[ i The Monitor l. —-1
A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS.
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor
_'^os. _
$2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy OMAHA. NEBRASKA, JANUARY.4, 1919 Vol. V. No. 1 u182)
Publishers Remove
Objectionable Title
' ' The National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People Score
Another Important Victory.
NEW YORK.—The National Asso
ciation for the Advancement of
Colored People, through its secretary,
John R. Shillady of New York, an
nounces that through the efforts of
the Association the publishers of a
song entitled “Nigger War Bride
Blues” have been induced to change
the name of the song to “War Bride
Blues.” The letter written by the
publishers in answer to the Associa
tion's protest against the original
title follows:
Houston, Tex., Nov. 15, 1918.
Mr. John R. Shillady,
70 Fifth Avenue, New York City.
Dear Sir:
Yours of- the 7th inst. at hand and
note your remarks regarding Nigger
War Bride Blues.
In selecting a title for this song
there was no intention on our part to
. reflect on the Colored rare in any way
and the term was never used for that
purpose. The composition is a typi
cal southern “sob song” and owing
to its originality has swept the en
tire south and developed into the big
gest Blues hit ever published. The
word that you object to is more gen
erally used among the Colored people
themselves than among the white pop
ulation, in fact, we have yet to hear
any white person using this term, it
being a general practice to address a
Colored man as “George” if you do
not happen to know him.
At no time in publishing and ex
ploiting of this song has the thought
occurred to us that we were giving
cause for offense to anyone. The
piece itself was originally published
under the title of the Rice Hotel Blues.
We furnished several Shrine bands
in our section with band arrangements
t and same were played at the different
/ Masonic conventions at Buffalo and
Minneapolis, and immediately we be
gan to receive orders for the number.
Having received a number of re
quests for a song arrangement we
decided to issue same with words and
at the same time eliminate the local
title of Rice Hotel Blues. The vari
ous titles were then submitted by the
composer and author but none of them
we found suitable. It was by accident
that the writer happening to look
across the street noted that Nazimova
was being featured on an ele 'trie sign
at a moving picture house in War
Brides and this gave-us the cue for
a title. The composer immediately
mentioned “there is our title ’’ as inas
much as same was a southern song
and distinctly typical of the Colored
people the suggestion was made by
the authors to have the title “Nigger
War Bride Blues.”
It may be of interest for you to
know that the writer of this letter is
a northern man, a native of Boston,
with all the tradition of New England
ancestry back of him regarding the
Negro. In his boyhood days, time
and again, he has heard his parents
and grandparents tell of the stirring
times in Boston when Garrison, Sum
mer, and Phillips held the center of
the stage of that time and is thor
oughly acquainted with the speeches
and writings of these pioneers of free
dom.
We also beg to advise that a co
director of our firm is a New Eng
lander, a native of New Britain, Conn.,
and a Yale man. In conclusion we
want to say that we are proud of
what the Colored soldier has done
in this war for world freedom and
" prouder still of our country for pro
ducing and developing such good citi
zens and soldiers. As a token of our
appreciation of the Colored men we
have decided to eliminate the objec
tionable word in question from the
title of our song and hereafter will
have same issued under the new title
of War Bride Blues. We are now pre
paring to issue a new edition and will
notify our printers accordingly. If
you will refer to the lyrics of this
song you will note that the objection
able word does not appear in same.
In conclusion we want to say that
the title and song were written in a
spirit of humor and is not to be taken
seriously by anyone even with the old
) title. We thank you for your cour
teous letter.
Hoping matters have been explained
and adjusted to your entire satisfac
tion, and with best wishes for the
success of the organization, we beg
to remain, yours very truly,
THOS GOGGAN & RRO.,
(Signed.) Per Wm. J. Kearney,
HAYNES SPEAKS BEFORE
AMERICAN ACADEMY
OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
New York, Jan. 1.—Dr. George E.
Haynes, director of Negro economics,
department of labor, delivered an ad
dress before the American Academy
of Political Science on “The Effects
of War Conditions on Negro Labor.”
