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★ tel X- SATURDAY, DEC. 28, 1946 Our 19th Year-No. 47 Entered as 2nd Class matter at Post-Office. Omaha. Nebraska, Under Act of
t_ ** ^ o .OA1, OOP, tu, March 8. 1874. PUBLISHING OFFICES AT 2420 GRANT ST„ Omaha, Nebr.
Ala. U.S. Court Denies Discrimination
Versus Negroes In Primary
“Fighting Prejudice, Disease, and Second-Class Citizenship Is My Business”
It's The Business of Every American Who Wants To See Our Country Grow Stronger, Healthier and Happier Year After Year ..,
SAYS—
JOE LOUIS AT
TESTIMONIAL
DINNER
GIVEN IN HIS
HONOR AT
WALDORF- '
ASTORIA
JOE LOUIS
In a stirring speech made at the
Southern Conference for Human
Welfare Dinner honoring him,
Joe Louis, world’s heavyweight
champion, asserted that “fighting
prejudice and disease and second
class citizenship is my business.’’
He continued, “It’s the business
of every American who wants to
see our country and its people
grow stronger, healthier, and hap
pier year after year.”
Attended by more than 500 out
standing figures in the theatrical,
civic, sports and professional
world, the dinner was held in the
Starlight Roof of the Waldorf As
toria, New York, on Monday even
ing, ecember 16. Frank Sinatra
star of screen and radio was mas
ter of ceremonies at the event; ;
Jean Muir, former screen actress
and Duke Ellington, composer,
served as co.chairmen of the din
ner.
Among the leading personalities
who paid tribute to the “Champ”
as a “great fighter and great Am
erican” were: Mrs. Mary McLeod
Bethune, founder of the Bethune
Cookman College; Clark Foreman
president of the Southern Confer
ence for Human Welfare; General
John Kilpatrick, president of Mad
ison Square Garden; Carole Lan.
dis, screen star; Ham Fisher, car
toonist and creator of “Joe Pa
looka”; Dr. Channing Tobias, lead
ing educator, recently appointed
to President Truman’s Civil Rights
Commission; Dr. James Sheldon,
president of the Non-Sectarian An
ti-Nazi League who recently ex.
posed The Columbians Inc., and
Duke Ellington.
Thanking all the guests for
their “kind words”, Joe Louis
stated. ‘Your words have given
me a kind of road to travel on—a
road to follow that will be bumpy
in spots, but there'll be many of
you along to help do the repair
job.’ In a forthright declaration of
his principles, which was broad
cast over radio station WMCA, the
Champion asserts “I hate Jim
Crow,’ I hate the poll tax, I hate
keeping good folks down because
of their color. And I’m not going
to let those hates stay in my sys
tem. I’m going to work with oth
er people and do all I can to stop
Jim Crow and lynching and the
evils he bring. That’s why I’m
100 percent for the Southern Con.
ference for Human Welfare; they
are my kind of people and your
kind of people.”
Among the exciting highlights
of the evening was the auctioning
of the boxing gloves Joe Louis
wore when he knocked out Tami
Mauriello. Mr. Herman Sobel. a
brush manufacturer from New
Rochelle, New York, was the high
est bidder with an offer of $1500.
Later the audience responded to
the appeal of Clark Foreman, Con
ference presidnt. whn he called for
“progressive Northern money to
help defeat the Southern bigots
and white supremicists” and al
most $15,000 was raised.
Percy Green, editor of the Jack
son, Mississippi Advocate who mo
bilized Negroes to go to the polls
and later to testify in the Bilbo
hearings, was another speaker.
Calling the 1946 campaign in Mis.
sissippi one of the most “violent,
vulgar, vicious, brutal, unchrist
ian, undemocratic campaigns ever
carried on in the south”, Mr.
