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About The voice. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1946-195? | View Entire Issue (Dec. 30, 1948)
TIh<B W®D€@ PUBLISHED WEEKLY_ “Dedicated to the promotion of the cultural, social and spiritual life of a great people Rev. Melvin L. Shakespeare Publisher and Editor Business Address 2225 S Street Phone 5-649.' 11 So Answer Call 5-7508 Rubie W. Shakespeare_Advertising and Business Manager Charles Goolsby_Associate Editor, Y.M.C.A. Lynwood Parker___Associate Editor, on Leave Mrs. loe Green_Circulation Manager Member ol the Associated Negro Press and Nebraska Press Association t-ntered as_Secona Class Matter. June 9. 1947 at the Post Othoe at Lincoln! Nebraska under the Act ot March 3, 1879. t year subscription-{2.00 Single copy-- -Sc -- 11 "■ " “1 N NATIONAL €DITORIAL_ (MO SSOCIATIOhl 7W jytun&tA-. EDITORIALS - The views expressed in these columns are those ol the writer and not necessarily a reflection ol the policy ol The Voice.—Pub. Handsome Showcase of Colored * And White Americans at Play Highlighted *48 Sports Season By Alvin Moses. NEW YORK., (ANP). So often we refer to King Sports as the j great leveler. We invite sugges tions that tend to show any field (excepting religion, possibly) that comes even remotely close I to challenging this statement. When a colored boy plays for the ^ first time in a southern football j bowl, as it happened last year, I j admit that is front-page news. I Yes, played alongside heretofore intolerant sons of fathers who shed their blood because they believed continued human slav ery was as right as it is to wor ship God. The breaking down of baseball’s “dark-ages” policy that barred upstanding and tal ented Negro lads, reflects a fight that includes Negro and white members of the fourth estate. Wendell Smith, of the Chicago Herald American, Joe Trimble, N. Y. Daily News, Sam Lacey, Dan Parker, N. Y. Daily Mirror, Joe Bostic, Bill Sullivan, pub licity director of the Boston Na tional League baseball club; Dan Burley, Bill Corum, N. Y. Eve ning Journal; Ric Roberts, Pat Lynch, United Press Service; Al vin White, Lewis Burton, N. Y. Journal staff; Rollo Wilson, Joe Sheehan, Kings Feature syndi cate; Arthur Daley, N. Y. Times and . your humble reporter who has fought unremittingly since early youth on issues that call for “speaking out” where self-re spect, fair play and full-mature manhood are on deck. Now Comes Dividend Time Glance back at rampaging Sandy Saddler, a 22-year-old throwback to a boxing immortal named George Dixon of Nova Scotia. Saddler went 30,000 miles in tw'o yeai's to gain a reputation while trying to get featherweight champ Willie Pep in the ring. The “Thin Champ” battered Pep to the canvas and captured his world’s featherweight title on Oct. 29, 1948. Magnificent Har rison Dillard spearheaded the U. S. A.’s London Olympic gains, sprinting as did Eddie Tolan, Jess Owens and Ralph Metcalfe in other world games of yesteryear. Sgt. Mai Whitfield, a super Woodruff; Barney (hard-luck) Ewell, Steele, the peerless broad jumper, lively Alice Coachman Olympic wronder-girl; Stewart, one of the most promising tennis players on the American scene; Joe (with-you-always) Louis, Ezzard Charles, Ray Robinson, Kid (The Hawk) Gavilan, Ike Williams, Jersey Joe Walcott, Smuggy Hersey, Marion Motley, Tom (Hop-along) Casey, Buddy (whizzbang) Young Michigan university's ailing Gene Derri cote, a master footballer; Illinois’ Paul Patterson, Yale’s colorful Levi Jackson, Dan Bankhead, Roy Campanella, Larry Doby, “Satch” Paige, Sammy Jethroe, Golfer Ted Rhodes, Donald New eombe, Ulysses (crazy-legs) Cur tis, Bill Willis, an all-time Ohio State guard who became all-AAC (All America Football confer ence) guard for the second time, playing with Paul Brown’s Cleve land squad; Bob Dorssey, Ohio State’s fast defensive left end who became the first colored stu dent to be be elected to Tau Beta Pi, national honorary mechani cal-engineering fraternity. Donald Newcombe, with a Branch Rickey $500,000 price label on him, was considered worth at least $150,000 by a prominent National league execu tive. The 24-year-old ex-New ark Eagle star may move up to the majors along with Bankhead and Sammy Jethroe ere next April rolls along. Boid Buie, one-armed basket ball wonder of the Kansas City stars, Gene Burton, J. C. Wil liams, Michigan U. guards; “Dea con” Dan Towler, Washington and