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NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
GROWING —
THANK YOU
$2.00 a Year^ | ents a Copy Omaha, Nebraska, Friday, January 27 ,1928 Vol. XIII—Number 30 Whole Number 652
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Annual Growth of Negro is Half Million
Social Fact Finding and
Stock Taking Important
Task for Negro Race in ’28
Kelly Miller, Well-Known Educator, Publicist and Thinker
Sums Up the Debits and Credits of the Past Year and
Suggests the Formulation of a Program for
the Present One.
The old year has passed into his
tory. The new year is just ushering
in. Nineteen twenty-seven has been
an annus non, so far as striking ac
complishments are concerned. The
racial achievements of the year are
commendable but without much com
prehensive significance.
The supreme court reaffirmed its
previous decisions affecting the fif
teenth amendment and the Negro’s
right to buy and occuy property with
out restrictions on account of race
or color. These decisions settle in
principle, the involved issues for all
time. But unfortunately they have
little or no relation to actual prac
tice in experience. On the other hand
th« same supreme court decided, by j
unanimous concurrence, that the
states have the right to segregate the
races for scholastic purposes, which
also includes the right to group the
Chinese and presumably all other va
rities of non-whites for school assign
ment. This decision at the same time
goes out of the way to apply the
same principle to jim-crow cars. The
only practical effect of this decision
will be to weaken the force of agi
tation for civil equality in the North.
The states of Virginia and Georgia
have enacted laws defining a white
person as one without any traceable
admixture of Negro or non-white
blood. To the Negro, this definition
has only a curious interest. After
the lords and masters have detrmined
those whom they will treat as white,
the residue, 1 suppose, will be assign
ed to and aligned with the Negro
race.
The important question that can
not long wait for judicial detrmina
tion is “what is a Negro, and how is
his identity to be determined?” There
have been held during the year the
Pan African and the Durham confer
ences. But the findings of the for
mer, though interesting in themselves,
evoke no warm feelings or vital in
terests of the normal Negro; while
the fact finding outcome of Durham
has not as yet been sufficiently prom
ulgated to be incorporated into a
practical program.
The January issue of Opportunity
contains an excellent summary of oc
currences during 1927. On the whole
the debit seems to outbalance the
credit side of the ledger. The Mis
sissippi flood constitutes a disaster
which has not been offset by any
economic or industrial occurrence.
The loss of Florence Mills was a se
rious loss to the artistic side of racial
attainment. The banishment of Gar
vey was epochal in its significance.
It is the first time in American his
tory that the federal government has
paid a Negro the compliment of ban
ishment on account of his ideas or his
initiative and enterprise. Mr. Gar
vey is the only Negro in the history
of the race in America who has form
ulated a policy apart from white di
rection, control or influence and has
impressed it upon a large following
with something like fanatic devotion
The Garvey movement was wholly in
dependent of the white man’s origin
ation and support. It was calculated
to give a Negro a sense of self-res
pect in his own personality, and not
merely as a carbon copy of the white
lord and master. The idea is dis
tasteful to the psychology of the Ar
yan mind. The movement never did
seem to me to be feasible, but its
squelching by technical application of
law is deeply significant of the white
man’s attitude on matters of purely
Negro initiation and self direction.
It is needless to recite the various
incidents of the past year which in
the main consisted in the ordinary at
tainments and achievements of stated
activities, each affecting its modicum
of advantage and advancement.
The new year opens up without
any very promising prospects. The
civil rights of the race are being chal
lenged. The battle line t>f separate
schools stetches across the continent.
The supreme court has given this is
sue a black eye blow by the Mississip
pi decirion, so far as federal encour
agement. is concerned. Lynching is
moving along haltingly with diminish
ing speed. Segregated areas in the
cities will slowly fill in the establish
ed outlines and gradually extend the
boundaries. Our schools will carry |
out the curricula with increased ef
ficiency, but without corresponding
zeal and inspiration. The city Negro
has taken on large property obliga
tions which will engross his chief en
ergies to have and to hold. The
church life of the race is certainly
not inspiring. The Negro’s compet
ency to control great religious organ
ization of his own is being seriously
questioned by the most thoughtful
of these several communions. From
present indications, these great reli
gious estates are not calculated to
make the same good showing during '
the next half century as during the ;
past fifty years. The moral and so-!
cial life of the race but reflects the
general tendency of the times, which
is not reassuring. The loss of vital |
religious belief and feeling on the j
part of the so-called Negro intelli
gentia is the tragedy of the age. If
philanthropists who built Our schools
and colleges could have foreseen this
lamentable debacle, they probably
would have hesitated in the dispen
sation-of their philanthropy.
