of the Massachu the second prize in fine arts with 5 pointings, four of which were land scapes. James C. Evans, 26, of Miami, Floriad, graduate oof the Massachu setts Institute of Technology, was given first award in science, his spe cific work being two theses pre sented for the Bachelor and Master Degrees in Science. One of these determined a point, perviously dis puted, of the effect of the close ness of coupling on maximum sig nal in a regenerative network. W. A. Daniel, 31, of Atlanta, Ga., was awarded second place for his social study on “The Education of Negro Ministers.” The first award in education was made to Virginia Estelle Randolph, 61, of Hanover County, Va., for her original plan of adapting rural school programs to needs of Negroes in country districts of the southern states, particularly their home life. Arthur A. Schomburg, 60, of New York, was voted the second award because of his collection of publica tions and other literary material on Negro life and history. Countee Cullen, 23, of New York, was given first award in literature for his volume of poems, “Color”. The second award in literature was made to James Weldon Johnson of New York for editorial work on Ne gro spirituals and an essay inter preting them. C. C. Spaulding, 52. of Durham, N. C., was accorded the first award in business for his part in the de velopment of life insurance among Negroes and his work in helping Ne gro enterprises toward a firm finan cial standing. A. A. Alexander, 39, of Des Moines, 111., a building con tractor, receivevd the second award. The first award in religion was given to Max Yergen, 34, Raleigh, N. C., for his religious and social service to the native students and teachers in South Africa as secre tary of the National Council of the Y. M. C. A.’s of the United States, among natives of South Africa. Bishop Hurst, 63, Baltimore, Md., received the second award for his work in the development of educa tional and religious organization among Negroes in Florida. The single award of $500 offered to the white or colored person mak ing an outstanding contribution to ward improving relations between the two races was given to Will W. Alexander, 42, of Atlanta, Ga. Mr. Alexander, a southern white man, is executive director of the Commission on Interracial Co-operation. In issuing the announcement Dr. George E. Haynes said: “The Har mon awards mark an epoch of the new emancipation which will stim ulate Negro people for the rich con tributions they can make in the I HAYDEN’S j Santa’* Assistant Now at !TOYLAN >' Third Floor Bring your parents or some adult, and register for | | Three Valuable Prizes Santa is going to Give Away | absolutely FREE Christmas Eve at 9:30 a. m. First Prize PONY—PONY CART—HARNESS ! Pony’s Name is “Cash and Carry” Second Prize Third Prize 1PONY AND SADDLE PONY Pony’s Name is Pony’s Name is “Red Goose” “Diamond H” TOYS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION AT LOWEST POSSIBLE PRICES THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE The president’s message will repay careful reading. For tunately it is not so verbose and voluminous that to do so would be a tiresome task. The brevity of the message com mends it. Upon the whole it is sane and as was anticipated, conservative. It is very optimistic and optimism is always bet ter than pessimism. The president makes his position very plain on certain issues, while on others he leaves room for doubt as to just where he stands. He seems to favor the im provement of waterways, but whether that applies specifically to that of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers in which we of this large section are vitally interested is not quite clear. He does not appear to advocate any definite agricultural program. He is definite and clear in his position on the enforcement of prohibition, in which, of course, he is right. In discussing federal regulation, it is quite plain that he does not approve of relieving states of their duty to enforce law. “Permanent success,” he wisely says, “lies in local, rather than national action. Unless the locality rises to its own re quirements, there is an irresistible impulse for the national government to intervene. The states and the nation should both realize that such action is to be adopted only as a last resort.” This statement prepares the way for an observation on the race question. On this he states a truth so axiomatic that no sane person will attempt to dispute it: “The social well-being of our country requires our con stant effort for the amelioration of race prejudice and the extension to all elements of equal opportunity and equal pro tection under the laws which are guaranteed by the con stitution. The federal government especially is charged with this obligation on behalf of the colored people of the nation.” This obligation as we see it, embraces vastly more than the eradication of the lynching evil, of which we are so largely the victims, and to which he specifically refers. It in cludes all of our citizenship rights, many of which are denied by unlawful Jimcrow