Jefferson grid marvel; Lucius Easter, whose home run with bases loaded rolled up a 14 to 1 victory for the Homestead Grays in the fourth game of the “Negro Baseball World series;” Jackie Robinson’s radio debut on Nov. 15 made sport history we thought. Chairman Howard and Alva Tabor, University of Nevada gridmen, against whom Tulsa U. refused to play. Men every where, who realize that sports have been a vital factor in build ing for better understanding and interracial harmony, flayed the policy since such incidents have been used as a sort of backdrop for anti-American propaganda; the Falcon Soccer Club, Dr. Reginald Weir’s break-thru into the American tennis setup; the, rise over physical handicaps of Chuck Fonville, finest shotputter (world record holder) in Ameri can track and field history; Foot ballers George Taliaferro, Indi ana; Glen Pullens, Minnesota; Calvin Vernon and Bob Teague, Wisconsin; Jim Holland, North western; “Howie” Thomas, Lin coln U.; Jimmy Robinson, Pitts burgh; Wally Triplett and Denny Hoggard, Penn State; Syracuse’s Berne Custis; Jim Clark, Ohio State, Bucky Hatchett, Harvey Grimsely and Billy Pryor, Rut gers, Howard University’s Gor don... Then there was 16-year old Mae Faggs, Bayside H. S., L. I., spriner, who came within a KING OF KINGS A religious movie will be shown at MT. ZION BAPTIST CHURCH Friday, January 14 8 p.m. SPONSORED BY B. T. U., MRS. LENORA LETCHER, PRES. FOR INFORMATION CALL 5-5744 NO ADMISSION hairsbreadth margin of licking the great Stella Walsh in the 220 yard dash in the women’s cham pionships at Grand Rapids last July. Staid and honored Harvard university, on Nov. 23, announced it had elected Howie Houston, 22, the 1949 football captain, and Frank Jones, 20, student football manager. Jones is the first Negro ever to be named to that post. Cleveland Indians brought up two of the most promising col ored baseball stars; N. Y. Yan kees stated they (at long last) were definitely in the field for Negro diamond artists. In his 1948 N. Y. debut, “Goose” Tatum, colorful basket ball and baseball wizard of Abe Saperstein’s “Harlem Globetrot ters,” tallied 22 points against the Philly Spahs at N. Y.’s 69th Regiment Armory last November. The N. Y. Knickerbockers, pro basketball club, were shopping for a Negro star (Don Barksdale or Nat (Sweetwater) Clifton with a $15,000 price tag hung around the necks of both these “greats” ... In 16 exhibitions during which he agaipr faced Billy Conn, Joe Louis proved there Is only one “woodchopper” despite 14 and 16 ounce pillows on his fists . Ez zard Charles, the best 175 pounder in the game was a “Jack the giant killer” against Joe Baksi whom he TKO’d in De cember.. .Charles did not im — t press me as a title threat to the still reigning Louis. Kid Gavilan "was a honey in all bouts as was Ike Williams and Sandy Sadler. .. Ray Robinson pulled out of the Steve Belloise scrap when spar mate Tiger Wade hung a golf-ball injury on his sixth and seventh ribs. Gene Derricote, Michigan U., gtar was first Negro to be chosen for “East-West” gridiron classic. . . . Tunnell, former Iowa ace, starred with N. Y. Giants foot ball team .. Southern university won over San Francisco in a keenly played “interracial” foot ball game. Life in 1948 Continued from Page 1. to Kansas City where the Church sat in its quadrennal session, Ne braska U students staged a dem onstation in protest of the park ing regulations and conditions. Albert Bowen and Betty Rose Huston were named “Duke~and Duchess” and the U. S. Supreme Court declared that restrictive covenants were “not in accord with U. S. policy.” June brought its usual good weather. Peaches Wintons gave her perennial recital. President Truman visited the state, marched with his old outfit in Omaha and shook hands with Eddie Dunn, then mayor of Boys Town. Of course there were a flock of grad uations and A. Philip Randolps was planning his march on Wash ington. Obbie Brown became head of the Wiley Chemistry depart ment and candidates for various political offices began tossing their hats into the rings. Louis beat Wolcott by a close shave. SAC announced the beginning of its drive for FEPC in Nebraska and Schuyler published his story on Life in Lincoln. Came August and I left for my “vacation” along with Associate Editor Parker and while we were away, Bryan Memorial Hospital announced that it would accept Negro applicants for training. The World Council of Churches met in Amsterdam and among other things condemned racism as un ■ . ..