Nebraska Newspapers

    The We
/JME/EQUflyTTlf/^MMlLTHE NEWSWHILE IT IS NEWS HEW .TO THEUNF^
LARGEST ACCREDITED NEGRO NEWSPAPER WEST OF CHICAGO AND NORTH OF KANSAS CITY —MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED NEGRO PRESS
J&SmSSTwJES&SSWJS?wS. «SS^ Nebra**-Omaha, Nebraska, Saturday, August 2i 1941 OUR 14th YEAR, No. 20 City Edition, 5c Copy
— . 1 '' ... 1 y ... 7.- ~~..' . ■ -- ~~. ...~...
1 '
Protest Jim Crow In N.Y On Southbound Trains
♦♦ I
» New York, N. Y-—The new
streamlined, all-coach trains from
New York to southern cities have
brought in a system whereby Ne
gro passengers are segregated
north of Washington, D. C., just
as they are in the states having
jim crow car laws.
The jim crowing of Negro pas
sengers on these trains hauled by
the Pennsylvania railroad north of
Washington has been vigorously
protested by the NAACP- in a let
ter to H- A. Shaw, general pass
enger agent of the Pennsylvania.
On bhie steamlined New York
Florida trains, and on the new
New York-New Orleans streamlin
er, the Southerner, all seats must
be reserved in advance. Negi*o
passengers are sold reserved seats
only in the No. 1 coach of the
train which, as usual, is nearest
the engine.
As long as bhe train is north of
Washington, Negro passengers
are free to use the club, dining
and observation cars at will; but
as soon as the train leaves Wash
ing. they must remain in their se
gregated coach.
The NAACP- pointed out that
Negroes are not required by law
to ride in separate coaches north
of Washington, and that, therefore
the practice of restricting their
reservations on these trains to one
car out of New York is illegal.
The NAACP. letter said that pro
tests uKd complaints to its office
in New York, and its office in Chi
cago, whpre the practice is in
vogue on Chicago-Florida stream
liners, had grown in volume, and
that ‘unless something is done by
the railroads themselves, some ac
tion will have to be taken in be
half of Negro travelers.
The latest NAACP- protest on
thjis practice was occasioned by a
complaint from a colored man
who sought a seat reservation to
Atlanta by telephone and was told
that the train was sold out except
in car S-l. He told the reservat
ion clerk that he wfould take a seat
in S-l- The clerk, thinking he was
white, told him that was the “col
ored coach”, and he could not sit
there.
The NAACP., letter pointed °ut
that even though these streamlin
ers are new and have the same
car construction throughout, they
do not furnish exactly equal fac
ilities for Negro and white pass
engers. For example, on the At
lantic Coastline streamliner, the
Champion, to Miami, Negroes aie
assigned a half-coach ahead of the
baggage car. In the white coach
es on the same train there is a
lounge room for women at one
end of each car, and a smoking
room for men, but in the colored
coach, there is only a lavatory for
men, and another for women.
The NAACP- also raised the
question of the denial of equal ac
commodations upon these stream
liners to Negro passengers, since
the tickets on these trains are ad
vertised as entitling the holders
to “the run of the train”, including
club and observation cars.
YOUTH DISAPPEARS FROM
HOME
On Saturday night, July 26th.
Harry Sampson. 2609 Lake Street,
left his home after telling his
mother that he was to be initialed
into the Elks Lodge, and has not
been seen or heard of since.
His mother is very anxious to
hear from Mm. Omaha police have
been notified of his disappearance
but have found no trace of the
youth.
NAACP. TO SPONSOR HAY
RIDE
The Omaha Branch of the NA
ACP. wll sponsor a Hayride, td be
given on the evening of August
11, 1941 at 8:30 p. m. All persons
wishing to attend are requested
to meet at 2418 Grant St. prompt
ly at 8:30 p. m. on the night of
August 11. 1941.
I'lraawi, ••‘•••tffrnr*- — nTmn- - - - _
YOUTH ANSWERS KNOX’S STATEMENT“ 7
“What Would You Do
If You were 25?’',..
