—jj£ ]yjONITOR —
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, April 21, 1922 Vol. VIINo. 42—Whole Number 353
COLORED MAN ELECTED PRESIDENT OF BRAZIL BY OVER HALF MILLION MAJORITY
__ V ^ _ ._ ■
EASTER SL ICES
REACH Hlb - MARK
IN OMAHA ChVCHES
— >,
Record-Krcnklng Congregm , In
spiring Music, Eloquent Sei mons,
Generous Offerings Murk
(be Day.
WEATHER COHDITIONS IDEAL
The bright spring sunshine and
balmy air were contributary to the
record-breaking congregations which
filled all of our churches on Master
day. All de.nominatlons report Inspir
ing services.
The services at the Episcopal church
of Si. Philip the Deacon began with
the early eueharlst at 6:36, at which
time the chruch was well filled, and
ended with the children’s vesper serv
ice and baptism at 5 o’clock. At 11
o’clock the church was full. The
music rendered by a choir of thirty
voices, supported by the organ and
Dan Deadlines, violinist, was excellent,
the solo parts In the anthem, being ad
mirably taken by Dr. John Andrew
Singleton, tenor; ,Me«dames Augustus
Hicks and Dan Desdunes, sopranos,
and Mrs. Dana Murphy, alto. The
sermon theme was “Christ, Our Pass
over.” At the vesper service the
sacrament of holy baptism was ad
ministered to George Gregory Bullock,
Infant son of Mr. and Mrs. George H.
W. Bullock; Dorothy Gertrude, Her
bert Bester and Arthur Burgess, chil
dren of Sergt. and Mrs. Melvin McCaw.
Easter cards arid eggB were distribut
ed to the children. Offerings totaled
something over $300, Including $100
given by Silas Johnson for a memorial
to his wife Ida May (Bell) Johnson
who aB a child was one of the first to
attend when the Sunday school, out
of which St. Philip’s Mission grew,
was first organised, and remained a
devout communicant throughout her
life.
St. John's A. M. 13. church had over
flowing congregations at both morn
ing and evening services. The music
under the direction of John C. Par
ker and rendered by the vested choir
was excellent. Mrs. It. Dewey Allen
sang "Calvary” with great effect. In
the evening a cuntate was sung by the
choir, the readers of the narrative be
ing Boon Rohlnettee and Mrs. E. G.
Russell.
Zion Baptist church had large con
gregations thorughout the entire day,
beginning with a sunrise service. Spe
cial Easter music was rendered by
the large well-trained choir and the
pastor, the Rev. \V. F. Botts, waB at
his best in his sermons.
At the Roman Catholic church of St.
Benedict the Moor, mass was sung
by Fr. Cassilly at 9 o’clock and ex
cellent music was sung by the choir.
There was a good attendance.
Grove M. f3. Baptist, Mt. Moriah
Baptist, Bethel Pleasant Green and all
other churches report inspiring serv
ices and large congregations.
ADA BELL GRIFFIN
DELIGHTS Al DIENCE
Madam Ada Bell Griffin, the cele
brated dramatic reader of Worcester.
Maas., made her first appcuranre be
fore an Omaha audience Tuesday
night at the Grove M. E. church un
der the auspices of the Woman’s Aux
iliary of the Church of St. Philip the
Deacon. While the audience was
much smaller than an artist of this
character merited, it was delighted
with Madam Griffin’s masterly delin
eation of the twelve characters re
presented in the touching story,
"Within the Law." While all of the
characters delineated by this artist
were- intelligently and realistically
presented, she was undoubtedly at her
best in Mary Turner, the heroine of
the story; Edward Gilder, proprietoi
of the Emporium; Richard Gilder, his
son; George Demcrest, Gilder’s lawyer,
and Agnes Lynch, a confidence wo
man, theh contrast between the mas
culine and feminine voices being dis
tinctly marked. Madam Griffin has
a delightful personality, a pleasing
stage presence, and a voice of singul&r
range and sweetness, under excellent
cultivation which marks her as a dra
matic reader of rare ability and cul
ture. She showed herself to he an
artist of the first rank in her line.
