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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 6, 1925)
mi X ]-[ £ M ONITOR NEBRASKA’S 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, NOVEMBER 6, 1925 Whole Number 538 Vol. XI—No. 18 DARI! OW BEGINS BATTLE FOR NEGRO’S LIFE g _ Congrt nationalists Take a Firm Stand Against Race Discrimination DUAL PERSONALITY PROVES PUZZLE TO PHYCHOLOGISTS Aged South Carolina Ex-Slave Who la Illiterate When Awake Appears Well Educated When in Trance SPEAKS SCHOLARLY ENGLISH Varioua Theories Are Advanced to Explain Perry’s Possession of Peculiar Power Leesville. S. C.—A strange rase of ap parent dual personality is attracting such attention here that a committee of physi cians and phsycologists is preparing to examine the subject. Major Perry. 90 vear-old Negro and former slave, who is illiterate when awake, but who delivers scholarly sermons in perfect English when asleep. Major Perry lives four miles north of Leesville in the lower edge of Saluda county. In appearance he is a typical ante-bellum Negro, “ceremoniously polite to all white folks,” and quaint and en gaging in his manner. While awake he speaks in dialect of the unlettered Negro, and finds it impossible to quote even so much as a verse from the bible. Hut when he drops into the strange trances that he seems able to summon at will, he becomes an entirely different person. He speaks with the precision of a student of English, and quotes entire chapters from the bible without error or hesitancy. These statements are vouched for by the Rev. Frank M. Graham, evangelist ol Greene county, Georgia, who recently vi sited Major Perry at his home near here; J. G Holder, who prepared an article on the strange old Negro for the Twin City News of Leesville; ami hv the editor of the Register-Record at Wagner, S. G, who went to the little cabin of Major Perry to study the Negro who preaches in his sleep. Many others also have heard the messages that fall from the lips of the old man as he lies in a trance. Evangelist Graham has known the old Negro for years, and believes the man en dowed with two personalities, one being in control when he is awake, and the othei when he is asleep. The more superstitious advance the the orV that Major Perry received a "call” to preach, but refused to heed the cull. The Holy Ghost, however, not to he outdone takes possession of him when he is asleep they say, and uses him as a mouthpiece to deliver messages from God to men up on the. earth. The suggestion has been made that Ma jor Perry has learned a sermon couched in chosen words, which he delivers while shamming a trance. The answer to this is that no two of his sermons are the same and each contains different quotations from the bible. COLORED CON G REG ATION A LISTS THANK PRESIDENT COOLIDGE Washington, D. C. Colored representa tives at the National Council of Congrega tional Churches which met here October 20th-28th, called on President Coolidge Saturday, October 24'h, and praised him • for his speech against intolerance, deliver ed at Omtdta this month. Doctor Henry II. Procter, of Brooklyn, New York, who acted as spokesman said: “In behalf of the 15,000 colored Congregationalists of the United States, we greet you as a fellow Congregationalist in whom we have full confidence, not only because of your tra ditional background, but also because of your example us a Christian and your acts as a President. “Partir.ularily do we want to thank you for that great word you spoke at Omaha the bravest word spoken by any Executive for three-score years. It sounds like Lin coln. “Our prayer is that God may use you to promote that good-will between white und black in America that speaks inter racial co-operation, and that peace among all the nations of the earth that means they will study war no more. ’ BRITISH TAKE STEPS TO REMOVE THE LAST VESTIGE OF SLAVERY Geneva—The last spot on the British empire’s map where slavery exists is said to be the Hukawing Valley in the upper portion of the Indian province Burma. By next May Britain hopes to have removed the last vestige of degradation, from the dominions and colonies directly under her — APPOINTMENT OF RACE LABOR LEADER URGED BY LEAGUE American Federation of Labor Would Win Confidence of Colored Workers by Practical Recognition UNIONS USE DISCRIMINATION Washington,—Appointment by the Americon Fedeeration of Labor of a black man as executive adviser to counsel with the officials of the labor movement on organization problems affecting workers was urged today by T. Arnold Hill, director of the Ur ban league. The confidence of black workers throughout the country in the Amer ican Federation of Labor, he pointed out, can be brought about if the ap pointment suggested to President Green is followed. Insisting that the forthcoming cam paign for members for the American Federation of Labor will have every prospect of success through the assur ance that such an individual can give to black workers, Mr. Hill said that black