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About The monitor. (Omaha, Neb.) 1915-1928 | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1928)
Tfl r— P r-f i ° V TIN G— 1 |T TOO r> The Monitor NEBRASKA'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS OF COLORED AMERICANS THE REV. JOHN ALBERT WILLIAMS, Editor. ———————————— GROWING — THANK YOU $2.00 a Year—5 Cents a Copy Omaha, Nebraska, Friday, April 20, 1928 Vol. XIII—Number 42 Whole Number 663 Negro Bishop Episcopal Church Is Dead PROMINENT NEGRO PRELATE PASSES IN NORTH CAROLINA Rl. Rev. Henry Baird Delaney, D. D., Bishop Suffragan of Colored Work in Carolines Dies at Raleigh WAS AN OUTSTANDING FIGURE New York City, April 16—News has reached the headquarters of the national council of the Episcopal Church of the death at 10:30 o’clock Saturday, April 14, of the Rt. Rev. Henry Baird Delaney, D. D., Bishop Suffragan in charge of colored work : in the Episcopal dioceses of North Carolina, East Carolina, Western North Carolina, South Carolina and Upper South Carolina, at his home in St. Augustine’s school, Raleigh, N. C. Bishop Delaney, who was an out standing figure as an educator among the people of his race, was one of the three colored bishops suffragan, or assistant bishops in the Episcopal Church, the others being the Rt. Rev. Edward Thomas Demby, Bishop Suf fragan of Arkansas and the Rt. Rev. T. Momolu Gardiner, Bishop Suffra gan of the District of Liberia, West Africa. Dish op Delaney was born at St. Mary’s, Georgia, February 5, 1858. He was sent to St. Augustine’s school, Raleigh, from Florida, by the Rev. Dr. Lemuel Thackera of Fernandina when he was already a grown man. He had successfully plied the mason’s trade up to this time, and he relin quished it with great hesitation to take up his course of preparation for the ministry. Having completed his course at St. Augustine’s school, he became a teacher there, and was ad vanced by successive stages until he became vice principal, which posi tion he held until 1908, when he was called to be archdeacon of colored work in the diocese of North Car olina. This work, in which he en gaged until 1918, broadened after his consecration in that year as bishop suffragan to include work among the colored people throughout the Car olinas. He was deeply beloved and respected by people throughout that territory. Bishop Deianey leaves a wife and ten children, all born on the grounds of St. Augustine’s school and receiv ing their first education in that in stitute, of which Mrs. Delaney was the matron for nearly 30 years. One son. Dr. Lemuel Thackera Delaney, named for his father’s old friend and benefactor, is a practicing physician in Raleigh, and another is one of the United States district attorneys of New York. STUDENTS WIN HONORS Miss Margaret Dallas, a senior at Central High, has won the distinc tion of being the first colored stu dent to be chosen to the staff of The Register, the school weekly. She is also on the writeup committee of the O Book, the high school annual, and has gained the coveted honor of hav ing been elected to membership in the Quill and Scroll, one of the na tional high school journalistic fra ternities for “outstanding work dur ing the senior year in journalism.” Margaret was among those receiving three A’s this semester. Ralph Adams, son of the Rev. and Mrs. John Adams, who is also a mem ber of the senior class, was one of two students who won out in the Spanish elimination test and will represent Central High in the Ne braska scholarship contest to be held at Lincoln in May, in which students from the entire state compete. The Monitor congratulates these students upon the honors they have won. Mrs. Eliza Turner, aged 65, died at her residence, 2723 Miami street, Wednesday, after a protracted ill ness. She is survived by her husband and other relatives. The funeral will be held from Zion Baptist church, this Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock. WOMAN’S AUXILIARY OF SPANISH WAR VETERANS The Woman’s Auxiliary of Capt. Allen Allensworth camp No. 25, Spanish War Veterans, held their regular meeting Wednesday night at St. Benedict’s community home with a good attendance. Busines was transacted after which a dainty luncheon was served to the mem bers and their husbands, of which about 25 were present, also two vis itors. A very enjoyable evening was spent, comrades telling their expe riences while in the service. The auxiliary will meet Wednesday, April 25, at 8:30 p. m. All members are requested to be present, also to bring a new member if possible. The aux iliary w'ill hold a bakery sale Satur day, April 21, at Herman’s Grocery store, Twenty-fourth and Erskine streets. PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR HERE HAS RESIGNED Rev. Dr. Charles H. Trusty Leaves Hillside Church to Accept Pastorate Elsewhere The Rev. Charles H. Trusty, D. D., who has been pastor of Hillside Pres byterian church, Thirtieth and Ohio streets, since June 14, 1925, has re signed, his resignation becoming ef fective May 1. Dr. Trusty, who is one of the most scholarly and suc cessful ministers of the Presbyterian Church, came to Omaha from Pitts burgh, Pa., where he had a most suc cessful pastorate of several years. He also filled successful pastorates in the south. He succeeded the Rev> Russel Taylor, who organized the Presbyterian congregation