_\ _
-_~^r£\ ]-[jyjONITOR
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 28, 1922 Vol. VIII—No. 4—Whole Number 368
COLORED AMERICANS ARE WELCOMED INTO MEXICAN REPUDUC
EUROPEAN PRESS
CALLS ATTERTIOR TO
U. S. LYNCHINGS
Hid*1) known Belgian, French and
Czechoslovakian Newspapers Print
( onunents on America's
Shameful Kecord.
NOTES PETITION TO SENATE
New York, July 28—The National
Association for the Advencement of
Colored People announces receipt of
clippings from a large number of Bel
gian, French and Czechoslovakian
newspaiters in which are printed ac
counts of lynchings in America. The
number includes such widely known
paperg as L’Independence Beige of
Brussels, L'Eoho du Solr, lu» Neptune
of Antwerp, Narodnt l.isty and Tri
buna of Czechoslovakia and many
others. The accounts read:
“The movement against lynching is
spreading and the recent murder of
three Negroes by an excited inob (in
Texas I ha« called public attention to
this matter in a very decided manner.
A memorial bearing the signatures of
three hundred American citizens de
manding a vote on the proposed law
against lynching has just been ad
dressed to the Senate. Among the
signatories are governors of states,
archbishops and clergymen, and the
mayors of New York, Boston, Chicago,
Baltimore and Pittsburg.
"Since 1889, 3442 lynchings have
taken place In the United Staites;
women to the number of 04 have been
lynching victims, i-ast year 64 per
sons were lynched, four of the vic
tim* being burned at the stake."
The memorial referred to is the one i
which w as prepared by the N. A. A. \
C. P. and to which were secured the 1
signature of 24 governors, 38 mayors ,
of large cities, two ex-attomey-gener- j
als of the United States, three arch
bishops, leading churchmen, stute ku- !
preme court Justices, college presi- •
dents, well-known newspaper men anu
magazine editors and many other
prominent citizens in all walks of life.1
The memorial asked prompt enactment.
of the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill and
was presented to the Senate at the
request of the Association by Senator !
Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts,1
Kepublican leader of the Senate, on
May 6th.
TI’I.SA HOTEL SERVANTS
MUST OE LICENSED
I niuntUslon Passes Ordinance (living
Full Control l« Police of
Oklahoma City.
Tulsa, Okla., July 28—Undor the
terme of an ordinance passed by the
mayor and commissioners Friday, all
porters, bellhops, waiters, janitors, el
evator operators, chambermaids, or
other servants in Tulsa hotels must be
licensed and identified before they may
accept local employment. A fine of
$20 1b provided for any person that i
takes one of these positions or for
any employer who hires one without
license and identification.
The ordinance designates the above
named employees and then includes a
broader sweep by qualifying that ‘any
employe or servant around a hotel
whose duties bring them in contact or
require them to act as messengers for \
or to render service to the guesta of!
the hotel at their rooms” shall be!
included.
All employee regulated by the terms
of this ordinance must be finger-print
ed, photographed and given a physical
description us addtlonal identification.
They must be over 18 years old, must
have been residents of Tulsa for at
least 30 days prior to the date of em
ployment, must not be addicted to the
use of liquor, drugs or opiates, and
must not have been convicted of a
felony.
The license fee is $5 a year, payable
semi-annually.
All of the larger hotel owners fav
ored the adoption of this ordinance.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF
ST. PHILLIP THE DEACON
The annual parish and Sunday
school picnic was held last Thursday
afternoon at Elmwood park. It was
one of the most largely attendel in
the history of the congregation.
Young arid old had a most delightful
time. Despite the hot weather there
was a large attendance at Sunday
school and the morning services Sun
day. The services next Sunday at the
usual hours, 7:30, 10 and 11 a. m. and
8 p. m.
COLORED LAD SHOT
BY DRINK-CRAZED
SOUTHERN STUDENT
Murder Follows Inability of Youth to
Purchase Moonshine for Group
ofWhite Students of Geor
gia University.
CARSON IS HELD FOR MURDER
Athens, Ga.. July 28.—A craving for
cheap “moonshine”, coupled with a
typical cracker attitude, have resulted
in the arrest of Briggs Carson (white)
of Tifton, University of Georgia’s
summer school, charged with the death
of young Benjamin White.
Carson is alleged to have shot the
White boy early last Sunday morning
after the youth, who hail been sent
out after liquar, had failed to return
with the same.
Held “Wild Party” at School.