TELL KNOX FINDS HIMSELF
BARRED FROM THE
ADVANTAGES OF A 25
YEAR OLD YOUTH—
Hon, Flank Knox
Secretary of Navy
Washington, D. C
Dear Mr. Secretary:
I read in th|e New York Times
with a great deal of interest, a
United Press dispatch of July 21,
giving a statement made by you
“to provide inspiration to Amer
ican youths.” This statement was
an answer to a question profei-red
by a Texas school teacher asking,
“What would you do if you were
25.”
Your admirable reply was defin
itely patriotic and American. Any
red-blooded American youth to
day, patriotic and unselfish would
undoubtedly decide to join the Un
ited States Navy or the United
States Marine Corps. He would
also have your urge to seek rain
ing as an aviator, and if a college
graduate, apply for a commission
If these avenues were closed to
him by reason of ineligibility,
then his patriotism would direct
him to enlist as an apprentice sea
man, or as a private in the Marine
Corps- And °f these services
would give him the thrill and the
knowledge of being “one of a sel
ect band of volunteers manning
my country’s and civilization ’«
first line of defenses.”
Your enthusiastic and positive
answer to this query of youths
makes me extremely sad today. It
brings home to me in stark real
ity. all the denial and disillusion
ment and youthful despair, expei*
ienced by that segment of young
Americans who must by reason
of ineligibility, be denied the thrill
of volunteering in the service of
their choice.
You see, Mr- Secretary, I am of
the latter class. I am a strong
young American, with college train
ing, and a faultless patriotic rec
ord- I am also in the draft, being
registered with Draft Board No.
23 in Hackensack. N. J. Some
member of my family has fought
in every tfar this young Republic
has participated in. This in order
to permit succeeding generations
to walk the world with dignity,
thrill to the label “American” and
to secure the blessings of liberty
to themselves and their posterity.
Today. I know their sacrifices and
patriotic idealism were in vain
Today, I find myself barred from
the advantages of a 25 year old A
merican as depicted by you, be
cause, I am a Colored American.
What a pity, Mr. Secretary, that
you should have to expound a
youthful credo for white Ameri
cans only. What a pity, that at
this critical time in our history,
you should publicly recite an ideal
ism that cannot be shared and ex
perienced by all young Americans.
As Secretary of the Navy, you
better than any other but colored
Americans know that: No Negro
has ever served, either as an offic
er or an enlisted man in the Mar
ine Corps. No Negro has ever
been graduated from Annapolis,
and only two Negroes, during the
past seventy years, have been per
mitted to enter it- Negroes can
only enlist in the Navy as menials,
and can rise only to the position
of officer’s cook or stewart.
In view of these circumstances,
colored youths wonder what y»»ur
advice to us would be in answer
to the question, “What would you
do if you were' 25.”
Would you accept discvimin
' BIRMINGHAM NAAC? HAS GOP DISCHARGED^ AND WILL
PROSECUTE HIM ON MURDER CHARGE
I
Birmingham, Ala.,—Hubert G
Alexander, a white policeman of
this eity. \V!as discharged from his
position by the personnel board of
the police department for conduct
unbecoming an officer, after legal
action had been taken by Attorn
eys Morrell Montgomery and Ar
thur D- Shores, retained by the
Birmingham branch of the NAAC
P. Mr. Shores announced that Al
exander will now be prosecuted on
a charge of murder.
The story began April 26, when
Officers Alexander, W. R. Gunby,
and Ed Taylor arrested John Jack
son, a Negro. Alexander at that
time charged that Jackson laughed
at him as he walked by the color
. ed man. Alexander so resented
Jackson’s laughter that he struck
him with his hand and with his
pistol.
Jackson was arrested, placid in
the police car, and on the way to
the station, Alexander shot Jack
son four times, killing him.
The coroner investigated and
brought in a verdict of justifiable
homicide, and the grand jury re
fused to indict the officer.
At this point the Bidmingham
branch of the NAACP- retained
attorneys Montgomery and Shor
es, and succeeded in having Alex
ander fired- A murder charge
will now be pushed.
