- t=j The Monitor i_™_
A NATIONAL WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS.
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS. Editor^
$2.00 a Year. 5c a Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, APRIL l£ 1919 Vol. IV. No. 41 (Whole No. 196)
A Bit of Racial News
From the Rural West
Some Interesting Facts Concerning
a Colony of Colored p'olF Who
Homesteaded in Wyop-' tP
-
SCHOOLMASTER'S EX %, VCE
- %
Some Conclusions Deduced m
of Practical Value to a Sell
ing and Progressive Peopft
d
- ,
By the Rev. Russell Taylor “*
Empire, Wyo.
THINKING that perhaps Monitor
readers might be interested in
some of the occurrences in this section
and having been requested by the edi
tor when he first launched The Mon
itor to contribute an occasional article
I now even at this late date offer
the following:
Some years ago, to be specific in
1908, several families of our race
emigrated from Custer count.v, Ne
braska, to this section. They home
steaded in Wyoming, each taking a
“Mandell” or 820 acres, and in addi
tion to this they bought some 800
acres adjoining their homesteads,
some of which lay in Nebraska. At
one time the community had in its
possession over 4.000 acres of land.
As they resided in Wyoming, a law
in that state which reads: “When
there are fifteen or more Colored chil
dren within any school district, the
board of directors thereof with the ap
proval of the county superintendent of
schools, may provide a separate school
for the instruction of such Colored
children,” was taken advantage of.
One of the very best buildings in the
county among rural schools was pro
vided and furnished. There was an
* understanding that it could be used
for the purpose of divine worship.
Fulfilling the tradition of the race
a Sunday school which had been held
in one of the houses was moved into
the school building.
The first teacher of the school was
Miss S. Katherine Thistle of Chey
enne, at one time a pupil under the
then county superintendent, and a
graduate of the high school of that
city.
The writer was called from New
Market, Tenn., in the fall of 1911, tak
ing charge of the school and also
Grace Presbyterian church, an organi
zation growing out of the Sunday
school.
Ueginning about three years ago
some of the many changes that strike
the west made their appearance
among us, and the little community
began to disintegrate. Though much
progress was made by dry farming
and the raising of cattle, thinking
they could make more rapid financial
gains under irrigation, the major por
tion sold their original holdings and
bought irrigated farms.
Thus the community was broken up
and thus the writer was led to cast
his lot among them, and thus the
circumstances soon to be related.
The war caused a great scarcity of
teachers. In the rural schools it was
next to impossible to supply them.
Something like one-third of the
schools in my district are vacant. Five
miles south of the old Empire com
munity is the Nash school—a white
school i. e.—a school hitherto attended
by white children only and taught by
white teachers. Mr. C. A. Nash, the
leading patron of the school, person
ally urged #the writer to come and
teach the above mentioned school, of
fering a house suitable for his family.
Readily considering the stupendous
questions involved, for the much
mooted race problem is in many ways
more acute in rural than urban life,
I delayed long before consenting. Aft
er being assured that all of the pat
rons of the school were willing, I
gave my consent and in flue time took
charge of the school. I noticed that
certain children came one day only.
I had my own surmises. They were
partly correct. Not until sometime
later, however, was it clearly made
known to me that the child, a fourth
grade pupil, had stated that he did
not return to school because he could
not understand the language of Col
ored people!
Upon this ground one of the leading
men of the community took it upon
himself to publicly advocate the the
ory that in no case should Colored
persons be allowed to teach white chil
dren, for it mattered not how well
educated he might be, the Colored man
would use improper English such as
“dig,” "dare,” "flat,” etc.! And this
at such a time!
The ever watchful subtleness of the
white man is herein evidenced. The
coming of a controlling number of
Colored families into his community
has “sot him thinking.” Investigation
1 showed that the matter of finance had
much to do with his cogitations. It
didn’t look good to him for a Negro
to be sitting in a school room draw
ing a salary, while white men were
j in the hay field and potato patch
I drawing wages.
So we have the same problems in
the far and sparsely settled west as
! you have in the densely populated
i east.
There is a subtle philosophy in the
."act that in most of the northern and
i western cities with great and influ
ential Negro populations, there has
! been but a spattering of Colored
1 teachers in those schools. I doubt if
a single Colored graduate of these
schools hasn’t been frankly asked as
, to his vocation after commencement,
and in most cases frankly invited to
go south for employment. Under such
conditions ran we be surprised that
there are so few aspirants?
We are passing through a period
which spells opportunity. This is true
in all walks of life, and especially in
the professional. It is ours to guard
these opportunities. Whether or not
we are willing to subscribe to the
slogan, “Negro teachers for Negro
children,” we ought to be ready to
insist that those boys and girls or
our race to whom the profession of
teaching especially appeals should not
be disheartened because of the ob
stacles in the path to that profession.
