"" t,° XHIv MONITOR v°»
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, FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 1922. Vol. VII—No. 36 Whole Number 347
, “BERT” WILLIAMS, COMEDIAN OF INTERNATIONAL FAME, WICTIM OF PNEUMONIA
CRISPUS ATTUCKS
CEI ORATION IS A
SUU SSFUL EVENT
\
\ ~
Large Audience IV Pilgrim Baptist
Church and Parts'^ tea in Well
! Prepared Program ^ Speeches
and Music
! ONLY ONE DISCORDANT NOTE
iioston Crowd Led by Attucks in At
tack on British Soldiers Rioters,
Not Patriots, Declares the
Closing Speaker
I
Declaring that “a fair, impartial
and dispassionate view of the plain
! facts or history clearly showed that
i the Boston crowd, led by Crispus At
tucks, in their attack on the British
soldiers, March 5, 1770, were, if one
would speak truthfully, rioters ana
not patriots,” Rev. John Albert Wil
liams struck the only discordant note
that in any way jarred the enthusias
tic patriotic sentiment of the large
audience which packed Pilgrim Bap
, tint church Sunday afternoon for the
observance of Crispus Attucks’ Day.
| This statement coming at the close
of a series of brilliant eulogistic ad- ■
dresses, laudatory of the colonists
and denunciatory of the tyranny of
the British, was manifestly disap
pointing to the audience. Father Wil
I liams said he favored the observance
of historic days, hut that in doing so,
the facts of history should be kept
straight. Americans cast a halo of:
glory upon revolutionary days and,
the events leading up to the conflict
which gave birth to the American na-;
tion, chief among which events was
the riot in which Attucks and his
i companions lost their iives, but it was
a riot, just the same, one of many
which had occurred in Boston since i
the Stamp Act. Attucks and the I
* crowd he led, egged on by "higher
up«, attacked the soldieis who were
compelled to fire in self-defense, and
that is how “the first blood of the
American Revolution was shed,"
which event Boston records in tablet
and monument. Nor is it without
significance that the first blood to be
shed was that of a Negro. While this
is true the fact remains that a fair,
impartial and dUpassionate view of
the plain facts of i story clearly show
that the Boston C/owd, led by Crispus
Attucks, in their attack on the British
soldiers, March 5, 1770, were, if one
would speak truthfully, rioters and
>not patriots."
This heresy to American patriotism
while it jarred the audience did not
seriously mar the well-arranged pro
gram, as prepared by Mrs. J. Alice
Stewart, chairman of the local com
mittee of arrangements, as published
w in last week’s Monitor, which was car
* ried out, with only slight variation.
“America” was sung by the audience
and was followed by un invocation by
the Rev. W. F. Botts. The chair
man, Dr. W. W. Peebles, commander
of the Theodore Roosevelt Post of
the American Legion, was introduced
by the chairman of the local commit
tee. He spoke briefly of the purpose
of the day's observance and announced
his determination to keep all speakers
rigidly within the limits of their time.
The first speaker was the Rev. T.
F. Saunders, pastor of the Grove M.
K. church, who emphasized and am
plified the thought that the shot that
was fired at Lexington in 1775 and
heard round the world, was made pos
sible by the martyrdom of Attucks,
five years earlier, and that therefore
all Americans should venerate his
memory. Ail Negroes should be proud
that Attucks died for American lib
erty in resisting British tyranny.
The Rev. Russell Taylor, pastor of
St. Paul’s Presbyterian, In well chos
en words Stressed the point that the
day’s observation wras more to com
memorate the spirit in which the deed
was done, than he who did the deed.
That God had planted in the heart of
the black man as well as in the heart
of the white man a love for liberty.
That there was a common bond be
tween the descendants of those who
came over in the Mayflower and
those who were brought in a slave
ship from Africa. Descendants of
each fought for liberty on bleak New
England shores.
