13r The Monitor m
s ^
e o NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
_ j 5- THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
$2.00 a Year—8 Cent, a Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 1927 Vol. XIII—No. 7 Whole Number 629
^ ' —
Omaha Man Official of Bar Association
VIRGINIA S “RACE INTEGRITY” LAW
DISTURBANCE TO BEST FAMILIES
New York, N. Y.—Virginia’s “ra
cial integrity” law, enacted in 1924,
is making trouble for some of the
“Best families” of the state, accord
ing to a special dispatch to the New
York World. Richmond is now forc
ed to establish a special school for
fifty or more small children who
have been barred from white schools
on the ground that they have Ameri
can Indian ancestry and their par
ents refuse to send them to Negro
schools.
Dr. W. A. Plecker, State Regis
trar of Vital Statistics, who was dis
missed from a position he held under
the U. S. Department of Labor after
complaint had been made of his anti
Negro propaganda by the National
Association for the Advancement of
Colored People, is backing the opin
ion of the state authorities that con
fession of Indian ancestry in Vir-1
ginia is equivalent to admission of j
Negro ancestry. The World dispatch
continues:
“Families with a noticeable
strain of Negro blood first were
barred from the white schools.
In many cases it was necessary to
eject children who had almost com
pleted their education in the white
public schools—sons and daugh
ters of parents who always had
considered themselves ‘white.’
“Parents of such children had
no choice but to send them to
Negro schools. Only few of them
did so. The others kept their boys
and girls home, trying vainly to
explain why. Embarrassment in
volved a score of families and gave
Richmond a bitter lesson in mis
cegenation.
“The parents besieged school
authorities in their misery and won
their complete sympathy. But the
city school board could do nothing
for them. And when a desperate
mother charged favoritism and in
GREAT MATHEMATICIAN
VISITS OMAHA FRIENDS
Negro Calculator Who Is Reputed to
Have Beaten Adding Machine
Spends Few Days
Here
Charles W. Cansler, principal of
the Colored High School of Knox
ville, Tenn., accompanied by his wife,
arrived in Omaha Monday from Den
ver, enroute to their home, and were
the guests of the Rev. and Mrs.
Charles H. Trusty, pastor of Hillside
Presbyterian church, for a few days.
Professor Cansler has an interna
tional reputation as a mathematician
and lightning calculator. He gained
prominece in this line some ten years
ago in Knoxville, when a contest was
staged between him and an adding
machine operated by an expert. Mr.
Cansler beat the adding machine.
He adds four columns of figures
at one time, and multiplies figures of
five digits. He has been frequently
called upon to demonstrate his ability
in this line. He is a graduate of
Marysville College, Murysvills, Tenn.,
and for seventeen years has been
principal of the Colored High School
in Knoxville.
PHYSICIAN LEAVES FOR
THREE MONTHS’ VISIT
TO BERLIN AND PARIS
Dr. J. Wesley Jones Will Attend n
Courie of Lecture* at the
University of Berlin
in Germany
Dr. J. Wesley Jones left Monday
night for New York, whence he sails
Saturday on the Celtic for Europe.
He goes first to Paris and then to
Berlin, where he plans to attend a
course of lectures in surgery at the
University of Berlin. He will return
to Paris to attend the American Le
gion convention, to which he is an
alternate delegate from Nebraska.
He expects to be absent for three
months, spending most of his time in
stody while abroad.
formed upon her brothers and sis
ters and cousins, the authorities
that no one would have thought
them other than pure Caucasian.
“Several of the families affected
were forced to eject their children
also from the white schools. Some
of the children, shown by records
to have Negro blood were so white
had been proud of their Indian
blood until the racial integrity
agitation disclosed beyond reason
able doubt that practically no Vir
ginia Indian blood subsequent to
1800 remained free from a pro
nounced Negroid strain.
