LIFTING
LIFT TOO
The Monitor
NEBRASKA’S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS
THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor.
GROWING —
THANK YOU
* % Year—5 Cent» a Copy Omaha, Nebraska, Friday, March 2, 1928 Vol. XIII—Number 35 Whole Number 656
Why Southerners Gives
Reasons For Negroes
Moving Into the North
New York, Feb. 24—With a plea to !
the white south to “Let’s stop being j
stupid!”, Howard Snyder, a white 1
resident of Mississippi, writing in the
number of Plain Talk (225 Varick
street, New York City), tells why the
Negro is leaving the south and dis
tributing himself over the nation.
First, Mr. Snyder cites the one
crop system of cotton raising with its
exhaustion of the soil, the poverty
and indebtedness of tenants who are
not recognized as part of the com
munity and are constantly tempted
to move about in the effort to better
themselves. Mr. Snyder continues:
“Add to all this the lynchings, mis
treatment of many Negroes, and con
sidering the fact the field Negro of
the south is a primitive creature des
perately afraid of the dreaded Ku
Klux, we have another for the vast
migration of Negroes from the sunny
south. Almost any day we read of
some benighted Negro peasant being
hunted down or shot by a posse. That
the south could expect these, same be
nighted people to remain with her
and uncomplainingly endure all this
when a twenty-dollar bill will carry
a man away from it passes my under
standing.”
Mr. Snyder points out that even
in the Bouth it is now becoming un
derstood that the race problem is not
merely local. He writes:
NEGRO FARMERS ARE
PLENTIFUL IN THE
SUNNY SOUTHLAND
Work 831,455 Firmi, of Which More
Than 23 Per Cent, or 194,540,
Are Owned By Member*
of Race
Washington, D. C.—In the sixteen
southern states 194,540, or slightly
in excess of 23 per cent of the 831,
455 farms, are owned by colored
farmers. Although West Virginia
has the least number of this class of
farmers, 75 per cent of them are
owners. The state of Virginia, with
a 66 per cent Negro farm ownership,
leads all states in number of farms
owned by members of our group,
while Mississippi, with the greatest
number of colored farm operators,
has the lowest percentage of owner
ship.
In the actual number of farms
owned the ten leading states arc, in
the order named, Virginia, North
Carolina, Texas, Mississippi, South
Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Arkan
sas, Louisiana and Tennessee. Among
the colored farmers there are more
“croppers” in Mississippi than in any
other state. Texas leads in this re
spect among white farm tenants.
Throughout the south as a whole, 41
per cent of the colored and 12 per
cent of the white farmers are “crop
pers.” There are more white than
colored “croppers” in Delaware,
Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Ten- j
nessee, Texas, Virginia and West
Virginia.
EDHOLM AND SHERMAN
EMPLOY COLORED HELP
Edholm and Sherman, formerly
the Standard Laundry, at Twenty
fourth and Willis avenue, and having
a relatively large patronage from our I
people, have begun the fair and just
policy of giving employment to col
ored people as laundry hands. This
policy was inaugurated last week.
This kind of reciprocity will be appre
ciated by our group, as there is rap
idly developing a just feeling among
us that firms desiring our patronage j
should be fair enought to give us :
employment. This fair and square
policy adopted by Edholm and Sher
man wu! have to be followed by other
firms who expect our patronage.
The Woman’s Auxiliary held a
largely attended and enthusiastic
meeting at the residence of Mrs.
Otis Shipman, 2724 North Thirtieth
street, Thursday afternoon.
"With the Negro press everywhere
increasing its circulation, and such
far-reaching organizations as the Na
tional Association for the Advance
ment of Colored People working
through its local organizations in
every community to uphold the rights
of the Negro and demand that justice
be given him and urge that Negro
children everywhere attend element
ary schools, the race problem is by
no means confined to the south.”
The south has made a “gross blun
der," continues Mr. Snyder, in trying !
to “keep the nigger down” and in
depriving Negroes of good schools, i
He reports that the south is “both
amazed and desperately worried”
over the departure of its best labor |
supply and that many white men are j
being forced into the ranks of com
mon labor.
As for the south’s trying to per
suade itself that the Negroes who
had lived in bondage and debt slavery
would come back like the prodigal
son of old, “the facts are that they
aren’t doing it and they won’t.”
The south, in Mr. Snyder’s belief,
will have to meet northern attrac
tion to the Negro by giving him
schools, good wages, justice, “and all
those many and complex things that
go to make up life in civilized
America.”