Miss Gertrude Lucas read an ex
cellent paper on the necesity of hold
ing up ideals before the young.
The Rev. Mr. Lawrence, pastor of
the Seventh Day Adventist church,
who is a British subject, gave a most
pleasing address after a personal
word in which he referred to his Brit
ish citizenship, and said that “you
were then my country’s enemy, but
being a black man, when a notable
deed is wrought by a black man any
where, I rejoice at it." He then
[jointed out that when God had ap
pointed t ie time for the appearance
of the American nation, as prophe
sied in Scripture, that nation appeared
anil that Attucks hail been chosen,
with others to help bring this to pass.
Attorney H. J. Pinkeit proudly re
ferred to the fact that his grand
father had fought in the Revolution
ary war, that his father had fought
in the war of the Rebellion, and that I
he himself had fought in the World
War to maintain those principles of
democracy for which Attucks had died
when the colonists resisted the tyr
anny of George the Third. He stress
ed the fact that black men had always
been willing to die for liberty.
Miss Emma Mitchell read a papei
on the life of Crispus Attucks which
is published elsewhere in this issue.
M iss Frankie B. Watkins read Paul
Revere’s Ride by Longfellow.
Vocal numbers were contributed by
Rufus W. Long, H. L. Preston, both
overseas soldiers, the former singing
“The Rosary,” and the latter, “Hold
Thou My Hand ’; and by Mess rs Rus- <
set, Jr., William and Elbert Taylor,
Mrs. R. Taylor, Miss Tlieodocia Tay
lor and Mrs. Grace Hutten, who as a
mixed chorus sang “We Still Love
Dear Old Glory.” Miss Hazel Rou
lette gave a piano selection and the
Odd Fellows Band, Prof. J. W. Wad
dell, director, furnished two numbers.
The Crispus Attucks Red Cross chap
ter sang effectively a parody on
"America,'' the words of which are
' published elsewhere in this issue.
(Continued on Page 3.)
HOLD NATION-WIDE
MEMORIAL SERVICES
FORCOLOHE FOUND
Sunday Will be Marked Throughout
the Country by Appropriate Ser
vices For Gallant Soldier Who
Died in AfrjcA
PERSHING WRITES MESSAGE
_
.. (Associated Negro Press)
Washington, D C., March 10.—Sun
day, March 12, from Crispus Attucks'
monument in Boston, to the Golden
Gate in San Francisco; from the lake
washed shores of Chicago to the rice
swanps of Florida, homage will be
paid to the memory of Colonel
Charles Young.
There has never been, in the history
of the race, a more spontaneous awak
ening to an act of appreciation. The
mingled emotions of sorrow and deter
mination will be released from the
hearts of a mighty people, and center
ed about the cherished memory of a
fallen hero.
At the close of all the services, aud
iences will stand with tiieir faces to
the East, while a bugler sounds the
solemn notes of taps. There will be
farewell to Charles Young, but with it
will be a rededication to the ideals of
justice for which he lived and died.
There has been expressed the desire
of the family of Colonel Young that
at some later date the body should be
brought to America. Dr. W. E. B.
DuBols, who was a close friend of the
late Colonel, has just returned to New'
York, where he conferred with Mrs.
Young and the Colonel’s mother.
Captain Henry O. Atwood, who was
with the Colonel in his last days, has
,ust returned from Wilberforce, where
he performed the solemn duty of tak
ing the last words of the departed to
the beloved wife and mother.
(Continued on Page Four)
HOWARD ANNOUNCES SECOND!
SERIES OF FREE LECTURES
Washington, D. C., March lUth—
The Second Series of Free Public Lec
tures to be given by the Faculty of
the Howard University began March
2nd, 1922, with the lecture upon the
•subject, "The Remaking of Man," by
Professor Algernon B. Jackson, Di
rector of the School of Public Health,
Howard University. The initial scr
ies of Faculty lectures w'hich were
held last year brought beneficial re
sults and warranted a continuance
this year.