OMAHA NURSES PRESENT
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR
COLORED GRADUATE
NURSES
The Mary Mahoney Graduate
Nurses’ Club of this city will pres
ent Mrs. Mable K. Staupers Exe
cutive Secretary of the National
Association for Colored Graduate
Nurses, at a program at the YW
CA.. on Thursday, August 7, 1941,
at 7 p. m. The public is invited.
Mrs- Staupers, who resides in
N Y. City, is nationally known for
her work to promote health condi
tions for Negroes
Mrs. Staupers is desirous of
meeting all girls interested in
nurse training at the YWCA at 4
p. m. on Thursday afternoon, Aug
ust 7, 1941. She has done much
in the interest of Negro public
health throughout the United Stat
es. A few years ago in Kansas
City. Missouri, she campaigned for
the Negro nurses at General Hos
pital No- 2 in an effort to secure
ation in the name of patriotism
Would you be willing and happy
to die for your country even
though you were not permitted to
live for her? If your hair was
too kinky, and your skin too black
and your blood to red to particip
ate in. and be integrated in all
phases of defense for you coun
try, would you grin and bear it
without comment? What, Mr.
Secretary, can you tell the thous
ands of us black youths who must
decide ip a hurry what our attit
udes and actions must be in this
hour of our country’s greatest
peril ?
Mr. Secretary, might you not
ask me, or some other colored
youth, what we would do if we
were 65. Secretary of the Navy of
the greatest democracy on earth,
and possesor of a liberal political
background, having been an intim
ate of Theodore Roosevelt, and
now, the trusted aide of another?
We could answer that question
with conviction and resolution. We
would go down in history as the
greatest Secretary of the Navy
this country ever had, by reason
of our act to make the Navy a
democratic institution, opened to
all Americans, with liberty and
justice for all.
But alas! As black Americans,
we apparently have neither the
right nor the opportunity to be
100 percent patriotic citizens at
25 or 65. How comforting this
must be to Nazi Germany who
makes no pretense on the matter
of race or color, and gives no lip
service to human ideals.
Very truly yours.
E. Frederic Morrow
new* quarters for them, and was
very successful. Her most recent
work has been in attempting to
make openings for Negro nurses
in the Army camps.
The Omaha Club of Nurses con
sists of Mrs. S. H. Dorsey, Mrs.
Pearl Hieronymous, Mrs. Anna
Boggus, Mrs Harvey. Mrs. Jessie
Cain, Mrs. Stevenson and Mrs.
Evelyn Murray.
AMERICAN RABBIS CON
DEMN DEFENSE DISCRIMIN
ATION
New York. N. Y.—A resolution
condemning discrimination against
Negroes in the national defense
program was passed at the recent
52nd annual meeting of the Cen
tral Conference of American Rab
bis in Atlantic City, N. J
The resolution proposed by the
Committee of Social Justice thru
Rabbi Edward L. Israel, of Balti
more reads as follow's:
“Race discrimination in employ
ment in defense industries, result
ing in some points in the utter
exclusion of Negroes from labor
opportunities has been so flag
rant that the President has been
forced to refer publicly to it.
‘ Our Commission with the en
dorsement of this Conference, has
frequently declare its opposition to
‘Jim Crow’ tactics in economic life.
It is highly essential that in a na
tion dedicated to the preservation
of democracy, essential principles
; of democracy should be observed
in our economic life and especial
ly in th°se industries preparing
for national defense. We deplore
the economic discrimination that
exists against Negroes and urge
a speedy rectification of this in
justice.”
TEACHERS OF MD- COUNTY
GIVE $500 TO NAACP.
New York, N. Y.—In apprecia
tion of the campaign which the
National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People car
ried on and won for the equaliz
ation of the salaries of Negro and
white teachers in Anne Arundel
county. Md., the teachers’ associat
ion in that county has sent a con
tribution of $500 to the NAACP.
headquarters here.
When the test case in Anne Ar
undel county was won November
23, 1939. it was estimated that
Negro teachers in Anne Arundel
county would have their pay en
velopes increased by $45,000 an
nually. The test case was brought
by Walter Mills, 31, principal in
F. five-teacher school at Camp
Parole, Md.. who alleged in hiS
petition that he was receiving
$1,050 a year, while white princip
als doing similar work were rec
eiving $1,800 a year.