Green stated that in spite of the
“almost complete breakdown of
federal and state law enforcement
more than 2500 Negroes in Missi
ssippi went to the polls and cast
their ballots.”
declaring that race prejudice was
the worst influence in the political
life of the country, Mr. Green de
clared it must be abolished not
only “because of what it means to
the future developments of the
Negro, but because of what it
means to the whte people and to
the future relationship of the en
tire nation wih the people of the
world.” In conclusion Mr. Green
stated that he had faith in the A.
merican idea and ideal as long as
there are people “like those in the
Southern Confernc for Human
Wlfare” working for real democ
racy.
COMPLETE TEXT OF
JOE LOUIS’ SPEECH
I want to thank all of you for
you good, kind words and I want
to tell you too, that I will try to
live Up to the fine things you have
said abou me. You’ve given me a
long way to go. Your words have
given me a kind of road to travel
on—a road to follow that will be
bumpy in spots, but there’ll be
many of you along to help do the
repair job.
It was good of you to come. You
are here, I know because you’re on
the same road—the road that will
lead to a happier, healthier, and
beter America, e’ve got to get a
lot of traffic on that road—else the
People going the other way, and
you know who I mean, will push
us off. They’re so used to push
ing it comes by them natural like.
We have decency and right and
what made America strong on our
side; we need the good people of
our country to work and fight to
gether to make the dream of Abra
ham Lincoln come true.
But, honestly, I don’t see why
the Southern Conference had to
honor me especially. I am just do
ing what every ordinary Ameri
can who has a heart and a soul is
doing-—what every decent person
in this country who believes in
fair play, in giving his fellow A.
merican an even chance to live in
peace and quiet is doing. If any
one should be honored here to
---r-------—
LOCAL AND NATIONAL NEWS JQC Per Copy AND WORTH IT— “To Sell It, ADVERTISE**
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Dec. 27
In a crowded court room last week
Judge Charles Kennamer of the
United States District Court for
the Middle District of Alabama
dismissed the suit of William Mit
chell against Mrs. George Wright
and Virgil Guthrie, registrars of
voters in Macon County, on the
grounds that no discrimination a
gainst the plaintiff, Mitchell, had
been shown by the evidence.
In a pre-trial hearing, the Judge
ruled against the class-action fea
ture of the plaintiff suit. Last
week, on the trial, he indicated
that discrimination against Negro
e? “■enetf1''.' t*v iTsfudaet
been shown by the evidence, and
stated that if this were a class
action, he would have ruled for
the plaintiff, but the evidence fail
ed to show any discrimination a
gainst Mitchell as an individual.
All of the registration rolls and
application blanks of Macon Coun
ty from 1942 through 1945 had
been subpoenaed by the plaintiff.
It was demonstrated that, while
Macon County had a population
of 27,650. of which 22,000 were
Negroes, less than 2 percent of the
Negroes had been registered,
while over 47 percent of the
white voters had been registered
during the registration period in
July, 1945, on which this suit was
based.
Ninety-three Negroes and sev.
en whites presented themselves to
the registrars and were registered
forthwith. Ten Negroes were reg
istered, twenty-three failed out
right. and application blanks for
the remaining 60 who attempted
to vote were certified as qualified
by Mrs. Wright, the chairman of
the registration board. The de
fendants failed to place these six.
ty Negroes on the registration
roll, however, giving as an excuse
the fact that they had failed to
produce the necessary persons to
vouch for themselves. Actually,
evidence was produced to indicate
that vouchers for some of these
applicants had presented themsel
ves to the board, but were not per
mitted to vouch for the Negro ap
plicants. The evidence also show
ed that anyone was permitted to
vouch for a white applicant, al
though the registration board in
sisted that all Negroes know the
person who vouched for them.
One white witness stated that he
had merely given the names of
several persons to the registration
board who could vouch for him,
although he never consulted these
people about it and ahd no idea
which of the persons had signed
his form in the registration office.
As counsel, the defense had the
services of E. C. Boswell, the au.
thor of the infamous Boswell A
mendment to the Alabama Consti
tution, which was passed on in
‘November 1946, by the voters of
Alabama. It repuires applicants
for registration to be able not
only to read and write any section
of the Federal Constitution, but be
able to understand and interpret
any section to the satisfaction of
the registrar—a subtle method of
disqualifying otherwise qnalified
Negro voter3.