Among the lectures included in the
series for this year will bn the dis
cussion of the subjects: "The Rise
and Development of the American
School of Painting,’’ March 9th, by
Mr. James Vernon Herring, Instructor
in Architecture; “The Influence of
Women in Education," on March 23d,
by Associate Professor Martha Mac
I,ear; “The Negro Lawyer,” on April
fith, by Prof. Robert H. Terrell; “Some
Features of Modern Economics," on
April 20th, by Dean E. L. Parks; and
“The Evolution of Democratic Repre
sentation in Modem England,’’ on
April 27th, by Associate Professor
Charles H. Wesley.
MEMBER DIOCESAN COUNCIL
OF CURLS’ FRIENDLY SOCIETY
At Its recent meeting Mrs. John Al
bert Williams was elected as one of
the five directors of the Diocesan
Council of the Girls’ Friendly Society
of the Diocese of Nebraska to serve
for three years.
MEMORIAL SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE NATION, SUN
DAY, MARCH 12, FOR THE LATE COL. CHARLES YOUNG
i
GENERAL PERSHING’S TRIBUTE TO COLONEL
CHARLES YOUNG
GENERAL OF THE ARMIES, WASHINGTON
In connection with the Memorial Services which are being
held to honor the memory of the late Colonel Charles Young,
I wish to commend his exemplary life as a splendid example
to the other members of his race. Colonel Young was a man
of proven integrity who rase tSHUigh iar.k in the service of
his country. By close application to duty he achieved success
and won the respect of his fellow army officers. His career
in the army of the United States should ever be an inspiration
to his people. (Signed) JOHN J. PERSHING.
COLORED WOMAN IS
NOTICED AMID THE
CROWD AT VATICAN
A Leading Newspaper of linine Classes
Mrs. Leila Walker Wilson Among
The Leading Personages
Present.
RECEIVES PAPAL BLESSING
Among Throng When Plus XI Appears
l pon Balcony to Give Benedic
tion.—“La Tribuna” Impressed
With American “Queen.’
(Special to the Monitor)
Home, Italy, March 1.—From Len
ox Avenue to St. Peter’s Square is no
mean distance for one to travel. At
the one end, scores of representatives
of a darker race may be seen moving
to und fro about their business, In
and out their homes and shops, con
tributing their mite to making New
iork the nation’s busiest city. Rome,
Italy, with St. Peter’s Square, the
other end, is without the thousands of
members of the Negro race. At least,
representatives of this growing group
arc not often found within the con
fines of the holy city. True, that now .
and then black faces are numbered |
among the myriad complexions that |
pass before the Vatican. Even black
men have enjoyed the splendors of j
ancient Rome, the quaint canals of;
Venice, and the picturesque Naples
Bay, perchance, basked in Italian sun
light and endured the horrors of Ve- j
suvlus eruptions, but as a usual thing
Italy, Rome, and St. Peter's Square,’
which fronts St. Peter’s Cathedral,
are without representatives of the Ne
gro race, and surely without him from
the U. S. A. In fact, they are curios
ities, and their very presence pro
vokes incessant observation, stares
and undue curiosity, which Interro
gates—where are you from?
Italians marvel but little at black
faces in costume characteristic of the
tropics, the Orient and the like, but as
Occidentals, fine appearing, and in
fashion's latest mode they are the
center of the stage. To believe that
the American Negro was represented
and is to be numbered among the
crowd of thirty thousand that clam
ored before ancient St. Peter’s Cathe
dral for reports on the election of the
new Pope of the Roman Catholic
church is almost preposterous, and to
dream that this people would receive
the first hand blessings of Pius XI
thru a daughter of their race is almost j
without reality. But it is not so, nei
ther preposterous nor without reality,
for Mrs. Lelia Walker Wilson, Amer
ica* Negro and wealthy resident of
Irvington-on-Hudson, New York, was
sojourning in Rome during the elec
tion of Pope Piux XI and was noted
among the crowd which received his
blessings.