Miss Lucy Allen, one of Omaha’s fin
est young pianists, gave musical num
bers between the acts.
COMMISSIONER LARSON TO
ADDRESS N. A. A. C. P.
Commissioner Larson of the Omaha
Chamber of Commerce will address
the local branch of the N. A. A. C. P
at the Grove M. E. church, Twenty
second and Seward streets, Sunday
afternoon at four o’clock. His sub
Ject will be “Good Citizenship.” The
invocation will be given by the Rev.
W. F. Botts; Harmony Quartette will
sing, and Father Williams will Intro
duce the speaker.
PROGRESSIVE TAILOR ANII
CAP MANUFACTURER
In addition to the many business es
tablishments owned by some of out
race men, is one that should receive
special notice. It is that of Mr. Frank
flames, the tailor.
Mr. Barnes is a past master in the
art of making men's and boys’ caps,
and has proven his skill in the manu
facture of these caps by turning out
some of the most stylish and best
made caps in the city of Omaha. The
caps scdl for a reasonable price and
cannot be duplicated any place in
Omaha for the same price. Mr. Barnes
not only keeps a stock of caps of all
styles and colors on hand for sale, but
also makes caps to order, thereby as
suring the customer of a sure fit ano
of the exact styles to suit his individ
uality.
In order that his race may be fur
ther benefited by his talent and skill,
Mr. Barnes is contemplating opening
a beginning class in cap making, in.
the near future. All who are inter
ested in the same should apply to Mr.
Barnes at his office, 1322 North 24th
Street, Omaha, Nebraska.
Howard Williams, fifteen years old,
an apprentice of Mr. Barnes and who
has been in his employ for seven
months, has shown very rapid pro
gress and is now a very able assist
ant to Mr. Barnes. He not only as
sists in making caps, but is very
skilled in the art of pressing clothes.
ST. PAUL’S PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
26th and Seward Streets
Russell Taylor, Pastor
Easter services were well attended
throughout the day. The augmented
choir rendered several selections from
the cantata, The Nazarene, very ac
ceptably. The solo work by Mrs. J.
H. Hutten, Russell Taylor, Jr., and
Mrs. McRae is worthy of special men
tion. The Junior Choir, composed of
the Sunday School children, made its
debut in the evening and did exceed
ingly well. Elder W. C. Mason and
the pastor attended the meetings of
Omaha Presbytery in the Clifton Hill
Presbyterian church, the first part ol
the week ami report a profitable ses
sion. Services next Sunday will be as
follows: 11 a. m.—“I Believe in the
Communion of the Saints.” 8 p. m.
"TheVI Will’ that Didn’t, and the ‘I
Will’ that Did.’’
\LI.EN ( IMPEL A. M. E. CHURCH
6233 So. 25th St. Phone Market .'1476.
O. J. BURCKHARDT, Pastor.
Easter was indeed a great day at
Allen Chapel. W'e had good appre
ciative crowds. The morning service
was made up of many strangers—
all seem to have enjoyed the sermon
on the “Resurrection” and went away
with a better hope of His coming anil
the blessedness that awaits His chil
dren. We had a splendid Sunday
school. We wish more young people
would attend our Sunday school
watch the Sunday School Booster
club. Our Easter program, gotten up
by Mesdames Redd and Carter, was
one of the finest in the history of
the church, we could hardly -eat the
large appreciative crowd that came
and enjoyed the program.
CONFERKNCE CHANGES
OMAHA PASTORATE
The annual conference of the Meth
odist Episcopal church which was re
cently held at Topeka, Kansas, has
made one change in the Omaha pastor
ates of the denomination. The Uev.
J. E. Conwell, of the South Side, has
been made presiding elder of the
Muskogee, Okla., district. He will be
succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Nash of
Atlanta, Ga., a recent graduate of
Gammon Theological Seminary, and a
young man of much promise. The
Rev. Mr. Saunders has been returned
to Grove M. E. church, much to the
delight of his congregation.
