Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 7, 1927)
i sr~ The Monitor m J | NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS 5 §' THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. — — • - ^ .- - ' - " " — . 1 - - - I $2.00 a Year—S % U a Copy OMAHA, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1927 Vol. XIII—No. 14 Whole Number 636 RACE CONGRESS IS CALLED TO MEET IN THE RATION'S CAPITOL _ Boston, Mass.—Announcement was made today by the national headquar ters of the National Equal Rights League, at 9 Cornhill, that the twen tieth annual meeting of the league will be held in the John Wesley A. M. E. Zion church, Fourteenth and Corcoran streets, N. W., Washington, D. C., from October 26 to 28, and is to be a national race mass convention or congress under the league’s aus pices, for a racial preparation for the pre-election Congress and for the political battle of 1928 as concerns the race’s rights. The convention, which is called for a racial get-together whereby a racial consensus of opinion may be secured, a united opinion voiced, united de mand made and general program and principles adopted, will have three paramount objectives—abolition of color segregation, determination of the equal rights issues and principles of action for the forthcoming federal $ voting, and the formulation of a na tional signatured race petition to be December. presented as Congress assembles in The four day convention, open to race members individually or as dele gates of race bodies, religious, frater nal, equal rights, literary, civic, etc., or of towns or cities through equal SOUTHERN NEWSPAPER WAXES SARCASTIC OVER "PURITY” LAW Dalton, Ga.—The Dalton Citizen (white) in commenting upon the new marriage law, enacted by the Georgia legislature, says: “The new marriage law, passed by the last legislature, is a dead letter. The lawmakers for got to make an appropriation for its enforcement. “Of all the fool pieces of legisla tion we ever ran across, this tops the list. It has the earmarks of Koo-Kooism plastered all over it. "If carried out and put into ef fect, it would give employment to a new crop of office holders and would cost the state about $300,000 to begin with. And for what? “To keep our white people from marrying Negroes, Hindoos, dagoes, Japanese, Chinese and Mexicans. Great scott! Has it-eome to the point where white people have to be re strained from marrying aliens of all kinds by law? What a serious re flection on the marrying Bense of the white people of the state.” This Georgia editor is right, but is in error when he classes Negroes with “aliens."—Editor of The Moni tor. ELKS SHOW THE WAY New York—According to the edi tor of the New York Amsterdam News, the chief criticism of Negro fraternal organizations has been that they put all their time and money on pomp and regalia and none on con structive racial work; and Dean Kelly Miller, of Howard university, while recently commenting upon lodge funerals, said that Negroes put too much money in the ground. Edi tor Kelly of the “News” continued his constructive comment by saying that “these criticisms will soon be silenced if other Negro organizations follow the example of the Elks. This order maintains twenty-three scholarships in the leading universities of Ameri ca, and at its recent convention in New York, it voted $5,000 to the In fant Mortality Commission for the purpose of studying housing condi tions and sanitation among colored people. “No one can watch the great pa f rades of Negro fraternities without being impressed by the tremendous potential'power they represent. The mainspring of the Negro’s power is coiled within his bosom, and it must be released and wisely directed. The Elks have shown the way.” Mrs. Hiram R. Greenfield of Dun dee is convalescent from a recent iU B ness. rights citizens’ committees or public meetings, will have three open ses sions daily—morning, afternoon and night. The morning sessions will be devoted to organization of business, afternoon to general deliberation and adoption, the night to public expres sion. The delegate fee is to be $1.00. All of the race who believe in aggres sive assertion of equality of rights are urged to be represented to meet the challenge of whiter America, to assemble in the tenth anniversary year of the entrance of the United States into the world democracy war, with the American Legion segregat ing their colored comrades for de mocracy in Paris on the soldiers’ re turn. The federal petitions commission of the league, T. H. R. Clarke, H10 F street, N. W., Washington, D. C., chairman, asks the race to contribute funds for the expense of getting sig natures, checks to be sent to the treasurer, W. P. Dabney, 420 McAl lister street, Cincinnati, Ohio. Rev. George Frazier Miller, of Brooklyn, New York, is president of the league, James L. Neill of Wash ington, recording secretary, W. M. Trotter of Boston, corresponding sec retary, Rev. T. S. Harten of New York is organizer, and M. W. Spencer of Washington is treasurer. YOUNG RADIO ENGINEER INVENTS RAILROAD DEVICE Boston, Mass.