__|^RGEST^^REmTEI^NB^RO^fEWSPAPER WEST QF CHICAGO AND NORTH OF KANSAS CITY —MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED NEGRO PRS8S
Und-jr Act of March 8, x874^Bu^ses p0hon^fwE. mf11’ Nebraska Saturday, May 8, 1943 OUR 16th YEAR—No. 13 City Edition, 5c Copy
“Honor Thy Mother” Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 9th
^Brightest Singing
Star of 1943**
CHRISTIANS SS GEO. WASHINGTON CARVER
Sc
Worth
of Good Readin \
LENA HOKNE, WHO STARS IN “MOM’S” CABIN IN THE SKY”
Miss L Horne Chosen
By Newspaper Guild as
Outstanding Singing
Star of 1943
HOLLTWOOD, (PPS., Inc.,) —In
a nationwide broadcast, Friday
night, April 30, the New York
Newspaper Guild presented the
pretty, young and talented screen
and stage star the famed annual
Page One eMdal Award. She was
signally honored for gracing the
Position as the "Brightest Singing
Star of 1943". The Affair was held
at Hotel Astor. New York City.
Scores of actresses from both Hol
lywood and Broadway vied for the
award with a certain amount of
priority in their favor .but the gen
tlemen of the fourth estate were
confident that Miss Horne met all
the qualifications the Medal de
manded. "Test everybody you like
but you'll come back to Lena" is a
statement made by one of the Guild
officers. Miss Horne sang George
Gershwin's "Embraceable You” dur
ing the broadcast and handled the
song well with a generous amount
of depth and feeling. Her tonal
qualities and voice range used in
proof of the Number One position
this great number was sufficient
over American singing stars, given
her by the New York Newspaper
Guild.
MR. SHERMAN SERIOUSLY ILL
Mr. Shermar. of the Ed'nolm and
Sherman Laundry, well known in
this Community, and a member of
the local draft board No. 2 of this
city, is reported very seriously ii!.
His two sons who are in the armed
services have been called home to
his bedside.
OMAHA BOY AT FT. CLARK,
TEXAS PROMOTED TO S-SGT.
Col. Morris H. Marcus .Command
ing 9th Cavalry 2nd Cavalry Div
ision. Fort Clark. Texas, announc
ed the promotion of Sgt. John Glass
to the grade of S-Sgt.
S-Sgt. Glass is the son of Mrs.
Ora D. Glass of 2539 Burdette St.,
of this city.
******* * * *** *
WILLIAM NELSON DIES
FROM HEART ATTACK
One of Omaha s most prominent
citizens succumbed to a heart at
tack the evening of April 21st at
his home 2614 Blondo St. Mr. Wil
liam Nelson was a resident of O
maha or more than 30 years. Com
ing here from his home in Minden,
La., He was a devoted and active
member of Bethel Baptist church
for 25 years and at the time of his
death, he held the office of Treas
urer which he filled with credit
for a number of years. His kind
and pleasant disposition won for
him many lasting and loyal friends
He leaves a devoted wife Alice,
and a brother Richard of this city.
Out of town relatives attending
the funeral were Mr. Frank WIU
i iams an uncle of Muskogee, Okie..,
j Sisters Leona Bowden of Tulsa,
i Olivia Mason of Minden, La., a bro
i ther Homer of Muskogee, Okla.
was unable to attend.
$3,000 RAISED IN COMMUNITY
BETHINE-COOKMAN DRIVE
Daytona Beach, Fla., May 2 (aN
! P)—Churches, clubs, civic and frai
' ernal organizations, and school
children gathered in the dining had
| of Bethune-Cookman college Wed
nesday evening and eagerly lis
| tened to the report announcing
' the receipt of $3,265.68 raised l>v
them toward maintenance of t.oe
institution.
two brothers' in ‘armed
FORCES; PROMOTED
Cpl. Boysie Wright stationed tt
Aberdeen. Maryland, on returning
back to his camp was delighted to
discover that he had been made
Sgt. while he was an leave visa
ing his relatives and friends. And
also to his surprise his brother,
who was a Pfc. was made a Cpl.
while he too was on his furlough
here visiting relatives and friends.
He is now Cpl. Edward Wright of
Camp Walters, Texas instead of
Pfc.
The relatives and friends of these
two well known bothers are proud
of their surprise promotions and
wish for them much success. These
soldiers are the sons of Mr. and
! Mr. John Wright.
