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Volume 2. Number 1C J.13IDJ- 3, Nebn.sk. Thursday, January 23, 1948
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Negro History Week Observance
Member of Normal Board
Appears on Radio Shows
J. Hyde Sweet, editor of the
Nebraska Daily News-Press. Ne
braska City, and in December ap
pointed to the State Normal Board
by Governor Val Peterson, recent
ly appearec on two nation-wide
broadcasts
On Sunday, December 28, he
appeared on Columbia Broadcast
ing System's “The Editor Speaks/’
and on Monday, January 5, on
Morgan Beatty’s “News of the
World.”
Topic for the broadcast was
“The State of the Union.”
Mr. Sweet used for the theme
of his address, “We must not re
peat old errors in coming years.”
“It is hoped that the errors of
the past 25 years, a quick review
of Which will reveal some re
markable and saddening experi
ences for the American people,
will not be repeated legislatively
during the coming year,” he said.
“We must not forget that in
1920 the country was faced by the
fact that we had a Democratic
president and an opposition Con
gress. It was during that period
that our first great chance oc
curred to take an active and per
- gonal part in the affairs of the
world, which then, too, \^as in the
depths of despair. We failed to
live up to our finest traditions as
a friend to mankind for reasons
which we need not go into here.”
“And now again, in 1948, we
have a government which is split
in its loyalties, and may unless it
is very careful, lose its sense of
national direction. At this time
* the issues at stake, one domestic
and the other international, trans
cend in importance and far-reach
ing effect anything we have seen
in the long and interesting history
of the republic.
“The situation differ in some
degree, and yet if we do not solve
the problems which beset us at
home by building up solidarity of
purpose and intent which is so
pressingly needed, then the larger
problem of creating harmony and
^restoring human hope abroad, will
remain in status quo, or worse,
and engender more and more an
guish for all of us in the future.
“It will not be enough for one
group in this country to use all
its talents to oppose another fac
tion, solely on the grounds that
it has been the American custom
for political parties to seek the
material rather than the spiritual.
“It is my opinion as a small
town newspaper man, and I think
I am joined in this thought by
many others, that partisan and
personal considerations must be
laid aside during the coming year.
I believe that regardless of a great
American presidential election
during which all sorts of argu
ments will be presented in the
hope of swaying /the masses of
people into partisan, emotional
disturbances, we have a remark
able and marvelous opportunity
ahead of us.
“I believe we may bring peace
and joy to millions of people
merely by setting a good example
to the rest of the world; that
thankfulness will fill our own
hearts as well as the hearts of
others, because we have shown
ourselves big and brave enough to
perform a huge task and that by
accomplishing that task we once
more have attained our God
directed manifest destiny as the
exemplars of popular govern
ment.'*
Issues discussed on "The Editor
speaks” included America’s place
in the world; the diplomatic and
economic situation at home and
abroad, and the proposal to use
the Marshall Plan as one means
of combatting Communism as a
world threat.
Mr. Sweet was appointed to the
Normal Board to fill the unex
pired term of Edgar Femeau, Au
burn Attorney, who died. The
term ends Jan. 19, 1953.
Mr. Sweet has served as presi
dent of the Nebraska Press Asso
ciation, the Nebraska City Cham
ber of Commerce, the Nebraska
Rotary Club, and Congressman
from Nebraska. He is listed in
Who’s Who in America.
Fisk Frexy Gives Short History
Of Negro in Britannica Junior
CHICAGO. (ANP). The grow
ing importance of the Negro
peoples to die economy of the
United States is depicted in a
5,000-word article on “Negroes.
United States,” written for Britan
nica Junior, the boys’ and girls’
encyclopaedia, by Charles Spur
geon Johnston, president of Fisk
university in Nashville.
Britannica Junior, published by
the 18-year-old Encyclopaedia
Britannica organization with
headquarters in Chicago, is espe
cially intended for children of
grade school age. In the new
printing recently published, Brit
annica Junior has been expanded
from 12 to 15 volumes, and com
pletely reset in a type chosen for
easy reading by children them
, selves. Every article in the set
has been revised or reviewed, and
hundreds of articles are com
pletely new.