TRAVELER’S AID WORKER
FT ' ' —
Miss Dorothy Butler, who was
graduated from the Atlanta Univ
ersity School of Social Work last
month, has been appointed to the
staff of the Atlanta Travelers Aid
Society—her duties to be concen
trated on problems which arise in
connection with the work of the
agency at the Union Station. Miss
Butler, who is also a graduate of
Tjrlladega College, has served for
a number of years as organist of
the Junior Church of Big Bethel
A ME. Church, the Senior Church
of Butler Street CME., and assist-.
' ant director of Choir No. i of
Turner Monumental. A native of
Atlanta, shie is well known in soc
ial and church circles of the city
She is the daughter of Mr. George
L. Butler, 175 Harris Street, N E.
CELEBRATE EMANCIPATION
OF SLAVES IN CANADA
Windsor. Ontario, Aug. 4 (AN
P)—Prominent speakers from both
Canada and the United States were
on hand to celebrate the 108th e
mancipation celebration at Jack
son park here August 1, it was an
nounced this week- Negroes were
freed 108 years ago from slavery
under England’s rule. The cele
bration was under the auspices of
the British American Association
of Colored Brothers. Walter
Perry is chairman.
BOY, 15, IS INJURED AS
BICYCLE HITS AUTO
Iver Smith, 15. 2736 Parker St.,
suffered bruises about the head
end arms Sunday evening when a
bicycle he was riding was in col
lision with an automobile at 28th
and Blondo Streets. Police were
told the bike struck a rear fender
on the auto, driven by James Wil
liams, Sr., 2816 Blondo street.
The injured boy was able to go
home after being attended at the
Nicholas Senn hospital.
SOUTHERN PACIFIC RADIO
INSULT TO HATTIE McDAN
IELS AROUSES CITIZENS
Los Angeles, Aug. 2 (ANP) —
The Southern Pacifies radio broad
cast last Wednesday night drew
severe criticism from this comm
unity when the word “N-..-r”
was used several times by one of
the contestants on the state wide
broadcast over KNX. The announ
cer apologized- however. The re
mark was made when the announ-i
?er asked one of the contestants to
imitate Hattie McDaniels, star of
“Gone with The Wind”, an out
standing actress.
AMBASSADOR WINANT
COMMENDS EXECUTIVE
ORDER
New York—In a letter to Wal
ter White, NAACP. secretary. Un
ited States Ambassador John S
Winant in London expressed his
pleasure at the action being taken
by the government to wipe out dis
crimination against the Negro in
the national defense program and
particularly at the executive order
of President Roosevelt.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (ANP)
Contrary to President Roosevelt’s
declaration thiat he had no intent
ion of sending any more American
ti med forces overseas at this time
reports circulating last week gave
evidence that the United States
is seriously considering building a
Amercan naval and military base
at Liberia on the west coast of
Africa.
The information that Liberia is
under consideration came from an
administration conference report.
Administration officials refuse to
discuss the matter, but indications
are that Liberia has been consid
ered as an alternative to French
Dakar, seizure of which has been
deemed too risky.
Liberia is considered of vital
importance now because of its
strategic position, just below Dak- ’
ar and opposite the Brazil coast.
In his May 27 fireside chat the
President intimated that he would
seize the Portguese Azores, Cape
Verde Islands and Dakar in order
to forestall occupation by the Naz
is if Hitler should invade the Iber
ian penisula (Spain and Portugal).
Occupancy of such) outposts by the
Nazis, the President said, would
be a threat to the safety of the
United States.
Libeia, founded in 1820 under
auspices of American societies in
terested in establishing a colon:/
of freed American slaves, was
granted independence in 1847 but
is still an American protectorate.
Because of close relations with the
United States. Liberia is said to
be favorable to the building of
n ilitary posts.
Dr. John H. Furbay, former
acting president of the College of
West Africa, Monrovia, in an inter :
view recently, declared that senti
ment in Liberia is strongly anti- I
Nazis. Fear rides tht Liberans [
that if Germany should get their
continent under her thymb, they 1
would soon be in chains, the edu- !
cator said.
