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m the Monitor m
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NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
' THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
$K00 » ” ar—5 Ccnta a Copy __OMAHA. NEBRASKA, NOVEMBER 26, 1926 Vol. XII.—No. 22 Whole Number 592
S 'OTH INDIGNANT OVER LYNCHING
5
Even Southerners Moved to
Denounce Merciless Murder
Columbia, S. C.—The State Inter
racial Committee, in session here, went
on record with a figorous denuncia
tion of mob violence, the Aiken lynch
ing in particular, and earnestly urg
ed the Governor and other officers
to press the investigation o ftho case
and apprehend and punish the guilty
persons. The resolutions, which were
adopted by unanimous vote, were as
follows:
“Resolved, that the State Interra
cial Committee at its annual meeting
assembled, deplores this crime against
the good order of the government
(the Aiken lynching), this merciless
murder of the defenseless, and this
fostering of hate against a race that
should have only the good will and
protection of our citizenry; and be it
“Resolved, that the officers of the
law be urged to pursue steadily and
swiftly the members of the mob that
committed this foul crime and to bring
them to the bar of justice, and that
the Governor of Sohth Carolina be
requested to press steadily his inves
tigations to apprehend the guilty per
sons; and be it
“Resolved, that the Columbia Rec
ord, the Columbia State, and the other
newspapers of this and other states
which have stirred the public con
science against this terrible wrong,
be commended and thanked for their
skillful and effective services for the
common good; and be it finally
“Resolved, that we shall stand by
any persons or groups that seek to
banish the evil of lynching from South
Caorlfna, and that we hereby tender
to them any services that we may
render."
The resolutions adopted arc in line
with the demand for a thorough in
vestigation of the lynching made at
the time by Mrs. C. P. McGowan,
chairman, and other members of the
Committee. Meantime an investiga
tion has been inaugurated by the Gov.
ornor and has been going on for some
weeks, but so far no arrests have
I been reported.
GEORGIA IMPOSES
HEAVY SENTENCES ON
CONVICTED LYNCHERS
* - ■
Nine Members of Mob Who Lynch
ed a White Man Are Given
Terms in Penitentiary
Douglas, Ga.—A notable victory
in the warfare against lynching was
scored in Superior Court here last
Tuesday when nine men admitteed
guilt in the lynching of Dave Wright
on August 27th, and were sentenced
to the penitentiary. Major Brown,
alleged leader of the mob, was given
a life sentence; the other eight re
ceived sentences ranging from four !
to twenty years. Three others ac
cused of the same crime plead not
guilty and are being placed on trial,
while four more who are under in
dictment are being sought by the of
ficers.
General satisfaction with the ver
dict is expressed, both here and over
the State. Judge Harry Reed, who
had jurisdiction in the case, the
grand jury which returned the in
dictments, the county sheriff, and
other court officials are being high
ly commended for their prompt and
vigorous handling of the ease, in
spite of threats and attempted in
timidation In pronouncing the sen
tence*, Judge Reed declared:
"Lynching is a menace to the
rights and liberties of the Ameri
can individual, and should be so re
gal ded by every intelligent commun
ity. It is as much out of place in
our modern civilization as would be
the burning of witches.” Judge
Reed said further that the sentiment
of Coffey County was entirely
against the members of the mob,
even before they had been appre
hended, and that the intelligent peo
ple of Georgia in general are “bit
terly' opposed to lynching in any
form.”
Commenting favorably on the case
undeer the caption “‘Dawn of a New
Day,” the Atlanta Constitution says:
“Coffee County has not only vindi
cated itself in the Dave Wright
lynching, but it has vindicated Geor
gia. The result . . . will have
a marked effect throughout the en
tire State. It will serve as a whole
some deterrent against future de
fiance of law and order and consti
tuted society by organized bands of
night-riding murderers. This vindi
cation of justice and decency in Cof
fee County marks the dawn of a new
day in Georgia, and puts the whole
State under obligation to Harry
Reed, the fearless judge who has
done more in this instance to protect
the good name of the State than has
been done by any other man in
Georgia in many a year.”
SUBSCRIBE $50,000 FOR
NEW COLORED HOSPITAL
New Orlans, La.—Approximately
sixty thousand dollars have been sub
scribed to the proposed new color
ed hospital, and more is needed.
Many white business firms are listed
among the donors.
WILLIAM PICKENS
FELLOW PASSENGER
WITH QUEEN MARIE
New York, N. Y.—William Pick
ens, contributing editor of the As
sociated Negro Press, sailed for Eu
rope on the Bercngaria, Cunard lin
er, Wednesday, November 24, from
Wharf No. 56, this city. It is a six
day steamer and should reach South
hampton, England, by December 1.
