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I ..... —-— ■ A Uppc’ Miss, and lower!
WORLD WIDE Mo. valley8 and central1!
litZU/? QCQVIHP Great Plains, not much
IlLVlO OUlllUL . r TU, ~"» .. precipitation, indicate
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)F ALL LOCAL NEWS -- X • -p"' Showers latter part of
MATTER *__ week; mostly seasonable I
■ ■ -—_ — \ " temperatures I
FLASH PHOTO i
SERVICE_j LARGEST ACCREDITED NEGRO NEWSPAPER WEST OF CHICAGO AND NORTH OF KANSAS CITY_^ #
Entered as Second-Class Matter at Postoffice, Omaha, Sftilirdav. Juno 1 1939 Number 9—
Nebraska, under Act of March 8, 1874._ ’ ’ _ __ _—__
$10,000 Suit Filed Agaonst Registrar
$706,760 For
Demolishing 140
Slum Fire Traps
II
1 " ■ •
Washington, D. C.—The City of
Columbus, Ga., today was assured
a million dollar increase in its
T930 residential building voiume
when Nathan Straus, Administra
tor of the United States Housing
Authority, approved a base bid re
commended by the Columbus
Housing Authority for construc
tion of the “Booker T. Washington
Apartments” to rehouse families
from the slums in new, low rent,
dwellings.
The base bid approved today
was as follows:
General Construction (Including
demolition of existing structures,
*ite improvement, plumbing, heat
ing, electrical work and land
scaping).
Mion Construction Co., Atlanta,
Ga... $706,760.
The bid covers the demolition
cf 140 slum structures now on
the site and the construction of
288 decent, safe and sanitary
dwelling units for Negro families.
I^ter additional slum serutures
will be demolished, effectively
closed, or repaired, to conform to
fche “equivalent elimination” pro
vision* of the United States Hous
ing Act.
Construction is expected to start
by June 1 and will be completed
within approximately eleven
months. Although the low bidder
was not a Columbus firm, it is
understood that workmen on the
project will be employed from the
local buildings trades and will be
paid the prevailing rate of wages.
The “Booker T. Washington
Apartments” are to be built on an
“L” shaped site comprising three
city blocks, faced on two sides
by typical slum dwellings, on a
third by cavant and on the fourth
by a city park and fair grounds
containing a municipal stadium
and spacious recreation area.
The site is about one mile from
the center of the city and is close
to schools, churches, stores and
transportation facilities. A large
Negro High school is situated
within easy walking distance of
the svte.
Plans approved by the U§HA
call for fireproof construction of
two story row houses featuring
brick walls, concrete floors and
flat concrete roofs with composi
tion covering. The buildings will
bo arranged so as to provide front
and rear yards and space for
small play areas. Individual gas-1
fired heaters will be installed in
each dwelling unit.
The Columbus Housing Authori
ty also is planning a second low
rent project to rehouse approxi
mately 360 white familites now
residing in unsafe and insanitary
dwellings.
-0O0
NEGRO KANSAS CITY POLICE
MAN PROVES WHITE RESTA
URANT OWNERS WIFE IS
HIS SISTER
WHITE JURY DECIDES
WOMAN WHO ‘PASSES’ WAS
NEGRO; RROTHER GETS
$20,000
Dallais, June 1 (ANP)— Mrs.
Anita Martinez, who for several
years was accepted by white per
sons as a member a? their race or
at least a Mexican^nd who lived
with Sam J. Saros, Greek restau
rant owner, was a Negro, an all
t ■ ...... .. ■ ■
GRADUATION
ANNOUNCEMENT
MISS MALLORY/*
Upon announcing the graduation
of Miss Els:e Mallory, from Cen
tral High school, on June 3, it is
well to cite her splendid high
school career. Afte • eaceteraied
three times in grade sohool, she
entered high school when she was
twelve years old; and she is com
pleting high school in three and
one half years. She is the young
est graduate in her class and is
believed to be the youngest in
the city. She i« fifteen year* old.
She has had excellent ratings
throughout her high school career
and has been cm the hono-' roll
every semester but one./
She ha)- participated in many
outside activities also. She has
been in Jr. Glee, Sr. Glee and the
Latin club two years; and on
Student Control a year and one
half. She has been very active
at the YWCA and was a repre
sentative at Camp Brewster Con
ference last summer. At present,
she is vice pres’dent of the Gross
Eickb. She is also a member of
the Los Cantores. She is an active
member of Christ Temple Church
being in the Jr, Choir, secretary
and a teacher in Sunday School,
and secretary of the Young Peo
ple's Union. We th!nk this is a
splendid record of achievement for
a fifteen year old girl.
white jury in Judge Payne L.