According to the testimony given
at the coroner’s inquest, following the
student’s arrest, young Carson and
four 'other students, residing at the
Kappa Alpha chapter house summon
ed W'hite last Saturday night and,
giving him some money, urged that
he procure them some whisky, in or
der, they stated, to continue a “wild
stag party” they were giving in the
room of one of the students.
At an early hour Sunday morning,
when the youth failed to make his
appearance, the drunk-crazed youths,
started out towards his home in an
automobile.
They met him coming down the
road near his home. Alarmed over
their condition, and the vile thre ats
and epithets hurled at him, the youth
started to run. Carson drew a gun
and fired one shot, the bullet lodg
ing in his back between the shoulder
blades. The serious accident sobered
the youths, who rushed the wounded
lad to a local hospital, where he died
about 10 o’clock.
Held on Murder Charge.
Carson was arrested at the frater
nity chapter house and held in the
county jail, tfhere a charge of murder
was sworn out for him.
University officials refused to make
any comment over the affair.
VIRGIN ISLANDERS
PROTEST PROHIBITION
Commissioners Complain thal I tilled
Slates Policy Is Forcing New
Insular Possessions Into
Bankruptcy.
BAY RUM INDUSTRY RUINED
Washington, D. C., July 28—‘The
Prohibition Amendment 1b interfering
with the manufacture of bay rum In
the Virgin Islands, and a commission
of three arrived here last week to pa
tent.
The commission is composed of Con
rad Cornerlo, member of the island
iegislatve body; George Moorehead,
President of the Ijftbor Union of the
Island of St. Thomas, and Adolph Si*
to, an elected delegate.
The Virgin Islanders protest against
the strictness of the health regulations
made by the Naval Governor of the Is
lands. These regulations operate to
bar Spanish vessels, the commission
says, and consequently the trade of the
Island of St. Thomas has been crip
pled.
The great bay rum industry of the
Island of St. Croix is being ruined be
cause the importation of alcohol has
been forbidden unices it Is denatured.
The Prohibition Amendment says
nothing about enforcement in the Vir
gin Islands, the commission contends.
In addition to these things, the Is
landers wish to complain about the
state of bankruptcy into which the
Islands are falling, and also about the
property qualification for voters which
is so high that It disqualifies most of
the colored natives.
N. A. A. C. P. MEETING
The National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People met
last Sunday afternoon at Grove M. E.
church. After the regular routine of
business had been disposed of the mer
its and demerits of the boxing law
passed by the last legislature were
discussed at length. It was decided
to write a letter to Governor McKelvie
asking for an audience on the matter
at some time in the near future.
Hhe Hospital Association, sponsored
by the Rev. Jefferson Davis and oth
ers, was endorsed by the local branch.1
Quite a number were out and a decid
ed improvement in attendance and in
terest is noticeable.
The meeting next Sunday will be
held at Mt. Moriah Baptist church,
Twenty-fourth and Ohio streets, at
4:00 p. m. Come and bring someone
with you.
KELLY MILLER TO SPEAK
AT PILGRIM BAPTIST CHURCH
Professor Kelly Miller of Howard
University will speak at Pilgrim Bap
tist church, Tuesday evening, August
8th, under the auspices of the Men’s
club of the church of St. Philip the
Deacon. Professor Miller’s subject
will be, “The Next Step in the Race
Problem’’. As it is desired to give
this distinguished educator a large
audience and to have many children
as well adults see and hear him, the
admission has been placed at 35 cents,
all children, from twelve years old
and under, accompanied by adults, be
ing admitted free.
PEERLESS QUARTETTE AND
OLEE CLUB OIVE CONCERT
The Peerless Quartette and Glee
Club assisted by Mine. Lena Mays
Curry gave a delightful program at
Pilgrim Baptist church, Tuesday night.
There was a large and appreciative
audience present. Opening remarks
were made by W. K. Flemming. The
musical numbers by the quartette and
glee club were “Listen to the Lambs'
and "Little David” by Fenner; “Great
Camp Meeting’’ by Cross; "Sinner,
Give Up Your Heart,” by N. C. Smith;
"Little Boy Blue,” “Cohunkus and Co
bunkus” by Scott; “My Lord’s A'Rit
ing” by Cross; and “Watermelon on
the Vine,” by Scott. Mme. Curry sang
'Homeland’’ by Strauss. H. J. Pink
ett gave a recitation, and remarks b>
the Kev. Win. Franklin closed the pro
gram. Mrs. C. H. Singleton was the
pianist.
FORMER OMAHAN
DIES IN CALIFORNIA
Junius Jones, whom many old Oma
hans will pleasantly remember as a
boy and youth here, died last week
at his home in Los Angeles, after a
protracted illness. His sister, Mrs.