here a few years ago and has worked diligently and untiringly to develop the work, as did his predecessor. Dr. Trusty will be out of the city for ten days, and the Rev. Russel Taylor, former pastor, will take the services at Hill side for the next two Sundays. STUDENTS OBSERVE NATIONAL NEGRO LITERATURE WEEK Lincoln, Neb., April 16—(Special) —The fifth annual initial program sponsored by the Semper Fidelis club at the University of Nebraska in ob servance of National Negro Liter ature Week, was given Sunday, April 15, at the Mount Zion Baptist church. This year the program was pre sented in an unusual but very unique and impressive manner by using a semi-dramatic style. The stage fea tured a living room in the home of a prosperous Negro couple. The man and husband who is uninterested in Negro literature and art was acted by L. H. Williams of Tulsa, Okla homa. His wife, enacted by Leverta Pyle, also of the same city, very in terested in all phases of literature in which the Negro participates, tries hard to convince her husband of the value of contributing to help Negroes in this field. Finally after a heated argument over this question, the hus band falls asleep while his wife plays a Negro spiritual on the vic trola. In his sleep he hears and sees; first, a trio, S. Walker, L. Swingler, P. Booker, singing “Steal Away”; then a voice, Corinne E. Ferguson, tells him of the Negro in music; next comes a solo, P. M. Hill, follow ed by a story of what the Negro has done in the novel, John Adams, jr.; a saxophone solo, H. Lee; next, a voice telling of the Negro in poetry, L. Swingler; a reading of one of Dunbar’s poems, Thelma Hammond; a violin solo, F. Booker; vocal solo, Theresa Askew; and last, a voice tracing the development of the Ne ?ro in drama, Harold Adams. His dream is climaxed when he hears a L-horus of Negro patriot’s singing the national Negro anthem. When he awakens, he fully realizes the impor tance of aiding in the development af this unfinished talent. Much credit is due to the presi dent, Millard T. Woods, for his un tiring efforts in planning this pro gram. It was a consensus of opinion that this was the best program of its kind ever presented by the Negro student body at the University of Ne EDITORIAL That some of the Negro Baptists of Omaha are discussing the economic and spiritual disadvantages of having so many small, struggling debt-burdened congregations, rather than three or four well-financed C9ngregations, is a commendable step which The Monitor sincerely hopes may lead to practical results in strengthening the religious work of that denomina tion in this city. The fact that some of this denomination is recognizing the unwisdom of multiplying congregations among them is some gain. It shows that they are thinking, thinking straight, and straight thinking leads ultimately to right action. There are some seven or eight Baptist congregations within a radius of eight blocks, some of these being only three or four blocks apart. If these were in widely separated and inacces sible parts of the city, there might be some reasonable excuse for their existence. But this is not the case. Nearly all of 1 them are within a stone’s throw of each other. Since all these are brethren and hold the one faith, so we understand, what is the necessity of having so many separate houses for the one family, and only one of the houses paid for, when one house is large enough to hold all? We do hope that these good peo ple who are no doubt anxious to advance the Christion cause, will find some way to unite their congregations, so that, free from debt, and with well equipped and dignified edifices, and a well trained corps of Christian workers, under the leadership of strong pastors they can advance the cause of the Christian religion among our race in this city and community. Here’s hoping that they may find a way. HEAD OF NEGRO PRESS ASSOCIATION SPEAKS Louisville, Ky.— (Through The As sociated Negro Press)—“The press is an all powerful factor in the making of men, or of a nation. With the possible exception of the pulpit, the press is the most powerful human agency in developing and stabilizing character. It is the greatest civiliz ing agency, save the Christian reli gion, controlled by man. “The standard of a people’s rel: gion and civilization is largely de termined by the morality and intelli gence of their newspapers. There is no greater sentiment maker than a well organized press hitting on all six, every day in the week. “The white man’s well organized and trained press is our greatest handicap and enemy, and the weakest link in our chain of progress is our lack of a well organized and trained press, to defend our rights, and to stabilize our progress. “The white press has advertised the Negro to the world as a shiftless, indolent character, and a liability to be shifted in a community where he lives, and the world believes it. No other agency could have so obscured our virtues, and paraded our vices. There is only one way, and means to meet and counteract this vile slander and libel, and that one way and means is to fight the devil with fire, meet him on his own grounds with a well organized press, devoted to the defense and uplift of the Negro peo ple for the race’s sake. The fight must not be made for me and mine, but for the race—for the black peo ple everywhere. Consecration to Duty “The job of building this bulwark of defense is ours, the newspaper men, and it is a great and glorious work. This association is the nucleus around which this all powerful press can and must be built. The task is in the making, and is largely in this association’s hands. It is going to take, gentlemen, men with brains in their heads, guts in their bellies, and the grace of God in their hearts. Wo want editors who would rather serve the race than to attack one another; men with professional pride who love the work, and who will not seek to hold a brother editor up to contempt and public ridicule, just because he doesn’t like him; men who will de fend their contemporaries against the common enemy, and will not clip and publish every slander they see in the white papers. “The association must build up and maintain a standard of ethics in the profession. The feeling and respect we must have for one another should be held sacred and inviolate, and be just as lofty as the ethics among lawyers, doctors, preachers, and oth er professional men. The First Step “The first step in developing a well organized, trained and defensive press, is for the members of this as sociation to organize its members in to an ethical, self respecting body, as oath bound as is necessary for common defense. “Secondly, be proud of the associ ation; and if it is not what you would have it be, bring it up to your stand ard by your own industry, and the sheer force of your personality. If you are ashamed of the association, you are ashamed of yourself, for it is the fruits of your labor, and you can not expect an apple tree to bear peaches. What the People Owe the Preti “The press is the people’s cham pion, and they owe it liberal support and encouragement. The press ought not to be looked on as the private property of individuals, but as a pub lic institution, which the public is duty-bound to support and respect. Every family, business and individual should feel that a newspaper is the common property of all, and all owe it a living. “When the press makes a defense of, or supports public enterprises, it is not striking for self, but for all the people. The Negro, of all peo ple, should develop a healthy, clean press to defend himself against many of the lies and slander that ‘yellow’ press utter and publish against the race. .“In all the southland, there is not a white daily that is fair and just to the Negro race. The majority of them speak better of cattle, a thou sand times, than they do of the race. Yet, we buy and pay for this slime and slander.” breska. An audience of 300 were well pleased with the showing made by the university students. The Semper Fidelis club was or ganized four years ago at the Uni versity of Nebraska by Milton Bled soe, then a student in the school of journalism, but now news editor for the Kansas City Call. Its purpose is to further both literary and social in terests of the Negro students who attend the University of Nebraska. The officers of the club are M. T. Woods, pres’dent; Thelma Hammond, vice-president; Theresa Askew, sec retary; H. D. Gordon, assistant sec retary; Maxine Holmes, treasurer. The program committee for this event was composed of Corinne E. Ferguson, Louis Swingler, Theresa Askew, M. T. Woods, John Adams, Lloyd Williams, Pahio Hill and Thel ma Hammond. A NEW ORCHESTRA The Junior Nite Owls, a newly or ganized orchestra of young people, made its first appearance at the Al hambra theater Sunday, April 16. The program was greatly appreciated and received generous applause. The members are Carlton Goodlet, assis tant manager; Anthony Cristopher, Hazel Gray, Delmar Kirtley, Walter Harrold, Archie Brown, Lawrence Burnett, director, and Olive Knox. Anyone wishing to make an engage ment call Webster 1628 or Webster 6448. MILITARY RITES HELD FOR ALLIEHUE WILSON The body of Private Alliehue Wil son, aged 22 years, who died April 9th at the government station hospi tal, Nogales, Ariz., was shipped April 12th to the J. D. Lewis funeral home. Mr. Wilson was a member of the Twenty-fifth Infantry in active serv ice. Funeral services were held from Mount Carmel Baptist church Mon day, April 16, with military honors. The Rev. W. E. Fort officiated, as sisted by Dr. L. Vester Bolton. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Horace Wilson, 2322 North Twenty-fifth street. Other relatives are Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Collins; Mr. and Mrs. F. Jackson; also Hallie, James, Henry and Geraldine Wilson. Interment was at Forest Lawn. BLIND JOURNALIST IS « WELCOME VISITOR Fred Williams, Editor of The Pacific Defender, Spends Two Days Here Renewing Old Friendships Mr. Fred C. Williams, a former resident of Omaha and member of The Monitor staff, but now editor of The Pacific Defender of Los Angeles, the best edited race weekly on the west coast, paid this city a most wel come visit Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. Mr. Williams was en route home from Louisville, Ky., where he attended the annual meet ing of the National Negro Press asso ciation, with the spirit, vision, earn estness and high standards of which he was well pleased. “Negro journalism,” said Mr. Wil liams, “is certainly on the up-grade and is gradually coming into its own. The men and women in the profes sion are animated by high ideals and a seriousness of purpose which bodes