—Rufus P. Turner, commercial operator of Boston and Washington, and member of the Insti tute of Radio Engineers, has devel oped a piece of apparatus which will enable passengers on moving trains to carry on communications with oth er trains or points along the road, according to the New England Scien tific Service. This device is the result of a sea son’s experimentation and research and promises to fill a long-felt need in railroad communications. While the idea of transmitting and receiving radiograms from trains in motion is not itself new, the apparatus devel oped by Turner is quite different in design from that employed in pre vious experiments. Subjected to a series of prelimin ary experiments and tests, the device has performed nicely, but the meth ods used have not been made public by its inventor. As this article goes forward, young Turner is heuded toward Washington in the interest of patent protection. Having obtained this, he will proceed to demonstrate his device to officials of one of the New England roads. LARGE PERCENTAGE IN RURAL SCHOOLS Washington, D. C.—Of the 24,079 Negro schools in the 14 southern states, during the school year 1925 1926, 22,494 (93.4 per cent) were rural, and 1,585 (6.6 per cent) were urban schools, according to a study of Negro schools £in the South by S. L. Smith, published., in the South ern Workman. EDUCATION AND DEMOCRACY Washington, D. C.—The creation of a Department of Education, with a cabinet officer at its head, has long been the hope of the republican party, but every attempt to establish this greatly needed governmental agency, through which the illiteracy of cer tain unfortunate American citizens can be stamped out has been bitterly opposed by the southern democrats whose continued exploitation of the black wage earners would be threat ened, they fear, by the introduction of a national educational policy as advocated by the republicans. more negro children in SCHOOL Monroe, La.—For the first time in the history of this city the school registration including the Negro chil dren totals more than 6,000. There are 4,386 white children enrolled. EDITORIAL We desire to commend the Omaha Bee-News for its ex cellent editorial, captioned “Gary’s Shameful Surrender,” pub lished in Monday’s edition. The Bee-News is correct in calling the spineless submission of the authorities to the insolent de mands of immature children a “shameful surrender.” It is a manifestation of weakness upon the part of those who profess to be men of judgment and character, which is a serious re flection upon their manhood. The injustice of the whole af fair is so obvious that none but those who are morally blind will attempt to defend it. Of course, cowardly parents sup ported their offspring in their rebellion—a rebellion for which they will dearly pay in loss of strength of noble character, and respect for the rights of others. Here is what The Bee-News says: Gary, Indiana, a fiat town, born of the will of United States Steel and named for its honored head, has just done something that deserves a stern rebuke. For many years the Gary school system has been regarded with great interest by educators. The “Gary plan” has many attractive features and has been much discussed and to a large extent copied. Now Gary has adopted another plan that we trust will not be imitated. A group of 16 Negro students showed up at the high school, and immediately the white students went on “strike.” They would not have the colored students in their school. Following several days of debate and consultation, the authorities of Gary surrendered to the students. Colored boys and girls will be required to attend a “segregated” school, not yet built. To get the full significance of this, it must be remembered that a majority of the residents are foreign-born, or of foreign born parentage. It is amazing that these could come under the influence of the “100 per cent madness” that has afflicted Indiana for several years. Negroes born in the United States possess all the rights of any citizen. Should be protected in those rights by law, and should not be deprived of an equal op portunity for education at the public schools. In Gary, as elsewhere, public schools are supported by tax paid by all the citizens. Negroes in Gary contribute to that tax. How can the whites of Gary justify themselves in denying the Negroes that for which they have paid? Gary must stand ashamed before the world because of this exhibition. Boys and girls of high school age are not capable of forming reasoned judgment on such matters as this. Their immaturity protects them from the penalty they deserve. But their elders know better, and, knowing, give in to the children they are supposed to direct. “A little child shall lead them,” but not in the direction Gary is going. The colored men and women of Gary have a splendid opportunity to show their worth by making the best of an unpleasant s ituation, trusting to the future to right them, as it will. If they remain true to their citizenship, they will triumph in the end. OPENS WITH LARGE STUDENT INCREASE Nashville, Tenn.