The voice. (Lincoln, Nebraska) 1946-195?, February 14, 1952, Image 1

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    Q.C. Missionary Society to
Sponsor Fair and Bazaar
The Missionary Society of Quinn
Chapel A.M.E. Church is sponsor
ing a unique program Thursday,
February 14th. The entertainment
which will be held at the Urban
League gym will take the form of
a Gypsy Fair and Bazaar with
beautifully decorated booths filled
with a variety of attractions.
Mrs. Wyatt Williams, known for
her original designs of aprons, will
have many styles on display at
reasonable prices.
The public is invited to attend.
A small admission charge is asked,
according to Mrs. John Johnson,
general chairman.
The planning committee is as
follows: Mrs. J. B. Brooks, Mrs.
Clifford Harris, Mrs. Harry Peter
son, Mrs. Clinton Conrad, Mrs.
Rachel Fields, Miss Mary Samp
son, Mrs. J. H. Dean, Mrs. Barbara1
Moore, Mrs. Charlotte Jackson,1
Mr. Maurice Russell and Mr. H. O.
McFields. I
Mrs. Eggleston
Will Address
Prayer Groups
Mrs. Louise Eggleston of Nor
folk, Virginia, state chairman of
the Spiritual Life Committee of
the W. S. C. S. of the Methodist
churches of Virginia, noted lec
turer, author, Prayer group or
ganizer and leader will be in Lin
coln February 14th and 15th.
The combined council of church
women world Day of Prayer cot
tage prayer groups will hear Mrs.
Eggleston at Grace Methodist
church on Friday at 10 a.m. Other
addresses are scheduled at Wes
leyan University, St. Paul and
Grace Methodist churches.
Editorial
By R. G. CAMPBELL, Guest Editorialist
Negro History Week once again has been proclaimed, the theme
this year being Great Teachers. Certainly it is notable that such
a week be proclaimed, needed to point out to the world the achieve
ments of Negro men and women great in their fields of excellence.
The proclamation, though, is unfortunate in one great respect,
that being that a need exists to hold up to the observing world the
facts that “Negroes, too, have progressed markedly in the world of
the white man, even surpassed in many instances because of the
obstacles overcome. Observing Negro history, thus, is observing the
progress of a race, set apart by bigots and racists who claim su
periority by virtue of the color of their skin or what they claim is
a pure heritage. The point being it is unfortunate that the Negro is
set aside to achieve his success, rather than being permitted to
achieve in a world where distinctions are not made on color lines,
which hinder more than help the progress of the colored man, as
well as of the world.
Negro History Week sprang up as a counterpart to the nationally
proclaimed Brotherhood Week, an observance that precludes the
theme of the brotherhood of all men, with no distinctions made as
to RACE, CREED, OR RELIGION. Why, then, was it necessary
to establish a separate week of observance, recognizing the advance
ments made by the Negro? The answer appears obvious.
The originator of Negro History Week, Dr. Carter G. Woodson,
a historian of note, had in mind recognizing of the brotherhood of
all men, including those set aside by the would-be purists. Since
the advent of Brotherhood Week in 1934, noteworthy strides have
been made by Negroes in the community of the white man. There has
been the eminent Dr. Charles Drew, surgeon and instructor in medi
cine. He made no distinction when accepting students for training.'
Then again, there is Ralph Bunche, world-famous United Nations
mediator who sidetracked impending disaster in the new Jordan
state. Dr. Bunche made no bones about race or creed when dis
cussing problems with the Jews and the Arabs.
Perhaps most outstanding in this person’s memory is Dr. Percy
Julian, chemist, whose advances in attacking the dread arthritis and
rheumatism have achieved fame in all segments of society. These
men, of course, all are Negroes. That fact, however, doesn’t de
tract from their greatness, but instead adds to their fame. This be
cause they have achieved that fame in the face of oft-times cruel
opposition because of their race.
In a Chicago suburb, Dr. Julian’s home was bombed repeatedly
and attempts were made to burn him out before he could move in.
This because where he wanted to live was a white neighborhood.
In his work with industries setting up chemical plants, Dr. Julian
often had to send white representatives into Southern cities to do
his work, this because of the stigma attached to the color of a man’s
skin in the slowly-progressing South. The people in the white neigh
borhood into which Dr. Julian and his family moved, later requested
of the doctor supplies of Cortisone, wonder drug in the temporary
relief of arthritis.
