\The Monitor mi
O NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
£ THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
pp $2.00 a Year—5 Cent, a Copy _OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, MAY 13, 1927 Vol. XII—No. 46 — Whole Number 616
r NEGRO REFUGEES LEFT IN DANGER
ti ____
BRUTAL NEGLECT .
CHARGED AGAINST
PLANTATIGN OWNERS
GOVERNOR’S HELP IS ASKED
Hundreds of Negroes’ Lives Imperil
ed When They Are Neglected
and Left in Flood
Area
Vicksburg, Miss.—Reports coining
from the city state that colored 'ref
fugees were left unaided with their
lives in peril near here due to the
action of plantation owners in the vi
cinity. Only providence prevented
scores from being drowned in the
raging torrents of the flood, it is
said.
2,000 Reported in Peril
The report declared, “more than
2,000 Mississippi colored workers
from the plantations between More
head and Inverness were in a des
perate situation Saturday.” The re
port was from Captain McClure, com
manding the refugee center at Green
wood, Miss.
The report went on to state that
the plantation owners refused to per
mit the national guard to move these
refugees out of the flood zone to a
point of safety.
Governor’s Aid Asked
Gen. Curtis Green, commander of
the Mississippi National Guard, in
vestigating and discovering the
plight of the refugees informed Gov
ernor Murphree of their perilous sit
uation .reporting that they were
housed in box cars like cattle and
that the flood waters were slowly ris
ing aroung them.
Sand Launches
On instruction from guard head
quarters, Captain McClue assembled
a fleet of small gas launches in the
vicinity of the concentration ready
to take off the refugees only when
the plantation owners gave their con
sent. Little could have been done
in handling the large number of peo
ple had the flood suddenly gone to
greater heights it is said, but the
crest of the high waters passed with
out submerging the site to u much
greater depth.
Danger of disease setting in the
crowded camp was declared imminent,
however, and the Red Cross workers
have interceded to remedy the con
ditions in spite of the .opposition of
plantation owners.
5,000 at Vicluburg
Vicksburg, Miss.—Over 5,000 col
ored persons were concentrated in
the refugee camp here it was an
nounced Sunday. These refugees are
under military control.
CITED FOR BRAVERY
Sergt. Isaac Bailey, retired, has re
ceived a certificate of the award of
the Silver Star Citation for bravery
while serving as sergeant of Troop B,
Tenth Calvary in the Spanish-Ameri
can War, in an engagement with the
enemy July 1, 1898. It will be re
membered that it was the famous
Tenth Calvary that saved the Rough
Riders under Col. Theodore Roose
velt at El Caney in 1898. Troop B
played an important part in that en
gagement.
Sergt. Bailey, who saw service on
the frontier, in the Phillipines and in
Cuba, who is very modest about his
exploits, was accounted one of the
bravest and most efficient non-com
missioned officers in the United
States army.
He has been a resident of Omaha
since his retirement about twenty
years ago and is the owner of an
attractive home at 2816 Pratt street,
where he and his cultured wife reside.
%
OLD FOLKS HOME ADDS
TO EXECUTIVE BOARD
The following members have been
(added to the Executive Board of the
Negro Christian Women’s Associa
tion Old Folks Home: Milton L.
Hunter, George W. Hibbler, Rev.
John H. Grant, Dr. Craig Morris and
Rev. Russel Taylor.
TWO COLORED GIRLS
MAKE HONOR SOCIETY
Scholarship, Service, Character Are
the Factors in Selecting
Year’s Membership in
Society
Last Thursday, in a general meet
ing in the school auditorium, Vice
Principal J. F. Woolery of Central
High school read the names of the
students admitted to the honor so
ciety for the year. This is considered
the highest award that the school can
give to lower classmen. Scholarship,
character and service are factors in
the award. A large number of Cen
tralites received this honor. Among
them were two colored students, Miss
Margaret Dallas, who was elected to
Gamma chapter of the Junior class,
and Miss Ollie Mattson, who was
chosen to membership in Epsilon
chapter of the Freshman class.