1
Several months ago, Dr. Furbay 1
continued, revolution broke out in 1
Liberia when some educated nat- j
ives with a German educated lead- i
er tried to assassinate the presij- ,
ent and seize the reins of govern
ment. The USS Omaha, sent from ]
Fluropean waters, arrived just in
time to support the government. ■
The revolutionists were arrested I
and sent to the first concentration |
camp ever established in Liberia.
NAZIS AGENTS THROUGH
OUT COUNTRY
(
Further discussing the recent 1
revolution attempt. Dr. Furbay, i
who has kept in close touch with 1
friends and conditions in Liberia j
since he left there two years ago, (
declared that most outsiders had i
no notion of the cause of the flare* <
up. Explaining the situation 1
<
which exists, he said:
<
“Twenty-five thousand Americ- i
an Negroes, ex-slaves, rule two mil ‘
lion natives- Conflict between the
two uneven groups is always
smouldering. Lately it has been 1
fanned by Nazi agents who have ;
been into every corner of the Re
public as traders, anthropologists '
and other forms of work.”
t
l
Well-aware of German race the- ]
ories, the natives feel alarmed at ,
the threat of Nazism getting a (
foothold anywhere near them as it ,
would mean slavery for all, Dr.
Furbay contends.
LIBERIA MORE FAVORABLE
THAN DAKAR '
Army and navy experts are de- :
clared to be of the opinion that it
would take not only a strong nav- i
al force but no fewer than 30,000 i
men to reduce and occupy Dakar. 1
In the case of Liberia the under- i
taking would be merely that of
constructing a base, once the ar
rangements were made.
Another suggested site of an A- :
merican naval and air base in Af
rica is Freetown in British Sierra i
Leone.
NEW PRES.
ASA TIMOTHY SPAULDING,
the recently elected president of
the National Negro Insurance As
sociation, Is actuary and assistant
secretary of thte North Carolina
Mutual Life Insurance Co., of Dur
ham. N. C- A graduate of Nat
ional Training School, Howard U
irfversity, School of Commerce, Ac
counts and Finance, New York U
niversity. as well as ho’ding a BS.
in accounting and an MA in math
j ematics. Mr. Spaulding entered the
life insurance business well pre
pared. A member of a number of
| learned societies he has for a num
ber of years been actively identi
fied with the National Negro Ins
surance Assn, and plans an active
administration. (ANP)
IH ... .Mi....—.......
.—. 1 wwMwwiwMumunmi
“WE MIGHT AS WELL LET
NEGROES IN MISSOURI U.”
SAYS STATE SENATOR IN*'
DEBATE
Jefferson City. Mo.,—In a de
bate in the Missouri Senate July
9 over an additional appropriation
of $200,000 for Lincoln university*
the state’s Negro college, Senator
L* D. Josyln. of Charleston. Mo.,
declared:
“We’d just as well tell the Ne
groes to go ahjead and enroll at
Columbia (where the University of
Missouri is located), and if the stu
dents don’t object, let them stay
:here.”
Senator Joslyn was speaking in
opposition to the motion of Sen
ator Phil M. Dnnelly that an ad
ditional $200,000 be appropriated
for Lincoln university. The mot
ion lost by a vote of 15-8. Sen
itor Joslyn said further:
“We can’t afford to keep appro
bating for new courses at Lin
:oln which we really don’t need*”
Senator Donnelly referred to
•ecent supreme court decisions
ind to a law passed in 1939 by the
Missouri State legislature to make
Uncoln university the equal of
he University of Missouri, and
hus block the threatened enroll
nent of Negro students at the lily
vhite state institution. Said Don
ielly:
“Just yesterday the state su
preme court held that unless a
journalism school is established
it Lincoln within a reasonable
ime, a Negro must be admitted
o the University of Missouri.”