Mr. Pickens will first deliver a series
of lectures in England and Scotland
and then visit Germany and other
continental points, attending the
Brussels Conference, which is his
chief objective, in January.
Due to the change in the plans of
Queen Marie of Roumania, she also
has secured reservations on the Be
renguria, and sailed on Wednesday.
It is the hope of the Associated Ne
gro Press that Mr. Pickeens may be
able to interview her for the color
ed papers, and a letter requesting
this privilege was dispatched to the
queen on board the Berengaria
Mr. Pickens expects to return by
mid-February, to speak on Sunday
afternoon, February 13th, at the an
nual inter-racial meetings of the Y.
W. C. A. in Jersey City, on “Com
mon Interest of White and Black”; at
the Community Forum of the John
Haynes Holmes Church in New York
City, the night of the 13th„ on “Ab
raham Lincoln, Man and Statesman,”
and to be entertained by The Sun
rise Club of New York City on Mon
day night, Feberuary 14th, when he
will speak on “Sex—The Crux of
the American Race Problem.”
While abroad, Mr. Pickens will
write a series of his brilliant arti
cles which will appear in some of
the membership papers of the Asso
ciated Negro Press.
HONOR MEMORY OF
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
Philadelphia, Pa.—The Tuskegee
Club of Philadelphia held memorial
services at the First African Baptist
Church in honor of the late Booker
T. Washington, founder and first
principal of Tuskegee Normal and
Industrial Institute. Gustave Auzone,
president of the Tuskegee Club of
Philadelphia, presided and introduced
the speakers.
HILLSIDE ATHLETIC CLUB
The Hillside Athletic club, of which
Charles W. Dickerson is president,
meets Monday nights at Hillside gym-1
nasium, Thirtieth and Ohio streets.
A woman’s division has been organ
ized and will meet Friday nights. The
gymnasium is beihg gradually equip
ped. Volleyball and basketball are
now being played by girls’ teams and
boys' teams.
The Community Chest gives the Com
munity a soul and God Knows she needs it.
*
EDITORIAL
Are you a reactionary or a progressive? You must be one
or the other. Which are you?
A reactionary is one who believes in and favors or strives to
promote reaction or turning back to old customs, old principles,
old viewpoints, old prejudices, political, religious, social or other.
Specifically, a reactionary is one who endeavors to check, undo or
reverse political and social progress. He is a holdbacker, a stand
patter.
A progressive is one who believes that new occasions teach
new duties; one who favors advancing, going forward; one who
believes in going on to new viewpoints, in ascending heights where
he may have a clearer and a broader vision, one who strives to
promote political and social advancement. He is a go-aheader, a
mover
There are those among our own group, and we are quite sure
they are in the majority, who are standpatters and reactionaries.
These accept the traditional view, a legacy from the days of
slavery which we have, by no means, yet outgrown, that the
Negro is, inherently and therefore of necessity, inferior to the
Caucasian, and must accept the status and place, cheerfully and
uncomplainingly, to which the “superior race” assign him. They
willingly and hopelessly submit to the caste system, imposed by
the old slave oligarchy with all its limitations, restrictions and
discriminations, and transplanted, modified somewhat but of the
same species, to northern communities. Such a viewpoint, such a
philosophy regards progress and advancement. It isolates and
isolation means ultimately stunted growth if not extinction.
Touching our national relationship, it excludes us therefrom. We
are not citizens. We are in America, but not of America. This
is the logical and inevitable issue if our people accept the reac
tioanry view which so many unfortunately do.
Among white Americans, many of whom really and sincerely
want to be friends of our people and who have our success at
heart, are controlled by this reactionary philosophy. Their^pro
gram for tKe Negro is separateness in all things. These, like re
actionaries among our own group, believe in separate schools,
separate playgrounds, separate churches, separate parks, separate
agencies of all kinds, and why not? a separate Heaven and a sep
arate Hell. Nothing like being logical, you know. This is based up
on the old caste spirit which is directly contrary to the ideals of
America. It proclaims that the black man who was born here,
contributed of his brawn and brain to develop the resources of
the country, and who has shed his blood to defend it, is in Amer
ica—a thing apart—but not of America.
That the reactionary philosophy and program is not work
able is being demonstrated in an unlooked for quarter. For years
the South, the seat of the caste system, acted upon the theory
that the white people alone knew what was best for the black
people of that section. The black man was not considered com
petent to speak on questions concerning himself. He was not
consulted. The result was increasing friction, ill-will and mis
understanding. An unheard of thing came to pass. Some pro
gressives advised inviting intelligent Negroes to sit in conference
with intelligent whites. The result was the formation of inter
racial committees which have done much to improve conditions.
The reactionary theory of absolute separateness, at least insofar
as meeting and conferring together on terms of equailty, has been
punctured.