$9,300 GIFT FOR NEGRO
RESEARCH WORK
Scientific Body’* Donation l« An
nounced at Columbia University
For Study of Negro Migra
tion From the Sooth
New York, N. Y.—A gift of $9,300
from the Social Science Research
Council for research in Negro migra
tion was announced Tuesday by Pres
ident Nicholas Murray Butler of Co
lumbia University, after a meeting of
the board of trustees.
The council’s gift will be used to
obtain data and study the conditions
and results attending the influx of
southern Negroes to the north. It
will be the first time that a definite
scientific study has been made of |
Negro migration.
TAMMANY AFRAID TO
HAVE NEGRO DELEGATES
New York, N. Y.—Fearing that the
presence of a Negro delegate from
New York at the democratic national
convention in Houston, Tex., next
July might harm the chances of Gov
ernor A1 Smith in the south, has
caused the Tammany chieftains to de- !
cide against the 1924 policy of Ne- i
gro delegates.
It is said that the decision was :
made on the advice of southern demo
cratic leaders friendly to the candi-j
dacy of Governor Smith. It is said |
that northerr democrats generally
are not favorable to the idea, as they
have been working like Trojans for a j
heavy Negro vote, especially in Har
lem, in the past years. They pointed
out that the republicans have already ]
decided to select a Negro delegate I
from the Twenty-first district of New j
York, and also a Negro alternate. j
New York democrats claim that this
change of front will seriously hurt
the party’s future and declare it is
an unwise move politically.
REFUSE TO BE JIM CROWED
Minneapolis, Minn.—When color- j
ed meat cutters at one of the largest
meat packing plants at Newport, a
suburb, were told that they would
have separate dressing rooms from
white workers, they walked out. The
men were earning 72 cents an hour
and working six eight-hour days to
the week, but they refused to stay
on the job and be jim crowed.
Mrs. Adeline Moore has been quite
ill at her home, 2629 Seward street,
the past week.
EDITORIAL
Why should any Negro who lays any claim to intelligence
permit himself to be used to cut some other Negro’s throat
and by so doing cut his own throat at the same time? And yet
this is precisely what has frequently happened in almost every
community where members of the race h.ave aspired for ad
vancement, industrially, educationally or politically. This has
happened in this community in former years and the same sui
cidal insanity threatens us now.
After a lapse of more than thirty years, two years ago our
racial group had the privilege, honor and inspiration of again
seeing representatives of their blood and color serving in the
state legislature. Some thirty odd years before the Hon. M. O.
Ricketts, whom Richard L. Metcalfe, then a keen observant
and discriminating reporter and writer for The World-Herald,
and who, by the way, has just been drafted by friends and
admirers to run for nomination as United States senator on the
democratic ticket, characterized as one of the brightest mem
bers of the House, ably represented his district and, incident
ally, his race, for two sessions. Then, due chiefly to our racial j
cut-throat policy and crustacean propensity, none of our own
race was elected for more than three decades. Two years ago, j
however, having learned, as we then believed and still believe, j
wisdom from the past, the race united in this community and
helped send not only one but two representatives from this
city to the legislature, Dr. John A. Singleton from the Ninth
and F. L. Barnett from the Tenth District. The virtually solid
vote of our own people for these two candidates in their respect
ive districts with the support given them by white electors in
these districts was what turned the trick. It was an achieve
ment of which all could be proud, demonstrated the power,
wisdom and wonderful possibilities of united and intelligent
action, enheartened our people in other places and designated
Nebraska as liberal-minded and a progressive state.
Both Singleton and Barnett made good in the state legisla
ture, winning the respect of their colleagues. j
Now early in this year Singleton and Barnett filed again
from their respective districts, and each had an excellent
chance of nomination at the April primaries, and of course of
election in the fall, until Wednesday, when at the last hour for
filing, Dr. Aaron A. McMillan was induced to file in the Ninth <
and Charles R. Trimble in the Tenth District, which means, if
these two eleventh hour candidates remain in the running, noth
ing else but cutting the throats, politically, of not only Single
ton and Barnett, but also of McMillan and Trimble. McMillan
and Trimble are simply being used to cut the throats of Single
ton and Barnett and their own throats, to satisfy the personal
spleen of a certain young gentleman obsessed with the ambi
tion to be the political dictator for the Negro citizens of Omaha,
which he can never be, while holding his present position.-This
fact should be well understood by him and his backers, who
ever they may be.
The sacrificing of the political prestige our people have
recently gained by electing representatives to the legislature to
satsify the personal spleen or grudge of any individual, no
matter who he may be, is too big a price to pay.