SNEAK THIEF STEALS
PASTOR’S WATCH
Some sneak thief entered the church
of St. Philip the Deacon some time
before 9 o’clock Sunday morning and
stole a valuable watch which the con
gregation had presented to the pastor
as a birthday present a little over a
year ago. Father Williams had laid
his watch during the early service on
a small ledge back of the altar, but
forgot it when he left the church.
Shortly after nine he returned to the
church to get it, but the watch was
gone.
MAMIE SMITH AND HER
FAMOUS JAZZ HOUNDS
An immense audience greeted Ma
mie Smith, the celebrated Jazz Queen,
and her famous Jazz Hounds, at the
City Auditorium, Saturday night. It
was her first appearance before an
Omaha audience. Lovers of jazz amt
blues were delighted with the enter
tainment. Encores were demanded
for several numbers.
OMAHA’S COLORED CITIZENRY AND ITS
MANY ACTIVITIES IN THE DAY’S AFFAIRS
Interesting Facts and Observations Concerning Profes
sional Men Who Are Playing Their
Part in City Life.
(By H. J. Fmkett)
(Owing to the heavy demand for
advertising space in our last week’s
issue, this article had to be held over.
—Editor.)
It is well settled among the learned
men of our day that the world is in
debted to the darker races for its
knowledge in what we now call THE
PROFESSIONS. And while it is true
that very great progress has been made
in some of the professions, since the
founding of the Grecian Academy, a
great deal had been achieved before.
Prior to this date, perhaps, the
greatest accomplishment was in the
field of engineering. At the same
time there were eminent lawyers, phy
j sicians and teachers and priests. Af
I rica was the scene of the accomplish-.
| ments of these men in these profes
ions. It was here that Moses became
a great lawyer, physician, statesman
! and general. It was here Moses
j learned how to write and codify laws,
j It was, therefore, not difficult for him
to write a system of laws for the gov
ernment of the children of Israel ufter
, he left the seat of learning and of
, light in Africa.
Many centuries have passed since
the darker races were foremost among
I the peoples, and the modern tendency
I is to forget our debt to the past and
dismiss the subject with a nod, on the
theory that what is always was and
| always will be. Some men are un
willing to admit now, what is the
proven fact, that when the darker
races were holding aloft the torch of
light and learning the races that now
bear it were quite as “backward” as
the propogandists now declare the
native of Africa to be. The pendu
lum has simply swung to the other
side of the arc. Will it remain there
or come to the center on a basis of
mutual good will?
The past is quite secure. What con
cems us most is the present and the
future. And what concerns us most
in Amer , is the solution, on a basis
of hum. a justice and right, of the
RACE PROBLEM.
In the early years of the Republic
many of the foremost men believed
and preached the doctrine that God
I hail made the colored race to be slaves
| unto the lighter races; that they were
; without souls and, of course, had no
destiny different from members of the
lower order of animal life. Such was I
the prevailing opinion, with few not- i
able exceptions during more than a
century of chattel slavery in America.
At the end of this period, now and then
a voice would he raised against this
wrong, until that voice became a
chorus and slavery died. During slav
ery, however, the slaves would secret
ly assemble in basements, just’ as the
early Christian* assembled in caves ,
in and about Rome, and have their
prayer meetings. The leaders of these
groups afterward became the preach
ers and ministers. Here, then, wt
have the American beginning of the
most influential of the professional
group, none of whom in slavery hail
the advantages Mose* enjoyed in pre
paration for leadership of the freed
men.
Foremost among the earlier leaders
was Frederick Douglas, who became
an exhorter, but never entered actively
upon a career as a minister. There
were several men in the earlier years,
even before Douglas, who were suc
cessful preachers in New England.
Their audiences were white people.