The following clipping, taken from
‘“I.a Tribuna,” leading morning daily
of Rome, Italy, numbers Mrs. Wilson
among the cosmopolitan assemblage
which waited with sacred patience for
the returns of the papal election.
“St. Peter’s, Rome, today took on
the aspect of a Social International
Congress of Nations. It is of course
more tranquil and more serious than
the International Congress at Geneva.
Notables of all nations and from all
countries thronged the concourse of
the Piazza San Pietro. And we could
not fail to regard in our inventory of
those pres«nt, as the most prominent
among the vast throng, Mrs. Lelia
Walker Wilson of New York, Balfour
and I,eon Bourgeoise of France.
Tall and slender, with a majestic
figure, the divine manner and grac
iousness of the former invested her
with the bearing of a goddess. Her
somewhat sloping cheeks, a rather
extended nose, and dark complexion,
would have caused the ancient Greek
lyricists to name her “an Ethiopian
Artemis.” Rising interest is shown
in this young lady by the vast throng
of international visitors, and her grace
and bearing are the cause of much
comment. One cannot help but asso- i
ciate her with the races of the ex
treme Orient, or with the no less noble
Aztecs of obi Mexico.
The black race has truly sent us a;
charming representative in (he person
|of Mrs. Lelia Walker Wilson of New
York. Her ancestors surely not so
long ago, must have been rulers of
the virgin equatorial forests between
the Gulf of Guinea and Mozambique.
Therefore, it goes without saying,
that Mrs Wilson is assuredly a
queen.”
Mrs. I,elia Walker Wilson is the
only daughter and heiress of the late
Madam C. J. Walker, who died in
1919 after amassing a large fortune
from the discovery and manufacture
of a wonderful hair grower, which
has proved a remarkable benefit to its
users. Mrs. Wilson is president and
owner of the company which bears her
mother’s name and is en route to Af
rica and the Far East on business for
her company. Her stop in Italy is
but one of many which she is making
which includes France, Egypt, Spain
and Liberia, where she will be the
special guest of the President of that
country.
FOREMOST CITIZENS
PETITION SENATE TO
PASS THE DYER BILL
Governors, Majors, Bishops, College
Presidents, Editors and Other
Intliientiiil Persons Signers
of Memorial.
MEMORIAL RECITES FACTS
Many of the Greatest Men of Nation
Are Throwing the Weight of Their
Influence for Measure to Sup
press Lynching,
New York, March 10.—The following
memorial to the United States senate
was read and adopted at an anti
lynching mass meeting held by the
National Association for ihe Advance
ment of Colored People in the Town
Hall, New York, on the evening of
March 1, the meeting being addressed
yb Senator William M. Calder of New
York, Representative Leonidas C.
Dyer of Missouri, who introduced the
Dyer anti-lynching bill in the house
of representatives, by former Attorney
General George W. Wickersham, and
by James Weldon Johnson, secretary
of the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People.
Memorial to the United Slates Senate.
The killing and burning alive of j
human beings by mobs in the United
States Is a reproach ui>on our coun
try throughout the civilized world and
Ihreatens organized government in the
.nation.
Since 1889 there have been 3,443
known mob murders, sixty-four of
the victims being women. In only a
tow Instances has prosecution of the
lynchers been even attempted. Amer
ican mobs murdered sixty-four per
sons in 1921, of whom four were
publicly burned at stake.
The house of representatives on
January 26, 1922, In response to in
sistent country-wide demand, passed
the Dyer anti-lynching bill, which In
volves the power of the federal gov
ernment to end the infamy of Amer
ican mob murder.
This bill Is now In teh hands of
the United States senate. The under
signed United States citizens earnest
ly urge its prompt enactment.