— —i Christian. Rev, T, T. McWilliams, Sr. was named Chairman of the Midwest District of the Church of Christ (Holiness). Jane Molden received a scholarship to Prince ton U. for advanced study in so cial work and the Voice Scholar ship for nurse training was an nounced. In South Carolina 30,000 Negroes cast their ballots in a pri ! mary election for the first time | since reconstruction days. Rev. Shakespeare, Voice entrepieneur ! sampled life on the sunny shores of California. September came—hot and dusty. Mrs. Maude Coggs became first Negro employed full time by the^ j University of Nebraska as she _ worked at research to solve vital | problems for Nebraska’s farmers. Miss Jane Mae was still working ! with the Smithsonian Institute team on ancient remains of pre ! historic Nebraska Indians. Of | course school started. This was also the month that Count Folke Bernadotte was killed and Dr. Bunche ascended as chief media 1 tor in the Palestine war. In October the Great Lakes Training Station, the Navy’s big gest, dropped its racial bias. By this time the political battles were getting pretty hot. Biggest 1 opponents: Truman vs. Dewey vs. 1 Wallace. The Voice celebrated its second anniversary. In November, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey all re ported successful operations of their Fair Employment statutes. Elections saw a good, strong, Re publican victory in Nebraska with the Democrats taking the national tilt. George Randol starred in “Emporer Jones” at the Circlet Theater with Elbert Starks as the voodoo king. Duffy scored for I UCLA when the Westerners ; downed the Huskers in a hard j fought game (—all the way). Phi Psi Fraternity caused a ripple in the news over the initiation of Thomas Gibbs at Amherst College Religionist took a couple of swats at racism during religion in Life Week. California courts invali dates its ban on interracial mar riages. The Christian Rural Over seas Program loaded up tons of ! food for hungry nations of the world (from 44 states to 43 coun (tries). Lincoln Church Women de | dared themselves as favoring FEPC. Dr. Adams of Omaha be came first Negro senator in the Unicameral in a decade. Well that’s the stuff that has made our lives during the past twelfth month—and what does it . show? There is a definite trend in events toward a “liberalizing” of | the “American” way to make it more of a “Democratic” wray (no reference to parties here). As cited by Madison Jones in April, j it is part of a world movement j that has found expression in a j half dozen little wars over the globe—San Domingo vs. Br. Hon ; duras, Israeli vs. the Arabs, a re 1 vival of the Indonesian Republican ' movement, the Pakistan—Hindus ; tan disagreements and the Costa Rican wars have all been attempts j by the oppressed to shake off the ' enslaving terms of one-sided gov ■ ernment. In this respect, we in America can be thankful that an j ever increasing number of en | lightened people will bring a real . ization to a majority of its citizens , that the present plight of minoriy groups is inconsistant' with the great moral principals to which ; our country subscribes. It is good j that here a revolution is not nec ! essary. With ever-increasing num bers of people becoming free to vote, we may look confidently for ward to the ume when not race I but ability will be the standards by which society will judgi. its I mem be s. And what t*ives that : hope? In Nebraska, even as you read this, drafts for a code of fair em ; plcyment is being made. BacK in I Washington, President Truman s i piogram of Civil Rights will get ! tack into the Congress and with j ics passage, much of the anti ( American propaganda in other I parts of the world will be invali | dated and with such an emight ! ened approach to humah problems ! Joe Stalin’s boys will have to ‘fold 1 their tents like the Arabs and I quietly steal away.” We look forward to a 1949 filled with hope and a promise that will enable America to become greater than ever, for it will aid its citi zens, all of them, to contribute to i society the very best of their crea I tive and productive capacities. I __ I COMPLETE FUB SERVICE HORACE E. COLLEY “Trust your furs with a furrier” 1745 South 11 3-6582 For Belter Value§ • Drugs • Cosmetics 0 • Stationery • Candy • Prescriptions CHEAPPER DRUGS 1325 O St. Lincoln CihdfUSL JuAA, i