Reactionaries cannot stop the wheels of social or political
progress. If America is to endure she can tolerate no caste or
class system. Those who oppose the reactionary policy which
would reduce the colored American to a fixed caste are actuated
by the highest patriotic motives and who believe that America will
only assume her rightful place among the nations of the earth
when she regards all her citizens, irrespective of their ancestry
or religious beliefs, as Americans, entitled to enjoy all the rights
and privileges and to share all the responsibilities of Americans.
Negro Americans must rid themselves of the slave-mind, or
the inferiority-complex, of the idea that they must accept a semi
American citizenship and feel themselves and prove themselves
to be with all its rights and immunities full American citizens.
And white Americans, who believe in America, must accept and
treat the black American as an American demanding for him as
an American the same rights and immunities as they themselves
| enjoy.
SOUTHERN SENATORS
IN STOLEN SEATS
WILL RECEIVE SHOCK
The Fight Against Seating Vare and
Smith on Charges of Political
Expenditures Will Rnise
Another Issue.
Washington, D. C.—The fight
against seating Senator-elect Vare of
Pennysylvania and Senator-e 1 e c t
Frank L. Smith of Illinois, which is
being planned by United States Sena
tors of the Progressive and Demo
cratic parties, took on a new angle
here last week when the question of
the legality of the election of Demo
cratic senators in the South was
raised.
The Southern Senators, who are
taking such an active part in the
plan to deny Vare and Smith seats in
the United States Senate, are elect
ed in primaries from which Negro
citizens are excluded and, elections
in which if Negroes vote their vote
is not counted. Political leaders,
throughout the North and Middlewest
are pointing to this practice as il
legal and are asking “which Sena
tor is more undesirable, the one who
is elected by huge expenditures, or the
one by the disfranchisemenjt bf a
group of citizens on account of race
and color."
These leaders are referring to the
fact that alleged expenditures that
have "tainted Vare and Smith” were
made in the primaries and made public
long before the elections, yet the vot
ers elected them by large majorities,
but in the South only a portion of the
citizens are permitted to exercise their
rights of citizenship and that South
ern Democratic Senators are elected
by this group.
Thus it is apparent that if the
seating of Vare and Smith is contest
ed, the fight will become more com
plicaed with the entrance of the il
legality of Southern Democratic is.
sue.
Los Angeles, Cal.—Completed at
the cost of nearly $200,000, the
beautiful Y. M. C. A. building here
was dedicated Sunday with impres
sive ceremonies. The Spanish mo
tif is carried throughout both the ex
terior and interior of the structure,
the roof being red tile, the facings
blue and white stone. There is a
roomy convertible "gym” and a
beautiful swimming pool in white
tile. The building is of four stories
with a large number of well furnish
ed rooms and fills a long felt want
in the community.
Wide Difference In Money
Spent for Racial Education
New York, Nov. 19.—The Christ
mas “Crisis,” out this week, pub
lishes the second article on Mississip
pi, in the series of surveys under
taken by Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois on
the Negro Common Schools in the
Southern States, pursuant to the
gift of $5,000, made by the Garland
Fund for this purpose. The first
article, on education in Georgia,
has already - been published. The
article published this month, shows
glaring discrepancies in the amounts
spent on Negro and white schools in
Mississippi, the figures given for a
number of typical counties being as
foollows:
County White Colored
Amite -...$13,64 $2.50
Bolivar _ 43.33 2.26
Coahoma _ 42.85 3.21
Noxubee - 31.65 3.00
Washington _ 43.09 2.97
Tunica- 63.12 4.40
Warren- 44.60 2.03
In Mississippi, according to The
Crisis report, there is no provision
for the colored blind children. In
many counties Negro teachers re
ceive less than one-third of the sal
ary paid to whites, the Negro teach
ers’ salaries in some Mississippi
counties being as low as $20.13 a
month. Although the whites have
voted themselves consolidated rural
schools, with up-to-date buildings
and equipment valued at $9,461,601,
there is not one such school for Ne
groes in the state. The state has
spent for white teachers' homes
$729,750, and not one cent for Ne
groes’ homes. Many Mississippi
counties are reported to run their
Negro schools for only four months
in the year, although in the same
counties may be found consolidated
rural schools for whites running nine
months. For the only colored col
lege in -the state, the legislature de
clined to make an appropriation of
$100,000 to meet an offer of a simi
lar sum from a benevolent organiza
tion, although the legislature recent
ly appropriated about $5,000,000 for
the white colleges of the state.
The Crisis announces that the next
article in the series, on Negro Com
mon Schools in North Carolina, will
be published in the February num
ber. In the Christmas number, be
sides the article on Schools in Mis
sissippi, there is a detailed account
of the funds received by The Crisis
from the Garland Fund. Other fea
tures include: A first prize poem
by Arna Bontemps; “Thoughts in a
Zoo”; the second prize poem by
Countee Cullen; a review of “Nigger
Heaven”; “The Shambles of South
Carolina,” by Walter White; “The
Swamp Moccasin,” a prize story by
John F. Matheus; and poems by E.
