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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 1926)
— The Monitor NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS ® THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. *2.00 a Year- x Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1926 Whole Number 553 Vol. XI—No. 33 » — — - Ohfo Supreme Court Swats Segregation SUPREME COURT OF OHIO RULES AGAINST SEPARATE SCHOOLS Persistent Dayton Parent Winn Great Victory for Race Against Hoard of Kducation Which Puts t'p Stiff Fight lilt.II TRIHI NAL IS I NANIMOCS Chief Justice Marshall Writes Opinion Founded I'pon Decision Made in Similar Case Some Years Ago Columbus, Ohio—(Special)—A long and bitter fight against the segrega tion of colore I children terminated triumphantly in the schools of the state of Ohio, when a decision of the state supreme court barred the seg regation of colored American children in separate schools. A Real Victory Perhaps no victory that has beet won in a state supreme court recently has such far reaching significance to colored Americans as the one returned . here. The ruling was made by unani-! mous vote with Chief Justice Caring tori T. Marshall writing the opinion.! The case follows the reasoning of the leading decision on the subpect in the forty-fifth volume of Ohio State Reports. Suit Filed in 192.r> The decision rendered by the high ‘ tribunal of the State of Ohio, was giv en in a case, which was started by Karl Reese of Dayton about a year The colored citizens brought suit against the Dayton Hoard of Kduca tion charging that in the Garfield District Negroes “were required to occupy a separate part of the school premise with separate entrances and e> it - to the school building.” Reese demanded that his children receive the same conditions of school attendance given to white children predicating his action upon the theo retical political adn social equality provided by Ohio laws. Carried to High Court The suit was won by Reese in the lower court, and susequently the board of education filed an appeal in the Montgomery County Court of Ap peals. The decision of the lower court was upheld, however. This was only a few’ weeks ago. The suit was in manadmus in the court of appeals. A demurrer filed by the Dayton Hoard of Kducation and the superintendent of schools was overruled and judg ment given to Reese. The board then carried the case to (he supreme court and the decision of the appeals court was affirmed. CHICAGO LEADS LARGE CITIES IN NUMBER OF NEGRO LAWYERS The N. A. A. C. P. today forward ed statistics, published in the West Publishing Company's “Docket”, showing that there are 63!) colored lawyers in American cities having a population of 100,000 or more and that among these cities Chicago leads with 95 colored lawyers. New York is second with 50 colored attorneys, Detroit third with 32, Baltimore is fourth with 27 and Indiunapolis fifth with 26. Other cities in the list include: Bos ton, 16; Columbus, Ohio, 14; Mem phis and Philadelphia each 13; Rich mond, Va., and St. Ix>uis, Mo., 12; Kansas City, Kan., 11; and Los Ang eles and Louisville each 10. Omjjha, Nebraska, has 7. NEGRO PRIEST ORDAINED Washington.—Rev. Norman A. Dudkette, formerly of this city, was recently ordained a secular priest by Right Rev. Michal J. Gallagher, D. D., Bishop of Detroit, at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, in that city. Father Duckette, who is the second colored man to he ordained in the Secular Order in the United States, celebrated his first solemn high mass the first Sunday in Lent at St. Aug ustine's church in this city. BRONX COUNTY GRAND JURY INDICTS GIRL’S ATTACKERS New York—The National Associa tion for the Advancement of Colored People today received word by tele phone from its attorney, Alan Dingle, that the Bronx County Grand Jury had indicted in second degree rape the white attackers of a fourteen year-old colored girl, who had been held for three days in a barn and who subsequently died in a hospital. The girl had come from Virginia to New York, to go to school and was stay ing with her aunt and uncle The N. A. A. C. P. brought the girl’s mother from Virginia, paying her expenses, in order that she might identify the girl’s body and testify as to her age. The prosecutor has announced he will press for a very early trial. To aid in prosecuting the white rapists, the Colored Women’s Pro tective league of the Bronx, eompos ■ ! r a’nly of colored women who earn their own living, has contributed $40 Mrs. L. A. Houston, president of the Bronx Colored Women’s Protect ive League, Mrs. Louisa A. Jeter and Mrs. P. B. Walker, were constituted a delegation to call at the National Office of the N. A. A. C. P., present the contribution and express the ap preciation of the Protective league lor the activity of the N. A. A. C. P. in the case. NEW PRESIDENT OF FISK UNIVERSITY ELECTED New York.