Dr. Haynes divided the subject into
three divisions: (1) The change in
the relation of Negro wage-earners
to white employers, north and south;
(2) the change in the relation of Ne
gro wage-earner to white workmen;
(3) the change in the Negro himself.
The address was a most excellent
study of the labor situation as it ef
fects the Negro and was well received.
Many prominent Americans were in
attendance and addressed the acad
emy.
COLORED DOCTOR
SELECTED AS DELEGATE
New York, Jan. 1.—Over one hun
dred chiropodists assembled at the
meeting of the New York division
held, at Terrace Garden on Tuesday
evening to elect delegates to a state
convention to be held here in the city
on January 13, 1919. Dr. Valentine
Thomas was among those selected.
Ten were elected out of fourteen can
didates. All were white except one.
Dr. Thomas received the second high
est number of votes.
PITTSBURG GIRL WINS
JUMP (CHAMPIONSHIP
Pittsburg, Jan. 1.—Miss Corrine
Mason, Wylie avenue, has just been
awarded the girls’ national champion
ship for the running broad jump. Miss
Mason is a member of the auxiliary of
the Scholastic Athletic association and
is well known locally as one of the
very best female basket ball players
in the game.
WAR SONG WINS COLORED
GIRL FIRST PRIZE
Louisville, Ky., Jan. 1.—Miss Nan
nie G. Hoard, graduate of Howard
university in the college class last
year, and now a teacher in the Agri
cultural and Industrial of this city,
won first prize in a recent song con
test held here.
The contest was concluded by the
war work campaign committee and
there were a largo majority of white
entrants.
The song is a march with a faint
echo of the fife and drum through the
whole piece. It may possibly prove
to be one of the most popular war
songs of the year.
COLORED DOCTOR
APPOINTED DEPUTY
Indianapolis, Ind., Jan,, 1.—Dr. C.
A. Tolies, 2005 Hillside avenue, was
recently appointed a deputy to suc
ceed Dr. Edwan Knox, 1406 Fletcher
avenue, by Dr. Paul Robinson, cor
oner elect, who takes office on Jan
uary 1, 1919.
Dr. Tolies is the only man of color
appointed by Dr. Robinson in this ca
pacity.
DENIES NEGROES WERE
ORDERED TO LEAVE
(Special to The Monitor.)
New York, Dec. 26.—John R. Shil
lady, of the N. A. A. C. P., received
the following telegram from the Wyo
ming Capital, December 16th, relative
to the lynching of Woodson.
Cheyenne Wyo., Dec. 16, 1916.
John R. Shillady,
70 Fifth Avenue, New York.
Replying to yours of 13th, Governor
Houx absent. Yours will be laid be
fore him on his return. Report Ne
groes forced to leave Green River
erroneous. No violence there after
hanging of Woodson. Prosecuter of
Sweetwater county states he will call
grand jury to investigate lynching.
JOHN C. THOMPSON, Sec’y.
WHITE RED CROSS SANTA
TO NEGRO CHILDREN
Birmingham, Ala., Jan. 1.—The
Junior Red Cross of the Industrial
High school made the children of all
the Colored soldiers happy Christmas
day by playing Santa Claus to them.
D. D. Kennedy, chairman of the Jun
ior Red Cross, had charge of the work
and funds were collected from the
public in the same manner as promi
nent society women were collecting
for the white soldiers. A large sum
was realized and the plan carried to a
happy conclusion.
L
The New Omaha Athletic Club Building
“I Resent it in the Name of
Democracy, in the Name of Librrty,
in the Name of Brotherly Love”
An Open Letter to President L. H. Bissell, Illinois College of
Photography, by Sergeant Watkins, An Honorably Discharged
Soldier of Excellent Character, Who Was Denied Admission
When His Racial Identity Became Known.