Bush’s ceurt decided last Thurs
day. Involved was an estate valu
ed at around $20,000.
The deceased woman died seven
months ago. Sarou contended that
sinco they lived together in a re
lationship that constituted common
law marriage, he was entitled to
her estate consisting of jewelry
and property.
William Daughtery, a Kansas
City policeman who is the brother
and only relative of Mrs. Martinez,
came here and produced witnesses
to prove she was a Negro. A white
undertake^ held her body for sev
eral weeks urrtil a court order was
issued turning it over to a colored
mortician for burial. Daughtery
waived his right as administrator
in favor H. ^tricklayl, presi
dent of the Excelsior Life Insur
ance Company.
The jury decided that Saros
could not «laim the esetate be
cause he was white and thus un
der state law no common law re
lationship could exist between
members ol the two races. Mrs.
Martinez tyas known to many
colored cittrens here as Tena
Long. ‘
FOURTEEN BOYS ARRESTED
FOR BLOCKING SIDEWALK j
14 boys were arrested at 24th I
and Grant Streets near Robbins
Drug for blocking the sidewalk.
Six boys were turned over to the
Juvenile Deipartment and eight
were given suspended sentences
of five dollars each and were warn
ed by Judge Holmes of the Muni
c!ple Court not to come back
Judge Holmes gave these boys
quito a lecture explaining to them
that the proprieter of the Ding
store had to meet his obligations
by paying his billts and could not
have the front of his Drug Store
blocked continoudy. The arresting
off’cer stated to the court that he
had on several occasions forced the
boys to move on, then he would
drive around the block and come
beck to find the same crowd, ap
proximately gathered again. One
of the boys stated to the Court
: he had formerly worked in the
store and that it was a kind of a
meeting place for the youngsters
after school hours.
NEGRO SHARECROPPERS
25.2 PERCENT OF FOURTEEN
SOUTHERN STATES
Washington D. C.—Farm ten
ancy In the United States has in
creased form 25 percent in 1935
With an additional 10 percent part
renter group in the latter year.
Negro farm tenants represent one
third <xf this class of labor in the
rural South.
These are some of the facts
mado avtilable by the Prescient's
National Resources Committee in
a report on farm tenancy. This
report and other studies under
taken by State Planning Boards
are outlined in volume II of the
Index of Research Projects issued
by the Works Progress Adminis
tration.
Figures just compiled by Mrs.
Constance Daniel of the Division
of Information Farm Security Ad
ministration, present a vivid pic
ture of farm tenancy and share
cropping among Negro farm la
borers in 14 southern states.
The total aumber of farm
tenants within the race is 626,750
the FISA figures reveals. This
represents 34.4 percent of all th®
1,815,754 tenants in 14 states of
the South. Negro sharecroppers
in the same region total 381,197
or 52.2 percnt of the 727,780 total
number of sharecroppers in the
14 states.
From one-fifth one fourth
of the farm population live in ex
treme poverty, the WPA index
continues. The average income
of tenants in the South is much
lower than that of farm operators
In noma districts the annual in
come for tenants averages only
$46 per person, the WPA Index
says in digesting the report on
the President’s Committee on
farm tenancy.
Recommendations made by the
Committee include programs for
federal and state action to provide
land for tenants, help present land
owner-operators retain their farms
discourage land speculation and
ownership by non-farmers, im
prove leaise contract and landlord
tenant relationships and lighten
the tax burden of farmers.
A closer view of the farm ten
ant situation is given in the re
port of the Mississippi State Plan
ning Committee. “In 1930, 72.1
percent of all farm operators in
Mississippi were tenants,” the
WPA Index says in outlining the
State Pfenning ComSmltltee’s re
port. Thi* was nearly 30 percent
(continued on page 5)
TO CONDUCT JOINT REVIVAL
REV. J. H. BROWN
Rev. J. H. Brown, outstanding
Revivalist and Evangelist of
Chicago, Illinoi*, will conduct the
joint Revival wh’oh will begin
Sunday, June llj at Zion Baptist j
Church.
This joint revival will be spon
sored by Pilgrim and Zion Bap
tist Churches and will last two
weeks. The public is invited to
come out and attend this great
revival campaign. We arj sure you
will be benefited.
TELEPHONE CO. APPOINTS
COLORED MAN
F'iSK GRADUATE APPOINTED
COMMERCIAL REPRESENTA
TIVE OF MICHIGAN TELE
PHONE CO.