Bishop Daniel A. Payne, Henry High
land Garnett and Alexander Crum
mell were among many of the great
religious leaders and teachers of that
period. In this early day the race hail
attained distinction in the actors’ pro
fession, for Ira Ai 'ridge, early in the
19th century, was the greatest
OTHELLO on the stage, the superior
of his great teacher and patron, Sal
vini. There were a few physicians of
this period. This i* easy to under
stand when it is recalled that when
Columbus landed in America he found
the Indian Medicine Man who was
evidently a pupil of the African Med
icine Man who had preceded Columbus
to America.
Now, colored men and women
throughout the world are successfully
engaged in tVwv p»-ef»#'''iw\s, »' i aU of
them.
In the United States there are about
40.000 preachers, 40,000 teachers,
4.000 physicians, 2.500 dentists, 2,000
lawyers, 200 civil engineers, 1,000
actors, 5,800 musicians, 120 electrical
engineers, and 2175 miscellaneous.
Teachers of our group have been
markedly successful. Booker T.
Washington and W'. E. B. DuBois are
conspicuous examples.
Omaha is represented in the pro
ycrs, physicians, pharmacists and
chemists, and dentists.
In a previous article it was pointed
out that the ministers, both in nur
bers and influence, excel the other pro
fessions. One of these ministers is an
examining chaplain of his diocese, the
only colored man in the United States
to be so honored by his church, all of
whose ministers, in this state, with the
exception of this man, are white men.
Other ministers of this group have
budded well. They are making their
churches more than houses for relig
ious worship; they are holding meet
ings in them and teaching things that
are helpful for the life that is. From
this their white brothers of the pro
fession could learn a useful lesson.
Too much “pale rhetoric” is not good
for the body or the soul.
The position of the colored minister
in some respects, is unique in that he
is never in competition with white men
in the same profession, as are the
colored lawyers, physicians and den
tists and other professional men of
our group. In other words, there are
no white men bidding for the job of
preaching to colored communicants.
Slavery developed the ministers for
the colored people, and next to the
minister came the physician. But the
physician found when he started to
practice that he had no patients; he
was scoffed at by many white physi
cians and members of his own group
“passed” him up as a dangerous ex
periment. However, he kept at it,
and with the help of the more ad
vanced white physician, he has suc
ceeded in getting a large percentage
of practice among the colored people;
in some communities all of it, and in
many communities much w'hite prac
tice. Now, mark you, this colored
physician has all the technical skill
possessed by his white brother, (for in
America state examining boards do
not give colored men the preference)
and is in keen competition wdth the
white men in the professions. The
same thing may be said of dentists.
Colored lawyers have an even more
difficult problem than the physician
and dentist.
This story was told by one of the
first colored physicians in Omaha. Mr.
, one of the best known col
ored men in the city had illness in his
family. He called on the colored doc
tor while he was down town, remained
in his office for half an hour talking
about current affairs, but ended up by
saying: “Well. 1 will have to say
good-bye; I must hurry by the doctor’s
office and get some medicine to take
home to my wife.” With education
this condition is improving with re
spect to the physician and dentist here
in Omaha. On the whole they are very
successful. Several of the physicians
of our group have won a competency,
and one of them is wealthy. All the
physicians are graduates of good med
ical colleges and some of them have
pursued post graduate courses in spec
ial subjects. And you will find them,
on the whole, to be as well equipped
as the white physicians, in proportion
to their numbers. Besides, they are
interested in the race they serve, not
merely as physicians, but as colored
men and leaders, charged with a great
responsibility. The colored dentists
are without exception, efficient. But
we have many colored families in Om
aha “who have never had a colored
| Can be the Most |
( Popular Young |
| Lady!!! (
1 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIHIIIIHIIIIIHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIUHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIimli
physician or dentist.” White physi
cians and dentists often ask colored
physicians and dentists why these col
ored families do not go to the profes
sional men of their own group. But
conditions are improving and they may
become almost ideal as the years go
by.