CHICAGO UNI HAS NEGRO
TENNIS TEAM CAPTAIN
Chicago, 111.—Richard Hudlin, bet
ter known perhaps, as “Dick” Hudlin,
j was elected captain of the 1927 ten
nis team of Chicago university here
Tuesday. Hudlin is well known in
collegiate tennis circles, having been
a member of the Maroon team for
three yean. He is equally as prom
inent in amateur tennis circles and
was last year one of the most formi
dable contenders for championship
honors.
CHfCAGO BOY WINS GOLD
MEDAL IN MUSIC CONTEST
Chicago, 111.—Spencer Odum, 13,
619 East Thirty-sixth street, Chicago,
is one of the gold medal prize win
; ners in the annual Greater Chicago’s
Children’s Piano Playing Tourna
ment. Spencer is one of the five in
his district, in the elimination con
test, and is now eligible to enter the
finals, when prizes aggregating $1,
500 will be distributed. Almost
16,000 Chicago children began in the
contest, and this little man, who is
regarded as almost a prodigy in mu
sic, came through the rigid test with
colors flying.
I -
OMAHA YOUNG PEOPLE
ATTEND FRAT DINNER
A party of young people went over
to Lincoln Saturday to attend the an
nual dinner dance of the Eta chapter
of the Kappa Alpha Si fraternity, and
returned Sunday afternoon. The
young men, members of the frat, who
were in the party, were Messrs. Ger
ald Adams, Mauranee James, Arthur |
McCaw, John G. Pegg, Weldom Solo
mon and Ray L. Williams, and the
young ladies were the Misses Louise
Decker, Myrtha James, Mae Mar
shall, Melva McCaw, Madeline and
Thelma Shipman, Ernestine Single
ton and Alma Webster.
WHITE MINISTER
IN NEGRO PULPIT
Cleveland, Ohio—Dr. Dan Bradley,
pastor of Pilgrim Congregational
Church (white) one of the largest
churches of the city of Cleveland,
lived up to his reputation as a friend
of the race, recently, when he took
his chorus of one hundred and twenty
voices with Prof. R. S. Bayham, his
well known organist and conducted
the services at Mount Zion Congrega
tional Temple in the heart of the col
ored district. Dr. Bradley is a grad
uate of Oberlin college, and is associ
ate moderator of the National Coun
cil of Congregational Churches.
WAITERS CELEBRATE
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
Philadelphia, Pa.—The Private
Waiters’ Social Aid association cele
brated its fiftieth anniversary, with a
dinner at the Knights of Pythias
Temple on Tuesday evening, April 19.
Samson G. Ware, vice president, act
ed as toastmaster. The Private Wait
ers is a chartered organization, hav
ing no connection with any similar
organization. The association has
been active in training men to be
first-class waiters.
EDITORIAL
What do you think the colored people should have in the
matter of positions and jobs under the city administration?”
we were asked the other day. Surely, a fair question and en
titled to a fair answer which we shall attempt to give.
Colored citizens constitute, according to the official census,
about six per cent of Omaha’s population. This makes the
ration about 17 to 1. This means that theer is one colored or
Negro American to every other seventeen residents. This does
not mean, however, that there are seventeen Caucasians or
white Americans to each Negro American resident, for there
are various race varieties composing this other ninety-four
per cent. Our special group constitutes one seventeenth of the
population. If, therefore, we were to base our demands upon
our ratio of population, alone, which would not be fair, be
cause there are other factors to be taken into consideration,
then it might be said that we are entitled to one-seventeenth
of the positions and jobs within the disposal of the city and
county government. But this should be discounted by other
factors such as our per capita wealth and proportion of tax
able property.