—Fisk university began sessions on September 26, with a bang! Although it increased its tuition $52.00 this year and discon tinued its high school department, it had an increase of over 50 students. The green freshmen had a busy week. Monday, the students were welcomed in the Fisk Memorial chapel by President Thomas Elsa Jones, Dean Ambrose Caliver, Mr. James McClendon, president of the senior class, and Mr. Ira T. Bryant, president of the Fisk Student Coun cil. Two of the freshman class re sponded to the welcome. After the welcome service the freshmen attend ed a “get-acquainted” hour. Tuesday, the freshmen were guests at a reception at the home of Presi dent and Mrs. Jones. Friday, classes began and the first chapel of the year was held. Presi dent Jones delivered an address to the student body. He traced the changing attitude of the southern white population and the develop ment of the New South and pleaded for high ideals among Negro youth. “Knowledge that Negro culture perhaps antedates and surpasses in some points that of ancient Egypt,” he said, “and conscious that worthy leaders are to be found in every phase of achievement today, causes the youth of our group to set before themselves goals of the highest en deavor. Pleading disadvantage, or laying blame for failure upon others, has already lost caste with courage ous souls. Real men do not wish to be pitied nor made objects of mis sionary sympathy. Neither do they wish to be studied like insects in a test tube. They are what they are without apology or fear. They wish a chance and promise to profit by it. Fisk has now reached a point where alumni and friends are able to help her to carry out her program of high idealism and service, while supported by her white and colored friends. In numerous ways rfur school is pushing ahead to give the best that educa tion can afford without stint, bias, or compromise. Racial animosities, inferiority complexes or inordinate fears have no place here and will be eliminated as truth seeking and good will pervade the university.” Friday night, the entire student body attended a program and dance. RACE RELATIONS TO BE STUDIED BY ROMAN CATHOLICS Would Formulate Program for Better Understanding and Co-operation Between the Races in the Church (By N. C. W. C. News Service) A race relations committee, under ! Roman Catholic auspices, to be com ! posed of Roman Catholic representa tives of both the white and colored j races, is now being projected and | may soon become a reality. | Its object would be “to formulate a program for bringing about a "bet ter understanding and co-operation | between the races in the Church.” Dr. T. W. Turner, president of I Hampton Institute, leading institu tion for the education of colored peo ple, and also president of the Feder ated Colored Catholics of the United States, is now carefully considering I possible colored members of such a committee. In this he is following out the directions of the direction of the federation, just held in New York. The resolution directed “that a committee on race relations be ap pointed, and that this committee be empowered to invite representative* from white Catholic organizations to join with them in formulating a pro gram.” Meantime, a wide study under Catholic auspices of the social and religious life of the Negro race in the United States is to be undertaken shortly, also at the direction of the federation. The object will be to in augurate and promote a plan to coun teract certain evil tendencies of the day as they affect the colored race. Dr. Turner will appoint the commit tee to undertake this task soon. Mr. and Mrs. S. T. Phillips, 2874 Corby street, are receiving congratu lations upon the birth of a little daughter, Wednesday, October 5. ACHIEVEMENTS OF LEADING AMERICAN NEGROES PUBLISHED Brief Biographies of Notable Race Personages Recently Issued by National Council of the Y. M. C. A. New York—The National Council of the Young Men’s Christian Asso ciation has just published, with intro duction by Channing Tobias, a vol-! ume containing a series of brief biog raphies of leading American Negroes,1 by Ralph W. Bullock, under the title,' "In Spite of Handicaps.” The vol ume is published, says Mr. Tobias, in response to “the requests from lead ers of white boys’ and girls' clubs, who desired to promote better inter racial understanding, who desired to stimulate the race pride of oolored youth.” Mr. Tobias concludes his introduction as follows: “If white ! youth, through reading these sketches, gain a fuller knowledge of and higher respect for Negroes and colored youth are led to a deeper sense of self-respect and pride in achievements of their kind, the book will have served its purpose.”* The list of those included in the volume is as follows: Roland Hayes, Mordecai W. Johnson, president of Howard university; Col. Robert R. Moton, head of Tuskegee; Charles C. Spaulding, head of the North Caro lina Mutual Insurance company; Countee Cullen, Harry T. Burleigh, Prof. George W. Carver of Tuskegee, Dr. Daniel Williams, professor of clinical surgery in Meharry Medical college; De Hart Hubbard, athlete and breaker of world records; Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois, editor of The Crisis; John Hope, president of Morehouse college; Archie A. Alexander, civil engineer; Matthew W. Bullock, attor ney of Boston; Henry O. Tanner, painter; James Weldon Johnson, sec retary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; Mary McLeod Bethune, head of the Bethune-Cookman college; Max