But I must not go further for fear
Iof being accused of impotent pessi
mism. I am not a pessimist, but am
simply describing the situation as
every clear thinking and fair minded
Negro knows it to be. The prophet
is always a preacher of despair. He
sees and foresees, and reminds the
people of the wrath to come unless
they mend their evil ways. On the
other hand, the blatant optimism goes
on eating and drinking and boasting
in blissful ignorance of impending
doom. Thus it was with the low
thinkers and high livers in the days of
Noah, who went on eating and drink
ing, fiddling and dancing while the
devouring floods gathered about
them. They could not discern the
signs of the times.
What, then should be the program
of the Negro, for 1928? This should'
be a year of fact finding and stock
taking. 1 do not mean merely statis
tical and historical facts of which
we already know enough. I mean
comprehensive social facts. What
are the limits of race prejudice?
How far can we modify it, and how
far will we be compelled to submit
to it? I read in a well known jour
nal a proposed program for 1923 to
abolish the color line. It is folly of
an unexcusable character to deceive
ourselves or to mislead the simple
minded folk who look to the intelli
gentia for guidance, to hold out such
fatuous optimism. We can more eas
ily abolish the Mississippi river in
1928 than the color line. Is the col
or line abolishable? If so, what
means have we at our disposal to
abolish it? Who will begin? Where |
shall we take hold?
The organized evils of which we
complain have been enacted into law
or crystallized in public sentiment.
How can we propitiate public senti
ment or remove iniquitous laws? Our
experience is not reassuring. With
the united endeavor of all of our agi
tative organizations we have never
been able in two generations to have
a single proscriptive law removed.
Jim-crow cars, separate schools, dis
franchisement, anti- miscegenation
laws, proscription of civil rights, and
segregation on its operative side are
more pronounced today than ever be
fore. Shall we go on screaming and
screeching, denouncing and defying,
impotently, as they who beat the air?
Or shall we be as sensible men formu
EDITORIAL
The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History
of which the learned historian, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, of
Washington, D. C., is director, has in recent years organized
a movement which will wielcT a potent and far flung influence
in developing self-respect among our own group, and for our
people by the intelligent and broadminded among the white
race in the United States and abroad. It is the observance
annually of a national celebration of Negro History Week
everywhere in the United States. The date set for its observance
is the second week in February, and this year it begins on
Sunday, February 5.
The purposes of this celebration are to popularize tht '
study of Negro life and history and to secure more support
for its promotion.
A very definite program as to how this may be done is |
.set forth in the instructive pamphlet published by the associ
ation in these words:
1. Organize your community through committees for the
celebration.
2. Appeal to your board of education for the adoption
of Negro history text books.
3. Interest your library and school in securing a shelf
of scientific works on the Negro and pictures of dis- j
tinguished men of the race.
4. Urge everyone to write the association all he knows!
about Negro family history and to send in any im
portant documents bearing on the record of the Negro.
5. Set aside one day of the week (during the celebration)
as a Book and Picture Fund Day when all will be call
ed upon to assist in raising funds to buy books and
pictures of Negroes for schools and libraries.
Since the inauguration of this movement it has been learn
ed by many that the Negro has a worth while history and ai.
[important historical background which has been obscured by
| the facts of enslavement, which have been made so prominent,
much to our detriment. Our contributions to American life
loom much larger than is imagined or known, even among the
|cultured ones of our race and a knowledge and appreciation
of these facts will increase our racial self-respect and cor
respondingly a higher esteem for our people in the mind of !
the American public.
It is hoped that Omaha will join with other cities, towns I
land villages in the observance of Negro History Week. Self
knowledge leads to sovereign power.
-. . .
YOLANDE DU BOIS TO MARRY
POET, COUNTEE CULLEN
New York, N. Y.—Dr. and Mrs.
W. E. Burghardt Du Bois of this city
announce the engagement of their
only child, Nina Yolande to Mr.
Countee Cullen, son of Reverend and
Mrs. Frederick A. Cullen, also of
New York. The wedding will be cel
ebrated at Easter time.
Countee Cullen, the well known
young poet, was born and educated in
New York and is a graduate of New
York university (A. B., Phi Betta
Kappa) and of Harvard (A. M.). He
is the author of two volumes of
poems and an anthology and is as
sistant editor of the magazine, Op
portunity. He is a member of the
Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
Miss Du Bois was born in Massa
chusetts and educated in New York
and England. She is a graduate of
Fisk university (A. B.) and Columbia
(A. M.) and is a teacher of English
and drawing at the Douglass High
school, Baltimore, Md. She is a mem
ber of the Delta Sigma Theta soror
ity.
late a practical program by means of
which we may reasonably hope to
modify or overcome some or all of
the disadvantages under which we
now labor?