In Omaha, in the field of major sur
gery. the colored man will come into
his own, just as he has done in many
cities in the country. Lest some am
bitious youths may be casting anxious
eyes toward Omaha as a “possible lo
cation” it is set down here that the
field is now overcrowded in the prac
tice of law, medicine and dentistry.
The lawyer of our group has the
most difficult task of the four profes
sions mentioned here, because he is in
constant and direct competition with
white men, his cases are presented to
white judges and white juries; opposed
to him are white lawyers and, as a
rule, white clients. In spite of this,
however, in many communities of the
countries he has risen to distinction.
Some of them have been judges, Unit
ed States Attorneys and Assistant At
torneys-General of the United States,
and very shortly, it is expected that
one of our group will be appointed a
United States District Judge. In sev
eral states, notably Ohio, Massachu
setts, Illinois, New York and Kansas,
colored lawyers have been appointed
assistants to the Attorney Generals or
assistant county attorneys, and in
some states both.
The colored lawyers in Omaha, all
things considered, are doing well. The
two oldest in the practice are now well
established and the younger men are
gaining ground steadily. And this
may be said of them all, they are bet
ter equiped in almost every instance
than the white attorneys who are gen
erally employed by colored people to
transact their legal business. For, in
the very nature of things, colored peo
ple cannot afford to pay for the ser
vices of the foremost men of the bar,
and they would, as has been stated by
several of the district judges, be much
better off with a colored lawyer than
many they employ.
All of the colored attorneys are
members of the bar of the Supreme
Court of the State of Nebraska and of
the United States District Court, and
one of them is a member of the bar of
the Supreme Court of the United
States.
The judges and the leading members
of the bar are entirely fair to the
colored lawyers. And the juries are
quite as fair.
One of the colored lawyers put it
this way: :
Getting the legal business of colored
people will be the result of education.
The colored physician and dentist have
had the same experience; some of them
are having it still. But a colored law
yer, whether sitting in a case or not,
if he is in court, is a protection to col
ored persons whose rights or property
is involved in litigation. The colored
lawyer, like the other members of the
professional classes, and in a more
marked degree, has a tremendous re
sponsibility, because he more than
any other member of the group, in the
public forum, is the spokesman and
champion of his race and represents,
if not its most important achievement,
at least, the advance guard, as it were
in its strivings for justice and oppor
tunity under the law. We are pio
neers; we make the fight and the sac
rifice, those w'ho succeed us will reap
the rewards. Our compensation must
be the SATISFACTION OF THE PIO
NEER.”
Taken altogether, considering the
starting point and the progress made
through sheer ability and pluck, it may
will be asked if the members of the
other group have reason to claim they
have accomplished more than mem
bers of thi.s group.
The need of the race now is for
thirty thousand college trained min
isters; twenty thousand college trained
physicians and dentists, and fifteen
thousand college trained lawyers.
There are not too many, but too few,
so trained.
In this respect Omaha is quite as
well off as any city in the country.
It is a far cry from the statement
of Calhoun, that, if you will show me
a Negro who can conjugate a Greek
verb, I will show you a Negro who
has a soul,” to the place attained by
our group in professional callings in
this day.
Omaha has made a good start, the
kind of finish she makes is in the
keeping of the group itself.
BAPTIST STAE MISSIONARY
IS KEPT VERY BUSY
Rev. M. H. Wilkinson, state mission
ary, is in Norfolk, and expects to fin
ish his financial drive before he re
turns. He desires to thank Mrs. Lena
Ivory for $5.00, Mr. and Mrs. H. L.
Pegg for $1.00, and Mias Nina Cox for
$1.00 on the church fund. He will
preach all day at ML Zion, Lincoln,
the 28rd. Rev. H. W. Botts. Pastor,
Beulah, Council Bluffs, Iowa, all day
jthe 30th. Rev. F. Troop, Pastor.
BRAZIL REPUBLIC
ELECTS PECAMBA
AS ITS PRESIDENT
PopuiHr Premier Whose Mother Was
of African Descent Overwhelms
His Opponent Willi Avalanche
of Votes.