Yer gan, Y. M. C. A. worker, now in South Africa, and Carter G. Wood son, historian. MRS. HARTFIELD PASSES AWAY Mrs. Irene Hartfield, 2854 Lake street, died last Wednesday after noon, at the Methodist hospital, where she had been for just a few days. Mrs. Hartfield had lived in Omaha for a number of years. She was kind, hospitable, and full of sun shine, and these noble traits of hers had made her much loved by a host of friends and acquaintances. Funeral services were conducted from Mount Moriah Baptist church, Twenty-fourth and Ohio streets, Sat urday afternoon, Rev. C. B. Burton, pastor, officiating. Interment was in the family lot at Forest Lawn ceme tery. She is survived by a sister, Mrs. Hyland; three brothers, Warren Johnson, Thurman Johnson and George; and a nephew, Wm. Scott, who by his life-long devotion to the family, was loved as a brother. Those attending the funeral out of-town were Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Hartfield and Mr. James Hartfield of St. Louis, Mo., and Mrs. Emma Jacobs of Sioux City, Iowa. HARRY BURLEIGH—GUEST ARTIST New York—Harry T. Burleigh, the leading Negro composer-vocalist of America, who ably assisted Anton Dvorak in writing the celebrated “New York Symphony” ,was guest artist of the New York Edison com pany, Station WRNY, during its broadcasting program. Mr. Burleigh pleasingly sang a group of Negro spirituals, principally of his.own com position. HUBBARD BREAKS WORLD'S RECORD Washington, D. C.—Exactly 26 ft. 2% inches is the distance broad jumped at Cincinnati, Ohio, by De| Hart Hubbard, the famous Negro ath lete, and holder of the world’s record, in the broad jump, of 25 feet and 10% inches, made by Hubbard him self while a student at the University of Michigan. OMAHA GIRL HEADS F LTY IH JUNIOR SOOTHERH COLLEGE Miti Gladys Edrose Brown Dean of Faculty in St. Philip’s Junior College for Girls Founded by Miss Bowden INSTITUTION FILLS FELT NEED San Antonio, Texas—St. Philip’s School for Girls, an Episcopal insti tution which has been conducted suc cessfully for several years under the principalship of Miss Artemesia Bow den, a noted educator, opened in Sep tember a junior college department under a highly trained faculty. Con siderable expense was entailed for this advanced work. A complete sec tion of the building has been finished thereby affording larger facilities for the accommodation of an enlarged student body, as well as the necessary equipment for the college work. A well-equipped library has been supplied and more adequate labora tory supplies have been procured so that the sciences may be taught un der favorable circumstances. Fur ther laboratory equipment will be added as funds permit. The faculty of St. Philip’s Junior college includes Miss Gladys Brown, M. A., of Omaha, Neb., who is dean of the college and high school work. Miss Brown took her B. A. at the University of Nebraska and her M. A. degree at Howard, where she also taught for one year. Miss Grace Ed wards of Washington, D. C., a grad uate of Howard university, teaches mathematics. Miss Linnie Ramey, of Indianapolis, Ind., a graduate of But ler college of that city, is an instruct or in the college department. She taught in the public schools of In dianapolis before accepting the posi tion at St. Philip’s. Mr. A. Walker, A. B., Howard university, remains at St. Philip’s as instructor in science. Miss Mary Mitchell, who is a gradu ate of the Sargent School of Physical Education, Boston, Mass., is in charge of the department of physical educa tion. Industrial arts are in charge of Mrs. Todd, graduate of South western university, who specialized for four years at Hampton and two at Tuskegee. Miss J. B. Johnson, who has served for 16 years as ma tron at Texas college, has accepted this position at St. Philip’s. With the improved buildings and strong faculty with which Miss Bow den has surrounded herself, St. Phil ip’s, which has already done notable educational work in its limited field, enters upon her first year of college work under most promising and en couraging conditions. The enlarged enrollment clearly proves the long felt need of such an institution. I - DISMAYED TO FIND SHERIFF PEEPING TOM Atmore, Ala.—The story told by Miss Irma Kemp, a young white wo man, that when “some nigger tried to hang on to her car she had run over him,” received a setback when the man she had injured proved to be the sheriff. She had accused him of peeping in her car, causing her to speed up her machine and run over him for punishment. She claimed that she had gone into the neighborhood inhabited by mem bers of the race to bring a servant home. It was learned that when she ran over Miller, the sheriff, she hur ried to headquarters and told her story. It is believed that Miller, who is suffering with a broken leg and other injuries, was looking for boot leggers at the time of the accident. LITERARY DEBATE New York—The October “Forum” is featuring a literary debate between Dr. Alain Leroy Locke, Rhodes schol ar and Howard university professor, and Lothrop Stoddard, white, well known literary analyst of inter-racial relations in America. Dr. Locke has the affirmative and Mr. Stoddard the negative of the topical question “Can we absorb the Negro?”