Let existing agencies and organi
zations continue for the present to
pursue the even tenor of their ways.
All constructive endeavors contribute
their little modicum to the sum total,
as the rain drops wear away the
mighty hills. But we should pool our
wisdom and bring our aggregated in
telligence and directed will to bear
upon our economic, political, civil and
social conditions. We must be ready
to scrap the ineffective organizations
and agencies upon which we have
been wont to rely, but which have
proved to be woefully ineffective but
not until something better has been
devised to take their place.
Does this sound like a revival of
the idea of the Negro Sanhedrin?
If so, so let it be. I pass the idea
on to those who can effectuate it.
Dr. R. R. Moton has made the sug
gestion.
Let the Negro in 1928 take stock
and mark time, preliminary to the
formulation of a program with which
he can march forward to the fulfill
ment of his destined future.
KELLY MILLER.
SEGREGATION ISSUE AGAIN
TAKEN TO OGDEN L. MILLS
New York, N. Y.—Report of a sec
ond call upon Ogden L. Mills, under
secretary of the treasury, to protest
against segregation of colored clerks
in the treasury department, is made
to the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People by
Neval H. Thomas, president of the
Washington branch. Mr. Thomas
states that a report had been “hasti
ly gotten out” from ex-Governor
Frank T. White, treasurer of the
United States, stating there was no
segregation in his department but
that in an hour and a half of plain
talk ,the delegation made it clear to
Mr. Mills that it was generally un
derstood that segregation prevailed.
The colored delegation, according
to Mr. Thomas’ report, inquired of
Mr. Mills: “Mr. Secretary, do you
mean to say that there is no discrim
ination here when out of this vast
army of 67,000 people not one di
rective position is held by a colored
man or woman save in the jim-crow
division of the office of the register
of the treasury?”
Mr. Mills is reported to have prom
ised at the conclusion of the inter
view that he would investigate the
situation and inform the committee
of the results of his investigation.
It is generally understood that the
cabinet officers in Washington are
none too eager to have the segrega
tion issue raised in their departments
as its political possibilities in the
coming election are anything but
pleasant for the persons responsible.
NEGROES OPEN ICE FACTORY
Louisville, Ky.—A few weeks ago
a new ice factory was opened in this
city in the west end by members of
our group. Quite a number of men
have been employed and modern
equipment has been installed. We
have about thirty local ice dealers
all of whom have heretofore pur
chased their ice from the large trust
companies.
COLORED CITIZENS
ORGANIZE A FORUM
Riverside, Cal.—Formation of the
Colored Citizens’ Club, an organiza
tion to further community enter
prises through the conducting of
open forum on matters of municipal
scope, was completed last week in a
meeting held in the Mercantile Hall
on Park avenue.
NEGRO RACE TO GROW
500,000 A YEAR IN U. S.
Chicago, 111.—Five million may be
added to the colored population of
the United States every ten years,
based upon the present birth rate
and subsracting the present death
rate, according to figures compiled
by Allan Leroy Locke, professor of
philosophy and sociology of Howard
University, Washington, D. C.
Dr. William H. Walsh, Executive
Secretary of the American Hospital
Association, gave out the figures in
connection with a campaign for Ne
gro hospital development. The most
unsatisfactory situation in the whole
medical problem confronting the col
ored population today is that relat
ing to hospitals, and this situation is
as acute in the South as it is in the
North, he quotes Dr. Carl G. Roberts,
President of the National Medical
Association, Negro, as announcing.
LOS ANGELES MAYOR TO
SERVE ON N. A. A. C. P.
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
New York, N. Y.—Mayor George
E. Cryer of Los Angeles has consent
ed to serve ex-officio on a conference
committee which he will himself ap
point, in connection with the 19th an
nual spring conference in that city
next June of the National Associa
tion for the Advancement of Colored
People.
This news comes to the national
office from Dr. J. A. Summerville
of Los Angeles, who together with
Messrs. L. G. Robinson and Titus Al
exander, were appointed a committee
to interest prominent citizens of Los
Angeles in the N. A. A. C. P. meeting
from June 27 to July 3.
In addition to the mayor of Los
Angeles, Hon. Arthur Eldridge, pres
ident of the board of public works,
has consented to serve on the N. A.
A. C. P. conference committee, as
have Hon. James E. Davis, chief of
police; Hon. Lewis H. Schwalbe, U. S.
collector of customs; Dr. Emory S.
Bogardus of the University of South
ern California; Judge Archibald of
the superior court; Bishops J. J. Cant
well, Bertram Stevens, and J. W.
Martin; Judge Guerin of the superior
court; Judge Georgia Bullock of the
municipal court; Rabbi Edgar F.