Many Noted Colored
Actors at Launching of
SS George Washington
Carver Liberty Ship
Negro stage and screen celebrit
ies who witnessed the launching of
the SS George Washington Carver
at the Richmond, Calif., Shipyard
No. 1 of the Kaiser Company this
week lauded the contributions of
the celebrated scientist to his coun
try and its war effort.
Todd Duncan, star of “Porgy and
Bess.” now making a two weeks
run in San Francisco, declared:
“George Washington Carver was
a simple man. a great and wise
man. He knew so well the secret
of the soli of America. I am very
proud that his name graces the
prow of a fighting Liberty Ship.
“I like to feel that there is a
| wonderful comparison with the
work Dr. Carver did and the vital
job the SS George Washnigton
, Carver is going to do- From ti.e
, soil he loved, this ship of steel will
Foon slide triumphantly into the
I water. With the mind of this re
water pervered Negro scientist,
earth and water performed per
formed miracles. Let us pray u •/.
this new ship will help to bring us
victory sooner, that it will be bless
ed with the spirit of this great man
and the hopes of all American Ne
groes, fighting for the complete
freedom of the world, a freedom
upon which this Democracy :s
founded.
Mr. Duncan had appeared in con
cert at Tuskegee Institute three
times and knew Dr. Carver well.
Bill (Bojangles) Robinson, whose
“Born Happy” revue opened in San
Francisco recently, declared:
“George Washington Carver '•* a
real lasting credit to the Negro
race, a great scientist, and an in
tellectual man of note. If he ad
lived, his scientific knowledge
would have been invaluable in this
all-out war effort. Mr. Carver and
Mrs. Bethune hold with Booker T.
Washington the highest places in
the history of American Negroes.
This new Liberty Ship has a name j
that would be an honor to any
11,000 at Capital See Aegro baseball Openei
Secy Knox Gets “Plan” On Admission
of Negro Women To Navy, - Marines
In an unrelenting fight to have
Negro Women admitted to the Navy
—WAVES, SPARS, and Women
Reserve Marines, Mrs, Thomasina
Walker Johnson, Legislative Rep
resentative of the National Non
Partisan Council on Public Affairs,
was told from the office of Adm,
| Randall Jacobs, Chief o fthe Pers
onnel Department of the Navy that
a “plan” had been given to Secre
I tary of the Navy Knox for the ad
mission of Colored women in the
Navy for his approval. Mrs. John
son pointed out that she wishes a
conference with Adm. Jacobs to
discuss the plan and proposed pol
icies on the admission of Colored
Women in the Navy before they be
came the policy to avoid the critic
ism that followed the change in
policy affecting Negro men in the
Navy.
Washington, May 2 (AXP)—The
National Negro Baseball league oi>
ened its season here Easter Sun
day with the Washington Grays
taking a double header from the
Newark Eagles before a crowd lar
ger than any opening day crowd in
either the American or the Nation
al League parks. More than 11.
j 000 paid admissions were in the
stands, topping the Yankees by
| 5,000 and the others almost as mucn
This is an indication of the hold
baseball has on the Negro populn
A TRIBUTE
TO THE
MOTHERHOOD
OF AMERICA
BY JIMMY' GENTRY
OF CHICAGO
(Chicago, (PPS, Inc., 6201 So.
Parkway)
Sunday, May 9, is Mother's Day.
Throughout the nation, these “lit.-1
tie old women" will be the queens]
for this day only, but Mothe -si
should be men and women's daily']
pride and joy. However, Chicago,|
like other cities, is preparing
join the celebration of the occa_
jf
ion with previous gifts, flowers, 1
and soft words.
Mightier pens than mine have]
written that mother has been the]
chief inspiration of the poet, the j
most beautiful model, the most j
precious subject the painter and
the grandest theme of the orator J
But mother's beauties, and her love j
-liness are beyond the poet's praise, j
the sculptor’s skill, the painter’s i
power, and the orator’s eloquence. I
In fact, mother’s gentle influence-*
stands high above everything else j
in the patent power that makes i
and molds man’s destiny. Her im- j
age is in the heart of all the lum
inaries of the world. You readers
who have dear mothers, some in
this town, state or nfhwwr
may be, should pause on May 9
and brighten her wrinkled face
with a huge basket of deep red ros
es, box of fine candies, or, still
better, your presence wil lhelp her
stem the tide a bit longer. She is
indeed the last and best of all God's
gifts.
