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The Monitor
NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
GROWING —
THANK YOU
>2.00 m Year—> CenU a Copy Omaha, Nebraska, Friday, January 6, 1928Vol. XIII—Number 27 Whole Number 649
13 Less Lynchings in 1927
ADVANCEMENT ASSOCIATION
SUMMARIZES ACHIEVEMENTS
Two Victories Before United States Supreme Court Head List
of Legal Battles Waged By Militant Organization In
Defense of Constitutional Rights of
American Citizens
New York City—The National As
sociation for the Advancement of
Colored People, has issued a sum
mary of its work and achievements
for the year 1927, leading off with
two victories before the United
States supreme court, those in the
Texas White Primary case and the
New Orleans Residential Segrega
tion case. The summary is prefaced
by a brief statement from the na
tional secretary, James Weldon John
son, who writes:
“There is not a colored man, wo
man or child in the United States
who is not affected by the work done
through the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People.
It is work that radiates into every
aspect of race relations. And, too,
it enlists the support and help of
leading men and women of both
races. Leading attorneys give their
services. Men and women in all
walks of life have given their time,
their labor, and their money to help
realize the association's aims. In so
doing they have contributed to the
full liberation of the Negro in Amer
ica. For the aims of the association
are nothing less than the complete
acceptance as a human being and a
citizen, of the American Negro, with
full opportunity to develop himself
to serve his nation, without the bit
ter handicap of race discrimination
and prejudice. We present here
with a summary of the association's
work for 1927, confident that it will
commend itself to all liberty loving
Americans."
LEGAL VICTORIES
By unanimous decision of the
United States supreme court the
N. A. A. C. P. won the Texas White
Primary case (Nixon vs. Herndon)
reaffirming the fourteenth amend
ment and declaring void the Texas
law which barred Negroes from the
Democratic party primaries of the i
state. Also, by unanimous decision I
of the U. S. supreme court the asso
ciation and its New Orleans branch !
won a case against segregation by
state law and city ordinance in that
city, decision being based upon the
Louisville segregation case won be
fore the supreme court in 1917. A
victory was also won against segre
gation in Dallas, on the basis of the
Louisville decision, in the Texas fifth
court of civil appeals.
This year, too, brought the final
dismissal of the cases against all the
defendants in the Sweet case in De
troit, following upon the acquittal of
Henry Sweet, the one defendant
chosen by the state for separate trial.
Against school segregation the as
sociation has scored heavily in the
north. A sweeping victory was reg
istered against the attempt to segre
gate colored children in Toms River,
New Jersey, and in Gary, Indiana,
the attempt to erect a $15,000 segre
gated high school in deference to a
“strike” by white students met a de
cisive check. The city of Gary not
only paid the costs of an action
brought by N. A. A. C. P. attorneys
but the city council rescinded its ap
propriation of $15,000 when the il
legality of this measure had been
established in court. A third school
segregation fight has already been
begun against two segregated schools
in Atlantic City, New Jersey, which
will extend into the year 1928.
The association has intervened in
several cases of extradition where
there seemed probability a colored
prisoner would he denied fair trial
if returned to a southern state. Ex
tradition of Garret Richardson from 1
Chicago to Alabama was strenuously
opposed. The case of Edward Glass,
iw in Alabama? (|‘! 7890$ HMR
now in California, wanted by the
state of Oklahoma, is still being
fought. In one case, that of Samuel
Kennedy, fought through two states,
a Georgia sheriff kidnapped the pris
oner by collusion with Indiana police
officials.
In the so-called Coffeyville, Kan
sas “race riot,” it was proved by an
attorney retained by the N. A. A.
C. P. that the trouble at first laid to
alleged Negro “rapists,” originated
with white men, against whom pros
ecution was instituted.