Manin, Supervisor J. H. Bean and
Dr. Walter Sylvester Herzog.
In addition, many other citizens of
Los Angeles prominent both in of
ficial and civic life, have consented
to serve on this committee to receive
the N. A. A. C. P.
It is confidently expected that this
conference of the N. A. A. C. P. will
be the greatest gathering of colored
people and their friends ever to have
been held on the Pacific coast of
the United States.
The N. A. A. C. P. is at present
arranging with the Rock Island rail
road for special cars and possibly a
special train to carry delegates and
visitors from the east to Los Angeles,
covering points of scenic interest on
the way. Representatives of the
Rock Island road are at present work
ing out an itinerary of which full de
tails will be made public as soon as
completed.
RETIRED AFTER 30 YEARS
Washington, D. C.—First Sergeant
William M. Lee, 25th Infantry, sta
tioned at Nogales, Ariz., has, upon
his own request, been retired. Serg
eant Lee has had more than thirty
years’ active military service. War
Department orders making this re
tirement official have been issued,
and note the fact that the services of
Sergeant Lee has been “honest and
faithful.”
SIX HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Among the 32 graduates from
Central High school who received
their diplomas Thursday night were
five colored students, one boy, Eu
gene Smith, and four girls, Eddie
Chambers, Bernice Johnson, Nancy
Pharr and Hazel Myers. This is the
largest ratio of colored students ever
graduated from any Omaha high
school class. There was also one
graduate from South High, Gertrude
Harris.
l
EQUAL RIGHTS LEAGUE
PROPOSES DOUGLASS
COMMEMORATION
League and Congress Issue Appeal to
Race for Three-Fold Aim of Awak
ening Self-Reliance, Removing
Federal Segregation.
Boston, Mass., Jan. 27—Be known
to mankind as a race which has pro
duced great characters. Let other
races see that Aframericans have he
roes of their own blood, historic
champions of their liberty and equal
ity. Teach our race to emulate the
principles of our own great dead.
These are some of the values held to
come out of annual public race .days
in an appeal to colored Americans
everywhere to observe Douglass Daj
on February 14th, the birth anniver
sary of Frederick Douglass, the issu
ance of which by the National Equal
Rights league and race congress of
America began today from its na
tional headquarters at 9 Cornhill.
This organization as a league com
pletes this year 20 consecutive years
of activity, and by the merging or the
former national race congress last
year now represents Aframerica’s
united self support for equality, be
ing now the only national colored
civil rights body. Douglass is the or
ganization’s patron saint in that his
bravest, most sacrificing achievement
was that of conducting an independ
ent movement for freedom of race
by the race itself in addition to that
i led by others, which the observances
should emphasize. In devotion to the
spirit of Douglass’ work, the race is
tasked to celebrate the 11th an
niversary of his birth and thereat
to declare by speech and resolutions
first for abolition of color segrega
tion, especially by or under the fed
eral government, and second, for re
duction of Southern representation in
congress as pressure for obedience to
the spirit of the fifteenth amendment.
The paramount objects are to
arouse the race to self reliance, to
have President Coolidge receive anti
segregation resolutions to abolish the
federal example of this inequality be
fore he leaves the presidency from
every colored community, and for
congressmen to receive the resolu
tions for the fourteenth amendment
from their respective districts, and
every meeting send an extra copy to
Representative Tinkham, all in the
same wt^;k.
ASK NOMINATIONS FOR
SPINGARN MEDAL
New York, N. Y.—The committee
on award of the Spingarn medal an
announces that naminations are in or
der for the medal to be presented at
the Los Angeles spring conference of
the National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People, next
June. The medal is awarded annual
ly to the United States citizen of
African desce' t for most distinguish
ed achievement in some honorable
field of human activity.
Nominations should be accompan
ied by specific account of the achieve
ment or achievements on the basis of
which the award is asked and each
should be accompanied by a brief bi
ographical account of the nominee.
Communications should be address
ed to Bishop John Hurst, Spingarn
Medal Award Committee, care of the
N. A. A. C. P., 69 Fifth avenue, New
York City.
SINGLETON AND BARNETT
FILE FOR LEGISLATURE
Dr. John A. Singleton has filed for
state representative from the ninth
and F. L. Barnett from the tenth
district. Both gentlemen served ac
ceptably in the last legislature and
should be returned. Dr. Singleton
served with distinction on three im
portant committees, Cities and Towns,
Medical Societies, and Privileges and
Elections, being secretary of the
Medical committee.
Mr. Barnett served op the Com
mittee on Fees and Salaries and on
Railroads committee and also intro
duced and had passed an anti-mob
law.