Detroit, June 1 (ANP)—Ramon
S. Scruggs who graduated from
Fisk university in 19S2 has been
employed by the Michigan Fit'll
Telephone company as commercial
representative beginning June 5,
it was announced by Ben R. Marsh
commercial superintendent.
Soon after he finished college,
Mr. Scruggs was employed by the
Rumford Bakin* Powder company
of Providence, R. I. as one of its
field representatives. Later he did
service work In Detroit and fo",
the past four years has been Boys'
Work secretary at the St. Antoine
branch of the YMCA.
In discuss'ng Mr. Scruggs’ ap;
pointment, Mr. Marsh said, ‘‘We
have studied the possibilities of
developing the telephone business
among Negroes of the city, and
have discussed it with several
leaders of this g'oup. We are im
pressed with the possibilities in
this direction.
“The increasing number of large
and small business concerns opera
ted by Negroes provides a grow
ing market for both local and long
distance telephone service. The
professional group should also he
studied to determine whether its
member* are provided with ader
quate telephone service facilities.
When to the business and profes
sional market is added the large
number of homes not now provided
with telephone service, it would
seem that there is a fertile field
before us for development,
“We determine to employ! a
Negro to undertake this develop
ment -work and after interviewing
several high grade applicants for
the position, referred to us by
the placement division of the board
of education, Ramon Scruggs was
selected because his background of
experience qualifier him especial
ly well to represent this company
in the field of sales and se j'ice.”
-0O0
MASONIC WIDOWS HONORED
The Masons of Omaha, honored
the widows of the deceased Ma
sons Sunday May 28th at the
Masonic Temple, 26th and RUm
do Sts,, with an elaborate dinner
sponsored by the Masters’ and
Wardens’ council of Omaha, J. T.
Scott, W. M. President. About one
hundred fifty Masons and their
wives were present includ’ng Hot).
Nathaniel Hunter, N. W. Y, M.
of Nebraska and its jurisdiction
and Hon. A. R. Goodlett, D. G.
M. and othe- grand officers.
Thirty widows constituted the
gueat of honor, off of whom made
gratifying expressions.
Thebe are just a few of the ex
press'on caught by the writer that
were made by the widows.
“I didn’t know that there were
so many widows in Omaha.”
“This is one day I look forward
to each year.”
“If I ever many again, I hope
ho will be a Mason too.”
“I am glad that I was the wife
of a Mason.”
“I am satisfied with what the
Masons have done for me.”
Music was furnished by the
Masonic quartette, Hon. Nathaniel
Hunter, M. W. G. M. of Nebraska
and its jurisdiction, made the
principle address. He said in part,
to the widorws. “We are your
brothers, we want you to feel as
such. The Masonic Lodge is one
hundred pe-cent for your protec
tion. And will do all we can for
WIFE STABS HUSBAND TO'
■ DEATH
It is alleged that Mrs. Georgia
Warner, 2424 Erskine Street,
stabbed her husband, Mr. Harry
Warner, with a butcher knite,
Tuesday a<t 4:30 P. M. in their
home. Mr. Warner died shortly af
ter arriving at the hospital.
Mrs. Georgia Warner is the
daughter of the late Mr. Andy
Harbin who resided at 30th and
Grant streets for a number of
years. Mr. Harb'n will be remem
bered by many as a member of
Zion Church and was engaged in
the plumbing work. Both Mr. and
Mm. Warner have been long resi
dents of Omaha.
your interest.” Hon. A. R. Good,
lutt also made encouraging re
marks sprinkled with bits of
humor and was appreciated by
all. The climax came when Mrs.
Jrh. D. Lewis, past Grand Matron
addressed the body, and told of
some of the great accomplishments
of the 0. E. S. J. W. Dacus, wor
shipful mastee' of Omaha Lodge
No. 9 acted as Master of Ore
monies.
-nOo——.—
DR MYRON ADAMS DIES
Atlanta, Ga., Jyne 1 (Special)
_Dr. Myron W. Adams, the fourth
president of Atlanta University,
and for forty years in the service
of the institution in various capa
cities, died today at his home in
West Townsend, Massachusetts.
He was in his 79th year. The new»
came an a shock to his many fi >*
ends in Atlanta who were unaware
of his illness.
A native of Gilsum, New Ham
pshire, Dr. Adams spent part of
his boyhood days at Wilberforce
Universtiy where his mother and
brother were teachers. He was a
graduate of Dartmouth College
and the Hartford Theological Sem
inary, and was the first member of
the faculty at Atlanta Universit;
to earn the Ph. D. degree.