The national office appropriated
sums ranging from $100 to $500 in
many cases warranting its aid, includ
ing the defense of editorial freedom
in the case of two colored editors,
Messrs. Cole and Warley in Louis
ville, Kentucky, for which $500 was
apphopriated; the defense of Abe
Washington in Florida involving chal
lenge of the barring of Negroes from
juries in the south; reversal of a life
sentence in the case of Jim Davis,
in South Carolina; and many other
contests.
SEGREGATION
Segregation in the government de
partments in Washington has been
successfully opposed under the lead
ership of the Washington, D. C.,
branch of the association whose pres
ident, Mr. Neval Thomas, closely sec
onded by the national office, made
this matter a national issue.
Another threatened form of segre
gation in its most vicious form, the
anti-intermarriage laws sponsored in
northern states by the Ku Klux Klan,
was successfully opposed by N. A.
A. C. P. branches, such bills being
killed in Massachusetts, Maine, Mich
igan, Connecticut, Rhode Island and
New Jersey.
Attorneys for the N. A. A. C. P.
have also been working on residential
segregation cases in Washington, for
submission to the United States su
preme court, involving segregation by
agreement among white property
owners.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The association’s eighteenth an
nual conference in a city and state
entirely controlled by the Ku Klux
Klan was in many respects one of
the most extraordinary ever held.
The N. A. A. C. P. speakers uttered
their opinions about the Klan with
perfect freedom in Indianapolis, oc
cupied the pulpits of white churches
which had not so long before been
filled by Klansmen, and, to judge by
the commendatory newspaper edi
torials, worked a marked change for
the better in that city.
PUBLICITY
The association’s press publicity
has enjoyed a wider radiation than
ever during the past year. It now
goes to leading newspapers not only
in England, Germany, and France,
but to South Africa and India as well.
In one month, it was estimated, the
association’s press releases attained ,
a circuation of between five and ten
million readers, and was commented
upon by such world famous news
papers as the Manchester Guardian
in England, and published by the
London Times. Members of the staff ‘
luring the year have presented the ^
association’s point of view through
iueh outstanding magazines as the |
Century magazine, the Forum, Cur- |
rent History magazine, as well as .
through letters to leading dailies j
throughout the country. (
In a pamphlet compiled for the
Slater Fund, it was shown that the |
Megro brought with him to America ,
a considerable African cultural en
iowment. This pamphlet received ]
the editorial commendation of the <
Mew York Times and the Times edi
torial was reprinted throughout the <
louthern states. The pamphlet has
fone into many public and college
ichools.
- ]
Adams’ New Novelty Orchestra re- 1
turned Wednesday night from a sue- 1
ressful fortnight’s engagements in i
Kansas and Nebraska. This popular i
musical organization is growing 1
iteadily in favor wherever they play, i
jeing invariably booked for return .
jngagements. “Ted” Adams is juts- 1
y proud of the fine musical organiza- \
tion he has been able to develop. 1
EDITORIAL
We have now published The Monitor for nearly thirteen
yea^s. It was the outgrowth of our parish paper, The Mission
Monitor, a little monthly periodical devoted to the instruction
of the congregation of St. Philip’s Episcopal church. There
was great need felt for a genera! publication devoted to the
interests of our race in this city and community, since there
had been no race newspaper published here since the suspen
sion, some years prior, of The Enterprise, an excellent news
paper, conducted by Mr. T. P. Mahammitt for several years,
at great personal sacrifice and loss. In response to this felt
need we undertook the publication of The Monitor, as a gen
eral weekly newspaper, devoted to the interests of colored
Americans. Our first issue appeared on July 2, 1915. It has
appeared regularly and continuously since that time.
That it has rendered good and faithful service in its field
cannot be disputed. That it has maintained a high standard
of journalism is cheerfully conceded by competent critics.
Its editorials have been frequently and widely quoted not only
by the Negro press, but by the w’hite press, as well, including
such publications as The Literary Digest and The Nation.
This is highly complimentary to our editorial policy.
While we are conscious of many imperfections in the pub
lication, we have the satisfaction of knowing that we have
striven faithfully, under handicaps and many limitations, to
give the people a good, clean, upstanding weekly newspaper,
avoiding sensationalism and unbecoming personalities.