We are reluctant to believe that either Dr. McMillan, who
is a young man of education and intelligence, or Mr. Trimble,
after they see the situation in its true light, will allow them
selves to be used as assassins of their race’s political opportu
nities in the present campaign, but will honorably and manfully
withdraw, do all in their power to retain the elective positions
we now hold and gain others, and by so doing strengthen them
selves for any political ambitions they may have for themselves
With one race candidate in each of these districts we have
In excellent fighting chance to win but with two defeat for
both candidates is an absolute certainty. Let us not be fools,
but wise; let us not be children, but men. Let us not cut our
own throats. I
HARLEMITE CHOSEN
DELEGATE TO G. O. P.
NATIONAL CONVENTION
New York.—The Rev. Richard
Manuel Bolden, pastor of the First
Emanpel Independent Church of
Harlem, was selected Saturday as
the organization candidate for dele
gate to the republican national con
vention from the Twenty-first con
gressional district. The selection
was made by the republican leaders
of the assembly districts comprising
the congressional district. Mr. Bol- j
den was chosen as a representative ;
Negro, the district having most of'
Manhattan’s Race population.
The selection of Mr. Bolden is ex
pected to work to the political ad
vantage of the republican party in
Harlem, as it is understood that the
democrats of the district do not in
tend to send Race delegates to the
democratic national convention at
Houston, Tex.
PASSES ANTI-LYNCHING BILL
Richmond, Va.—Virginia appears
to be destined to take the lead among
southern states in efforts to abolish
mob rule and lynching. This was at
tested Saturday when Governor Har
ry Byrd’s “anti-lynching” bill was
passed by the senate. It is the gen
eral belief that the measure will also
receive the support of the house. The
senate passed the bill by a vote of
30 to 0.
N. A. A. C. P. BRANCHES
LAUNCH MEMBERSHIP
DRIVE ON MARCH 15
New York, Feb. 24—Throughout
the entire country, on March 15, the
branches of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored Peo
ple will simultaneously launch a drive
for membership, results to be an
nounced at the Los Angeles confer
ence of the association, June 27 to |
July 3, it was announced recently.
A number of the branches, as part
of the drive, are holding popularity
contests with a trip across the con
tinent to Los Angeles as a first prize.
In many cities a house-to-house can
vass is to be made to acquaint resi
dents with the work of the N. A. A.
C. P., and ask them to join. And
frequent meetings of local branch of
ficers and membership committees
are to be held.
VIRGINIA COLOR BILL KILLED
Richmond, Va.—The racial integ
rity bill, which passed the house re
cently after heated debate, was de
feated by the senate. The bill clas
sified as a Negro any person having
any amount of Negro blood without
reference to limit of time or number
of generations. White objected to
the bill because it was said it would
result in the classification of many of
those now classed as white as Ne
groes. Indians were also strongly
opposed to the bill since it would
class many of their mixed breed as
i Negroes.
FORGETS OIL WEALTH
TO RETURN TO JOB AS
RESTAURANT CHEF
Oil Leases Netting Fortunes Daily
Mean Little to George Coleman
of Columbus, Miss., As He
Opens Restaurant
Columbus, Miss.—George Coleman,
for 66 years chef for a South Carolina
railroad, has become a multi-million
aire, and, at the age of 94, has open
ed a restaurant in Columbus to make
good in the world.
Coleman returned a few days ago
from Oklahoma, where he owns 6,700
acres of valuable oil and coal lands, j
He inherited 17,000 acres of land
from his Indian aunt, Vina Coleman.
This tract contains two overflowing
oil wells and a 15-foot seam of coal.
The Oklahoma Iron and Fuel Com
pany recently gave George a million
dollar lease on the coal lands, with
an annual royalty of $55,000.
Three thousand acres are inherited
from his father, Jesse Coleman, who
obtained it on a government land
grant in the early days of Oklahoma.
This land has on it two overflowing
wells, which produce 264,000 gallons
of oil hourly.
In 1926 Coleman sold a lease to
the Gulf Refining Company of Louis
iana, for $1,200,000, with an annual
royalty of $85,000.
He also has 1,900 acres of land
that the government deeded to him in
1897. There are three oil wells and
15 feet of coal on this tract, which is
leased for $45,000 annually.
George first began cooking for a
railroad in Greenwood, S. C., in 1862
and has been cooking ever since that
time. While the Georgia Pacific
railroad (now the Southern) was be
ing built from Birmingham to Colum
bus, George was one of the chief ]
cooks and is well known to veteran '
railroaders.
George says that he signed his
name “Coldman” instead of Coleman
to all of his checks. Local bankers
verify this statement. When asked
if he did not have all the money that
he wants, George replied: “Huh! I
have to cook.”
He is now 94 years old and is live
ly as the average man of 60. Before
locating in Millport, he resided at,
2524 Avenue N, Birmingham, Ala.
NEWSPAPER MEN WILL
MEET AT LOUISVILLE, ICY.