That’s the way it goes. Step on a man until you find he can be (
of some use. The old theory of scapegoating is eminent, emphasizing
again the point that the Negro has and is being used as a cause ofj
the ills of man, until, that is, it is recognized that the Negro is of
value than as more a slave, as such were Dr. Julian’s mother and
father.
In observing Negro History Week, which this writer would make j
over into a Negro History Year, recognizing the Negro as a part of j
the greater society, not set apart, I feel it important to take stock!
of ourselves. Look at history, the history of all men, to note the
damage resulting from discrimination of the Negro. Look to the
Negro as a man among men, not as a separate category, but as
an integral part of the whole story. The color line soon disappears. |
The learned discrimination soon is unlearned. There is no more
cause to it than that. And then Negro History Week will be a thing
of the past, for all society will recognize the history of all men, not
those set aside by their own fears.
6 -vr Cities Will Observe
Brotherhood Week Feb. 17-24
■Mixing Races
In Army Units!
Winning Favor
STUTTGART, Germany—High
ranking officers of the Seventh'
Army are coming to the conclu-J
sion that full integration of white!
and colored soldiers is the only 1
solution to the racial problems!
they confront.
That there is a problem is ap
parent to everyone who will face'
facts squarely. The problem, as it
affects U.S. soldiers in Europe,
however, has been exaggerated
have cir-|
I'UldlCU a l I1UI1IC.
Only twice in the last year have
there been only two racial clashes
on any sizable scale. Both have
the subject of intense and careful
investigation. There have been no
concealed “murders” as has some
times been charged.
In one of the disturbances, 20
soldiers, four of them colored,
were treated for injuries, but only
two required hospital care. In the
other five Negroes and four whites
were injured, but none was hos
pitalized.
By still another yardstick, of
310 so-called “serious incidents”
reported by Seventh Army Mili
tary Police during the entire
i month of December only 11 in
volved both white and colorec
‘ soldiers, and only three or fou
could be classified genuinely a
’ having “racial” backgrounds.
For a mixed army of five divi
sions, with all their attached sup
porting agencies, living in the
super-heated atmosphere of mod
ern Germany, the number is no!
considered large. A “serious in
cident” may be anything from an
automobile accident in which
there is property damage of more
than $100 or personal injury to
burglary, assault, and murder,
j Complete integration, or forma
tion of units with no regard for
color lines, it is felt here would
hasten acceptance on both sides.
.Opposition seems to come from
i some grounds of officers more
than from the men themselves. A
World War II Army questionnaire
showed more than 80 per cent of
the men, white and colored, in
favor of integration.
Courtesy Journal-Star
Negro Youth Presides at
Oklahoma State Capitol
[ OKLAHOMA CITY— (ANP)—
In a youth government sponsored
by the Oklahoma State Hi-Y and
Tri-Y group of the YMCA, Don
ald Simmons presided last week
as governor at the state capitol.
Simmons, a senior at Manual
Training High school in Muskogee,
was elected by an overwhelming
majority in the December meet
ing. Only 19 per cent of the 200
! youths represented were Negroes.
During the three day meeting,
the young representatives went
through the process of making
laws, and discussing some of the
problems vital to the welfare of
this nation.
Ralph Brady, executive secre
tary of the Tulsa YMCA referred
to the meeting as “a laboratory in
democracy.”
In his inaugural address, young
Simmons spoke strongly against
racial and religious prejudice and
; called for “a united front against
I communism.”
CHICAGO—(ANP)—More than 6,000 cities and towns
in the United States and in many cities of Canada and
Europe will celebrate Brotherhood Week Feb. 17-24.
Sponsored by the National Conference of Christians
and Jews, the week was first observed in 1934. Each year
since then, the President of the United States has served
as honorary chairman of America’s observance.
NEA to Continue
Integration
WASHINGTON (ANP)—When
Dr. Willard E. Givens, secretary
of the National Education Asso
ciation, retires Aug. 1, the policy]
which he initiated to assure full
participation of Negro teachers
and educators in the program of
the association will be continued,
it was announced this week by
Dr. William G. Carr.