In the article by President John
son, Britannica Junior points out
that the Negro first came to
America with the earliest ex
plorers. 1
“Ancient manuscripts mention
Alonzo Pietro, il nigro (the Ne
gro), as the pilot of the Nina, one
of Christopher Columbus’ ships.
Negroes were with Vasco Balboa
when he reached the Pacific, with
Howard Grad Wins D.C.
X-Ray Slogan Contest
WASHINGTON. (ANP). A How
ard university graduate, Miss Janet
E. Childs, won first prize of $150
this week for submitting the best
slogan among more than 8,000^ en
tries for the city wide X-ray drive.
Her slogan, “Happy? Healthy?
Stay That Way! Get Your Chest
X-ray Today,” opened the capitol
city’s campaign to give chest X
rays for tuberculosis to v600,000
Washington dwellers and workers.
Miss Childs received her award
from District Commissioner Guy
Mason at a special ceremony open
ing the drive. Neighborhood ex
aminations will be given to adults
throughout the city until June 15.
College Students
Urged to Apply
For Scholarships
NEW YORK.—Dr. Reuben G.
I Gustavson, chancellor of the Uni
| versify of Nebraska, and Dr. Row
land Haynes, president of the
University of Omaha, have joined
the presidents of 172 leading col
leges who have issued a call for
Negro students to apply for ten
thousand scholarships. These pres
idents comprise the Board of Col
lege Scholarship Fund for Negro
Students.
The Fund helps Negro students
to finance their education at 968
inter-racial, non-segregated in
oiiiutions. According to Fund of
ficials, few Negro students realize
that thousands of scholarships are
available to them.
Students are urged to send their
names and addresses to the Col
lege Scholarship Fund for Negro
Students, Room 462, 360 West
122nd Street, New York 27, N. Y.
The Fund is supported by volun
tary contributions and therefore
offers its services free of charge.
Hernan Cortez in Mexico, and j
with the explorers of Guatemala,
Chili, Peru and Venezuela.
“The territory now forming
New Mexico and Arizona was first
explored by a party led by Este
vanico, a Negro. Aviles de Men
endez had Negro artisans with
him when he founded St. Augus
tine. Floridam in 1565.”
Dr. Johnson explains that the
importation of Negro slaves did
not begin in earnest until 1688,
when the supply of white inden
tured servants was cut off.
By the time of the American
Revolution there were a half-mil
lion Negro slaves in the American
colonies, and by 1880 about one
million.
“In 1807, on the earnest recom
mendation of President Thomas
Jefferson, congress prohibited the
further importation of slaves. But
illegal importations continued on
a large scale and the Negro popu
lation reached 2,300,000 in 1830
and 4,411,000 by 1860. Many parts
of the country shaded in the re
sponsibility for slavery, either as
importers, sellers, or buyers,” the
article points out.
In the article, President John
son deals exhaustively with the
status of both Negro slaves and
Negro freedmen during the 19th
century. As early as the first
United States census in 1790,
nearly eight per cent of the total
Negro population were free, the
article reports. But while tech
nically “free,” the Negro in both
south and north suffered under
many handicaps.
“When the War Between the
States came, the status of the Ne
gro was really the central issue.
On Jan. 1, 1863, President Abra
ham Lincoln’s Emancipation pro
clamation became effective set
ting free all slaves held in the
southern states which were at that
time at war with the union...
More than 4,000,000 Negro slaves
were set free, nearly all of them
illiterate, without training in self
direction and self-support, and
without property.”
Theme: ‘The Whole Truth and
Nothing but the Whole Truth’
WASHINGTON. (ANP). Communities throughout most of the
United States will observe Negro History week February 8-15 with
special programs emphasizing the way the teaching of Negro history
in schools and colleges can help the democratic processes in America.
This celebration has become a regular event in the majority of
Negro schools and in many white ones.
Our Honor Roll
The following is a list of those
who are New Subscribers or have
renewed their Subscription to
THE VOICE. _
How does your SUBSCRIP
TION STAND?
Mr. Ed G. Craft
Mrs. H. Spann
Mrs. Henry Harris
Mrs. Dennis Brown, Spring
field, Mass.
Mr. Harold Jones, Allentown,
Pa.