ordinances on public carriers and in public places. Our demand is that this “obligation” which President Coolidge concedes be fully discharged. We are grateful that he urges, with reference to lynching, that while “it remains we cannot justify neglecting to make every effort to eradicate it by law.” Very good, so far as it goes, but by what law, state or federal? Many of the states having shown that they are either unable or unwilling “to eradicate it by law”, it becomes necessary to enact a federal anti-lynching law, to be enforced when the state declines to act, “only as a last resort”. In our judgment President Coolidge ought to have come out squarely and unequivocally in a clear-cut statement of this kind, if that is what he really means. But frankly, we do not believe he means it. The two sections of his message, treating of “Fed eral Regulation” and “The Negro”, impress us as doubtful ambiguities, delivered for effect, “That palter with us in a double sense: That keep the word of promise in our ear, And break it to our hope." several fields of human endeavor. It will liberate the white people to expect such achievement and fairly accord it recognition.” Although the field of music was included in the series of awards open to Negroes, it was the opinion of the judges in music that “No original creative work was submittedof such outstanding importance as to merit the award. The fund in this field will be held in trust to be distribut ed in later awards if worthy pro ductions are submitted. PIONEER CITIZEN DIES John R. Taliaferro, aged 77, who had been a resident of Omaha for more than 25 years, and of the state of Nebraska for more than 50, died at University hospital late Sunday afternoon with pneumonia. When Dr. Hutten was called to see him Saturday he found him seriously ill, and ordered that he be taken to the hospital immediately, which was done, and where he received every attention. Mr. Taliaferro was a native of Virginia, but was reared and educat ed in New York state. In the early seventies he came to Nebraska where he took up a homestead in the west ern part of the state. Some 26 years ago he came to Omaha, where he en gaged in truck farming. He was a life-long Presbyterian, and during his residence here had been a faithful member of the Lowe Avenue Presbyterian church. The funeral was held from the Western Funeral Home, Thursday afternoon, the Rev. Mr. Ernest, pastor of his church, officiating. Mr. Taliaferro had ben a widower for many years and lived alone. He is survived by an adopted son, Sylvester, aged 21, who is in the navy; a brother in Vir ginia, and a niece in New York. He was 77 years of age and highly re spected by all who knew him. REGISTRATION AT HOWARD IS IN EXCESS OF 2,000 Washington, D. C.—Student reg istration at Howard University pass ed the 2,000 mark with a total en rollment of 2,166 during the last fiscal year, according to the annual report of the President of the uni versity, submitted to the secretary of the Interior recently. GOVERNOR CHANGES DEATH SENTENCE Raleigh, N. C.—The death sen tence imposed upon James Jeffreys, 18, for an alleged attack upon an aged white woman, has ben changed to life imprisonment by Governor A. W. McLean. The governor in ex plaining his action stated that he did not believe the boy was or is mentally responsible and that the state had no right to take the life of any of its citizens who were un able to appreciate the consequences of their acts. NEGRO FARMERS TO PONDER PROBLEMS Tuskegee Institute, Ala.—Consid eration of a safe farming program for 1927 is the problem which will engage the attention of Negro farmers of the South who attend the thirty-sixth annual Tuskegee Ne gro Conference which meets here Wednesday, January 19. The place of diversification In such a program will come in for thorough discussion. The necessity of each farmer grow ing an ample supply of food and fed stuff will be set forth. HUNDREDS ATTEND INTER RACIAL MEET IN KENTUCKY Louisville, Ky.—Several hundred persons attended the sessions of the seventh annual state interracial con ference held in this city a few days ago, at which progress was reviewed and goals were set for the ensuing year. Among the principal speak ers were James Weldon Johnson of New York, Secretary of the N. A. A. C. P., Dr. J. L. Kessler of the faculty of Vanderbilt University, Prof. W. H. Fouse of Lexington, L. N. Taylor of the State Department of Education, I. Willis Sole, editor of the Louisville Leader, Dean Kirke Smith of Lincoln Institute, Dr. O. O. Miller of Louisville, and Prof H. H. Cherry of State Teachers' Col lege. Miss Melva McCaw returned Mon day morning from St. Paul, Minn., where she was called by the serious illness of her father, Sergt. Melvin McCaw, whom she left slightly im proved. EX-GOVERNOR MORROW HEARING COMPLAINT AGAINST PULLMAN CO. Washington, D. C.