“Indian reservations for more
than 100 years furnished refuge
for runaway slaves and hospitality
to freed Negroes. The black and
red races in most of Virginia be
came inextricably mixed. And
inevitably the white mixed with
the red and black to produce chil
dren with clear features, aquiline
noses and straight Indian hair.
“Many of these children became
handsome men and beautiful
women. They left the reservation
and came to the city years ago.
Their children were more white
than they. And the children of
the third and fourth generation
took their places with the whites
and in many cases have become
valuable citizens with considerable
property.
“Some of these families will
send their children to private
schools in the north, determined
that they shall keep their status
as Caucasians. The Richmond
school board, with the help of the
state board of education, is to es
tablish a special school for the
others in September. There are
enough of them to establish a lit
tle borderline colony composed of
people neither white, red nor
black.”
ALABAMA COURTS AND
GRAND LODGE UPHOLD
K. OF P. OFFICERS
_ !
Birmingham, Ala.— (By Staff Cor
respondent of the Associated Negro
Press)—The courts of Alabama and
the state grand lodge of the Knights
of Pythias upheld and stood by the
officers of the order, who were
charged with wasting funds of the
order by a group of malcontents, who
sought to have the order in the hunds
of a receivership.
The grand lodge was the first to
render its decision and the courts
followed closely in its wake. The
grand lodge at its recent session,
passed resolutions commending the
progress of the organization under
the leadership of R. A. Blount, who
has served as grand chancellor for a
period of 27 years, and the manner
in which the funds were handled by
Dr. U. G. Mason, whose reports
showed that the order had more than
$000,000 in assets with only $17,
000.00 worth of liabilities, “a most
healthy condition,” as one of the “sir
knights” put it.
Concerning the expenditures of
funds, which seemed to be the real
bone of contention, the grand lodge
went on record to the effect that “we
do hereby authorize, approve and rat
ify and confirm every expenditure
heretofore at any time made by the
constituted officers, board members
and other agents of this order, as
fully as if each such item of expen
diture were herein set out, and all
officers, board members and other
agents of this order are hereby joint
ly and severally forever relieved and
released from all liability to this or
der for or on account of any such
expenditure.” This constitutes the
answer of the grand lodge to the
charges.
Milan, Italy, will hear Florence
Cole-Ttalbert, coloratura soprano, in
the fall, in the opera "Africana."
Mrs. Talbert is at present studying
this role, after having just returned
from a month’s vacation in Paris.
EDITORIAL
It is greatly regretted that our self-respecting and well
behaved citizens of color are becoming so frequently subjected
to embarrassing discrimination in most unlooked for places.
If this custom continues to grow it may result in serious con
sequences for the reason that sometime some hot-headed per
son, smarting under unnecessary and unprovoked insult, may
resort to physical violence, the outcome of which may be very
serious indeed. We hope it may never come to this; but such
is neither a remote nor improbable possibility. Our people are
to be commended for their self-restraint under some very ex
asperating circumstances and we sincerely hope that they will
always manifest this strength of character, as it will prove most
advantageous in the long run. Physical force is only justifiable
in repelling an attack upon one’s person, or in defending some
one from violence. Our chief defense against discrimination,
as we have fre quently said, is the law, which should be invoked
whenever necessary and the boycott where the law will not
apply.
We believe that the average white citizen of Omaha has
sense enough to know that when a colored person desires, for
example, to purchase a glass of soda water, or root beer, or
even a meal, he is not seeking “social equality,” a much-mal
igned and misunderstood term* or “trying to force himself
upon white people,” some of whom would not be flattered if
they knew the real opinion of the colored brother concerning
them. He is simply seeking to slake his thirst or satisfy his
hunger and he naturally goes to such “places of public accom
modation” as are provided for “the public” as he is a part of
“the public,” despite the disposition to deny that he is. He
has no thought of the white patron, nor does he seek an intro
duction to him, and it is safe to’say that in ninety-eight cases
out of every one hundred the average white patron pays no
attention to him.