It meant something to this western
er to have the teaching of white chil
dren by a Colored man made a prece
dent. There are many things in the
opposite condition that should mean
much to us. How many of the boys
and girls of our race who have been
educated wholly in mixed schools
taught by teachers of the white race,
have by virtue of their teachings
learned of our achievements as a
race? Personally I was nearly through
my college course before I knew any
thing at all of the wonderful progress
of my race—and then I obtained what
knowledge I had without the walls of
my educational institutions.
Now in the rural schools all grades
are usually in the hands of one teach
er. If wre take the subject of U. S,
history it will be noticed by experi
ence that there are unimaginable dif
ferences in The histories used as text
books in our schools, both in the facts
stateil and in the manner of stating
them. In my whole course in his
tory, and I do not recall any teacher
who was. particularly prejudiced, it
was never impressed upon my mind
that the first slaves in this country,
aside from the Indians enslaved by
the Spaniards, were the Huguenots—
white men, not black ones. Does any
importance attach to a matter of that
kind ?
Again, what floes the Colored cnint
know of the Negroes in the wars of
our country, so far as portrayed in
our school histones? Is not the white
child naturally prejudiced as to our
ability, when in all his education
nothing of special emphasis to our
race is said. In my school experience
I have taught from dozens of readers
from the primer to the eighth grade,
and in all these not a line have I
fount! from a Negro author of any
sort.
The impression made daily upon
the children of a nation or a race
decides the trend of that nation or
race. If under present conditions the
Negro has more regard for the white
race than his own is it not because
he has been taught to think white?
If the white child can see anything
great in the Negro it is because his
knowledge has been gained outside,
rather than within the schoolroom..
Hence the westerner was justified
in his apprehensions. Are we going
to be less astute ?
Whci'i it of right should be other
wise are we going to sit supinely by
anti without the raising of our voices
allow all the instruction in schools
containing portions of both races to
be given by one race? If so, then let
us not complain because our girls and
boys lack aspiration. Let us not com
plain because they prefer the peroxide
soaps and cosmetics. Let us not com
plain if the white boy soon to be the
white man innately doubts the abil
ity of the Negro as a race.
FORMER A I,HERMAN DIES
.Wilmington, V C., April 10.—Geo.
Bell, 07, at one time an alderman in
this city, before the nefarious discrim
ination election laws, fell dead here
on the street. At one time he was
worth more 1han $100,000, but at his
death he owned cnly a small farm.
■_I
COLONEL CHAKI KS YOUNG.
COLORED YOUNG MEN OF
AMERICA, HEED THIS
CLARION CALL
A Ringing Appeal by Colonel Charles
Young to Youth Upon Whose Shoul
ders Grave Responsibilities for the
Future of Our Country Rests to
Fully Prepare Themselves for Pro
ficient and Patriotic Leadership and
Citizenship.
C'tOLORED young men of America,
* >'ou fine fellows upon whose
shoulders shall fall and even now is
i falling the hope of race and country,
I salute you and give you greetings:
Frederick Douglass, Bruce, N.
Wright Cuney, Booker T. Washington,
DnBois and hosts of others have
proved power of Negro political lead
! crship and organization.
Let no man innoculate you with the
| lie that these things are not true and
: that there is an inherent inferiority
■n env racial group in America—white
or black or yellow.
Dr. Crummel, Bishops Allen, Payne,
; Grant, Turner, Amott and hosts of
others have proved the same for
: church leadership of the Negro.
I call upon each young college and
high school man to wake up! Can
| you sit supine and indifferent while
I the foundations of your own future,
I that of your unborn children as well
as that of the country we love so
ell are being undermined bv propa
ganda against your capacity for lead
I ership of your own people.
Toussaint Louverture, Crispus At
tacks, Maceo, officers and non-com
i missioned officers of the civil, Span
ish-Amcrican and world wars have
proved the capacity of the Negro for
military leadership.
Let no man deceive you to the con
truly.
Untruths aro being circulated in
the press to tlv end that you may
bo impressed with ideas of your in
nate inferiority and that as result
of the acceptance of the idea by the
common Negro man, our race shall
be kept bound down as a lower caste
in our own country.
Not all of the white people, not
even a majority are in accord with
this insiduous and persistent plotting.
Ry patience, by acts of love and cour
tesy, by serious purpose and endeav
or to show the salutory effects of
higher education upon the Negro
group, let every Negro American boy
show his manhood, his virile deter
mination to measure up to all that is
highest and best in American lifq, so
that we may keep the friendship of
this friendly majority.
Let us study the things that are in
accord with the genius of our race
that we may add these as cultural
gifts to our country. Lot us study the
history of our own race not only in
the United States, but in the West
Indies, South. America, Asia and Af
rica. Ah, Africa! land filled with
glorious history of that proud race
that gave civilization to the white
race; land if you knew its heroes and
achievements you would thank God
for every drop of black blood within
you!
