l=j The Monitor l — 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, JULY 29, 1920 Vol. VI. No. 5 (Whole No. 265)
Women’s Federation
Observes Anniversary
Over Seven Hundred Representative
Women of Race A tie--I National
Convention at T1' ^ e.—Every
State Represented. 1V^L- a Presi
dent Delivers Nolaht
SENATOR HARDING
SENDS M
Motion to Endorse Republican
Fails to Pass.—Courteous Res, Tl
Is Sent by Convention.—Porlrai, ; .
Mrs. Talbert l ineiled Miss Hal
lie A. Brown Elected President.
■rpUSKEGEE INSTITUTE, Ala
1 bama, July 29.—The National As
sociation of Colored Worden’s Clubs
July 17, closed a fiveday session here,
with which marks the 25th anniver
sary of its organization—a quarter
of a century of service dedicated to
the advancement of the race, to the
elevation of the standards of home and
community life, to the promotion of
peace and good will among the races,
and to all worthy movements which
have for their object the betterment
of the human family.
Every state in the union was rep
resented, and there never has
been gathered at Tuslsogee
Institute a more representa
tive group of visitors than has
been true this week. The 700 dele
gates and visitors, and the 600 sum
mer school teachers taxed the dormi
tory- space to its utmost, but in spite
of the crowded condition everyone fell
readily into the spirit of the occasion
willingly and with good nature, thus
making lighter the burden of the Re
ception Committee of the Tuskegee
Woman’s Club.
Beginning Saturday, July 10th, del
egates began arriving, many groups
coming in special Pullman cars. By
morning there were 14 Pullman cars
on the institute grounds, and every
available room in the dormitories was
taken. Monday morning and after
noon was given over to preliminary
meetings, and the session proper
opened Monday evening in the Insti
tute Chapel, at which time, Dr. Rob
ert R. Moton, Principal of Tuskegee
Institute, delivered the address of wel
come on behalf of Tuskegee Institute.
Mrs. Robert R. Moton, vice president
of the Tuskegee Woman’s Club, wel
comed the visitors in behalf of the
Tuskegee Woman’s Club.
Dr. Moton's Welcome Address.
Dr. Moton spoke in pprt as follows:
“We are glad to have you ladies
here. You know this is the fortieth
year of Tuskegee’s history, and I do
not think anything is more encourag
ing or more fitting than that you
should on your twenty-fifth anniver
sary meet here on the fortieth anni
versary of the founding of this Insti
tute.
“And this is particularly true be
cause this school was founded as you
know by a man who had nothing of
ancestry of which to boast. But In
spite of all the difficulties he faced
he was able to establish this school
here among people, many of whom
were prejudiced against him and his
work.
“I realize now as never before that
the Negro race—no race—can rise
higher than the womanhood of that
race, and the truth of the matter is,
I never knew any race to rise as high
as its womanhood. That is what we
are struggling for. That is what I am
struggling for—that we men of the
race rise as high as the womanhood
of our race.”
Mrs. Mary Church Terrell respond
ed to the address of welcome by Dr.
Moton, and Miss Hallie Q. Brown, of
Wilberforce, Ohio, responded to Mrs.
Moton’s address.
Mrs. Talbert’s Address.
On Tuesday evening the address of
the president, Mrs. Mary B. Talbert,
was delivered in the Institute Chapel
to one of the largest audiences assem
bled during the session. Mrs Tal
bert recounted in detail her activi
ties during the war period, and the
work she did for the Liberty Loan
campaigns, and other war movements
Sl e also referred to the work the As
sociatin'; lias done in the restoration
of the Frederick Douglass Home at
Anacosta, Maryland. The purpose be
ing to make this one of the historical
spots of America, which colered peo
ple, visiting the nation’s capital, may
go and feel the Inspiration of being
in the home of one who meant so much
to the Negro.
Senator Harding’s Telegram.
In the midst of the session on Wed
nesday morning the following tele
gram from Senator Warren G. Hard
ing, republican nominee for presi
dent, was received:
Dr. R. R. Moton,
Tuskegee Institute, Alabama,
Please extend to the members of the
National Federation of Colored Wom
| cn’s Clubs now gathered at Tuskegee,
my cordial greetings and the best
wishes for a most successful and in
teresting convention. Let me express
the hope that the Association will be
guided by that broad and uplifting
spirit which characterized the founder
of Tuskegee Institute. Booker Wash
ington was one of the really useful
men of the country, devoting his life
to the service of his people, teaching
them the true way to live and pointing
out the paths which they must fol
low for the uplifting of their race.