—(By the Associated Negro Press) That long drawn and fierce controversy which centered around Fayette McKenzie, former pre sident of Fisk University, has cul minated in the election to the presi dency of the institution of Thomas Elsa Jones, according to an announce ment made Thursday by Paul D. Cravath, chairman of the board of trustees of the school. Mr. Jones has accepted the offer and will assume his duties June 1. The resignation of the former pre sklent, McKenzie, resulted from an onslaught by students and members of the alumni who, during a period ol more than a year pushed an attack on him which had as its main weap ons charges of incompetence and prej udice. It was declared that McKenzu sought to ingratiate himself with southern whites to the detriment of the students of the school and of the Negro race. Principal among the leaders against him was Dr. W. E Du Bois, the school’s most distinguish ed alumnus. OHIO SUPREME COURT BARS SEGREGATION IN SCHOOLS New York.—The National Accoeia tion for the Advancement of Colored People, has received word of a de cision by the upreme Court of Ohio ordering the Dayton Board of Educa tion and the local superintendent to admit Negro children to the same classes and buildings used by white children at the Garfield school, Day ton. This decision affirms the de cision of the Montgomery County Court of Appeals which had ruled against segregation as a result of a contest begun by a colored citizen, Earl Reese. The Ohio Supreme Court’s decision is based on a similar ruling made by the court 38 years ago in similar corses originating in Hamilton and Butler counties. STOP SEGREGATION BY INJUNCTION New Orleans.—A temporary injunc tion has been issued against the City of New Orleans restraining it from enforcing the segregation ordinance in respect to property occupied by Negroes at 2328 and 2330 Palmer Avenue. The Land and Development Association which filed the petition says that the property in question has been occupied by colored residents for the past twenty years and that the city through its officials threaten their tenants with arrest and pros ecution if they do not move. The section in question is in the heart ot an aristocratic white neighborhood. EDITORIAL We ran across a thought-compelling editorial from The Chris tian Recorder, which is so in line with much that we have been say ing that we 'desire to commend its careful perusal to our1 readers and ask them what they think about it. The editorial impresses us as driving home facts that we need to seriously consider and lay to heart. More than that, it is a racial self-revelation that should move us to amendment. The caption of the editorial is “The Negro’s Handicap.” Here’s what it says in part: “We read a great deal about the handicaps of the Negro. But it is time that we should sit down and go over carefully and dis passionately the things which hold our peoplei hack as far as they are held hack. It is not a popular thing for one to say anything which lessens the emphasis upon race prejudice. Race prejudice i one of the greatest drawbacks to all social progress and enters as a distinct handicap to our race’s progress. “If we are to set down the things which deter the Negro most, we would say: “1. Ignorance. Ignorance is the great obstacle against all civilizing processes. What the Negro needs is more intelligence, more education. Scores of things we could do if we only knew how to do them. Many things we lay to the door of race preju dice are the result of pure ignorance more than anyhing else. Race prejudice hits us so hard because we are ignorant. “2. The Slavish Spirit. Next to ignorance is the spirit of slavery. Many Negroes do not believe in their people. They ac tually believe Negroes are inferior and they give their own people every disadvantage instead of every advantage. This is, of course, a result of ignorance to a large extent. And yet it is not the same as ignorance, for we sometimes find the slavish spirit strongest in the so-called educated. Often we find those who should be the leaders, the slowest to co-operate and the most ac tive in tying the Negroes to the l>ondage of the white man. “”. Internal Jealousies. In so many places the Negro is held hack by the jealousies of leaders. This is the result of l>oth ig norance and the slave spirit. We see the two leading preach ers dividing the people into two different factions; the two doc tors, teachers, etc., doing the same. Baptists won't co-operate with the Methodists and the ‘yellows’ snub the ‘blacks’ and ‘browns.’ If a so-called leader is not the head of a movement, or was not ‘consulted’ he tries to break it up. More time is given in some communities by Negro leaders talking and work ing agnaist worthy projects than in doing something constructive. “4. Lack of Organization. You hear the orator tell of the number of shoes it takes to shoe our race’s feet, the number of hats we have, the amount we spend for food, etc., and he wonders ‘why we don’t have more factories.’ We lack organization in business, in finance, in politics, etc., chiefly l>ecause of internal jealousies, which shrewd w'hite people encourage and thus keep us apart.” I-----— IKENTUCY REPUBLICAN WARMLY SUPPORTS RACE EDUCATION MEASURE Washington.—WTien Bill H. R. 393, “An act to incorporate Howard Uni versity in the District of Columbia,’’ recently came up for consideration ! in the House of Representatives, it was vigorously supported by Cong ressman Maurice H. Thatcher, Repub lican of Kentucky, who is deeply in terested in Negro education, as his remarks show. “I fully approve,” said Mr. Thatch er in debate, “the reason urged by the Committee on Education for the passage of this pending measure, lt. passage will give to Congress explicit and complete authority to make these appropriations. The 250 years, or more, of unrequited toil of the Negro race in this country; the loyalty of that race, and its sacrifices in every way for the American flag and for white Americans; its utter impover ishment and handicap at the close of the Civil War, and its loyal Ameri canism and capacity for progress so amply demonstrated since that war— all constitute, in my judgment, all powerful and convincing reasons why this great Republic of ours, which must depend on universal education and universal suffrage as the two great pillars of its support, should make a just and reasonable contribu tion toward the education of the col ored race.” THE CALL OP LIBERIA Washington.—The Liberian Conces sion of the Firestone Rubber Com pany of Akron, Ohio, is attracting many of our most efficient young men. Among those who have accept ed supervisory positions in connection with the development of rubber grow ing in West Africa is Mr. Charles E. Lane, who for several years man aged successfully the large and beau tiful Lincoln theatre in this city. Mr. Lane sailed last Sunday from New York to visit factories in Belgium where he is expected to spend two months. From there he is expected to visit South African rubber planta tions on a tour of inspection before taking up his duties in Liberia. •** y I AN IMPORTANT WORD TO SUBSCRIBERS. $ | The postal regulations require that for newspapers to f l>e sent through the mails subscriptions must be paid in £ i|’ advance. A reasonable time, thirty days, is allowed for X renewals. At the expiration of this period, where sub- •{• scriptions are not renewed, the paper must be stopped. •{• If this is not done, postal privileges are denied the puhli- X X cation. Those, therefore, who desire to continue receiving v X The Monitor must see to it that their subscriptions are & y paid, as the law requires, in advance. Statements are bo X 'X. ing sent to all those who owe, or our collector will call— y X and unless your subscription is paid we will be compelled •{• <j* to cut off your pgper which, of course, we do not want X •£ to do. X X We, as publishers, 'MUST comply with the law or | ? pay the penalty. & URGES NEGROES TO TEST WHITE CHRISTIANITY New York.—(By the Associated Ne gro Press) A Negro audience in Har lem on Lincoln’s birthday was urged by William Montgomery Brown, de posed bishop of the Episcopal Church to go as a body to the largest and most wealthy white church in New York and take God to the church. His audience at first thought he was kid ding, but the ex-bishop assured them he was not and declared he would go along. “Go en masse to the best and most beautiful church in all the world,” he urged. “Go to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. When you enter the house of prayer, pray for the establishment there of the kingdom of God. You’ll find Bishop Manning there, and you may find God. Don’t be backward in associating with the millionaires there. Go down next Sunday and bring them the message of freedom, equality and fraternity.” Since Mr. Brown was put out of his church he has shown a very friend ly spirit toward Negroes. Many years 1 when he was bishop of Arkansas he' wrote books against them and denied them a pliJje in the white man’s heaven. His prejudice has been lost in his heresy. FRANK J. LIVERPOOL BURIED Masonic Hall was filled to over flowing last Saturday afternoon for the funeral of the late Frank J. Liver pool, who had been a resident of Omaha, for nearly forty years and a member of Rough Ashler Lodge, under whose auspices the funeral was held, for a like period. The music was in charge of Mrs. J. Alice Stew art, and consisted of the singing of “Rock of Ages" and other hymns by a selected choir; a duet and a solo by Mr. Levi Broomfield. Preceding the Masonic rites, the Rev. John Al bert Williams, rector of the Church of St. Philip the Deacon, read the Burial O-.ce of the Episcopal Church in-J eluding the committal. C. C. Dudley,® W. M. of Rough Ashler Lodge, assist ed by J. T. Saunders, S. W., and Dr. .1. VV. Scott, J. W., then took charge of the Masonic ceremonies. Resolu tions were read from Rough Ashler Lodge, the Joshua Kelly Consistory and Zaha Temple of the Mystic Shrine. Interment was at Forest Lawn. The j floral tributes were many and beau tiful. The set floral pieces were left on the grave and the other flowers were distributed among the hospitals. SAYS NEW NEGRO IS BOLSHEVIST Chicago.