Come with me, dear readers, let's
go td our “imaginary island” and
look for her just for one moment.
Ah—there she sits in her “Old
Kentucky Home,'' in the “Old Rock
ing Chair—cane by her side” wear
ing the same “Old Gray Bonnet."
My. look at those “Apron strings'
—she used to tie Us to them—what
the old cradle? Yes, and she has
stood by us from oUr cradle days to
this very moment. Remember-at
Iher knee we would linger long af
! ter our “Now I Lay Me Down to
love always dispelled our little ills
Sleep” prayer. Her gentle, patient
in oUr “Babyhood Days.”
Just can't forget how she chased
Us from the high boughs of the
“Spreading Chestnut Tree,” and
spanked us for the tinkering with
"Grandfather’s Clock”— which
gracefully sat on “The Mantle
Piece.” My memory lags when she
bailed me from the ol' cistern in the
huge "Oaken Bucket" and drove
me out of the "Ol' Swimming hole”
down by the “Old’ Mill Stream. —
but in youth she was our sweet
heart—and still she shares all cf
our triumphs and defeats, all our
ecstasies and tears stream inces
santly while I write this column.
How we ran through the meadow
—from behind the ol' “Hay Stack”
where we learned cob-ppie smoic
ship.”
Other theatrical celebrities wit
nessing the launching included Ka
therine Dunham who recently op
jcncd with her dance group at the
Hotel Mary Hopkins in San Franc
I
I isco. The SS George Washington
Carver was sponsored by Lena
; Home singing screen star who was
| chosen for the honor by the LTnited
Negro Labor Committee.
3-Big events in one nite tor sepia-goer s
LEGION HALL JAMMED
tiiimmimiiiiiiimmimiiimmmiiiii.
Negro
Vote
Worry
in’ Dem.
1
Lf ader s
■WASHINGTON, May 3—(ANP)— !
Certain influential members of the
Democratic party in the nation’s
capital are becoming restive over
the unpredictableness of the vote
among Negroes in next year’s im
portant presidential election.
The growing concern is not with
out foundation, in the opinion of
spokesmen for Negro organizations
and other political observora.
Only last week one individual, ad
mittedly a political weathervane
for an outstanding Democrat, voic
ed his own apprehension during a
f'onversation with a small group of.
Negro labor leaders.
“We’re pretty much alarmed as
to what’s going to happen,” he said
“It would be unfortunate indeed
if there should be an appreciable
switch,” he added.
It was pointed out to him by one
individual in the group that the ad
ministration's vacillating attitude
on various issues which have been
vital to the Negro people have been
the main cause for the cooling off.
The influence of the southern bio:
upon policy, it was said, has con
tributed considerably to the chang
ed thinking among Negroes.
The partyman, a midwestemers,
viewed “the belt that extends from
Pennsylvania through Ohio, Indiana,
and Illinois” as pivotal states in
which the Negro vote might be de
cisive. He contended that Negro
es ought to remember that it was
the Democratic party which has
been primarily responsible for the
social reforms that have come a
bout. For this reason .he said, the
party ought to be identified with
the forces of “liberalism” rather
than the reactionary south, “which
has been used.”
He saw no advantage in a switch
to the Republican column for under
such circumstances, ‘‘it would take
another catastrophe” before the
Democratic party might return to
influence.
In another quarter, a northern
ing. We’ll never forget the whack
ing she gave us after we let the
‘‘Or Gray Mare" run away on our
way back from "The Village Black
smith"—ah. those are the most
gentle memories of our world.
So. dear readers and others, do
something about this great cele
brated MOTHER’S DAY, May 9. for
when at last the grim conqueror
stills our already overburdened
hearts, bending above the coffined
form of him that is no more, upon
death's pallid lips—Mother, yes
mother does give love’ last and hoi
iest kiss—may God bless you Moth
ers of America ever and always.