The burden of publication has been heavy and we have
been tempted many times to suspend, but have continued to
cax-ry on in spite of personal sacrifice of labor, time and money,
because we believed, perhaps mistakenly, that we were render
ing needed service to and in behalf of our race.
W’hen one has reached three-score years he cherishes no
foolish ideas of his self-importance or of his indispensability.
He has seen too many pass and others take their places while
they who had passed were soon forgotten, to cherish any
delusions concerning his own importance. We have passed
the three-score mark and are not foolish. We cherish no de
lusions as to our importance or usefulness, but nevertheless,
the important question which we desire our subscribers and
readers to help us decide is this: Does Omaha WANT The
Monitor? Does Omaha NEED The Monitor? Shall we con
tinue to publish The Monitor or shall we suspend?
There is outstanding severa''^hundred dollars in unpaid
subscriptions and other accounts. Prompt payment of this
money by those who owe us will be an answer in the affirma
tive to our question, “Does Omaha WANT The Monitor?”
One of our warm friends whose unconscious use of the
word “damn” would shock many of our more pious readers,
in speaking of The Monitor, said to us three or four years ago,
“Haven’t you done charity wmrk for your race damn long
enough? You are publishing a fine paper for them, and if
any race needs a paper it is the colored race, but they don’t
appreciate it. Your people talk a damn lot about their race
pride, but they have a damn poor way of showing it. Yes, sir,
take it from me, you are getting out a damn good paper, but as
I see it, you get damn little encouragement from your own
people.”
CHICAGO GETS FIRST COLORED PRINCIPAL
We heartily congratulate Mrs. M. O. Bousfield upon her
appointment as pricipal of Keith school, Chicago. Not only
do we congratulate Mrs. Bousfield, but we congratulate Chica-|
go, which has for years been eminently fair in her treatment
of her colored citizens, upon the democratic spirit displayed
in making this promotion.
Chicago has employed Negro teachers in her public schools
for nearly half a century, being out-ranked in this probably
by only Detroit, Michigan, or Boston. These teachers have
made good, measuring up fully to the standard set by the
school authorities. Mrs. Bousfield is the first woman of our
race to be appointed principal of a Chicago school. We are
glad that Chicago, in this respect, has followed the example
set by Boston and Los Angeles.
Every gain like this made in occupational opportunities
for the race contributes to securing like or similarly enlarged
opportunities in other cities.
OMAHANS’ AUNT IS
BURNED TO DEATH
Bucklin, Mo.— (Special to The
Monitor)—In a fire here New Years
night which totally destroyed her
home, Mrs. Hannah Brown, aged 70,
was burned to death. Mrs. Brown
had lived here all her life and was
highly respected. She had lived alone
in her little home since the death of
her husband, a civil war veteran, sev
eral ,years ago.
The funeral was held Thursday af
ternoon from the First Baptist
church.
Mrs. Brown was the aunt of Mrs.
Hattie Brewer and Floyd Buckner of
Omaha.
OMAHA YOUNG PEOPLE
MARRY IN THE BLUFFS
Dwight Dorsey, son of Mr. and
Mrs. S. H. Dorsey, and Miss lone
Pinkett, niece of Attorney and Mrs.
H. J. Pinkett, were married Saturday
morning at St. Paul’s rectory, Coun
cil Bluffs, by the Rev. Wilford E.
Mann, rector of the parish. The wit
nesses to the marriage were Messrs.
John G. Pegg of Omaha, and James
Easley, a student at the State uni
versity. Miss Pinkett had been at
tending the University of Nebraska
and Mr. Dorsey has recently returned
from California. The newlyweds have
the best wishes of their many friends
for a long, happy and prosperous
married life.