Ralph Cheyney, and Edna Lou Wal
ton.
WOMEN’S CLUB PLANS
$50,000 HOME IN CAPITOL
Washington, D. C.—The plans of
the National Association of Colored
Women’s Clubs to place their na
tional home and headquarters at
Washington, D. C. are being quietly
developed by President Mary Mc
Leod Bethune, with every prospect
that by the time of the next bien
nial the headquarters will be ready
for dedication. The growing import
ance of the National Association in
the affairs of the race and the na
tion, coupled with the fact that prac
tically all other important organi
zations of national caliber, including
the National Association of Women’s
Clubs (white) have headquarters in
Washington, led the women’s clubs
to determine upon a home in the
capitol, from which should radiate
out to all sections of the country the
results of their work and influence.
The splendid achievement of the
Association in saving and rehabiliat
ing the Frederick Douglas Home in
Anacostia led many of the delegates
to the last session to suggest it as
the permanent headquarters. Its in
accessibility, however, as was point
eed out by Mrs. Bethue, led to the
decision to place it in Washington
proper, and the president was em
powered to proceed to secure the
building and equipment within a
limitation of $60,000.
THE LADY FROM LOUISIANA
DECLARED THE FAVORITE
The Tea given by the General Ed
ucation Committee Friday afternoon,
November 19, brought to a close the
friendly contest in which Mrs. Viola
Cole, the Lady from Louisiana, and
Mrs. Hattie Hawkins, the Lady from
Tennessee, were engaged.
The reception room was very
beautifully decorated with ferns. A
large basket of lovely orange col
ored flowers and autumn leaves as
the center piece surrounded with or
ange colored candles in tall candle
sticks, added to the beauty of the
table. With the approach of early
back an unusually cheerful scene.
Delicious refreshments were served
to the many friends that were in and
out during the afternoon.
At six o'clock, Mrs. Viola Cole,
having brought in the highest amount
vorite. She was presented with a
lovely picture of the Rheims Cathe
dral; the second gift, one of Nut
ting’s pretty pictures, was given to
Mrs. Hattie Hawkins. Mrs. Cole was
very grateful to all those who help
ed her to be declared the Favorite.
This affair, being primarly a fi
nancial effort, was a success.
GIVE TO THE COMMUNITY CHEST.
JUDGE GRANTS NEW TRIAL;
DENOUNCES “WATER CURE”
Jackson, Miss.—John Fisher, Coa
choma County, sentenced to be hanged
for the murder of Grover C. Nichols, a
white man, has been granted a new
trial by the Mississippi supreme court
which reversed the action of the Cir
cuit Court or permitting the intro
duction of a confession extorted from
the prisoner in violation of the con
stitution. The court denounced the
‘water cure”, a species of torture
well known in the south. This con
sists of pouring water into the nose
of a man to force a confession. Rea
ford Leonard was the next to be tried
for the crime; and received a sen
tence for life in the state penitentiary.
Lindsay Coleman, the third man to go
on trial was found not guilty by a
jury at Clarksdale and within thirty
minutes after the trial was taken
from the officers and lynched.
CHURCH OF ST. PHILIP THE
DEACON
Despite the inclement weather a
large congregation was present last
Sunday morning at the 11 o’clock ser
vice. Following the service a pleasant
social hour was spent in the Guild
Rooms at which sandwiches and cofee
were served by a committee of ladies
of the parish under the joint chair
manship of Mesdames W. B. and Chas.
T. Smith, and S. B. Canty.
Next Sunday being the first Sunday
in Advent there will be special Ad
vent services and music at the usual
hours, 7:30, 10:00 and 11:00 a. m.
and 8 p. m.
CARVE NEGRO TO DEATH
Bonnetsville, S. C.—Legrand Jack
son and J. T. Nolan, two white men,
are being sought by country police
for the murder of Eddie Gadson, a
rigger for the Schofield Carolina
Lumber Company. One of the men
is said to have held Gadsen while the
other took a knife and stabbed him
twelve times.
THE FISK SINGERS WIN
FAVOR IN PARIS
Nashville, Tenn.—According to a
message just reaching here, more
than 35,000 francs profit was real
ized in a concert given by the Fiek
Singers in Paris, France, on the
night of November 10.
Weldon Solomon starred in the So.
Dakota-Creighton game last Friday,
making 68 of the 123 yards gained
by Creighton.
COMMUNITY CHEST FINANCIAL
CAMPAIGN, NOVEMBER 15 TO 22.