His example is the greatest heritage
I which your people should guard zeal
i ously.
When the telegram was read, mo
tion was offered that the Association
! go on record as endorsing the repub
lican party, hut the motion did not
| carry.
The following telegram was sent in
! teply to Senator' Harding.
| Hon. Warren G% Harding,
Marion, Ohio,
The National Asoeiation of Col
ored Women's clubs acknowledges cor
dial greetings extended to us through
Dr. R. R. Moton, and thank you for
1 sentiment so warmly expressed. We
can asure you that during this session
which marks the 25th anniversary of
the Association, as in past sessions,
i v.e will be guided by that broad up
: lifting spirit which characterized the
life and work of Hooker T. Wasb
| ington, founder of Tuskegee Institute.
For 25 years the Association has dedi
I « ated itself to promoting true
Americanism, peace and good will. We
regard this message, coming at this
j momentous period of our nation’s his
tory, and from so distinguished a citi
i zen, as most inspiring and encourag
' ing. With best wishes.
MARY A. TALBERT.
President, National Association of
Colored Women’s Clubs.
Unveiling of Portrait.
On Wednesday, July 14th, at tne
evening session held in the Institute
Chapel, a life-size portrait of Mrs.
Talbert, painted by Mrs. Fannie R.
Givens of Louisville, Kentucky, was
presented. The applause which fol
lowed the unveiling of the portrait
showed how much the members of the
Asoeiation appreciated the splendid
and unselfish effort of their presi
dent to make the work of the Associa
tion a success.
Mrs. Givens is the founder of the
National Historical Art League of
America. This portrait is to be hung
in the Frederick Douglass Home.
Ceremonies al Dr. Washington’s Grave
One of the most impressive inci
dents in connection with the meeting
of the Association was the visit to the
grave of Booker T. Washington, by
the delegates in a body, at 5 o’clock,
Thursday afternoon, at which time a
beautiful wreath of roses was placed
on the grave and Mrs. Mary Talbert,
president, spoke of the debt of grati
tude which the Negro race owes to
Booker Washington for his vision,
foresight and sacrifice that the
masses of his people might be up
lifted.
The motto of the association, “Lift
ing as We Climb,” was most beauti
fully referred to .by Mrs. Talbert in
comparing the spirit which'animated
the life of Booker Washington
Tuskegee Remembered.
The sum of $1,000 was appropriated
by the Asoeiation to be applied to
the Scholarship Fund of Tuskegee in
stitute as a token of love and respect
for Tuskegee, and as an evidence of
the appreciation of the courtesies ex
tended to them while here. The inter
est from this money will go to pay the
tuition of one student each year.
Election of Officers.
There was much interest of course,
in the election of new officers, which
passed off harmoniously. Miss Hallie
Q. Brown, o Wilberforce, Ohio, aWs
elected president, and Mrs. Janie Por
ter Barrett., of Peake. Virginia, first
recording secretar.
SUPREME COURT SETS
VSI BE VERDICT OK GUILTY
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Spartanburg, S. C., July 29.—The
state supreme court in an order re
ceived here sets aside Hie verdict of
guilty in the case of Will Kelly, an
aged Negro of Cowpens, this county,
convicted of attempted assault upon
a little white girl and sentenced to
ton years’ imprisonment, and orders
the Negro’s release. The supreme
court says there was no evidence
upon which to base a cinvlction.
•
GRACE MORRIS HUTTEN APPOINTED ASSISTANT
COMMISSIONER COLORED COMMERCIAL CLUB
Grace Morris Hutten, whose pic
ture appears above, has been secured
for one year as Assistant Commis
sioner of the Colored Commercial Club
of Omaha, beginning August 1st, 1920.
Grace Morris Hutten is a product of
Omaha and Nebraska. Her parents
are Mr. and Mrs. David Morris, whose
family is one of the most remarkable
families in the United States.
Mrs. Hutten attended the Omaha
grade schools and graduated from the
Omaha Central High School. Later
she graduated from the Teachers Col
lege of Bellevue College, Bellevue,
Neb. After her graduation at Belle
vue, she taught for two years in the
district school at Brownlee, Neb.
where she made a study of the distri
bution of colored labor in agriculture.