Minnie Mason, returned this week
from attending his funeral.
THE FAITH OF ANAMERICAN NEGRO
An Address by Mordecai Wyatt Johnson Delivered as
One of the Three Commencement Parts at
Harvard University Commencement
Since their emancipation from slav
ery the masses of American Negroes
have lived by the strength of a simple
but deeply moving faith. They have
believed in the law and providence of
a just and holy God; they have be
lieved in the .principles of democracy
and In the righteous purpose of the
Federal Government; and they have
believed in the disposition of the Am
erican people as a whole and in the
long run to be fair in all their deal
ings.
In spite of disfranchisement and
peonage, mob violence and public con
tempt, they have kept this; faith and
have allowed themselves to hope with
the optimism of Booker T. Washington
that in proportion as they grew in in
telligence, wealth and self-respect they
should win the confidence and esteem
of their fellow white Americans, and
should gradually acquire the respon
sibilities and privileges of full Ameri
can citizenship.
In recent years, and especially since
the Great War, this simple faith has
suffered a widespread disintegration.
When the United States Government
set forth Its war aims, called upon
Negro soldiers to stand by the colors,
and Negro civilians, men, women anu
children, to devote their labor and
earnings to the cause, and when the
war shortage of labor permitted a
quarter million Negroes to leave the
former slave States for the better con
ditions of the North, the entire Negrp
people experienced a profound sense
of spiritual release. For the first time
since emancipation they found them
selves comparatively free to sell their
labor on the open market for a living
wage, found themselves launched on a
great world enterprise with a chance
to vote In a real and decisive way, and,
best of all, in the heat of the. struggle
they found themselves bound with
other Americans in the spiritual fel
lowship of a common cause.
When they stood bn the height of
this exalted experience and looked
down o,ti their pre-war poverty, impo
tence, and spiritual isolation, they rea
lized as never before the depth of the
harm they had suffered, and there
arose in them a mighty hope that in
some way the war would work a
change in their situation. For a time
indeed it seemed that their hope would
be realized. For when the former
slave States saw their labor leaving
for the North, they began to reflect
upon the treatment they had been ac
customed to give the Negro, and they
decided that it was radically wrong.
Newspapers and public orators every
where expressed this change of senti
ment, set forth the wrongs in detail,
and urged immediate improvement.
And immediate improvement came.
Better educational facilities were pro
vided here and there, words of appre
ciation for the worth and spirit of the
Negro as a citizen began to be uttered,
and public committees arose to In
quire into his grievances and to lay
out programs for setting these griev
ances right. The colored people in
those states had never experienced
such collective good-will, and many
of them were so grateful and happy
that they actually prayed for the pro
longation of the war.
At the close of the war, however,
the Negro’s hopes were suddenly dash
ed to the ground. Southern newspap
ers began at once to tell the Negro
soldiers that the war was over and the
sooner they forgot it the better. “Pull
off your uniform,” they said, “And thi
place you had before the war, and
stay In it.” “Act like a Negro should
act,’’ said one newspaper, “work like
a Negro should work, talk like a Negro
should talk, study like a Negro should
study. Dismiss all Ideas of indepen
dency, or of being lifted up to the plane
of the white man. Understand the ne
cessity of keeping a Negro’s place.” In
connection with such admonitions
there came the great collective attacks
on Negro life and property in Wash
ton, Chicago, Omaha, Elaine, and Tul
sa. There came also the increased
boldness of lynchers who advertised
their purpose in advance and had their
photographs taken around the burning
bodies of their victims. There came
vain appeals by the colored people to
the President of the United States and
to the houses of Congress. And finally
there came the reorganization and
rapid growth of the Ku KIux Klan.
The swift succession and frank bru
tality of all IhlB was more than the
Negro people could bear. Their sim
ple faith and hope broke down. Mul
titudes took weapons i,n their hands
and fought back violence with bloody
resistance. "If we must die,” they
said, ‘‘it is well that we die fighting.”
And the Negro American world, look
ing on their deed w'ith no light of hope
to see by, said: "It is self-defense;
it Is the law of nature, of man, and of
God; and it is well.’’
From those terrible days until this
day the Negro’s faith in the righteous
purpose of the Federal Government
has sagged. Some have laid the blame
on the parties in power. Some have
laid it elsew'here. But all the colored
people, in every section of the United
States, believe that- there is something
wrong, and not accidentally wrong,
at the very heart of the Government.