men are denied member ship in ten of the 110 labor organ izations. Practice Subterfuge Others, while not actually barring workers from the organization, prac tice subterfuge with which the work ers are familiar to keep them out of the locals in different parts of the country, Mr. Hill said. Conferences will be planned to bring this participation in industrial centers in the East and Middle-west, he declared, and out of these con ferences a more amicable relation be tween black workers and the American Federeation of La bo? will follow. “The appointment of a capable, in dustrious, and tactful Negro," he add ed, “to take geneeral charge, under the direction of the A. F. of L., of your colored work, will insure the needed confidence of his race in the personality and integrity of the A. F. of L.” NATIVE NEBRASKAN WORLD WAR VETERAN STATE CIVIL ENGINEER New York—Clyde R. Brannon, whom Unrle Sam called from his studies at Howard University for World War service, after being honored with a First Lieuten ant's commission, plunged into the Europ tan conflict never thinking that he would see the good old U. S. A. again. Young Brannon, like many others, was spared, however. He returned to school and ob tained his degree in civil engineering and was forthwith appointed, after competitive examination, as a civil engineer with the New York State Highways Commission with whom he has made an enviable re cord on survey and construction work. Brannon was in the first civil-engineering class graduated from Howard 1 niversity. and his rapid development, along with that of his class-mates, means that the inclu sion of competent colored engineers in this important profession will grow larger and larger witli time. Clyde R. Brannon is a native Nebraskan a graduate of the Fremont High school. His relatives reside in Fremont and Omaha HOWARD GRADUATE AWARDED STATE BRIDGE CONTRACT Indianapolis The firm of David Jen kins ami son, contractors and builders, of this city has been awarded a bridge con tract by the Indiana State Highway Com mission. In speuking of the success of the company, the Indianupolis Recorder says: “Mr. Jenkins has been building bridges for the stale a number of years, and has now formed a partnership with his son Martin, a Howard graduate of the cluss of 1925.” This latest contract is for the con struction of a 121,000 bridge in Whitelcy County, Indiana. UNCLE YVIGGILY’S TRICKS Ate- -t I must n# Something | to raise-me." . ' * *>•>■ ' 1 JHW t CONGREGATION ALISTS SEEK CANCELLATION OF COLOR DISCRIM IN AION National Counc'l Adopts Sound Social Creed Which Calls for the Practice of Christian Ideals Washington, D. C.—(AFRO Bu reau)—The National Council of Con gregational Churches, in seession here at Washington Auditorium, adopted a social creed last Saturdal night which calls for the elimination of all racial discrimination, by a sweeping major ity. The two clauses with reference to racial discrimination in the “state ment of social order,” are as follows: “The elimination of all racial dis crimination and the substitution of full brotherly treatment for all races ,in America.” “The removal of every unjust bar rier of trade, color, creed and race, and the practice of equal justice for all nations." In the opening session of the coun cil Tuesday, October 20, Dr. William L. Cash, of New Orfeans, La., was elected a second assistant modera tor in the most spirited contest of the day. He received 322 votes. His opponent, Mrs. E. H. Obemson, white, of Oak Park, 111., received 129 votes. About a dozen delegates spoke in behalf of the two candidates. Some of them favored a continuation of the custom of electing a member of the colored branch of the Congregation al Church should be continued; others thought that it was time that this of fice should go to a woman. Dr. Hen ry H. Proctor, of Brooklyn, N. Y., made an eloquent and impassioned ad dress in nominating Dr. Cash. Sol Johnson, Savannah, Ga., was elected president of the American Missionary Association which voted to merge its nine associations into a single board. SEVEN YEARS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE AMPLY REWARDED Lexington, Ky.—Twenty thousand dol lars is the reward rendered for seven years as butler and cook by Lev Johnson and his wife, Eliza. Lev and his wife left Versailles in 1918, and went to Columhus Ohio, where they were employed by Miss Martha Green Deshler. Two weeks ago Miss Deshler died. The servants were left a legacy of $20,000. TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS GIVEN TO EDUCATION Cleveland, Ohio—St. John A. M. E. Church of this city, of which Rev. Edward A. Clarke, A. M., D. D., is pastor, has given over $10,000 to the cause of educa tion during his pastorate of the last five years. This is probably a larger amount than any other colored church in the coun try has given. SOME COLOBFPL HEWS “MOVIES” By the Cameraman For Preston News Service The High Episcopal Church Speaks A grave Episcopalian Church Congress has just closed at