Among the signers of the Memorial
are the following:
Governors:
Thomas E. Campbell of Arizona,
William D. Denny of Delaware, Len
8mall of Illinois, Warren T. McGray
of Indiana, Edwin P. Morrow of Ken
tucky, Channing H. Cox of Massachu
setts, Albert C. Brown of New Harap
! shire, Harry L. Davis of Ohio, Joseph
I M. Dixon of Montana, Charles R. Ma
bey of Utah.
Mayors:
John F. Hylan of New York City,
James M. Curley of Boston, Daniel
W. Hoan of Milwaukee, Edward F.
Leonard of Springfield, Mass.; George
L. Oles of Youngstown, 0.; Edward
W. Quin of Cambridge, Mass.; Huston
Quinn of Louisville, Ky.; Jeremiah P.
Mahoney of Newport, R. I.; Herbert
T. Corwine of Topeka, Kansas.
Archbishops:
Patrick J. Hayes of New York, Hen
ry Moeller of Cincinnati, Michael T.
Curley of Baltimore.
College Presidents and Professors:
Charles F. Thwing, president of
Western Reserve University ; Benja
min Ide Wheeler, president Emeritus
University of California; Josiah H.
Penniman, vice-provost University of
Pennsylvania; Ellen Pendleton, pres
ident of Wellesley College; Ray Ly
man Wilbur, president Stanford Uni
versity; Bliss Perry, professor Har
vard University; E. R. A. Seligman,
professor Columbia University; L. M.
Burton, president University of Michi
gan; Ernst Freund, professor Uni
versity of Chicago; Andrew F. West,
i dean of graduate school Princeton
(Continued on Page 3.)
SENATOR BORAH IS
STRONGLY IN FAVOR
OF FEDERAL ACTION
Influential Oregonian Expresses His
Views on National Government
Taking Stand Against
Lynching
CHAIIMM SUB COMMITTEE
(By the Associated Negro Press)
Washington, D. C., Mar. 10.—"I am
convinced that the National govern
ment should step in and take a stand
against the wrong of lynching.”
Thus spoke Senator William E.
Borah, Republican of Idaho, in an in
terview for the Associated Negro
Press. Senator Borah, by being ap
pointed chairman of the sub-commit
tee of the judiciary committee of the
Senate, having charge of the Dyer
Anti-Lynching Bill, assumes the most
outstanding position in the onward
march of “Law and Order” since the
days of the “Missouri Compromise.”
There is no question in the minds of
those who have discussed the appoint
ment of Senator Borah as chairman of
this committee that will lead the fight
for the anti-lynching bill, that If the
Senator believes in it, there will be
action.
Continuing, Senator Borah said:
“There are two things that I would
have you tell the people of your race.
First I wish to be satisfied that the
law is Constitutional. 1 have sworn
to uphold the Constitution of the
United States; therefore I cannot ask
to have a law passed that is unconsti
tutional. 'If the law, as drawn, is
constitutional, I am for it. I will go
even further, if there should develop
in my mind a reasonable doubt as to
the constitutionality, I will then sup
port it and let the courts decide.
“Second, in the matter of hearings,
I think for the most part they should
be directed to the constitutional phase
of the subject. The hearings should
not be long drawn out, I do not think
that necessary; they should be brief
and to the point.
“The best informed persons should
be agreed on for spokesmen, and be
sides oral statements, better still,
briefs should be prepared for presen
tation to the committee.”
Asked when a date would be set for
the hearings, Senator Borah replied
that he could not set a date yet, but
would do so at the earliest opportun
ity. He spoke of his interest in the
pending treaties, and other measures
that are before the Senate, and de
clared that ample announcement for
the time of the hearings would be
given.
GOES TO WASHINGTON
WITH DEVEREUX CHILDREN
Mrs. H. O. Wood of 3220 Pinkney
left Sunday for Washington, D. C.,
in charge of the children of the late
Mrs. Frances Devereux, who was ac
cidentally electrocuted in her bath
room last week. Mr. Devereux de
cided to take up his residence in
Washington, his wife’s former home,
where her body was taken for burial,
and the children requested that Mrs.