Afterward she taught for two years
at Buxton, Iowa, where she studied
colored labor in the mining industry
,.nd in agriculture. Subsequently Mrs.
Hutten studied at the University of
Chicago and in New York City Two
year- ago she was appointed a teacher
in the schools of Porto Rico, where
she has been engaged up to this sum
mer. Shortly after the beginning of
her service in Porto Rico she began
the study of the Spanish language
through the extension course of the
University of Porto Rico and gradu
ated from this course, and just prior
to her leaving for Omaha she was ap
pointed Supervisor of English in the
ehools of Boyamon, Porto Rico, at a
good salary. During her two years
on the island Mrs. Hutten made a
study of labor and is planning to
write a tract on that subject for the
United States government and the
government of Porto Rico.
At the age of 35 Mrs. Grace Morris
Hutten comes to the Colored Commer
cial Club of Omaha with unusual
equipment and a ripe experience of
which the community will receive the
immediate and future benefits. Suc
cessful in her own career she will be
better able to counsel others concern
ing theirs.
Mrs. Hutten will take charge of the
club rooms August 1st, where she may
be seen by anyone who has business
to do with the Colored Commercial
Club of Omaha.
The home of the Colored Commer
cial Club of Omaha for the present
is in Columbia Hall, 2420 Lake street,
upstairs.
DR. LEROY BUNDY GIVEN AN
OVATION BY LARGE AUDIENCE
Courageous and Interpid Leader Who Defended His People Against
Blood-Thirsty East St. Iarnis Mob on Fateful Night of July 1,
1917, (Jives Simple Recital of Story of Awful Event. (Jives
Causes Leading Up to Riot and Shows Failure of Police to Pro
tect Victims of Mob Violence.—Tells of Fighting Extradition
Until Passion of Community Cooled and of Return to Illinois for
Trial After Governor Cox of Ohio Demanded From Illinois a
Deposit of $500,000 as a Guarantee of Good Faith That His Life
Would Be Protected.
RO V E Methodist Episcopal
7 Church was crowded to capacity
last Friday night to hear Dr. Leroy
N. Bundy tell the story of the awful
East St Louis riots which began May
28 and continued intermittently until
July 1, 1917, when they culminated in
the masascre of 111 colored men, wo
men and children on the fateful night
and the killing of several members of
the mob, when 29 determined colored
men checked the mob with three vol
leys at Bond street, the beginning of
the Negro section, as it swept down
with guns and torches and bludgeons
bent upon wiping out the Negro resi
dents of East St. Louis.
D<\ Bundy is a splendid type of
manhood. As the audience looked upon
his tall, well-knit form, his cultured
and refined face, over shadowed with
thoughtful sadness, and listened to the
simple recital of the ordeal through
which he passed, a simple story in
which there was no attempt to arouse
passion in his hearers, every one in
stinctively felt that he was listening
to a man, from the ground up, in the
fullest meaning of the term.
Dr. Bundy told of the causes lead
ing up to the riots. They were in
dustrial. Negro laborers who were sa
tisfied with their wages anil work re
fused to strike. A meeting was called
at the City Hall to see what steps
should be taken to drive out the Ne
groes who had “taken the place of
white men” and to prevent others com
ing to the city. An attorney, an
attorney, an Irishman by accident of
birth, openly advised mob violence. It
was his speech and advice that incited
the riot of May 28, with which the
trouble began. More than 5,000 went
out from that meeting determined to
drive the Negroes from East St.
Louis. Acts of violence and intimida
tion of the colored population con
tinued intermittingly throughout the
month of June.
On the night of July 1, white hood
lums attacked a poor colored widow
who, having four children to support,
walked to and from her work over the
Eades bridge to save money. They
stripped her of her clothing, subjected
her to unmentionable brutalities and
told her to tell the “nigger bucks”
what they had done to her and in
tended to do to them. The plight of
! this poor woman fired the blood of
the men of the race, who determined
that things had gone far enough. A
car load of hoodlums on this same
night had ridden through the Negro
section firing into homes, one of these
shots scattered the brains of a sick
baby on the breast of its mother who
was holding her child in her aims at
the window to get fresh air. Men of
the race armed themselves, established
a dead line, and determined to shoot
any white men who again invaded that
; section. An automobile without lights
filled with men armed with riot guns
was driven into the district. They
were plain clothes men; but the Ne
i groes taking no chances fired on the
j machine and two officers were killed.