Earlbourne, England, at which solemn words of warning were uttered against the continued arraignment of race against race and color against col or. No less Churchman than the known Lord Willingdon (white), a former gover nor of two presidencies in India, and J. H. Oldham (white). Secretary of the In ternational Missionary Council, agreed in open conference, that it is impossible to continue the old policy of white su premacy: “In my view,” said Lord Willingdon. “therec is only one solution of the prob lem. The white races must realize the ne cessity of treating all colored men in the spirit of absolute equality and give up the attitude of color superiority. Providence long ago placed the white man in the position of a trustee, whose wards, the colored men, are now rapidly growing up. The white man no longer dominates them, even for their own good. At best he can only tactfully guide them past particular dangers. I honestly believe if the whole attitude of the white to color ed races could be altered, if the white man would always accept in a spirit of] giving equality and opportunity to those who are colored, what appears now as an aggressive and unreasonable attitude on the part of the colored races would en tirely change and they would be willing to discuss these important matters in a fair spirit, with a d"e sense of the difficul ties surroundng them. The only one way of doing this is by always carrying into relationship with colored races the prin ciples of the Christian faith and remem bering that there is a divinity who shapes our ends, rough hew then} as we will.” A Christian Indian, Shoran Singha, who addressed the Congress in faultless Eng lish, said that: “We have got to gel rid of the idea that God sent the white man to rule black. We must get rid of the white man’s prestige. Not the prestige of col or, but the prestige of character will count in the future.” To say that the Protestant Church will be “rocked” by this * tnouneemenl of certain notables of the staid hut colorful Church of England is to put it mildly. Yet, of all the Protestant churches the Episcopalian has never been the most radical; and were it, with one forward move, to attempt to assert such a fine type of Christianity as that which Lord Willingdon and his colleague so openly asserted, it might be that the Christian conscience of the church world might arouse itself from its dormant state and begin to practice what it has been preach ing for lo these many years. Building a Race— It was a rainy night and the Veteran was gloomy as we opened his door and he laid aside the evening paper to bid us a gruff “Good livening.’ “Lodges and churches arc about the only ventures into which the colored peo ple put their whole energy, brains, time and money,” he said despondently as he substituted his bank book for the even ing news. “Start a laundry, a boot-black corporation, a cafe or a county fair upon the cooperative plan, anil you’d have the time of your life trying to get a dime in vestment; but just organize the Ancient anil Derided Order of the Knights of St. Caliph, or the Royal Zebras League, and you’d have to hire two certified public accountants and eight double entry book keepers," he added with a snap. “Well, the churches are quite a necess ity,” we ventured to reply, timidly. “Yes, but it’s quite overdone,” the Veteran quickly countered. “Here’s where a congregation of four thousand opens the doors of a $450,000 church in New York City, while all poor Sam Browne can get to keep the Staten Island Ku Klux Klan from putting him out of his home on Cas tleton Hill is -150 00,” the Veteran shout ed as he flashed a newspaper in our faces. ‘.Look in the next column,” he ad ded, “and you will see where the Grand Legal Counsellor of the Diligent Order of Stags' already getting al salary of $75 a week, has been sent to jail for fraud.” “We’re all wrong,” the Veteran contin ued excitedly. “The churches and the lodges have got the economic advance ment of the brethren hound and gagged; and for every twelve dollar-a-week dude there is berind the cash window of the insurance company, a grocery store or a shoe factory, there are fifty-seven varieties of evangelists drawing three and four thousand bucks a year for telling us to fasten our minds on glory.” "The church is all right,” the Veteran concluded, as we arose uneasily to de part, “and so is the lodge. The church did fine work as the Negroes’ only forum in the antebellum days; but now we’ve got to put some dollars and sense into the race; or else Time, the Tomb builder, will catch us all without any economic over coat when the cold season comes; and the churches, as you know, are closed all dur ing the week.” MATTHEWS APPOINTED SPECIAL ASISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL Washington, D. C.