And now to the crux of this mat
ter: I adjure you by everything you
l ild sacred; God, honor, duty, coun
try, than you take advantage of the
universal military training and the
re erve officers’ training corps units
now being organized in your high
schools, colleges and universities:
1st. That you may qualify for ef
ficient leadership of your own racial
group in event of our country being
called for future war.
2d. That you may not sink to an
!nferior caste in the country of your
birth, having the stigma of being in
capable of leading because of lack of
preparation, and because you indif
ferently and selfishly threw away the
golden opportunity for training for
rientific leadership which is now be
ing offered by the general govern
ment.
3d. Because it is right, patriotic,
and American that each social group
in America should emulate all that is
good and progressive in any other
group. Do this and we fulfill our
country’s destiny and measure up to
our ideals of what the flag stands
for.
4th. You can afford the six weeks’
active summer training even though
you believe it a sacrifice.
Let no man deceive you into telling
you IT IS NOT worth while or that
you cannot afford it.
Lastly, I implore you to have faith
in yourselves and the dignity of your
manhood as such. Love the country,
its flag, its people both black and
white, north and south, striving with
out hatred and without animosities
for a better and better Americanism,
to believe that the constitution and
the flag for which our race has spent
its blood and treasure are sufficient
guarantee for our every right and
privilege.
Let us daily strive by acting up to
the highest and best within us to make
democracy a reality and a success in
our national life.
This can only be done by daily en
deavor in which the golden rule meas
ures our conduct. Not acting so, we
but cool the love of our friends and
heat the hate of our enemies and stop
the wheels of progress of our race
and country.
May the good God nerve you and
serve you, fire you and inspire you!
Trusting to your patience and for
bearance and that you will do the
right as “God gives you to see the
right,’’ let us with joined hands and
singleness of purpose face the morn
ing and go forward!
WOMAN WANTS TO PRACTICE
LAW IN GEORGIA
Estella Henderson, Member Faculty
Morris Brown College, Seeks Ad
mission to Atlanta Bar.
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Atlanta, Gu., April 9.—With offices
| already opened in the Negro Odd Fel
low building, Estelle A. Henderson,
proposes to be the first Negro wom
an to practice law in Georgia. Al
ready admitted to the bar in Alabama,
Attorney Henderson states that she
will soon be admitted to practice here.
She is already a member of the fac
ulty of Morris Brown college.
COLONEL HAYWARD OPENS
VICTORY LOAN CAMPAIGN
Lauds American Spirit Manifested by
Men on Western Front and Says
Same Spirit Prevails in Fighting
for Justice in Civil Life.
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Albany, N. Y., April 10.—Colonel
William Hayward, of the “Old Fif
teenth” New York opened the Vic
tory loan campaign here with an ad
dress before 10,000 people, in the
armory. His address bristled with in
terest from start to finish, as he re
lated the events in which the Negro
soldiers participated up to the signing j
of the armistice.
Probably the most interesting story
is the following, as told by the col
onel: “The American spirit is the
greatest in the world. I saw my men j
when they first arrived in France
buying German money of the Mor
rcco troops. I asked them what they
were doing that for and they said:
“We were sent to Fiance and we are
here. You said we are going to Ger
many', and we are going.”
When we reached the Rhine I had \
the pleasure of seeing the boys spend
the same money in Germany some of j
them talking Harlem German, and
with a Yiddish accent. The spirit
that piompted the boys to adopt the
slogan of ‘Hell, Heaven or Hoboken
by Christmas’ was fulfilled, and was
the spirit that won the war. That j
same nplrit prevails today in fighting j
for justice in civil life.”
FORMS FEDERAL LABOR UNION
Race Looking Askance at Proposed
Nation-Wide Movement to Unionize
Negro Labor—Inclined to Doubt
Sincerity of Repentance of Former j
Unfriendly Organizations.
—
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Chattanooga, Tenn., April 10.—For
mation of a Chatanooga "Federal
Labor Union” has created quite a
bit of discussion in this community.
It is understood that the movement is
part of a nation-wide plan to union- ’
!ze Negro laborers, and has the ap
proval of the American Federation of
Labor.
The south has never been very
strong for union labor, and in as much I
as the Negroes form the bulk of the
Ibor field in the south, there are some
who are inclined to look at the present
plan with more or less alarm. How
ever, it is asserted by those back
ing the plan, that it is for the pro- j
tection of the Negroes, as well as the
whites. It is argued that if the Ne
groes are unionized, they will not then
consent to go into communities and
be strike breakers, oftentimes working
for less money. In the meantime,
knowing the shrewdness of certain
classes of whites to use the Negro
for selfish advantages, members of the
race interested in the plan are care
fully considering every step.