Nashville, Tenn.—An official call
for the National Negro Press Associa
tion to convene in Louisville, Ky., on
April 11 to 14, has been issued, sign- j
ed by Benjamin J. Davis, president;
J. E. Mitchell, chairman of the execu
tive committee, and H. A; Boyd, the
corresponding secretary. These facts
have been communicated to I. Willis
Cole, the recording secretary, who is '
the editor of the Louisville Leader, j
and who, with his associates publish
ers in the Kentucky metropolis, will
be host to the newspaper group.
One hundred and twenty-five Ne
gro newspapers are affected by the
call and the Louisville meeting is ex
pected to be the largest from the
standpoint of attendance in the his
tory of the association, according to
reports from the field secretary, Mel
vin J. Chisum, who is on his official
itinerary.
HEROIC PULLMAN
PORTER IS HONORED
Chicago, 111.—The official charged
with the duty of naming the Pullman
cars when they are put into service
has broadened the policy recently, in
stead of the peculiar combination of
letters often seen, to names of per
sons and more familiar places as well
as flowers and such objects are be
ing resorted to.
On one car bears the name of a
brave Pullman porter who died in a
wreck several years ago. He refused
assistance until a little girl near him
had been cared for, and when the
first-aid workers returned to him he
was dead. In his honor the Sirocco
was re-christened the Daniels.
Which is a great departure from
old-time custom. One of the newest
cars placed on the tracks is named
“Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh.”
CONTRACT WOULD
BAR NEGROES FROM
SELECT DISTRICT
Property War Loom* in Windy City
as Owners’ Association Among
Whites File Agreements of
Restriction
TWENTY-YEAR LIMIT IS SET
Chicago, 111.—A new property war
between the races loomed here when
the Woodlawn Property Owners’ as
sociation last week filed with the
county record a contract specifying
that no land may be rented or pur
chased or leased by Negroes within
certain boundaries.
The Woodlawn organization, fol
lowing closely in the footsteps of a
similar group of white fanatics who
operated under the name of the Ken
wood and Hyde Park Protective as
sociations, made known Saturday its
intention toward Chicago’s citizens.
The pact filed by this latest group
states that 24 square blocks bounded
i by South parkway, Cottage Grove
avenue, Sixtieth and Sixty-third
streets, should not be occupied by
colored people for the next 20 years.
While members of the group af
fected are leaving no stones unturn
ed to get to the bottom of the whole
movement they are openly expressing
their contempt for the organization
and its antics. They have memories
of like attempts less than five years
ago in which it was stated that Ne
groes would not be allowed east of
Indiana and south of Fifty-first
street. To carry out their program,
: the whites, eygn resorted to bombings
with the result that they defeated the
very thing they set out to accomplish.
One prominent banker and realtor,
in discussing the situation, made the
statement that within two years this
prescribed district will have its full
quota of representatives of any race
that cares to occupy it. “We are not
afraid of such contracts as these,” he
said. “We have met them before and
dealt with them as they deserved.
We will do the same to this and any
other group that attempts to segre
gate in Chicago by illegal covenants.”
One significant factor about the
filing of the contract was that it hap
pened almost simultaneously with the
interchange of pulpits. While minis
ters of both races were attempting to
soften the feeling in Chicago through
an exchange of ideas and a desire to
be just to each other, these white
realtors were working hard to undo
anything of the good that they might
have accomplished.
GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOLS
FORM ATLETIC ASSOCIATION
Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 25—Coaches and
representatives of the high school;*
entered in the Morehouse basketball
tournament met here today at the
suggestion of Coach B. T. Harvey of
Morehouse and formed a temporary
organization of high schools for the
state of Georgia. B. T. Harvey was
elected temporary chairman and J. M.
Nutt of Haines Institute, Augusta,
secretary.
A constitution and by-laws com
mittee with L. L. Taylor of Beda
Etta, as chairman was appointed.
The next meeting to form a per
manent organization and adopt a con
stitution and by-laws was set for
September 22, 1928, at 9 a. m. at
Hudson High and Industrial School,
Macon, Georgia.
OFFICER 30 YEARS, QUITS
Washington, D. C.—After serving
i on the Washington metropolitan po
I lice force for a period of more than
j thirty years, Detective Sergeant J. T.
t Jackson has retired from active duty.
Jackson is 60 years old and has ar
, rested more murderers than any oth
jer Washington officer.
WOULD FIRE COMMITTEEMAN
Baton Rouge, La.—Efforts are be
ing made to throw B. V. Barnaco out
of office on the republican state cen
tral committee. Barnaco has been
East Baton Rouge’s representative for
the last twenty years.