—William C. Mat thews, of Huston, Massachusetts, former Harvard University fontlmll and baseball star, has been appointed a Special Assis tant to the Attorney General of he United States, and immediately ordered to proceed to Lincoln, Nebraska, to represent the Government in certain Federal prosecu tions. Mr. Matthews was at the head of the Colored Division of the Republican Na tional Executive Committee during the presidential campaign of 1924. He has the confidence in the largest possible measure of the members of his race. POLITICAL CLUB STARTED BY PROMINENT WOMEN Indianapolis, Ind.—Nearly 200 well known women recently met and organized the “Colored Women's Republican Club.” The purpose of the organization is to pro mote the interests of the Republican party in the State, county, and city; to educate the women voters in the science of govern ment; to train women in public speaking; and to study all community problems and assist in their solution: Mrs. Danevu Wines was elected president of the organization, which will take an active part in the campaign next year. NO ADULT ILLITERACY Washington, D. C.—The Virgin Islands, according to a report from the Director of Education of the Islands, are piacticully free from adult illiteracy. The Danish Government had maintained excellent schools for many years before the islands came into the possession of the United States. FIRST GRADUATE OF OBERLIN COLLEGE DIES Washington, I). C.—Miss Emma Patter son who had been placed on the retired 1st of public school teachers, is dead and had taught school for over forty years. She was one of the first colored students to be graduated from Oberlin College. Although retired five years ago, Miss Patterson died after a brief illness. ODDFELLOWS OCCUPY HALL New Orleans, La.— (By the Associated Negro Press.)—The Grand Lodge United Order of Oddfellows is now occupying its recently completed $100, (KK) five-story home in Baton Rouge. Besides offices of tho order, the structure has a motion picture theatre, lodge rooms, roof garden and auditorum. The lower floor houses stores. FIRST NEGRO SUICIDE Camden, N.J. (By the Associated Negro Press)—The first time in the history of this city a Negro committed suicide in the person of Clayton Robinson, aged 34, who after havng shot to death Gertrude Fra zer, tended his life with the same revolver. Both were dead when the police arrived. BEAN EATERS RESENT JIM CROWING STUDENT OF BOSTON UNVERSITY Doors of Several Exclusive Clubs Are Opened to Negro Gentlemen in Defiance of Race Prejudice Boston, Mass.—Adverse public sen timent aroused by the action of the Boston Athletic Association in barring Charles Oswell, colored fullback of Boston University from the main din ing room of the club at a team lun cheon, has resulted in a staunch con demnation of such discriminations by Boston’s most exclusive clubs, and the apologetic withdrawal of such policies by the B. A. A. The centers of Boston’s most aris tocratic club life, the Somerset Club, the Union Club, the Algonquin Club, the University Club and the Boston Art Club, as an answer to the chal lenge of prejudice, sent out state ments that their doors were always open to welcome colored American gentlemen. The superintendent of the B. A. A. in a weak way declared that the act of discrimination was a slip up, and that no rule against the en tertaining of colored guest exists at the club. The fiery letters of Albert C. Wolff of the Greater Boston Branch of the Equal Rights League, and the Mor gan Memorial Church of AH Nations, scoring the vicousness of the Jim crowing of a highly respectable gen tleman, scholar and athlete because of his color is believed to have brought to bear considerable of the bitter disapproval of the Boston Ath letic Association’s act. LOUISVILLE UNI. AUTHORIZES EXTENSION OF COURSES Louisville—Widespread enthusiasm has followed the action of the Board of Trus tees of Louisville University, who, at their meeting on September 15, 1925, authorized the statement that diere will be provided out of the proceeds of the Bond Issue of $1,000,000, if voted, a laboratory building for use in giving extension courses for co lored students under University control and supervision, for which courses full credit will be given; this building to be erected at some convenient place so that its facilities may be combined with other facilities with the view of coordinating all available agencies for offering complete courses to colored young men and women of Louisville and nearby Kentucky points. OMAHA HIGH SCHOOLS FAVOR ALL YEAR SESSION Washington—In Omaha, all-the-vear-ses sions have been proposed for the high schools, following the successful experience of the Technical high school, in this city, with the four quarter plan. This school has been operating 48 weeks a year for seven years, and the plan has proved very satisfactory, says a recent issue of “School Life,” which adds: “A four-year class is graduated at the end of each twelve week quarter, and bright anil energetic pupils may complete the entire course in three years. The other three high schools in Omaha have already adopted an eight week summer session.” BROADWAY CLUB CARS ARE MANNED BY FILLTPINOS Chicago, Til. (By