To claim that we represent one-seventeenth of the wealth
of the city or contribute this ratio of taxes is absurd. That we
are quite substantial contributors to the wealth of our city and
are relatively heavy taxpayers cannot be denied, but let us
make no extravagant claims which we most certainly cannot
substantiate.
However, when we take into consideration that fact that we
we are one-sixteenth of the population, and contribute our pro
portionate share in taxes and in the support of the public utili
ties, no fair-minded person will contend that 49 out^of a total
of 2,119 city employees, excluding those of the Board of Edu
cation is a fair and adequate representation o four group.
Forty-nine are all we have. Expressed in percentage it reads
.0023. This means two and three-tenths thousandths.
These forty-nine are distributed as follows:
Public Affairs Department, which includes
Water, Gas, Health, Library and City
CJerk Departments_> 1; total employees, 985
Fire Department_1 10; total employees, 316
Police Department_10; total employees, 273
Park Department--— 1; total employees, 97
Accounts Department-,—_ 6; total employees, 52
Street Department....____—18; total employees, 226
Public Improvements_ 3; total employees, 171
The Board of Education employs approximately 2,000. Of
this number there are 1,200 teachers. There is not ONE Ne
gro employed by the Board of Education.
We believe, therefore, that with becoming modesty we
should ask the employment of 30 of our people in the Public
Affairs Department. This would include one sanitary inspec
tor; a foreman and crew of laborers in the Gas Department and
in the Water Department; two clerks each or like employees
in the Gas, Water and Health Departments; two employees
in the Public Library and one in the City Clerk’s office. In
other words, instead of ONE we should have THIRTY employ
ees in the Public Affairs Department.
In the Park Department we should have at least three per
manent employees.
In the Public Improvements Department, we should have
one clerk, and two other employees, draughtsmen, or like posi
tion, or a total number of six instead of three.
In the other departments we are fairly well represented.
The Board of Education should give employment to at
least sixty of our people which would include teachers, clerks,
janitors and laborers. We ought to have eighteen teachers,
three or four clerks or stenographers, three janitors, and thirty
five other employees, such as mechanics and laborers.
An incredulous smile may curl the lips of some when they
read these demands, requests, suggestions or whatever, one
may wish to call them; but The Monitor challenges anyone
to deny that these requests are reasonable and just.
This is a specific answer to the question, “What do you
think the colored people should have in the matter of posi
tions and jobs?”
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER
ENTERTAINMENT AT
ST. PHILIP’S CHURCH
Eighty mothers and daughters en
joyed a delightful entertainment in
the Guild Room of the Church of St.
Philip the Deacon Thursday night,
in observance of Mother and Daugh
ter Week. Mrs. Craig Morris, who
was chairman, was ably assisted by
an efficient committee. The program
consisted of several songs, an excel
lent address by Mrs. L. E. Britt on
“Being a Mother,” in which she em
phasized the importance of study,
keeping mentally alert, and co-opera
tion with teachers by attendance up
on parent-teachers’ meetings; a
a thoughtful paper on “The Girl and
Her Mother,” by Miss Madeline Ship
man, in which she stressed compan
ionship, confidence and sympathy; a
joint recitation, “Mother,” by six lit
tle girls, Jacqueline and Norma Bul
lock, Mary Ellen Britt, Ethel Terrell,
Irene Harrold and Mary Heddy Wig
gins; and a side-splitting comedy,
“The Fatal Necklace,” by the Misses
Sylvia Adams, Lavina Scott, Celes
tine and Elaine Smith and Catherine
Williams, in which all the partici
pants displayed unusual dramatic
ability. Refreshments were served,
and all present were enthusiastic in
their praise of the successful affair.
AT THE PUBLIC MARKET
In the advertisement of M. Jacob
sen, the well-known fish merchant,
published in last week’s issue and
again in this a serious mistake was
made. It gave Mr. Jacobsen’s loca
tion as being with the “Central Mar
ket." Mr. Jacobsen is still with the
Public Market, 107 South Sixteenth
street, where he will be pleased to
serve his old customers and welcome
new ones.