OERGEANT LUCIAN B. WATKINS, who ranks high as a poet
^ and writer and was recently honorably discharged from the
army for physical disability, after seventeen years of service, has
written an open letter to the president of the Illinois College of
Photography, which should be given the widest publicity. Broad
minded Americans need to have the truth presented to them as
Sergeant Watkins presents it. No man of broad-mind and sym
pathy can read this letter without admitting the crying injustice
of which this case is representative and illustrative of the diffi
culties confronting loyal and aspiring Colored Americans in the
United States of A.meriea. Sergeant Watkins is a personal friend
of the editor of The Monitor and is a Christian gentleman of the
highest character, a fact which must be evident to those who read
this letter.
64!) Stirling St., Baltimore, Md.,
Christmas Day, 1918.
Mr. L. H. Bissell,
President of the Illinois College of
Photography,
Effingham, Illinois.
Sir:
Since receiving your letter of De
cember 14th, in which you heartily ad
vised my enrollment as a student in
your College of Photography, for the
vocational training granted me recent
ly by the Federal Board for Vocation
al Education, Washington, D. C., I
have been informed by that board as
follows:
“We have just been advised by the
Illinois School of Photography that
colored men are not taken in their
school.’’
I was honorably discharged April
15, 1918, at Camp Funston, Kansas, by
reason of physical disability, incurred
in the line of my duties as an Amer
ican soldier. My case comes under
the provision of the United States War
department, through which disabled
soldiers are granted such vocational
trainings as they may elect, that are
suited to their several needs in civil
life. Sir, this proviso of our Govern
ment is an impartial document, but it
seems that you would limit it in its
application. •
I elected a course in photography
as my vocational training, this being
a subject in which I am especially
interested. I sought admission to
your school that I might obtain this
training. So far as I know, yours is
the only institution of its kind in
America. I understand that you are
its founder as well as being its pres
ident. I wrote you relative to my en
rollment in your college. You replied
in the following words, to-wit:
“Effingham, 111.,
December 4, 1918.
“Mr. Lucian B. Watkins,
No. 649 Stirling St.,
Baltimore, Mo.
"Dear Mr. Watkins:
“Your valued favor of recent date
received and we are pleased to hear
from you and to learn that you have
decided to take a course in our school.
“Upon enrollment we will take
pleasure in advancing you as rapidly
as possible in high-grade photogra
phy.
“We know, Mr. Watkins, that you
will be delighted with the work as we
teach it, as it is pleasant, interesting
md highly profitable.
“The demand for photography is
enormous and a well conducted studio
is a splendid paying investment.
(Continued on Page 7)
TOLEDO COLORED BANK
HAS A PROSPEROUS YEAR
Toledo, O.—The Star Building and
Loan Association of Toledo, O., the
only Negro banking institution in the
whole state, had its installation of of
ficers December 4. The officers for
the ensuing year are:
Marion E. Author, president; W. A.
McCoglin, vice president; John L. Ro
chester, secretary; Giles L. Davis,
treasurer, and Harrison Fisher, at
torney. The board of directors in
cluded the above officers and in ad
dition: Dr. B. F. Williams, Elvin B.
Wanzo, Mrs. Ida Jones, Mr. Thomas
Maddox, Mr. Charles Thomas, P. H.
Wood, C. W. Headen, I. J. Greenhow,
John Harter, and Albertus Brown.
This institution is unique in that
it is the only one of its kind in the
state. It has an authorized capital
stock of $100,000. It is the depository
of fraternal and civic organizations in
the city. It has money loaned on
first mortgage security throughout
the state. Its officers and directors
are composed of Toledo’s most promi
nent citizens and business men and
women. Its shares of stock are worth
$200 each, payment $1 a month.
MANY WOUNDED NEGRO
SOLDIERS REACH N. Y.
The Celtic Arrives With 2,122 Soldiers
Who Saw Active Service.
New York.—Amid the sounding of
sirens and other noisy salutation the
big liner Celtic made her way up the
harbor and docked shortly after 8
o’clock today with 2,122 troops from
“over there.”
Most of the soldiers on the Celtic
were Colored members of the 814th
pioneer infantry. Among them were
many hospital cases. The liner also
brought a number of officers of white
organizations.