Some of our young men are giving
up the Christian religion, thinking
that their fathers were fools to have
believed it so long. One group among
us repudiates entirely the simple faith
of former days. It would put no
(Continued on Page 2.)
Nebraska Civil Rights Bill
Chapter Thirteen of the Revised Statutes of Nebraska, Civil Rights.
Enacted in 1893.
Sec. 1. Civil rights of persons. All persons within this state shall
| be entitled to a full and equal enjoyment of the accommodations, advan
tages, facilities and privileges of inns, restaurants, public conveyances,
barber shops, theatres and other places of amusement; subject only to the
conditions and limitations established by law and applicable alike to every
person.
Sec. 2. Penalty for Violation of Preceding Section. Any person who
shall violate the foregoing section by denying to any person, except for
reasons of law applicable to all persons, the full enjoyment of any of the
accommodations, advantages, facilities, or privileges enumerated in the
foregoing section, or by aiding or inciting such denials, shall for each
offense be guilty of a misdemeanor, and be fined in any sum not less than
twenty-five dollars, nor more than one hundred dollars, and pay the costs
of the prosecution.
“The original act was held valid as to citizens; barber shops can not
discriminate against persons on account of color. Messenger vs State,
25 Nebr. page 677. N. W. 638.”
“A restaurant keeper who refuses to serve a colored person with re
freshments in a certain part of his restaurant, for no other reason than
that he is colored, is civilly liable, though he offers to serve him by setting
a table in amore private part of the house. Ferguson vs Gies, 82 Mich.
358; N. W. 718.”
COLORED STUDENT
RANKING SCHOLAR AT
HIS UNIVERSITY
Martin E. Gibbs Wins Attix Prize for
the Highest General Average in
Chemistry at Temple
University.
ALSO WINS FRATERNITY MEDAL
Philadelphia, July 28.—At the thir
ty-sixth annual commencement of
Temple University, on June 15, Mar
tin E. Gibbs, colored, distinguished
himself by winning tw’o prizes in the
school of pharmacy, in a class of 125
students, and receiving honorable
mention for third prize.
First prize, the Dr. James C. Attix
prize for the highest general average
in chemistry.
The Sigma Epsilon Phi Fraternity
medal for the second highest average
in all branches of the senior year.
The Dr. John R. Minehart gold
medal for the highest general average
for the snior year, honorable mention.
The remarkable phase of this high
honor to which Martin E. Gibbs at
tained is that these prizes were won
in a class of white students, there
being only eleven colored students in
this class of 125. Therefore there can
not be given too much credit to this
young men, of whom the entire race
should be proud.
ALLEN CHAPEL A. M. E. CHURCH
O. J. Burrkhardt, Pastor.
All services Sunday were well at
tended and great interest was mani
fested. This was especially true of
the Sunday school and the League in
which the young people are active.
The pastor preached in the morning
from Ephesians 3, 11 and in the even
ing the Rev. Mr. Blake of Council
Bluffs, a young man of promise,
brought a helpful message. Many
strangers were present. Next Sunday
the pastor will preach in the morning
from Hosea 14:9 and in the evening
the Rev. P. M. Harris will be the
speaker. Conference is drawing near
and conference funds and • dues are i
needed.
NATIVE AFRICAN
WINS FIRST HONORS
G. M. Thompson of Sierra Leone Is
the First Full Blooded West
African to Secure Honor at
Bar Finals.
MAKES ADDRESS FOR CLASS
(Associated Negro Press.)
London, Eng., July 26.—Mr. G. M.
C. Thompson (holder of a Certificate
of Honor awarded Easter term, 1919),
M. A., B. C. I. (Durham), and LL.
B. (London), was called to the Bar
at the Inns of Court last week, and
in virtue of the honor heTiad won was
called upon to make the customary
speech to the Benchers. As already
known the young barrister is the son
of Mr. Max Thompson of Sierra Leone
and as the Sunday Times said, “it was
an impressive example of the solidar
ity of the British Empire that at the
call to the Bar of students of the In
ner Temple, the leader and spokes
man of the young barristers was Mr.
Thompson, who belongs to a family
of Freetown, who, on behalf of his
brethern of all shades and color, made
a speech acknowledging the honor
conferred upon them by the Benchers
of the Inn.”
Mr. Thompson was educated at Dur
ham University (Fourali Bay Col
lege), and won his Bachelor of Arts
and Licentiate in Theology, at the age
of 19. On taking up the law', he pro
ceeded to the further degrees in his
University Master of Arts and Bach
elor of Civil Law' in 1916. He was
not long in establishing a record for
West Africans in passing successful
ly in his first term at the Inns of
Courts all the subjects in the first
part of the Bar exams, and was placed
alone in the first-class honors list in
Constitutional Law' and Legal History.