After four years spent in the
pastorate in New England, and a
year of graduate study at Ando
ver Theological Seminary, Dr.
Adams came to Atlanta University
in 1889 to servo this institution as
instructor, dean, treasurer, acting
president, and finally president. He
was married to Miss Cora Hardy,
secretary of Slepman Seminary in
1914.
At the time of Dr. Adams’ elec
tion to the presidency of Atlanta
University in 1923, the college was
predominantly a high school with
a small enrollment in the college
and normal courses. At the end
of his career in 1929, the high
school work had been discontinued
in the institution proper, courses
in business administration had
been introduced and summer
school work begun.
Tt was the privilege of Dr.
Adams, as president of Atlanta
University, to sign the agreement
of affiliation on April 1, 1939,
whereby Atlanta University,
Morehouse College, and Slepman
College were combined in a univer
sity plan for a visit as a guest of
Atlanta University.
-oOo
ERNEST MOORE DEAN
SOUGHT BY MOTHER
Washington, June 1 (ANP)—
Ernest Moore Dean, 43, wherever
you are your aging mother Mrs.
Sarah Dean 2724 Uth St. N. W.
Washington D. C. has faith in the
power of the Negro press believ
ing that after all else has failed
she can reach you ' through this
medium. At least that is the story
>
SUPREME COURT BLOCKS
ATTEMPT TO DODGE THE
GRANDFATHER CLAUSE
Washington, D. C. June 1—The
attempt of the state of Oklahoma
■to dodge a Unite.! States supreme
court decision in 1915 which out
lawed the grandfather clause in
its constitution was in turn out
lawed by the United States su
preme court here May 22.
In rendering its opinion in Lana
vs. Wilson, the court held that
Oklahoma had an unconstitutional
law in the 1916 statute requiring
persons who had not voted in 1914
, to register within a period of tea
days or forever thereafter lose
their right to register and vote.
The 1916 registration law v*as
paused immed’ately after the
grandfather clause was declared
unconstitutional, and was designed
to catch Negroes off their guard
and restrict their suffrage.
The opinion, written and deliv
ered by Mr. Justice Frankfurter,
held that the 15th Amendment to
tho Constitution “nullifies sophis
ticated as well as simple minded
modes of discrimination.” The
• opinion represented a 6-2 decision
with Justice Me Reynolds and But
I ler dissenting and Justice Doug
las not participating.
The case, which was carried to
tho high court b^ the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People, represents the
(continued on page 2)
that Mrs. Dean told her pastor
who promptly referred her to the
office-of the ANP in the hope
that some help could be given the
anxious mother and he daughters.
According to her story Mrs. Dean
says her son leif f 'duUlanjjoga
Tenn. in 1937 and was last heard
from in iik’troit back in 1938. Since
that time there has been no word
from her son. > •,
■-0O0- «
ILLINOIS HONORS VETS
of FAMOUS EIGHTH
ja(fo, June 1 (ANP)—Morn
the one-third of the members
of he 8Ch Infantry, Illinois Na
tional Guard have been awarded
the SUite of Illinois “Long and
Honorable Service Medals, The
prefienta/lion was made Friday
May 26 at the Armory by the
regimental commander, Colonel
William J. Warfield, who himself
enlisted in tjhe regiment as a pri
vate in 1902.
Ceremonies proceeding the pre
sentation included a regimental
parade followed by an inspection
conducted by the field and staff
officers. Captain James E. Cashift
regimental adjutant announced
that the general public is invited.
The officer receiving a medal for
longest continuous service is
Captain Harry H. Jones. He en
listed in the regiment at the age
of 16 in 1900 after serving frvs
years as a mascot. He commands
Company “E.”
__-nOn ■■■•
WOMAN IS NEW HEAD OF NEW
YORK WPA NEGRO THEATRE
New York, June 2 (C)— Edna
Thomlas, for many yearg prominent
in Negro d-mmatic circles, has
succeeded J, Augustus Smith, also
colored, as director of the WPA
Theatre project’s Negro unit in
New York it was announced Mon
day. Mrs. Thomas began her career
as a member of the old Lafayette
Stock Company in 1918 and appear
ed in “Porgy” in America and in
Europe. She also took noles in
“Run Lil’ Chillun” and “Stevedore.”
Her lastest parts were in the WPA
“Macbeth” and “Androcles and the
Lion” WTA production of Bernard
Shaw’s play.