SOLDIER DECORATED
FOR BRAVERY
Shelbyville, Ind., Dec. 31.—Corporal
Albert Taylor, Colored, son of Mr. and
Mrs. William Taylor of this city, has
been decorated -with the French Croix
de Guerre for bravery in action. In
a letter to his parents he tells of his
being made a “noncom” and also of
the decoration. He states that his
regiment was doing its hardest fight
ing on the Toul sector when the arm
istice was signed.
Emmett Scott to
Remain at His Post
Secretary Baker Points Out the Prob
lems of Future Are as Numerous
and Perplexing as Those of Actual
W arfare—Efficient Special Assist
ant.
Glowing Tribute of Helpfulness Paid
by George Creel, Chairman of Com
mittee on Public Information.
By R. W. Thompson
WASHINGTON, D. C.—The suc
cess that has attended the la
bors of Emmett J. Scott as special
assistant to the secretary of war is
one of the outstanding features of
the participation of the Colored Amer
ican in the war which is now- ap
proaching a triumphant close, with
democracy well assured for many of
the oppressed peoples of the world.
Mr. Scott has just finished the^ first
year of his very satisfactory adminis
tration of the great trust reposed in
him as the official representative of
the 12,000,000 Colored citizens of the
republic. It is conceded upon all sides
and by both races that the practical
results achieved by Mr. Scott in his
particular and trying field, and the
intricate problems he has met and so
intelligently mastered, amply justify
the secretary of war’s decision to
create the office.
Mr. Scott Urged to Remain at His
Post
All questions as to the tenure of
Mr. Scott in his office as special as
sistant in the war department are ef
fectively set at rest by a recent let
ter, written to Mr. Scott by the Hon.
Newton D. Baker, secretary of war,
who makes plain his appreciation of
the fine services rendered by Mr.
Scott during the months that he has
been at his side as a helper in the
solution of some of the knottiest prob
lems that the war departemnt has
been called upon to face.
In the communication referred to
Secretary Baker expressed the hope
that it will be possible for Mr. Scott
to continue his work in the war de
partment through the period of the
demobilization of the troops. The
secretary of war took the view that
the problems ahead of us are just as
numerous and perplexing as those
that have been dealt with during the
past year, and indicated that it would
be most helpful to all concerned if he
could have Mr. Scott’s continued coun
sel and advice in connection with the
important questions that are bound to
arise in the adjustment of the is
sues of the future.
Glowing Tribute Paid by Director of
Committee on Public Information
A further testimonial to the worth
and far-reaching effect of the work
that ^as been(carried on by the spe
cial assistant comes from Mr. George
Creel, chairman of the committee on
public information, in conjunction
with whom Mr. Scott has kept the
country fully informed as to the ac
tivities of the Colored people in the
countless agencies that have been en
gaged in the winning of the war. Mr.
Creel’s letter, which explains itself,
is here given:
THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC IN
FORMATION
Washington, D. C., Nov. 27, 1918.
Mr. Emmett J. Scott,
Special Assistant to the Secretary'
of War.
My Dear Mr. Scott: Before com
pleting the work of the committee on
public information, I wish to write
you a very sincere letter of thanks
for your very real contribution to the
cause of national unity. As special
assistant to the secretary of war, with
specific duty to maintain the morale
of the Colored population of the
United States, you have discharged
a delicate task with discretion, the
very highest intelligence, and the very
greatest devotion to your people and
to your country.
I can truthfully say that the com
mittee on public nformation, in its
fight for unity, h: < been helped im
measurably by you. It has become a
pleasure to work with you, and I
want to say a very sincere personal
word of my deep appreciation. It
must be a matter of pride to you to
know that no portion of the popula
tion has been more loyal than the
people of your ri_-e. Not the least
of the strength of the war purpose of
America has-proceeded from the cour
age and devotion of the Colored peo
ple. Believe me, very sincerely,
(Signed) GEORGE CREEL,
Chairman.
Smoke John Ruskin 5c Cigar. Big
I gest and Best.—Adv.