Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 1915)
The Monitor A Weekly Newspaper Devoted to the Interests of the Eight Thousand Colored People in Omaha and Vicinity, and to the Good of the Community The Rev. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor $1.00 a Year. 5c a Copy. Omaha, Nebraska, August 28, 1915 Volume I. Number 9 Negro Business League Holds Annual Session Boston Birthplace of Organization Welcomes Hundreds of Delegates and Visitors from all Sections of the Country. REPORTS SHOW GREAT GROWTH f - Sirfce 1890 Membership Has Increased Until Branches Are Nationwide. \ Dr. Washington President. Boston, Mass., Aug. 21.—Ordinarily known as the “Athens of America,” the seat of learning, the “Hub City,” the "City of Culture," the “Dean City” and various other cognomens indicat ing that Boston is a city devoted to the cultivation of the higher refine ments, this week the city has been possessed by a different spirit. The atmosphere has been charged with commercialism and the spirit changed from contemplation of poetic times to consideration of ledgers and how to bring the balance from loss to profit. So far as the Negro business man of the country is concerned, for this week, “all roads lead to Boston,” and consequently this quaint old town is having a new experience. Fifteen years ago the National Negro Busi ness League was born in this town, and the Bostonians are amazed at the wonderful growth of the lusty child. From all sections of the United States, from practically every state in the union, men and women of the race whose endeavors and struggles along commercial lines have led to the building of solid and enduring mercan tile enterprises came into Boston by every train and boat for the purpose of exchanging ideas and experiences. Royal Welcome to League. Boston and her daughter, Cam bridge, opened wide their arms and gave the members of the League a royal welcome. It was a happy idea that brought this body here for the celebration of its fifteenth anniver sary. It furnishes an object lesson to the great New England section of what is being accomplished by the race in the sections of the country most thoroughly impregnated with racial prejudice and restrictions. It was a busy scene around at 121 Kendall street, the Boston local league headquarters, where Benjamin F. Jones, chairman of the housing committee, had his headquarters. Hero is where the delegates came when they reached the city to regis ter their arrival and to secure infor mation as to stopping places, arrange ments for the meeting, and whatever other advice or consideration was de sired. Mr. Jones had an ample corps of assistants, and the large number of incomers were handled with expe dition and given satisfactory service. The Opening Session. Wednesday morning at 10:30 all the streets leading to the convention hall, Garrison and St. Botolph streets, were _ JOHN C. PARKER, Letter Carrier. ___ unusually lively. There were to be seen wending their way to the hall men and women whose attire and car riage betokened that they came from many different sections, but the air of earnest anticipation which was shown in their countenances gave evidence of a common purpose and desire, and showed also that they were all alike in that they were representatives of a class that has achieved something in this world. The opening session was called to order by Dr. W. Alexander Johnson, president of the Boston Local Negro Business League No. 1, the first branch of the parent organization. Th« Rev. Cassius A. Ward, pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist church, West Spring field street, Boston, offered the open ing prayer. Welcome addresses were delivered as follows: On behalf of the convention committee of the Bos ton Negro Business League, Philip J. Alison, fourth vice president of the national organization: on behalf of the Boston Negro Business League, No. 1, James R. Hamm, first presl i dent of the Boston League; on behalf of the citizens of Boston, Stewart E. Hoyt, chairman of the citizens’ com mittee; on behalf of the business and professional men and women of Bos ton and vicinity, the Hon. William H. Lewis of Boston; on behalf of the city, his honor, Mayor James M. Cur ley. After suitable responses had been made, committees were appointed on credentials, resolutions, auditing and nominating. Wednesday night, Convention Hall was crowded by an immense audience which listened with hearty approval and commendation to the masterly ad dress delivered by Dr. Booker T. Washington, the national president. He took occasion to earnestly appeal for the suppression of lawlessness with a wisdom and temper that the Boston Transcript suggests in an edi torial comment should be emulated by all men. Thursday and Friday were devoted to business sessions and in listening (Continued on third page) Prejudice Provoking Photo-Play Prohibited Dixon’s Riot-Inciting "Birth of a Na tion” Will Not Be Booked Among Auditorium Attractions. AUTHORITIES ACT PROMPTLY Acting Mayor Butler Wires Manager Franke Not to Book Photoplay When the Monitor Objects. “The Birth of a Nation,” the Negro defaming, riot-inciting photoplay of Thomas Dixon’s “The Clansman,” will not be presented in Omaha’s Audi torium and it is a safe conjecture that it will not be presented in any of the moving picture theaters of the city, although that is another story. It was announced in the local press of Saturday night and Sunday morn ing that Manager Franke of the Audi torium had left for St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee and New York to book at tractions for the popular amusement course to be given in the Auditorium and that among these attractions would be the photoplay, “The Birth of a Nation.” On Monday The Monitor waited on Acting Mayor Dan H. Butler, Mayor Dahlman being absent from the city, and was courteously granted an inter view. The following facts were laid before him: This play shows a colored woman and a white man living an immoral life together; represents the best women of the colored race leading lives of drunkenness and debauchery; shows a repulsive-featured and low type of a colored man chasing a little white girl for immoral purposes; rep resents the same innocent little girl dying to save the honor and virtue of Southern white women; represents Silas Lynch, a Negro lieutenant gov ernor, locking a white woman in a room and attempting to force her to marry him; shows colored men pre venting white men from voting, and justifies the killing of Negroes by the infamous Klu Klux Klan, and then to divert attention from these admitted ly objectionable features, as an after thought, has added scenes from Hamp ton Institute to show the progress of the Negro. That objections have been made to the presentation of this photoplay in Boston, where it incited a riot; in Chicago, where Mayor Thompson re fused to license its presentation; in New York, in Milwaukee, where the censors permitted it to be shown after cutting out two entire reels, Mayor ^ Bender stating that the law gave him no authority to prevent its produc tion, but that the censors would see that objectionable features tending to foment race prejudice should be elim inated; in San Francisco, where cer tain scenes were cut out; in Seattle, where its presentation was forbidden; in Des Moines, where a state law for bids the presentation of any plays tending to promote race prejudice; and in many other cities. (Continued on third page)