I It was claimed that this started the
riot and to avenge the death of these
two officers a mob of 10,000 deter
mined to wipe out the Negro resi
j dents.
Dr. Bundy told how he had appealed
! to the chief of police to protect his
people and was told by that official
! of his impotence to stop the mob; how
he had asked him to send ambulances
to carry the wounded to hospitals and
1 the dead to the morgue and was told
i that he was crazy to expect such a
: thing. He told how when the mob
began its march on the Negro sec
tion 29 men fired three volleys into it
and the mob retreated leaving the dead
and wounded. He told how that they
charged him with conspiracy to mur
der in connection with the killing of
the two ofiCers, when at that time he
was 20 miles out of the city and of his
flight to Ohio where he fought extra
dition for three months until the pas
ion of East St. Louis, where his me
was not safe, had cooled; of his re
turn to East St. Louis for trial only
after Governor Cox of Ohio had ex
acted a deposit of $500,000 as a guar
antee of good faith that Dr. Bundy be
given safe conduct and his life be
protected. He told of the change of
venue granted from St. Claire county,
to the adjacent county of Monroe, of
which there is not a Negro resident
and where Negroes are forbidden to
remain over night and of his trial
and conviction for life to the penl
! tentiary under these conditions. He
told how after a year in the peni
tentiary, by the herculean efforts of
his wife and his attorneys, he had
been 'released from the penitentiary
on a writ of supersedas issued by
Judge Carter of Chicago, after re
viewing the evidence in the case.
The speaker concluded with a plea
to look upon the future with hope, to
have confidence in one another, and a
greater love to be manifested for each
other, to be so imbued with the spirit
of true manliness that we become par
ty and parcel of the race to which we
belong in reality, and in his own
words state: “I come as a messenger
of peace; I may not have another op
portunity of looking into your faces
and addressing you, but if my suf
fering, and my going to a prison cell,
if the judgment is not reversed, will
open up an avenue for better treat
ment of my people as citizens of this
great democracy, I willingly go. I
LOVE AMERICA, BUT AMERICA
MUST LOVE ME, TOO."
The meeting was called to order by
the Rev. John Albert Williams, who
introduced Dr. W. W. Peebles, who
presided. "America" was sung lustily
by the audience; the invocation was
said by the Rev Russel Taylor, pas
tor of the Seward Presbyterian
church. J. C. Calloway of Kansas City
one of Dr. Bundy’s attorneys, briefly
reviewed the legal aspects of the case
and introduced Dr. Bundy, who was
given an ovation at the beginning and
close of his speech. Mrs. Bundy was
called for and coming to the platform
modestly thanked the audience for the
interest manifested in her husband’s
fight for justice. As Dr. Bundy sat
down, a small boy, Robbins, came up
quietly behind him and placing a dol
lar bill on the table said: “Please take
that.” An opportunity was given for
donations for the expenses of legal
procedure in his case which comes up
in October and $"01.50 was laid on the
table within ten minutes, several giv
ing $5.00 each. An effort was made to
get the names of all contributors, but
the people came forward so rapidly
that only a partial list was secured;
but the total amount was as stated
and The Monitor has been requested
to thank all the contributors for their
generous response.
Many of the citizen’s committee who
contributed to making the meeting a
success had seats on the platform.
\\OTHER BANK ORGANIZED
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Bennettsville, S. C., July 29.—Ben
nettsville's new bank, the Workers’
Enterprise Bank, organized, owned
and operated exclusively for colored
people, was opened for business last
Saturday. The deposits for the first
day amounted to $20,180.97. The bank
is located in a new brick building
constructed for it north of the pub
lic square.
EXODUS FROM ELAINE
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Helena, Ark., July 29.—Ever since
the Arkansas massacre colored people
have been quietly leaving Elaine, and
other sections of Arkansas, going to
Chicago, Michigan, Ohio and other
points in the north and east. Whites
who are greatly in need of labor, are
assuring the people that they will be
protected if they remain, but the feel
ing of unrest cannot be quieted.
ARE PLEASED WITH
MISS BROWN’S ELECTION
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Cleveland, Ohio, July 29.—The elec
tion of Miss Hallie Q. Brown, of Wil
berforce, as president of the National
Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs,
is regarded in Ohio as a well deserved
compliment Miss Brown has been an
active worker in the organization from
its beginning 26 years ago.