—The first con ference betwen the officials of the Brotherhood of Sleping Car Porters and Ex-Governor Morrow, member of the mediation board, who is con ducting the preliminary investigation in the case of the Pullman porters against the Pullman company for the board, was held Wednesday morning, December 8, at the Congress hotel, with A. D. Randolph, general organ izer, and M. P. Webster, organizer of the Chicago division, who present ed the porters’ side of the case. Con crete evidence as to the actual mem bership as well as results of the ref erendum on the matter of selecting a representative was presented to Governor Morrow. Violation of the Labor Board act by the Pullman company was charged by the Broth erhood. DETROIT HOLDS BUSINESS WEEK Detroit, Mich.—Through the ef forts of the Detroit Negro Business League, which recently became af filiated with the National Negro Business League, “Negro Trade Week” was observed in this city, November 20, to December 4. OVER MILLION GET JOBS Washington, D. C.— (By the As sociated Negro Press)—Public em ployment offices throughout the United States placed 1,791,381 per sons in employment during the fis cal year which ended June 30th last, according to the annual report is sued by the secretary of labor. The major portion of the employment placements were made in the iron and steel and the automobile indus tries. _ Don’t forget the annual pre Christmas sale of fancy and useful articles by the Woman’s Auxiliary of St. Philip’s Episcopal church, next Thursday afternoon and night at the Jewell building, Twenty-fourth and Grant streets. Come early and make your purchases.—Adv. The Omaha Branch of the N. A. A. C. P. held its regular monthly meeting Sunday afternoon at the North Side Branch of the “Y”, the Rev. John Albert Williams, presid ing. Several brief and instructive addresses were delivered. The executive Committee of the Colored Commercial Club held an important meeting at the club rooms Monday night. Mrs. Bessie Woods has been called to Chicago to the bedside of her sick brother, Robert Woods. St. Philip's Annual Bazaar, Thurs day, December 16.—Adv. NEGRO BEQUEATHS $30,000 TO THE TUSNEGEE INSTITUTE Chandler, Okla.—Albon L. Hol sey, secretary to the Principal of Tuskegee Institute, was here last week for a conference with H. C. Callark, retired school teacher and owner of valuable city and farm property. Following their interview, Mr. Callark authorized the announce ment that he has made the Tuskegee Institute chief beneficiary under the provisions of his will which has just been made and recorded. The prop erties owned by Mr. Callark are conservatively estimated to beworth $30,000 and less than a week ago oil was discovered on land adjacent to one of eighty acre tracts which gives added value and importance to his holdings. Mr. Callark’s life story is a grip ping drama of the closing days of slavery and of the pioneer days of the Middle West. He was born near Newark, New Jersey, and be tween the ages of three and four, he and his brother were kidnapped and taken to Mississippi where he lived as a slave boy until sixteen years old. In 1863, with the aid of a colored man, Edmund Chandler, he was “kidnapped” again and ran away to the north. When the two run-aways reached Kentucky, young Callark left his friend and benefactor and joined the Union army as orderly to one of the officers. A soldier in the same company, Matthew Haynes, became attached to the young Negro orderly because of his quiet reserve and un failing loyalty and at the close of the war took him to his home in Missouri. Two years later, Callark went to Wyoming and thence into Iowa where he worked for a family named Gaston. The Gastons be came interested in him and encour aged him to enter Tabor College, where he began his education. The friendship of the Gastons has con tinued till the present day, and he tells of some of the Gaston children with whom he played who are now parents and grandparents. In 1879, Mr. Callark determined to enter the teaching profession and after completing the teachers’ course at a normal school in Jeffer son City, Missouri., taught for nine years in Texas, and then came to this place where he farmed and taught school for more than 20 years here in Lincoln county. He is re tired and now devotes his time to Sunday School work and to looking after the properties he has accum ulated. He has never married and has never seen his parents since that eventful day back in New Jer sey when he was stolen from them. In spite of his 77 years, he is very active; giving much of his time to reading and occasionally writing poems of real merit. I Toys In Abundance Almost the entire Fifth Floor is given over to delight ful gifts for children—toys that are out of the ordinary, that are different from the usual run of playthings. !For many, many months, we have been making purchases in the Toy Market— buying a small quantity here, another lit tle group there, bringing in only the best things in their line—until NOW WE HAVE GATHERED THE MOST OUTSTAND- \ ING AND THE LARGEST ASSEMBLAGE OF KIDDIES’ GIFTS THAN WE HAVE EVER BEFORE PRESENTED I IHunkey-Dun, Captain of Santa Claus’ | ship "The Maude,’’ is in the Toy De partment daily, telling the children thrilling tales of his life with Santa HAS A PICTURE BOOK for EVERY BOY AND GIRL.