ATTEMPT TO FORCE GIRLS
INTO DOMESTIC SERVICE
Richmond Women Organize (o Secure
Colored Girls for Housework—It Is
Alleged That Efforts Will Be Made
to Compel Their Withdrawal From
Other Jobs.
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Richmond, Va., April 10.—A num
ber of wealthy white women have
formed an organization, and state as
the object, the securing of Colored
girls as domestics. They claim that
since the beginning of the war, Col
ored girls have been given positions in
other places than households, and the
matter will be taken up with the Re
tail Merchants Association, urging
that the Colored girls be released from
their present jobs, have them filled
with whites, and make it necessary
foi the Colored girls to again take up
domestic service.
The Colored girls are protesting,
not because they claim there is any
thing disgraceful connected with
housework, but because they feel that
they should be permitted to retain
their present advantages, and have the
light to choose for themselves, as
others, where they shall work.
FORMER NEBRASKAN
OIL INSPECTOR
Detroit, Mich., April 10.—W. P.
Kemp, editor of the Detroit Leader,
has been appointed deputy oil in
spector for the First district of Michi
gan. The inspectorship carries with
it a substantial salary. He will en
ter upon his duties sometime in April.
Mr. Kemp is a former Nebraskan,
having been bom and reared in Lin
coln.
Thompson Triumphant
Through Race Vote
[•rankly Conceded by Leaders and
Newspapers That Chicago Mayor
Owes Re-election to Loyal Support
of Negro Voters.
OUTSPOKEN FOR SQUARE DEAL
Has Been Fair in Giving Representa
tion to All Classes—Jackson and
Anderson Re-elected Aldermen—■
Result Demonstrates What United
Action Can Accomplish.
(By the Associated Negro Press.)
CHICAGO, April 10.—The Negro
voters of Chicago, more than 50,
000 in number, have been acclaimed
by the democratic leaders' as the one
contributing factor in the re-election
of Mayor William Hale Thompson as
mayor. This fact was also attested
by all of the daily newspaper's, both
in their news stories and editorially.
Mayor Thompson was elected, ac
cording to present figures, by about
18,000 votes, and more than 11,000
votes plurality, was given him in the
Second war-d, said by the Chicago
Tribune to be “the greatest Colored
ward in the world.” To this ward
must be added the pluralities in the
Third and Fourteenth wards, where
thousands of Negro voters also live,
ind it is easy to be seen that Mayor
Thompson owes his political success to
the Negro voters of Chicago.
Every daily newspaper in Chicago
ipposed the mayor. The last days of
the campaign were imbittered by per
sonalities, and many rampant white
partisan opponents of the mayor pub
licly denounced his “frienrship for the
Negro,” which the mayor just as pub
licly acclaimed everywhere he had an
opportunity, because, he declared in
a specially prepared statement for The
Associated Negro Press, following the
election:
“I have given fair representation
to the Colored people of Chicago be
cause as republicans they have helped
nominate and elect me, and, secondly,
as American citizens they are entitled
to their quota of representation in
governmental affairs.
“They contributed their quota to
the armed forces of the nation and
performed valiant service for their
country. From the records at hand,
it cannot be denied that they dis
charged their duties of American sol
diers with as great a degree of brav
ery and heroism as any other ele
ment in the American armies.
“The history of the Colored race in
America is a record of fealty and
devotion to our country, and in this
f lection they have again demonstrated
that they may be relied upon to act in
telligently. They have allied them
selves with those forces that stand
for the highest development of our
country and the greatest protection
to its people.
“I have maintained and still in
sist that the man who so nobly up
held the majesty of our government
on foreign battlefields ought not to
be depried of participation in the gov
ernment which he would give his life
to preserve. He has earned his right
to cast a ballot anywhere that an
American citizen may vote under the
Stars and Stripes.
“I stand for the constitution of our
country, the constitution of our state
and the laws enacted under them. I
believe in Uie Declaration of Inde
pendence. I am for America and
American citizens first, last and all
the time, without any distinction of
race, creed or color.”
The election proves that the Negro
of Chicago will not sell out, and that
he believes in standing by his friends,
declared Major R. R. Jackson, to the
Associated Negro Press. “Chicago
achievements give heart to the Ne
groes throughout the nation,” he con
tinued, “and we are in a position to
accomplish great things if we pull
toe-ether,”
Major Jackson, with Louis B. An
derson, re-elected, are the aldermen
of the Second Ward, Alderman An
derson is one of the mayor’s acknowl
edged floor leaders, and both men are
regarded as being among the foremost
men of the council.
The mayor’s re-election assures the
retention in office of E. H. Wright
and George W. Ellis, assistant corpo
ration counsel; Dr. A. J. Carey, who
is prominently mentioned for bishop
in the A. M. E. church, and others.
A monthly Review of Africa and
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office or 158 Fleet street, London, E.
C. 4, England.