Colored Omaha had quite a time of festivities and entertainment Mon
day night, May 3, 1943. Three big af-fairs were carried out—Flora Pinkston
presented Leon Kirkpatrick, Master Pianist in Pianoforte Recital at Ziop
Baptist Church at 8:15 pm. to a very large and appreciative music loving
audience—Martin Bush of the World-Herald as a music critic has this to say
of Mr Leon Kirkpatrick- (ft
In a program that could have
graced Carnegie hall, Mr. Kirk
patrick left no question as to
the firmness of his grounding in ]
the most rigorous phases of pi
ano performances, for his is :tn
adequate technique, his tone is a
luminous one and he grrades
these attributes with uncommon
poetry and imagination.
-Then there was, for those who love styles and dancing, the gay, well at
tended annually sponsored, “Quack’s Style Revue and Dance” at the beauti
ful Dreamland hall-and the third big event- .-—the jammed session
of the evening was the formal op-^
ening of the new Roosevelt Peat i
Number 30‘s home quarters. The
hosts and hostesses of the Post
had their hands full. .. .their n->w
quarters was packed full with peo
ple and well wishers of both races
standing and sitting in the jammed
hall.... on the strairways and even
some on the sidewalk below, who
still had hopes of squeezing in. __
but it couldn’t be done....it wouid
have been impossible to even cram
a sardine into the main lounge af
ter 9 o’clock. Most of the men who
were seated gave their seats to the
ladies who were present, and stand
ing.
The program which came off
rrandlv and vary smoothly, even
exceeding the expectation of hard
working Post Commander, J. c.
Carey. Speeches and remarks by
leading white and colored members
of our city were heard by the huge
crowd and they- were loudly ap
plauded.
The musical program arranged
by H. L. Preston, was beautifully
rendered indeed.
The program was as follows:
PROGRAM:
1. Meeting called to order and
advancement of colors, J. C. Carey,
Commander.
2. Invocation _..by Chaplain
3. Remarks J. C. Carey, Comm.
4. Introduction of Master of
Ceremonies, Past Commander. Dr. i
W. W. Peebles.... by J. C. Carey
5. Address of Welcome, Honor
able Dan B. Butler, Mayor.
6. Response. Mr. Thomas P.
Mahammitt.
7. Vocal Solo .Rufus Long
8. Instrumental Solo.. Miss AI
easta Carey.
9. Selections.._by Paul Briggs
Ensemble.
(under direction of Henry Wash
ington).
10. Vocal solo Mrs. Lulu Bryant
11. Reading . .Mrs. Carrie Carter
12. Vocal Solo.._Miss Charlotte
Preston.
13. Vocal Solo Mrs. Irene Morton
14. Bass Solo -H. L. Preston
15. Activities of Roosevelt Post
fftiUMMnuHlMittffi r.iinthiuimmiHiiniumiu..... „
party leader feared the truth of re
ports that had reached him that
Negroes might fall into the Repub
lican ranks without that party do
ing anything to earn this support,
simply because of the wide swath
the southern bloc is cutting in gov
ernment circles now.
It is apparent to the least tutot
ing political obeervor, that the New
Deal administration has been ex
periencing tough sledding since the
opening of the current session of
the 78th congress. A greater in
dependence on the part of congress,
spearheaded by the southern bl.ic
and supported by isolationists and
New Deal-hating Republicans, is to
be expected. If this Unholy coal
ition continues to exert itself, and
on matters directly affecting the
Negro people, it will take a few
master strokes to recoup the alien
ated vote.
tion.
Even in the larger cities, the ma
jority of the tenants in the bleach
er seats, which actually sustain
baseball because of the steady pat
ronage of the lower priced seats,
are Negroes.
Baseball magnates will heed the
demands of those seeking Negroes
in the big leagues ere long as so.m
as the old pocketbook pinch is felt.
FOR 3RD TEAR
By appointment of Bishop Robert
E. Jones, the Rev. Clarence C.
Reynolds will begin his third year
as pastor of Clair Church this com
ing Sunday, May 9. Rev. Reynolds
will be happy to greet the members
and his many friends at Clair Sun
day morning when he will deliver
a Mother’s Day sermon and ann
ounce his program for the year.
Mrs. Gertrude Greene will • also
bring a^report of the Conference. |
Rev. Reynolds delivered the In-1
troductory Sermon at the Confer- j
ence Wednesday night, April 28.
He is a member of the Publishing
Committee. Secretary of the Comm
ission on Evangelism, and Financ
ial Secretary of the Topeka Dis
trict.