Mrs. L. S. Goolsby, Wentzville,
Missouri
Mrs. Ray W. Smith
Miss Estella Kerns
Mrs. Irene Weeks
Mr. Donald Stith.
Mr. Wm. R. Green. Chicago, 111.
Ada Sipuel Jubilant Over
Supreme Court Devision
NEW YORK. (ANP). Miss Ada
Lois Sipuel, 23-year-old plaintiff
in the Sipuel versus the Univer
sity of Oklahoma case, was jubi
lant here Wednesday when the
U. S. Supreme court awarded a
decision in her favor for admit
tance to the law school of the
university. She was enroute from
Providence, R. I., to Norman,
Okla., wher^e she will enroll in
the university law school next
semester.
“Oh, it’s a wonderful constitu
tion,” she exclaimed. “I’m going
to be a lawyer, I’m going to
learn.”
Reflecting a moment on what
her reception will be at the school,
she said soberly, “The few on the
campus at the university who call
me names why, I won’t even hear
them. I don’t think I’ll be alone
for long. Somebody had to be
first. It will be hard, but maybe
soon there’ll be other Negroes
with me.”
Miss Sipuel, who is the 'Wife
of Warren W. Fisher, a Langston
university honor graduate, is her
self an honor graduate of Lang
ston. Her husband is now work
ing as a machinist in Providence,
but plans to join her in Norman.
She has a brother who is a law
student at Howard university.
Speaking of the events leading
up to the court suit, she said, “I
got mad when I was a junior
at college. We had a state of
ficial down to ask for better fa
cilities. We showed him all over
the campus, what we needed, and
he just shrugged his shoulders
and said we were lucky to have
any school.
“I didn’t see why Negroes
should be kept from learning,” she
continued. “Justice is for every
one. Six of us decided to apply
for various departments at the
university. Everybody backed out,
so I nominated myself as chief
guinea pig.”
As a parting shot, she asserted,
“The state of Oklahoma may not
know it, but I think perhaps their
whole silly law of segregation is
crumbling — and forever and
I ever.”
Begun to teach Negroes of their
own background and thus to in
still the spirit of self respect, cour
age and inspiration among Negro
youth, the celebration has proved
to be helpful in increasing dignity
among Negroes and in defeating
the inferiority complex which has
been tremendously handicapping
to some Negro children and adults
as well.
Literature and data on Negro
history is already available at the
offices of the Association for the
Study of Negro Life and History
at 1538 9th Street, N. W., Wash
ington, ,D. C. Individuals and
groups desirous of securing help
on planning Negro History week
celebrations in their community
should write to Dr. Carter G.
Woodson, director.
Three very important things
about the celebration, according
to Dr. Woodson, are the gathering
of local historical data and docu
ments on the Negro, the petition
ing of school boards and libraries
as well as schools of higher learn
ing to teach Negro history and to
have available for students and
readers books, pamphlets, reports
and pictures by and about the
Negro, and the raising of funds
for the association.
All schools in the country, white
and colored, public and private,
are urged to participate in the
observance this year. Dr. Wood
son asserts that the world crisis
heightened by racial hatreds and
color prescriptions make it highly
necessary that the celebration be
held not only in America, but in
other parts of the world.
Prejudice based on race, color,
creed, sex, national origin and so
cial status is considered one of the
chief evils of modern civilization
and a condition which lends itself
easily to the justification and pro
motion of modern wars and im
perialism. For this reason, it was
explained by sponsors of Negro
History Week this week, all peace
loving groups and individuals
should help sponsor the observ
ance in their communities.
Dr. Woodson, who originated
the observance, was born in Buck
ingham County, Va. He sprang
from a poor family, but by dogged
determination and self sacrifice he
secured a college education and
earned the Ph.D. degree from
Harvard university.
The Negro people all over
America are urged to plan well
and execute fully a program in
observance of Negro History week
this year. Money should be raised
in colleges, universities, social,
civic, professional and business
clubs, in churches and fraternities
and sororities to help this cause.
Groups can help the Association
by urging white colleges, univer
sities and public schools to teach
drama and the arts, race relations, _ *
courses in Negro history, Negro
inter-cultural relations and move
ments on inter-racial co-opera
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