If our people went in large numbers at any one time to
any one place, ol course their presence would be noticeable
and no doubt objectionable, sentiment being what it is. If,
loo, such patrons were unkempt, dirty, boisterous or ill-behaved
this would be valid ground for objection. But these are not the
conditions that obtain. Our people, cleanly in dress and gen
teel in manners, going as they do one or two at a time, here and
there, it is safe to conjecture that very, very few even notice
their presence, or objet to it. Of course, now and then, some
cheap snob, considers it his business to object, but if the man
ager or proprietor politely but firmly informs this impertinent
objector that he is catering to the public and is capable of run
ning his own business that will generally end the matter. We
know personally two or three cases where proprietors took
this stand and they did not lose patronage either.
That our contention here is sound is proven by the fact
that several places where they do not “draw the color line”
and courteously serve the public, the presence of colored pa
trons causes no comment. We say this advisedly as based upon
experience and observation.
The chief point we desire to make at this time is, that pro
prietors of public places, who are placing themselves in the
position of law-breakers by denying «itizens certain accommo
dations to which they as part of the public are legally entitled
for fear that it will seriously injure their business, have over
estimated the strength and numbers of the objectors. They,
as a matter of fact, are negligible. And further, that the em
barrassment to which those who follow this policy are sub
jecting self-respecting colored citizens will undoubtedly lead
to lawsuits and bad feeling and perhaps to more disastrous
results.
Privileges denied are coveted. Privileges freely granted
are rarely abused.
THE REV. E. H. HILSON
l
Formerly of Texarkana, Tex., who has recently become pastor of Salem
Baptist Church, Twenty-t bird and Clark Streets.
NATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION
MEETS AT ST. LOUIS; OMAHA
RACE MAN IS HONORED
The National Bar Association held
its third annual session at St. Louis,
Mo., August 3, 4, and 5. The meet
ing was convened in the palatial
“People’s Auditorium and Roof Gar
dens” on the fifth and sixth floors
of the Finance Building at St. Louis.
The Hon. C. H. Calloway called the
meeting to order at 10 a. m., August
4th, and introduced Father D. R.
Clark, rector of All Saints Episcopal
Church for the invocation. The roll
call reflected a membership of 200
covering 26 states and the Insular
possessions of our federal govern
ment. The membership of the Na
tional Bar Association is inter-racial.
The association, as reflected by the
addresses delivered, might be regard
ed as: that group of American law
yers irrespecitve of race, opposed to
any phase of legal discrimination and
determined to maintain a proper in
terpretation and application of the
principles of the constitution of the
United States of America.
The addresses were assigned to in
dividuals and commissions at preced
ing sessions and therefore constitute
a worth-while study on the subjects
presented. There were delegates at
tending from Central America. The
Hon. J. J. Bruce of Muskogee, Okla.,
presented a study on “The Dissipa
tion of the Estate of Minors in the
State of Oklahoma;” the Hon. T. W.
Bell of Leavenworth, Kansas, pre
sented a study on “The Writ of Ha
beas Corpus;” the Hon. L. Amassa
Knox, of Kansas City, Mo., presented
a study on “Interstate Commerce;”
the Hon. C. Francis Stratford of
Chicago, 111., presented a study on
“How Is Discriminative Legislation
to Be Repealed;” the Hon. S. E. Gar
ner of St. Louis, Mo., presented a
study on “The Workman’s Compen
sation Acts;” the Hon. George H.
Woodson of Des Moines, la., presi
dent emeritus, presented a study on
“The Purpose of the National Bar
Association.” These addresses were
all briefed up so as to reflect the
error and the method of correction
of and for those decisions which side
step or uphold discriminatory meth
ods and legislation against any class
of American people.
St. Louis overdid itself in the the
entertainment of the National Bar
Association. The week was fraught
with drives, dinners and banquets.