nothing but good. The field is rap idly becoming occupied by young men and women trained in the profession which, of course, means efficiency. The National Negro Press association has as its goal the standardization of Negro j'ournalism.” Fred C. Williams is a remarkable man. Becoming totally blind some years ago, he took his affliction phil osophically and cheerfully, and in-> stead of yielding to despair, he deter mined to be useful. Having a keen mind he turned to j'ournalism and triumphed over privations and ob stacles which would have overwhelm ed one with weaker faith and will power. Becoming traveling represen tative of The Monitor, he extended its circulation throughout the south and wrote delightful descriptive arti cles of places visited and of people whom he met. Seven years ago he left Omaha and eventually landed in California, where after a serious ill ness, he began the publication of The Pacific Defender, which has grown rapidly in circulation and influence. He is ably assisted in his newspaper work by his wife. Fred C. Williams is looking well and is the same sunny, cheerful man as of yore with an alert, keen, well furnished mind. His friends were all pleased to see him. He left for home over the Mis souri Pacific by the way of Kansas City late Wednesday night. _ I BAPTISTS DISCUSS MERGER Last Sunday afternoon at a mass meeting called at Zion Baptist church at which William Busk, a prominent white Baptist layman, who has been very much interested in and liberally helped the colored Baptists of the city, presided, the subject of merg ing the work of the colored Baptists was discussed. Walter L. Capper and Dr. Morton, white Baptist officials, were among those who spoke. The Rev. J. H. Jackson and the Rev. Mr. Young also addressed the meeting. It was pointed out by all the speaker^ that more effective work could be done by fewer congregations unbur dened by debt than by the many which are almost too debt-burdened to exist. Mr. Paul L. Moore is reported to be seriously sick at this writing. SODDEN DEATH OF WELL-KNOWN LE SHOCK TO COONTRY I _ William Clarence Matthews, Assis tant United States Attorney General, Succumbs to Serious Operation PLANNED TO VISIT OMAHA Washington, D. C.—The political world was shocked Monday, April 9, by the report of the sudden death here of William C. Matthews, assis tant United States attorney general, who succumbed to an operation for abdominal ulcers. He had come east to confer with Attorney General Sar gent relative to certain cases to which he had been assigned in California. Mr. Matthews was 51 years old and had obtained an eminent position in the governmental affairs of the country. Mr. Matthews was born in Selma, Alabama, January 7, 1877. He was educated at Tuskegee Institute, Philips Academy, Harvard univer sity and Boston university law school. In 1904 he married Miss Penelope Belle Lloyd. Mr. Matthews was a marvelous athlete. He organized the first Tus kegee football team and was captain of the Tuskegee baseball team. He was on the football, baseball and track teams at Philips Academy and played quarterback and end on the Harvard eleven and shortstop on the Harvard nine. Mr. Matthews began his political activities in 1900. In 1924 he or ganized the colored republicans. He was appointed special assistant to the attorney general by Presidents Taft and Coolidge. The Elks, Masons, Reindeers and Alpha Phi Alpha claimed his mem bership. Mr. Matthews en route east passed through Omaha, Friday, March 16, and wired the editor of The Monitor to meet him at the train. At that time he expressed regret that he could not stop over here but hoped to be able to do so on his return west. THE OLD FOLKS’ HOME These big hearted citizens remem bered the old people at the Old Folks’ Home: The Triple Four club gave a shower of canned fruit and other dainties. The club rendered a love ly program and served tea and cake to all present. They brought great cheer to the hearts of the shut-ins, who enjoyed the program very much and hope they will come soon again. Mrs. Jessica Wright is president of the club. Through the kindness of Father Williams, a beautiful uphol stered chair was given the home by E. T. Travis and Mrs. Archer of Drake Court. Mrs. C. E. Strom brought two baskets of assorted jel lies to the home, through the good work for the home of Mrs. Maud Ray. The Medical Auxiliary, Mrs. D. W. Gooden, president, Mrs. Her bert Wiggins, secretary, sent an Easter basket filled with Easter eggs and fruit. The following officers for the home have been elected and installed for the ensuing year: Mrs. Henriet ta Fox, president; Mrs. Turner, vice president; Mrs. Z. E. McGee, secre tary; Mrs. F. Johnson, treasurer. The following were named as chair men of committees: Mrs. E. H. Mc Donald, chairman, house committee; Mrs. Snowden, chairtnan, linen com mittee; Mrs. Union, chairman, inves tigating committee. In recognition of her efficient and economical man agement of the home, Mrs. H. Leland was retained as superintendent. Mrs. Jessie Cason, wife of Harry Cason, died suddenly at her home, 1618 North Twenty-second street, Saturday evening, April 14. She is survived by her husband, Harry Cason, two sons, Hildred and Hale, and her mother, Mrs. Luella Holden of Moberly, Mo., and a brother, Estil Holden. The funeral waB held Thursday, April 14, from the J. D. Lewis funeral home.