THREE NEGRO SCHOOLS
ARE LEFT $10,000 EACH
Boston, Mass.—More than $10,000
each will go to Atlanta University,
Atlanta, Ga.; Fisk University, Nash
ville, Tenn., and Calhoun Colored
School, Calhoun, Ala., under a final
settlement Monday of the estate of
Miss Emmeline Cushing of Boston,
who died in 1895. In her will Miss
Cushing, who had expressed a desire
to assist Negro education, left $18,- i
000 for that purpose without specify
ing the schools which were to benefit.
As this amount was insufficient, to
meet the provisions of the will the
money was left at interest until it
reached the sum of $36,000. The
three institutions which will beneft
were chosen with the approval of At
torney General Arthur K. Reading.
The Misses Elizabeth and Dorothy
Allen entertained at breakfast, at
their home, 2715 Hamilton street,
for a few of the young folks Mon
day morning. Covers were placed for
sixteen. i
21 LYNCHINGS IN 1927
N. A. A. C. P. REPORTS
Decreaie From 34 Recorded Last
Year; Miuisiippi Leads With
Seven Mob Victims.
New York City—A decrease in the
number of lynchings from 34 in the
year 1926 to 21 in the year 1927 is
reported by the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored Peo
ple, 69 Fifth avenue.
Mississippi leads with seven victims
of lynching mobs, Tennessee and Ar
kansas each having a record of three
lynchings, Florida two, and the fol
lowing states each having had one:,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, North
Carolina, Texas, and California.
The National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People dif
fers from Tuskegee in including as
lynchings the beating to death by
prisoners in a Los Angeles jail of a
white man resembling the kidnapper,
William Hickman; the shooting to
deaht by a posse of Joseph Upchurch
in Paris, Tennessee; and the shooting
by a posse of Thomas Bradshaw near
Bailey, North Carolina.
Besides the white prisoner beaten
to death in Los Angeles jail, one oth
er white man, Berry Allen, is report
ed to have been seized by a mob at
Mayo, Florida, and thrown into the
Swanee river while being conveyed
to a hospital after a fight with a
range rider and deputy sheriff.
Of the victims lynched, fuor were
burned alive and the bodies of two
others were publicly burned after
death. Three of the mob victims
were taken from peace officers and
jails in Mississippi and one each in
Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Louisi
ana, Tennessee and Texas. Of the
21 victims only four were accused
of attack upon a white woman.
MRS. JONES RHINELANDER
SUES FOR A SEPARATION
New York City, Jan. 4—It was
learned last week that Mrs. Alice
|Jones Rhinelander, whose marriage
to the millionaire four years ago
caused an almost consternation
among the maids and matrons of the
moneyed class, has commenced suit
for separation from her husband,
Leonard Kip Rhinelander. It is said
that Mrs. Rhinelander alleges cruel
ty, inhuman treatment and abandon
ment in her complaint.
Papers in the suit are on file at
White Plains, New York. Newspaper
report# claim that Rhinelander is be
lieved to be living in Louisiana where
copies of the complaint are said to
have been mailed to Louisiana au
thorities.
Judge Swinburne is Mrs. Rhine
lander’s counsel. According to a
statement said to have been issued by
Judge Swinburne, his client will prob
ably ask. for alimony of $1,000 per
month. She is now receiving $300
a month from Rhinelander.
The Rhinelanders were married in
1924. A few months after the mar
riage Rhinelander began an unsuc
cessful suit to annul the marriage. A
jury at that time held that Rhineland
er had not been deceived by his bride
and decided he knew all the time dur
ing his courtship of the woman that ]
she was a Negro.
At the home of her father, a New
Rochelle postman, it is said that Mrs.
Rhinelander told inquisitors that she ;
still loves her husband, but that a .
legal separation was inevitable. She .
showed them a vase filled with fresh i
roses from Rhinelander. He had sent i
them to her on Christmas day. Mrs. ]
Rhinelander then told reporters that '
she planned to tour Europe next |
summer. (
- i
Birmingham, Ala, Jan. 4—It was '
learned last Wednesday that 114 wit- !
nesses have been called by the state 1
and defense in the cases of Louis <
Albright, W. J. Worthington, Lee
Clayton, Eugene Doss and Clyde
Copeland for the trial which started <
January 2. The five men have been 1
charged with kidnapping and severe- !
ly and brutally beating Arthur Hitt, 1
an Alabama landowner, and forcing j
him to sell hi3 land to Worthington 1
(white) for a small fraction of it ■
actual worth. All the defendants .
are white.