—(By the Associated Ne-I gro Press) In a lecture over WMAQ, the Daily News Radio Station in this! city, Prof. Robert E. Park of the Uni- 1 versity of Chicago, speaking of “The, Race Consciousness of the Negro”, declared that the “new Negro” was not only a radical, but in many cases | he was becoming bolshevistic. He i warned his radio audience that the Negro in America is becoming inti mate with and close to the other colored races of the world. BETTERED CONDITIONS IN HAITI Washington.—According to a re port made by Dr. W. W. Cumberland, Financial Adviser and General Re ceiver of Haiti, the trade in that Re public has experienced a gratifying improvement during the last three years. Similar increases in importations of textiles, says Dr. Cumberland, show that the population is more adequate ly clothed; while the large iricreases in imported foodstuffs show that the people are better fed and that the purchasing power of the population is expanding. It appears that from every point of view the finances and commerce of Haiti may be regarded in a prosper ous condition. Public funds have been devoted to constructive purposes waste has been reduced to a mini mum; the public debt has been com pletely funded; all arrears of interest and authorization have been liquidat ed, and, there is a gratifying excess of exports over imports. SENATE COMMITTEE HEARS ARGUMENT ANTI-LYNCH LAW National Advancement Association Secretary Gives Many Cogent Reasons for Passage of Bill FEDERAL PENAJ, MEASURE Necessary to Safeguard Honor of United States and to Be Invoked Only Where State Fails to Function Washington, D. C.—At a meeting of a sub-committee, appointed by the Committee on the Judiciary of the U. S. Senate, to hold a hearing on the McKinley-Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill, in the National Capitol on Tuesday, Feb. 16, James Weldon Johnson, secretary of the National Association for the Advancement of the Colored People, presented arguments for the enact ment of the measure into law. Mr. Johnson presented “Thirty Years of Lynching," with supplements to date, the first and only author itative compilation on the subject in this country, published by the N. A. A .C. P. Mr. Johnson cited a number of atrocities which took place in 1925, including the lynching of an insane Negro in Georgia; the burning alive of two men; and the lynching of Lindsey Coleman in Mississippi im mediately after a jury had acquitted him of the charge of murder. “The McKinley-Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill is not a force bill,” said Mr. John son, “not nearly as much so as the prohibition enactments. It is rather a federal penal measure which would operate only where States are unable or unwilling to act. “The nation surely cannot deem itself powerless to protect its citizens within its own borders. Lynchings are not limited to the Negroes. In fact, of the total of 3,559 persons lynched since 1889 no less than 722 were white.” Mr. Johnson pointed out that rape had never been first among the crimes alleged as provoking lynchings, and that less than one-fifth of the lynch ing victims had even been accused of rape, in addition to the fact that 90 women had been lynched. Declaring that the honor and safe ty of the United States were at stake Mr. Johnson said: “The United States is the only civilized, or uncivilized, spot on earth where a human being may be burned alive with immunity 1 think it sound to say that lynching is not simple murder. It is murder plus revolution and anarchy. It is murder plus flouting and overthrow and trampling underfoot of the pre rogatives of the courts.” Mr. Johnson asserted that Section I of the 14th Amendment assuring “equal protection of the laws” to all citizens, was the basis for the pro posed law: “It appears that this amendment was adopted for the spe cific purpose of meeting just such a contingency as this measure proposes to remedy, the securing to Negroes of the equal protection of the laws. And no one would contend for a moment that the victims of lynch law receive equal protection of the laws." TWO WIDOWS GRANTED CARNEGIE HERO MEDALS Pittsburgh, Pa.—(Preston News Service)—At a meeting of the Carn egie Hero Fund Commission here last week among the 29 acts of sacrifice recognized by the commission two race men were considered. Felix Hood, 110 Beach street, Fair mont. W. Va., attempted to save a mother and daughter from drowning at Fairmont, July 13, 1924. Hood's widow received $60 a month, with $2( additional for four children, and a bronze medal. Edgar C. Broyles, Okalona, Misa. died attempting to save a man from drowning at Kosciusko, Miss., July 17 1924. His widow received benefits of $70 monthly, and $10 additional for two children and a bronze medal.