Senator Donnelly was referring
o the case of Miss Lucile Bluford
vhich is being handled by attorn
>ys for the NAACP. Miss Blu
ord. a graduate in journa’ism
rom the University of Kansas,
tnd managing editor of The Call
>f Kansas City, Mo., has been seek
ng to enroll as a graduate stu
lent in journalism at the Univers
ty of Missouri, but has been block
■d by the state supreme court,
vhich, despite the United States
upreme court decision in the Gain
ls case, has handed down a tech
lical opinion which declares, in
effect, that the state must have a
‘reasonable time” to establish a
ournalism school.
The state supreme court opinion
n this case, as in the Gaines case,
s regarded as a ‘stall” to give the
state legislature an opportunity
o establish additional courses at
Lincoln. To judge by the vote on
Senator Donnelly's motion, the
cgislature is not in the mood to
ippropriate more money for Lin
;oln- If Senator Joslyn repres
mts any sentiment at all, it. may
nean that Negro students finally
vll] be admitted to the graduate
schools of the University of Miss
>uri.
senator jogiyn's remarks recalls
i statement made by a Missouri
egislator about 15 years ago when
he annual appropriation f *» Lin
:o)n was before the legislature
Hus member, from a rural district
the state, wanted to know why
>he state had to appropriate an av
erage of one half million dollars
i year for a “handful” of Negro
students at Lincoln as long as the
state wras spending four million
iollars a year for the University I
)i Missouri, ‘‘which had plenty of
immiminiminnminunmun*nnnnmnunnimiuimnmmmniuni)iii||^nrc|nfnrcrc||j|yn
MRS. LUCY MAE BRITT GOES
TO WORK IN SLAVIK S OFFICE
John Slavik. Douglos County
Clerk gives a position to Mr*.
Lucy Mae Britt in the new, mod
ernized County Clerical Depart
ment which Mtr. Slavik’s office
took over when Mr. Campbell left
the service of the County.
Mrs. Britt began her new duties
on August 2nd. This makes a to
tal of 3 Negroes employed in this
office under Mr. Slavik’s supervis
ion.
classrooms and instructors to take
care of these Negroes.”
JOE ANI) MARVA CONFER;
OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENT
PREDICTED
Chicago, Aug. 2 (ANP) Heavy
weight Joe Louis, his estranged
wife, Marva. and their lawyers
conferred last w'eek to talk over
the couple’s pending divorce case,
but no agreement was reached.
Lawyers for both sides, however,
made it dear that there was little
hope for a reconciliation. Bindley
Cyrus one of Mrs. Louis’ lawyers,
said she is willing to be reconciled
but Joe isn’t.
William Temple, representing
Louis, affirmed this statement but
recalled that Mirs. Louis filed the*
suit for divorce. He said Mrs.
Louis’ charges of cruelty offend
ed Joe. Joe, it was declared, is
willing to make a property settle
ment. but refuses to agree to
Marva’s five point reconciliation
plan.
After the conference, held Mon
day night in the office of Julian
Black, Co-manager of the Brown
Bomber. Mrs. Louis appeared very
much affected by the proceedings.
She revealed to the Associated Ne
gro Press that she was entirely
unable to make any plans for the
future until after the divorce.0
NAACP. EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE MEETS
On Tuesday evening, at the Ur
ban League, the executive lega
redress, and membership comm
Ifttees of the NAACP. met and out
dned plans for an intensive driv
for membership which will star
as soon as the Branch moves int
its neW headquarters at 241
Grant Street. It is expected tha
bhj- new branch headquarter
should be completed within th
next 10 days. The Associatio
hopes to have a formal opening :
which the public will be invite*
Wlatch for the announcement t
the opening date.
HOOVER SAYS FBI. EMPLO\|
NEGROES
New York, N. Y.—In answer I
an inquiry by the NAACP., J. e|
gar Hoover, director of the Fed!
al Bureau of Investigation f|
Men) of the Department of Til
tice, writes stating:
“Please be advised that til
Bureau has no ban on the empll
ment of Negroes, and. as a mat!
of fact, there are a number of !*|
groes in th|e employ of this b|
eau at the present time. With H
gard to your question as to |
positions in which these persl
are employed, you are advised tl
they are employed in both invl
igative and clerical capacities.!