Mr. Thompson appeared to enjoy fac
ing law examiners, for he set himself
to secure the Bachelor of Laws in the
University of London, and his efforts
resulted in placing him in the second
class honors list. Finally, he has been
rewarded wdth a first-class honor at
the Bar Final, an attainment never
hitherto reached by a full blooded
West African.
BISHOP JONES TO VISIT OMAHA
The Rev. T. S. Saunders, pastor of
Grove M. E. church, and his congrega
tion are making preparations for the
visit here August 11 of the Rt. Rev.
Bishop Jones, former editor of the
Southwestern Christian Advocate of
Xew Orleans. Bishop Jones is one of
the onsland'ng religious leaders of
the race and Omaha is to be con
gratulated upon the privilege of hav-.
MEXICO INVITES
AMERICAN NEGROES
TO BECOME CITIZENS
‘‘We Want Best Element of Tour Peo
ple to Heroine Interwoven in Mex
ico’s Commercial und Social
Life,” Snjs Ohregonu
GREAT OPPORTUNITIES OFFEI
Mexico’s Possibilities for Commercial,
Industrial and Agricultural
Development Are
Unsurpassed.
Mexico City, July 28.—His Excellen
cy the President of the Republic re
cently told a commission of Negroes
who sought lands for colonization, that
the laws of Mexico ar§,very liberal and
do not recognize the doctrine of Race
supremacy, and because of this fact it
was judged that there would be no ser
ious obstales in the way of permitting
the colonization of colored people
The commission to which we refer
came representing the Negroes who
now reside for the most part in the
Southern States of the American
Union and who on the whole desire to
immigrate to our country In order to
obtain their rights which are now de
nied them where they now live.
General Obregon received the com
missioners who explained their desire
to colonie in our country, sharing the
National burden of Mexico and not
solely for personal gain, and likewise
sharing the wealth and prosperity of
our country.
The President told the cwmmissiOM
eis that ‘‘we want the best element of
your people to come and become inter
woven with the commercial and social
life of our people. We will see to it
that you are afforded every opportunity
of being a man and that our govern
ment will give you respect and pro
tection.’’
“Mexico offers the greatest possibil
ities and future to any people on the
face of the earth. We are inviting the
American Negro to come and cast his
lot with us not because we know that
he is ill treated and unjustly dealt
with in his native land but because we
believe that in the development of the
commerce, agriculture and trade in
our own country that he will be fair
enough to take some and leave some
and not .try to take all as other Ameri
cans have done in years past. We are,s
willing to give you opportunity, justice
and protection and help you develop
your own resources for our mutual
benefit and In return we ask only your
loyalty to the commercial, agricultural
and social upbuilding of Mexico.”
RED oak to hold celebration
An Elaborate Program Has Been Pre
pared and a Largo Attendance
Is Anticipated.
(Special to The Monitor.)
Red Oak, Iowa, July 28—This enter
prising and progressive little city is
making elaborate preparations for its
first emancipation celebration which
is to be held here next Tuesday, Aug
ust 1st. Prominent white citizens are
cooperating with the local committee,
consisting of Thomas Dunn, C. W.
Chappell, Oscar Davis, John McGhee,
W. A. Brown and John Cooper, to
make the affair a success. Dan Des
duttes famous band from Omaha, has
been engaged and will render one of
its popular programs. A large choree
will sing. Rev. John Albert Williams,
of Omaha, is to be the orator of the
day. There will be games and amuse
ments of various kinds including u
basebad game between Red Oak and
Clarinda teams. As Red Oak is so eas
il.v accessible a record breaking at
tendance is anticipated.
EVERGREEN CLUB
ELECTS OFFICERS
The Evergreen Club met at the
home of Mrs. William Price, 2007
North Twenty-seventh avenue, Mon
day night and elected the following
officers: Clifton Moses, president;
Walter Scott, vice-president; Pharron
Robinson, secretary; Edward Dunn,
assistant secretary; Walter O’Neal,
treasurer; Kenneth Bolling and Ber
nice Payne, critics. The meeting
opened at 8:45. Ice cream was served.
LARGEST MEMBERSHIP
IN JURISDICTION
Carnation tent, Maids and Pages,
of the Knights and Daughters of Ta
bor, has the honor of having the larg
est membership of any tent in the
Kansas-Nebraska jurisdiction. Its en
rollment numbers 130. Eva Brown
is queen mother and she is juRtly
proud of this flourishing organization
of young people.