Dr. Carr, who has served as
associate secretary of NEA since
1940, was selected by a unanimous
vote of the Board of Trustees to
succeed Dr. Givens. The new
executive secretary has been with
NEA since 1929. In 1936 he be
came secretary of the association’s]
educational policies commissions;
where he served until becoming j
associate secretary.
I For six years he has been sec
retary-general of the World Or
ganization of the Teaching Pro
fession. He was consultant to the
U.S. delegation at the 1945 found
ling conference of the U.N. in San
Francisco, deputy secretary of the
1945 Conference on Education and
Cultural Organization in London
L and advisor to the U.S. delegatioi
r of the Second Conference c
s UNESCO in Mexico City in 194',
Dr. Givens, the retiring execu
■ tive secretary, has been with NE/
■ for the past 18 years. He wa:
' primarily responsible for the NE/
by-laws interpretation which per
mits the affiliation of Negro state
'teacher associations with the NEA.
This interpretation provides for
'the affiliation of such state groups
in states where the Negro teacher
may not belong to the already af
filiated NEA associations. It per
mits Negro ^tate teacher organ
izations in 15 states to select dele
gates to the NEA’s representa
tive assembly.
Thirteen of the possible 15
state bodies havj joined the NEA
under this new interpretation
since last April.
To Have Friendship Tea
The First Ten Club of Quinn
Chapel A.M.E. church is spon
soring a Friendship Tea at the(
home of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond
Bott, 2041 S Street on Sunday,1
February 17th. The time will be
3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. A silver
offering will be taken. The publi
is invited to attend. Rev. Melvin
L. Shakespeare is president of the
club.
Purposes of the week are:
1. Enlisting more people in year
round activities to build
brotherhood.
2. Rededicating ourselves to the
ideals of respect for people
and human rights.
3. Demonstrating practical
things people can do to pro
mote these ideals.
This year the event will be
focused on the need of sharing the
civilian blood with our \rmed
Forces.
Joseph H. McConnell, president
of the National Broadcasting Co.,
has been named national chairman
of the radio-TV committee for
Brotherhood Week.
McConnell will head a commit
tee of some 75 adio and television
executives representing networks,
! professional associations, unions
and stations, throughout the coun
try, who will mobilize the broad
casting industry co-operation for
: the observance.
In his statement of acceptance,
, McConnell reaffirmed the indus
try's responsibility to the nation’s
effort to combat bigotry. Among
^ other things, he said:
it^ “Remarkable achievements have
f. been made in the past 10 years
- toward eliminating the evil. Radio
1 and, more recently, television have
s played an important part in this
l worthy cause.”
'j Two outstanding Negroes praised
! the observance of Brotherhood
Week. Dr. Ralph J. Bunche, direc
tor of the UN Trusteeship Council,
said:
i “In this atomic age the principle
of human brotherhood ha* a
greater and more vital relevance
than ever before in the history of
mankind, for nations harmony.
I “It is in the interest of all of us,
therefore, and in the interest of
the nation that we give practical
application to the democratic prin
ciples of brotherhood in all of our
daily relations.”
Lester B. Granger, executive di
rector, National Urban League,
said:
“Service—selfless service—is the
keynote of brotherhood. Every ges
ture of service of others, every
kindness toward a fellow human,
every moment given for the be
ing, benefit of others, every sacri
fice made, moves us ever closer
to the happy day when we shall
jail be able to live together.”
Nebraska Negro History Week
Proclaimed by Gov. Peterson
Gov. Val Peterson has pro
1 claimed Feb. 10 to 16 as Nebraska
Negro History Week,
j The governor’s action was taken
in co-operation with the Associ
ation tor the Study of Negro Life
I and History which is calling at
j tention to the contributions made
by Negroes in America.
The proclamation stated: “The
pages of the history of the world
are filled with the names of men
and women who have made great
contributions to mankind. These
benefactors of their fellows are
not of any single creed, religion or
race. They include many Negroes
in America.
The governor suggested that all
Nebraskans consider the effect
that these gifted men and women
have had in determining the
course of civilization.
Lynnwood Parker, executive
secretary of the Lincoln Urban
League, Rev. Melvin Shakespeare,
McKinley Tarpley, and the Rev.
C. B. Howells of the Baptist Stu
dent House at the University of
Nebraska accepted the proclama
tion at the governor’* olfic* 9mt
urday morning.