The Pastor and Members of the
Mason Memorial Church of Kans
as City. Kansas are to be compli
mented on the fine way in which
they provided for the comforts of
No. 30._ Atty. Ray L. Williams
16. Introduction of Distinguished
Guest.
17. Remarks Mrs. H. L. Preston,
Post No. 30, Auxiliary.
and Hon. Judge Herbert Rhoade-s.
18. Guest Speaker...._John E.
Curtis, Comm. Dept, of Nebraska,
American Legion.
19. Remarks: Mr. Geo. Bangn,
Pres. Omaha Letters’ Carriers As
sociation.
20. Retirement of Colors.
After the program, the bar and
luncheonette, which was closed be
cause the Legionnaires had only
anticipated an formal evening for |
the program and inspection of
their new home.. was then thrown !
open after the public began joy
ously clamoring for service ala
highball and ala Mc’s delicious lun-!
cheons.
Everyone expressed their hats I
were off to the Legionnaires and
the Ladies Auxiliary for doing a
great job—a great contribution to
oUr community.
The beauty of the Lounge, newly
decorated, could not really be ap
preciated, because of the crowd. . .
Visit some evening when you wish
to relax and enjoy yourselves amid
the spacious surroundings and get
a full-eye view of the new Roose-'
velt Post No. 30 Legionnaires' and
Auxiliary's new home.
CIO HEARS ANTI-JIM CROW
COMMITTEE REPORT
!
Washington. May 3 (ASP)—Toe
CIO Committee to Abolish Discrim
ination met last Monday and heard
the report of its director, George L.
Weaver, in which he announced
that a questionnaire had been cir
culated among all CIO internation
als seeking data in connection with
the “upgrading and integrating” of
Negroes into the industrial war ef
fort
He reported also that a pamphlet
dealing with the various patterns
of Negro discrimination and th«>
methods to be used in their solu
tion will be ready shortly for dis
tribution throughout the labor
movement.
The appointment of Weaver as
director for the committee, ann
the ministers and delegates at the
conference. Our next session will
be held at Union Memorial Meth
odist Church in St. Louis, Mo.
The Rev. G. D. Hancock was re
appointed District superintendent
of our Topeka District and wdl
make his first official visit to Om
aha May 23. The Topeka District
has grown and shows a decided in
crease along all lines under his
fine leadership. We are fortunate
tn hav< ,g the leadership of this fine
Church executive^
The Rev. G. W. Hubbard has
been appointed to the pastorate of
People's Methodist Church, Color
ado Springs, Colo. The Rev. H. M.
Harrison will succeed him at South
Omaha. The Rev. R. H. Powell
will take over the pastorate of New
man Methodist Church, Lincoln,
Nebraska. The Rev. A. L. Reyn
olds, father of our pastor, retired
at this Conference from the active
pastorate after 35 years service.
ounced two weeks ago, and this re
port of his reviewing certain things
that have been done and others
projected by the committee, will be
interpreted in many quarters as a
desire on the part of the CIO »o
answer charges of inaction which
have been levelled at it.
Weaver layed before the comm
itee, and it was adopted, a program
designed to stimulate discussion in
the Negro press of problems aris
ing in the post war period, assure
wider representation for "labor a.id
minority gTOups” in governmental
programs, “particularly on the rac
ial .regional and local levels,” and
to assure “full utilization of all lew
cal labor resources in war indust
ries.”
The committee endorsed his rec
ommendation that the proposed aid
to educational bill and the Down ry
resolution calling for an investiga
tion of the armed forces regarding
discrimination, be supported.
The director informed the com
mittee also that a syllabus is being
prepared for use in Negro colleges
seeking to explain the place and
function of the labor movement in
the American economic and social
structure, and to deveiope new lea
dership for Negroes in the CIO.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF
CHURCH LEADERS ENDS
AT NASHVILLE
Nashville, May 2 ,.iXP| The fifth
annual session of the National C m
ference of Church leaders ended
here last Wednesday evening after
two days of searching analysis of
the responsibility of churches anl
religious • leaders in the present
Crisis and the post-war period to
follow. The conference was attend
ed by some of the nation's top
ranking religious, educational and
civic leaders who conferred at
length and exchanged ideas as to
duties involved. Being interracial
and interdenominational in its com
position, having the presence and
services of some of the outstan 1
ing leaders in several professional
fields, the movement was termed —
“one of the most momentUous in
terracial and interdenominational
movements of the past 50 years.’