FIGHTING BOLL WEEVIL
(By Associated Negro Press.)
Columbia, S. C., July 29.—Negro
workers have been added to the home
demonstration force of the state by
the government. There are about 17
of these workers over the state, and
they have been put in counties infest
ed with the boll weevil where this
was possible.
Illllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll!lll!llllllllll
Gut Out This Coupon
GOOD FOR ADMISSION
TO LOYAL THEATER
Saturday Afternoon, July 31st, Only
For Any Child Under 14 Years
COMPLIMENTS OF THE MONITOR
!llllllllllllllllllllllllll!llllllllllllllll!l!lllll
Mme. Schumann-Heink
Fond of Colored Folk
Noted Grand Oera Star Gives Views
on Race Which She Considers a
•Wonderful People, Highly Gifted
and Certain to Be of Great Value to
America’s Life.
CANNOT UNDERSTAND
AMERICAN PREJUDICE
Chicago Residence Adjacent to Col
ored Neighborhood. Finds People
Pleasing. Son Commanded Colored
Troops. Praises Valor and Intel
ligence. Artist Assists Musical
Youth.
BOSTON, MASS., July 29.—Mme.
Schumann-Heink, in an interview
with Olin Downes, musical critic for a
Boston paper, Sunday, July 18, was
asked some reflections after 42 suc
cessful years on the stage. The famous
grand opera star told the critic how
she enjoyed being an American in
spite of her German ancestry. She
said that one among her happiest rem
iniscences was the memory of her
friendship with Negroes. Here are the
words in which the great singer
voiced her love and sympathy for Ne
groes:
“And one more thing. This is not
a thing you asked, but I wish you
would publish it. Why do we continue
to treat the colored race with preju?
dice? Let me teil you that if it were
Negroes who worked our mines and
industries instead of the scourings of
foreign nations we would not have the
outrages, the Bolshevism, the anarchy
which has been and is so threatening
a symptom in American industrial
life.
“These Negroes—how they fought
in the war! How you would be
thrilled if I were to tell you the anec
dotes of one of my sons who Pad
work in preparing and drilling a Ne
gro regiment, and what occurred when
those men were brought out to drill
for the first time and it was ex
plained to them what it meant to wear
the American uniform. Some of the
things were funny. Some of them
were simply tremendous.
“Did they not fight? Are they
not intelligent? Will they not repay
courtesy and kindness with the same?
I know. I am living in Chicago in
what is now near Negro quarters.
Almost next door to me is a public
school where there are many Negro
children. Let me tell you that not
once, through all those terrible race
riots, not since I have been in that
house, now for many years, has a
single flower in my garden been
touched, a single discourtesy of any
kind shown me. There is no safer
place in the city, no place where I am
more at home, more secure, un
molested.
“I love these little children so much.
They like me. They come out of
school and see me, ‘Are you back
again?’ And the voices are unique in
their music. And the musical nature
of these people is wonderful. There
is a young Negro composer in Chica
go who has had no musical training,
but who composes extremely promis
ing songs without being able even to
write them down grammatically. I
have several of his works under con
sideration
“It is a wonderful people; a people
with a genius of its own and a genius
certain to be of value to American life.
Now, must we continue to treat these
people unfairly and—one of the great
est horrors of civilization—lynch
them? You may say what you like.
It may make some people very angry,
but I ask this qquestion: Where there
is a lynching is it invariably the fault
of the Negro? We believe in courts
and in the settling of wrongs without
bloodshed.
“Cannot all of us—you, bom here;
the Negro, born here; myself, come
from a foreign land—can we not all
be American and substitute in our
own lives and interior affairs the doc
trine of right for might??
“Ah, but I am proud of being an
American!”
It is probably not well known, even
in Chicago, that Mme. Schumann
Heink is in a large measure respons
ible for the success of DeKoken
Thompson, son of the late Rev.
James E. Thompson, rector of St.
Thomas’ Church, the well known col
ored song writer. Mme. Schumann
Heink was attracted by the origin
ality of his compositions and fea
tured one of his songs widely on her
concert tours. The young cimposer
thus sprang immediately into popu
larity with music lovers, and his suc
cess as a song writer became as
sured.