Perhaps the most outstanding fea
ture of the entertainment of the As
sociation was the banquet tendered
by Mrs. Malone of the Poro college
and the dinner dance by the Harland
State Bar Association and the Mound
City Bar Association in honor of the
National President and the visiting
members of the National Bar.
Two exceptional honors were con
ferred upon Omaha. The Honorable
John Adams, eminent as a high
Churchman in the African Methodist
connection and strongly mentioned
for the Episcopacy in that body, was
elected vice-president of the National
Bar and assigned to the commission
on “How to Attack the Jim Crow
System of the South.” The task of
this commission is regarded as the
most vital work of the association
during the present fiscal year. The
National Bar met as the guests of
the Harland and Mound City Bar
Association of the state of Missouri
and the city of St. Louis. The meet
ing adjourned to hold its next session
at Chicago, 111., August 3rd, 1928.
The Hon. Homer G. Phillips of the
St. Louis Bar was elected national
president.
FISK REGISTRAR RETIRES
Nashville, Tenn.—Dr. S. W. and
Mrs. Minnie Lou Crosswaite, after
devoting 48 years of their lives to
the teaching of the youth of their
race have retired. They were the
first Negroes to be appointed by the
board of education in this city. That
was in 1879.
Mrs. Crosswaite has served as reg
istrar of Fisk university for the last
17 years, and Dr. Crosswaite has
taught in the public schools.
Bo honest. Pay your subscription
duo Tho Monitor.
WOMAN IS FOONDEN
AND PRESIDENT OF
OLDEST NEGRO DANK
Mr*. Maggie L. Walker Has Demon
strated What Women of Ability
Can Accomplish in Execu
tive Capacity
Richmond, Va.—(A. N. P.)—Ne
gro women of today are doing things.
The approaching 60th anniversary
celebration of the founding of the
Independent Order of St. Luke,
.which is to be held here August 15
j 18, aside from being an appreciation
of that famous organization’s accom
plishments is equally a tribute to the
remarkable career of its head and
guiding genius, a woman, Maggie L.
Walker.
Mrs. Walker is executive secretary
of the Independent Order of St.
Luke, a member of the board of di
rectors of the National Association
Copyright. A. N. P.
MRS. MAGGIE L. WALKER
for the Advancement of Colored Peo
ple, vice president of the National
Association of Colored Women’s
Clubs, a trustee of the Frederick
Douglass Home at Anacostin, D. C.,
founder and president of the Coun
cil of Colored Women of Richmond,
owning its own $20,000 home. She
is the founder and has been managing
, editor of the St. Luke Herald since
1902. She founded what is known as
the St. Luke Bank & Trust Company
and has been its president since its
birth in 1903. For a long time she
was the only woman bank president
in the country. Surely that is a
record for usefulness and service
that any American, black or white,
man or woman, might aspire to.
The Order of St. Luke was found
ed in Baltimore in 1867. In the 37
years which Mrs. Walker has been
at the helm of this great lodge, she
has seen it grow from 3,408 members
to more than 100,000 scattered over
a number of states to the ownership
of a building valued at $100,000 to
the development of a surplus fund of
$70,000 to the enrollment of 16,000
children in thrift and health clubs, to
the use of 66 clerks who operate the
home office and 145 field workers.
NEGROES GUARDED IN
DALLAS, TEXAS, FOLLOWING
THREATS OF VIOLENCE
White*’ Aim At Dynamiting Race
Family Out of DUtrict I*
Frustrated
Dallas, Texas—(Special)—A po
lice patrol was maintained all Fri
day night in the 2600 block on Thom
as avenue because of threats made
against colored residents in the
neighborhood. The officers were
armed with riot guns and ready for
the emergency, but nothing disturbed
the locality.
The guard was posted because cir
culars were scattered recently threat
ening a race family which moved into
a house in the block. The block is
the dividing line between colored and
white sections. The section is close
to another in which several attempts
have been made to blow up and burn
housese of colored citizens.
Keep off the dates of August
18-19-20. Carnival at Twenty-fourth
and Grant streets.