MAJORITY IS HALF MILLION
President.Eleel Has Been Prominent
In Political Affairs of Sooth
American Republic for
Several Years.
(Associated Negro Press.)
Rto de Janerlo, Brazil, S. A., Aipril
21.—Colored Americans of the United
States may well be greatly gratified
that a descendant of their race has
been elected president of Brazil. Elect
ed by more than a half million major
ity, given conclusive and convincing
evidence of what South America
thinks of manhood, regardless of
"color line.’’
The complete returns from the na
tional election held throughout the
republic, confirms the first reports
sent out within a few hours after the
polls closed declaring the election of
Pecamba, president. The reports were
credited but the size of his majority
| was not conceded by the opposition
! at that time; the authentic returns
completely rout all doubt.
Nilo Pecamba, Premier of Brazil,
was elected president of Brazil by a
590,000 majority. His opponent, Ijouis
Sancho, the conservative nominee, was
governor of the state of Mines Geras.
Pecamba carried the city of Rio de
Janerlo, the conservative stronghold,
by a 60,000 plurality; Bahai, a city of
I 700,000 by a 10,000 majority. His
j greatest plurality was reached in the
j state of Rio Grand Du Sud, known as
! German Brazil. He carried this city
by a 170,000 plurality. The first re
turns showed Pecamba a winner. The
! Post Aglere Sential flashed his elec
[ Hon two and a half hours after the
polls closed. Out of a total registered
vote of 600,000 the Socialists polled
13g,000; the Socialist Democrats 84,
000. The election jvas a complete vic
tory for the Federalist party. It Is
said to be the most remarkable elec
tion since 1889 when Francesca was
elected first president of Brazil, after
Don Pedro II, the last emperor, had
abdicated, and a republic proclaimed.
Nllo Pecamba was born at Petropo
lis, Brazil, April 7, 1868. His mother
was a Brazilian Negro and his father
an Italian. He entered public life In
1898 when he was elected Mayor of
Nithony. He was elected to the Brazil
ian parliament in 1900 and in 1902 he
was elected Governor of the State of
Rio de Janerio. In 1904 he was elect
ed to the Brazilian Benate. In 1906 b<
was elected president on the Federal
ist ticket by a majority of 200,000.
He became premier on February 23,
1917, and will be inaugurated on May
1, 1922.
COR RICK CANDIDATE FOR
AUDITOR PUBLIC ACCOUNTS
Frank P. Corrick, of Lincoln, the
efficient chief clerk of the House ol
Representatives, has announced his
candidacy for State Auditor of Public
Accounts. Mr. Cox-rick is a native of
Iowa and has been a resident of Ne
braska for several years. He has been
active and prominent in the Repub
lican party, as organizer and advisei-,
but has never sought elective office.
Mr. Con-ick is well qualified from ev
ery point of view for the position
which he seeks and as his attitude
toward our people has been fair there
is no reason why he should not receive
our support.
FORMER OMAHAN DIES
AT PUEBLO. COLORADO
Neal Payton, who up to four years
ago was a resident of Omaha, but
who at that time removed to Pueblo,
Colo., where his wife had charge of
the Emergency hospital, died there
last Sunday. The Rev. G. G. Logan,
who baptized him in Grove M. E.
church some years ago, left for Pueb
lo Wednesday afternoon to officiate
at the funei-al which was held Thux-s
day afternoon. Dr. Logan will im
mediately return to Omaha to take
charge of the services Sunday at the
M. E. church on the South Side.
DEATH OF SAMUEL RAY
Samuel Ray, aged 60, one of
Omaha’s most respected citizens, died
at his late residence, 2866 Miami St.,
Sunday afternoon after a protracted
illness. The funeral was held Thurs
day afternoon from St. John’s A. M.
E. church, the Rev. W C Williams
officiating. Interment was in Forest
Lawn cemetery. Mr. Ray is survived
by his widow, Mrs. Maud Ray. a
daughter, Mrs. Russell Reese, and
several other close relatives.