Wood who has been with the family
for over five years accompany them.
She will be absent from Omaha inde
finitely.
Doyle A. Dungill has been detained
at his home this week by trouble with
his eyes.
0
LAST CURTAIN FOR
BERT WILLIAMS, THE
PREMIER COMEDIAN
Popular Actor Who Collapsed on
Stage at Detroit Theatre Succumbs
to Pneumonia nt New York
Residence.
HAD A SUCCESSFUL CAREER
Grandson of Danish and Spanish Con
sul to tlie Bahama^—Reared In
United States—Thousands
Attend Funeral.
Special to The Monitor.)
New York, March 10.—Thousands
were unable to gain admittance either
to St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in
134th street Tuesday afternoon when
funeral services wete held for the
late Egbert Austin Williams, famous
comedian, or to the spacious Masonic
temple, Wednesday afternoon where
Masonic burial rites were said. The
Williams’ residence was the mecca
of hundreds, inside and outside, of
the theatrical profession and of all
races, from every walk of life when
the news of Mr. Williams’ death was
announced. Flora] tributes and mes
sages poured in from all sections of
the country, many messages of sym
pathy and condolence coming from
abroad.
Stricken In Detroit
Bert Williams, famous colored co
median, succumbed to pneumonia at
his home here Saturday night, March
4, to which he was removed two days
earlier from Detroit. He was stricken
on th* stage of the Garrick Theatre
in the latter city during the perform
ance Monday night, February 27, of
‘“Under the Bamboo Tree,” in which
he was starred. Williams’ illness
caused an abrupt closing of the show.
The attraction opened a scheduled
week’s engagement at the Garrick
Theater Sunday night, February 26,
with Williams working the entire per
formance. On Monday night he re
tired soon after the curtain rose on
the first act. His message to the audi
ence about being ill, however, was
accepted as one of his lines until an
understudy took up Williams’ part.
Grandson of Danish Consul.
Williams, regarded by many as the
best comedian on the American stage,
was born at New Providence, Nassau,
in the British Bahamas. His grand
father, who was white, was Danish
and Fpanish consul to the Bahamas,
and married a quadroon. The consul
owned a fleet of small ships, which
made money during the civil war, but
this wealth was lost .later in unfortun
ate investments in the United States.
When he was two years old Frederick
Williams, father of the comedian, re
moved to New York. Here he worked
at the trade of papier-mache making,
which brought him into contact with
theatrical peope. It was through this
association that Bert as a boy made
his first acquaintances among New
York stage folk.
From New York Frederick Williams
moved to Riverside, Cal., where Bert
was educated and was graduated from
the Riverside High school. His aim
had been to become a civil engineer.
His interest in the theater always
had been keen, however, and unahle
to resist the urge he started as a
member of a little company of min
strels. From that moment he pro
gressed steadily, winning the good
will of hib public and the respect of
his associates.
(Continued on Page 3.)
TO STUDY’ THE CONSTITUTION
(Associated Negro Press.)
New York, N. Y., March 10.—A
campaign to have ihe legislature of
every state pass a bill requiring reg
ular course of study in the Constitu
tion of the United States in private
and public schools, colleges and uni
versities has been started by the Na
tional Security League, it was an
nounced last week. The movement Is
being promoted through a committee
on constitutional instruction, with
membership of more than 200 of the
country’s leading educators.
Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Ver
mont have such a law, the league’s
statement said, and as the legislatures
of only six states are in session at
present, it is not expected that the
bill could be placed on the statute
books of all states for several years.
___________
MAKES 100 PER CENT
IN NON-COMMISSION TEST
In a test taken last week In military
drill and tactics by 109 non-commis
sloned officers and cadets of Central
High school Worthington Williams,
sergeant of Company B, passed with
an average of 100 per cent, being the
only one In the whole number to
roach this high mark.