GIRLS’ TEAMS WILL
PLAY BASEBALL
l _
The Girls’ Friendly Society of St.
Philip’s Episcopal church, and the
Girl Reserves of the North Side
Branch of the Y. W. C. A., each of
whom have a live team, will play a
game of baseball Saturday afternoon
on the municipal playground at 22nd
and Seward streets.
■The Omaha lodges of the Mosaic
Templars of America will fittingly
observe Founder’s Day with appro
priate services and exercises Sunday,
May 22nd, at Cleaves Temple, C. M.
E. church, Twenty-fifth and Decatur
streets at 2:30 p. m. All Mosaics
are expected and urged to attend
and the public is cordially invited to
be present.
THE CULTURAL CENTER
OBSERVES MOTHERS DAY
The Camp Fire Girls of the Cul
tural Center, Branch of the Social
Center, 2915 R street, South Side,
had their first observance of Mothers
Day in Bethel Baptist church last
Sunday afternoon. A large audience
was present and an interesting pro
gnUQ M amric, local cad Instrument
al, recitations and addresses was en
joyed by those present.
The program was as follows:
Processional, “What a Friend We
Have in Jesus,” G. R. and C. F. G.
Chorus, Camp Fire Group. Duet,
“Old Fashioned Mother,” Trudie and
Lu Helen Morgan. Prayer, For Moth
ers of the World, Mrs. Lovetta Busch.
Welcome to G. R. and C. F. G., Rosa
lie Oliver. Response, Gertrude Har
ris. Solo, “Mother O’ Mine,” Wilie
Liggins. Poem, Laura May Austin.
Double Quartette, Girl Reserves.
Poem, Alice Lydell. Duet, “That
Wonderful Mother of Mine,” Laura
Smith and Ernestine Love. Recita
tion, “My Mother,” Cecil Walls. Uke
lele Solo, “Silver Threads Among the
Gold,” Alice Lydell. Chorus, “Moth
er,” Six Juniors. “Mother’s Love,”
Mrs. Grace Hutten. Solo and Chor
us, “Songs My Mother Used to Sing,”
Casena Love and Others. “My Pal,”
a Daughter’s View of Mother, Miss
Ruth O. Collins. Double Quartette,
Girl Reserves. “Prayer for Daugh
ters and Sons of the World,” Mrs.
Jackson. Tributes to Mothers, Seven
Minutes, Audience. Offertory. The
Benediction. Recessional, “Blest Be
the Tie That Binds,” Girl Reserves
and Camp Fire Girls.
GREEN AGAIN HEADS
LOUISIANA PYTHIANS
Alexandria, La.—S. W. Green of
New Orleans, supreme chancellor of
the Knights of Pythias and grand
chancellor of the state of Louisiana,
has again been re-elected to head the
Pythians of Louisiana at the Grand
Lodge session just closed. The an
nual message showed 9,000 members
in Louisiana with assets over $600,
000 and no debts.
BLACK KU KLUX KLAN FAILS
Los Angeles, Cal.—Among the re
cent attempts to corral and contrdl a
majority of the Negro vote before the
election in May was a movement
started by the Ku Klux Klan to or
ganize Negroes into an order some
what similar to the Klan, aiming their
fight against Jews, Roman Catholics
and such candidates as did not meet
with their approval.
Of the large number of Negroes
approached, only 20 or 26 joined the
organization. Certain so-called re
forms were to be made through the
ballot and the usual furtherance of
the Negro’s interest was held out as
an inducement.
Knights of the Black Circle or some
such name was to be given the order
but the idea was so obnoxious to the
average intelligent Negro that those
who joined were ashamed to stay and
with the opposition and ridicule it
met the order died before election
day.