the Asociated Negro Press)—Starting last Saturday. Oct. 31st. the club cars of the BROADWAY, the crack train on the Pennsylvania Railroad, between 'Chicago and New. York, left with Fillippino attendants. This is the second time within three weeks that Fil ippinos have been utilized in Pullman ser vice; a, special train to the University Foot-ball Game at Campaign being man ned by six Filippino porters. Some prominent Filippinos in this coun try are interested in this racial service de velopment and it is understood one very prominent Filippino from Manila has been in Chicago for the last ten days. Pull man officials described it as “an innova tion in service”. BLACKED FACED ROBBER PROVES OWN WHITE KIN New York—Washing the smoot covered face of an at first supposed Negro fugi tive, the police discovered their captive to be Richard McNamara, 22. (white) of 26 West Sixty-fifth street, the nephew of Mrs. Edith J Sullivan of 362 Bement avenue. West New Brighton. The woman had sent them after a “colored man” who held her end her eighteen year old daugh ter Julia, up in their home and fled when a second daughter appeared. The youth confessed that he was the robber. SELECTING JURY FOR SWEET TRIAL CONSUMES TIME Clarence Darrow Uses Great Precau tion in Trying to Exclude Kluxers from Sitting in Case EMINENT DEFENSE COUNSEL Intense Interest Is Manifested Upon Part of All Classes Who Crowd Court Room—Darrow Cheered (Special to The Monitor) Detroit, Mich. — Judge Murphy’s court room was crowded to overflowing Friday. October 30, when the trial of Dr. and Mrs. Ossian H. Sweet and nine others, charged with first degree murder, result ing from the killing of Leon F. Breiner. September 9, when a mob attacked Dr. Sweet’s home, began The selecting of a jury consumed prac tically four days Great difficulty was en countered in securing a jury and Clarence Darrow, chief of the defense array of counsel, used every precaution to select a jury that would be fair and impartial and to exclude from it members of the Ku Klux Klan. 1 he first pane] of 165 jurors was soon exhausted and when court ad journed Monday until Wednesday the sec ond panel of 65 was being rapidly re duced. Nearly one hundred persons were challenged by the defense. Each juror drawn was questioned as to birthplace, parentage, political and social affiliations and asked if he were prejudic ed, believed in equality of the law, and that a man in this free country should purchase property where he chooses and his means permit him. The jury was sel ected and sworn in Thursday morning ot this week and the examination of witness es began. Wren Clarence Darow entered the court room Friday morning he was greeted with vigorous applause. A brilliant array of counsel is associated with him. They in clude Arthur Garfield Hayes of New York, Herbert Friedman, of Chicago, who is contributing his services; Walter M. Nelson, Charles V. Mahoney, Julian W. Perry and Cecil Roulette, the three latter being colored, all of Detroit Representing the State of Michigan in the prosecution are Robert M. Toms, county attorney, E. H. Kennedy, Jr., and Lester Moll. A great portion of Thursday morning was devoted to the renewal of argument over the request of the defense for a bill of particulars, which would provide the de fense with something definite upon which to base a motion for dismissal. TUSKEGEE’S OLDEST NEGRO EMPLOYEE, 94, DIES Tuskegee Institute, Ala. (By the Asso ciated Negro Press)—Felix Branum, Tus kegee Institute’s oldest employee, died here at the age of ninety-four. When Booker T. Washington began the work at 1 uskegee in 1881, Branum was working as a cook for one of the white families in I uskegee. A strong friendship between the two led to Branum’s later employment as a cook when the Boarding Department was begun. In those early days the cooking was done in a wash boiler in the open air. Be cause of his faith in Booker T. Wash ington Branum practiced the most rigid economies with the food, notwithstanding the fact that his salary was frequently sev eral months behind. Booker T. Wash ington himself never failed to give credit to Branum for his self-sacrificing loyalty during the “days of small things” at Tus kegee Institute. During the forty years of his employ ment, Branum saw the Boarding Depart ment grow from nothing to more than $248,163. In the beginning, he was chef, stewurd, head waiter, and matron, all com bined in one job. “Uncle Felix” as some of the workers called him, was friend and advisor to the one hundred and thirty five workers now employed to prepare and serve the food for the Btudents and teach ers at the Institute The deceased was bom in Washington, Georgia, in 1831.1 When emancipation camt after Civil War, he remained in the county, a respected citizen. He s surviv ed be a wife, five children and twenty-one grandchildren. Mrs. Joseph Taylor entertained at lunch eon and cards Friday afternoon compli mentary to Mrs. Robert Taylor of Daven port, Iowa, at her residence, 2869 Mi.ml street.