ATLANTA WHITES
SEEK FAIR DEAL
FOR HE8R0 UNIT
Enter Strong Protest Against Unfair
and Inadequate Apportionment
of Funds for Negro
Schools.
Atlanta, Ga.—An earnest appeal to
the city board of education to keep
faith with the Negro citizens of At
lanta by giving their schools, as was
promised, a fair proportion of the
building fund of $3,500,000 recently
voted, has just been made by the At
lanta Christian Council, an interde
nominational body representing 60 of
the principal churches of the city.
Pointing out that Negroes compose
approximately one-third of Atlanta’s
population, and that in the recent
bond election the colored voters, hold
ing the balance of power, threw their
support to the bond issue on the sol
emn assurance that $700,000 of the
proceeds would be applied to certain
urgent needs of their schools. The
Christian Council entered a protest
against the present reported plans of
the board to expend on Negro schools
less than two-fifths of the sum prom
ised, which, it insists, would not be
only wholly inadequate to the need,
but also a deplorable breach of faith
and denial of justice.
' The council points out that of
21,555 Negro children of school age
in the city, more than &,000 are at
tending schools where two and three
sessions a day are held because of in
adequate housing facilities.
The petition was signed personally
by nearly fifty of the most prominent
ministers and laymen of the city. In
a vigorous editorial in its support,
the morning Constitution says: “We
must keep faith. This great city can
not afford to act in bad faith with
any part of its population, white or
black.”
The board of education has not yet
acted upon the memorial.
OMAHAN’S MOTHER DIES
AT SHREVEPORT, LA.
Word has been received here of
the death of Mrs. M. J. Thomas in
Shreveport, La. She was the mother
of Mr. William Middleton, Mr. Ber
nard (Dutch) Thomas, and Mrs. Lu
cile Henderson. She was also the
grandmother of Mrs. Raylee Jones
and Miss Eula Henderson. All of
these reside in Omaha, making a
twice visited in Omaha, making a
number of friends in this city.
PRETTY HOLIDAY LUNCHEON
IN DUNDEE FOR CHICAGO
GUEST LAST FRIDAY
Mrs. Hiram R. Greenfield was the
hostess to a few friends last Friday,
honoring Miss Theodosia Conway of
Chicago, niece of Mrs. A. L. Hawk
ins, at a pretty 2 o’clock radio musi
cale four-course holiday luncheon at
her home in Dundee. Covers were
laid for six, the Misses Theodosia
Conway, Ruth Collins, Gertrude Lu
cas and Hazel Stewart of Council
Bluffs, Mrs. A. L. Hawkins and the
hostess. Holiday color scheme was
carried out of red and green from
the beautiful centerpiece of red sweet
peas and red roses with holiday
greens to the New Year bells of in
dividual green and red ice cream.
After luncheon most inspiring musical
numbers were rendered by Miss Hazel
Stewart of Council Bluffs, singing
popular numbers with her sweet
voice, also Miss Conway favored the
guests with a vocal number. Miss
Collins gave several humorous read
ings. Mrs. Hawkins gave a short re
view of “God and the Groceryman.”
Miss Lucas gave a synopsis of “Elmer
Gantry.” All were elated with the
charming affair.
Miss Melva McCaw entertained ten
couples at a line party at the Sun
theatre Friday evening, compliment
ary to the Misses Josyline Hobbs and
Crystal Graham of St. Paul, Minn.,
Louise Deckard, Corinne Ferguson of
Lincoln, Neb., and Evelyn Prowler.
After the show a luncheon was en
joyed at the home of the hostess,
2806 Ohio street.