MORGAN COLLEGE GETS
$125,000 APPROPRIATION
—
Baltimore, Md.—May 6.—Through
a bill, which has just been signed by
Governor Ritchie, Morgan college
will receive an appropriation of
$126,000 to be used to build a new
science hall. The bill also provides i
for an increase of $10,000 in the
annual appropriation to the school.
WILL PRESENT PUPILS IN
PIANOFORTE RECITAL
Mrs. Florentine F. Pinkston will
present her pupils in a pianoforte re
cital at 3:30 Sunday afternoon, at
Hillside Presbyterian church, 30th
and Ohio streets. There will be two
contests by her advanced pupils, one
in which Dorothy Allen and Willa
Hayea will compete, and the other in
which Sarah Brown and Catherine
Williams will be the competitors.
The judges will be Miss Bernadine
Gilman and Mr. Karl Tuneberg. The
public is cordially invited.
NEGROES DONATE
FORDS TO PRESS
PROSECOTION
Seek Vindication of Race of Charge
of Crime that Resulted
in Race Riot on
March 18
PETITIONS CIRCULATED;
WHITE YOUTHS ACCUSED
Evidence Pointing Towards Guilt of
Whites in Ruse That Threw
Blame Upon Negro
Race
Coffeyville, Kans.—Vigorous and
unrelented demands for an investi
gation of the story of two white girls
of an attack upon them by three Ne
groes, which resulted in a race riot
here March 18, became more tense
here Tuesday when petitions were
circulated urging a sweeping grand
jury probe of the incident.
Demand Probe
Colored citizens of Coffeyville
have been the principal exponents of
the proposal that a searching inquiry
be made of the girls’ story. Colored
citizens, as well as whites, believe
that the assault upon the girls was
really committed by white youths,
! who blackened up so as to look like
Negroes and throw blame for the
I crime upon the race. Negroes are
I urging the investigation because they
■ feel that it will mean a vindication
of the members of the race.
Nearly a thousand dollars has been
raised by the colored inhabitants of
Coffeyville to help push the prosecu
tion in the case.
Name Prominent White Youth*
Members of prominent white fam
ilies and some officials have been
named in connection with the crime.
At one time a local minister an
nounced that he would reveal the
facts in a sermon the next Suhday,
but when that day came nothing was
said about it. Although many Ne
gro suspects have been brought be
fore the girls none of them has been
identified by the two as their assail
ants.
It has been pointed out by authori
ties that all things indicate that the
attack might have been committed by
whites. One of the most convincing
evidences was the finding of soot
smeared on the bed clothes in the
girls’ room. It has also been pointed
out that the alleged attack occurred
in the girls’ room sometime before
dawn and that they would have hard
ly been able to distinguish blackened
faces of white youths from Negroes.
Law Takes Little Action
Last week three colored persons,
who were injured by the rioters, filed
damage suits amounting to $35,000.
Warrants were served against per
sons said to have participated in the
riot, but most of those who were ar
rested have ben released and none
has been sentenced.
SOUTH MUST SOLVE RACE
PROBLEM, SAYS ALEXANDER
Nashville, Tenn.—The practice of
“the brotherhood gospel” in addition
to the preaching of it was advocated
as a means of solving the race prob
lem, by Dr. Will W. Alexander, of
the Southern Inter-racial Commission,
in addressing 240 country ministers
and religious workers here Tuesday.
Dr. Alexander, who received the
Harmon award for his work in de
veloping a more friendly attitude be
tween the races, declared that the
Protestant church and the South must
do something definite in the solution
of the problem and in promoting the
brotherhood gospel, and urged the re
awakening of the spirit of democracy
that existed during the great World
War. “The old cries,” said Dr. Alex
ander, “of self-determination, the
right of the minorities and the slogan
of make the world safe for democ
racy have dimmed in our minds. We
fought and bled and died for these
things and then on November 11th,
1918, democracy died.”
__________
Mr. A. L. Rouhlac of Los Angeles,
Cal., enroute to Florida, is visiting
his sons, William and Robert.