/
LOCAL AND NATIONAL NEWS
Id THE OMAHA GUIDE Columns
EVERT WEEK!
READ THE GREATER Omaha GUIDE
night—it’s people like Percy
Green and our brave friends in
Mississippi—it’s the Southern Con
ference workers who carry on our
fight in the deep Southland—it’s
the thousands of little people thru
out Dixie who are going to the
polls for the first time and who
like the feeling of being real citiz
ens and who are going to stay
that way.
Some people ask me why I both
er to get mixed up in movements
like the Southern Conference for
Human Welfare. That’s just what
they say. The idea is that I’m do
ing all right as a fighter and that
I should stick to my business.
They mean all right—but they
! just don’t understand that fighting
[prejudice and disease and second
I class citizenship is my business.
1947—A Year for Pulling Together
GOP. Asst. Campaign Chrm.
V. Washington
Writes L. Perry
Mr. Leslie S. Perry
Administrative As3t. Washington
Bureau
100 Massachusetts Avenue, N. W.
Washington 1, D. C.
Dear Mr. Perry:
Your attack on the legislative pro.
gram of the Republican party was
not surprising to those of us who
know the attitude of the officers
of your association toward the Re
publican party.
No later than October of this year
Senator Wayne Morse was forced
to answer Walter White, Secre
tary of the NAACP when he ur.
ged in his syndicated column that
Negroes should vote Democratic.
Of course you know the majority
of us did not take Mr. White's
advice on November 5, and the
Republicans were returned to
power.
For fear that you are not apprised
of all that goes on in the front
office of your own organization, I
am enclosing a copy of a letter
sent to Mr. Walter White, which
is self-explanatory. After writing
Mr. White this letter I wrote him
It’s the business of every Ameri.
can who wants to see our country
and its people grow stronger,
healthier and happier year after
year.
I hate Jim Crow, I hate the poll
tax, I hate keeping good folks
down because of their color. And
I’m not going to let these hates
stay in my system, I’m going to
work with other people and do all
I can to stop Jim Crow and lynch
ing and the evils they bring. That
is why I’m 100 percent for the
Southern Conference for Human
Welfare; they’re my kind of peo
ple and your kind of people.
Thanks again for everything.
I’ll try to keep punching both in
the ring and out of the ring. With
all of you behind me, I guess I
can’t go wrong.
in longhand telling him of a sud
den change in my plans and stat.
ing that I would get in touch with
him later.
Not Knowing Mr. White was so
deeply enmeshed in Democratic
politics I tried on four different
occasions to get in touch with him
in New York. He never did re
spond to any of my telephone
calls nor did he answer the en
closed letter or my note in long,
hand.
Frankly, I did not know of the
change in policy of the NAACP
from a non-partisan organization
to a partisan political organiza
tion. It did not take long to dis
cern this, however, atfer I enter
ed the national political field.
I do not feel it quite fair that the
Republican National Committee
should let the Association officers
continue to attack the Republican
party without informing the mem. i
bership of your organization as
well as the general public of our
attempt to cooperate with the
NAACP in the building of a Re
publican program, not from a par
tisan view, but from the stand
point of progressive legislation af
fecting minorities.
Needless to say I regret that I
must enter into controversy with
you at this time, but it is the only
true American way when there
is a misunderstanding. The Re.
publican party does have a pro
gram and I am sorry that your
organization did not participate in
its forming.
Sincerely yours,
Val J. Washington
Assistant to the Chairman
Mr. Walter White, Secretary,
National Assn, for the Advance
ment of Colored People
210 W. 40th Street
New York 18, N. Y.
Dear Mr. White:
Some years ago, when I was en
gaged in the newspaper business,
I had the pleasure of meeting you.
Upon several occasions I havej
heard you speak, and have atten.
ded meetings over which you pre
sided. However, in recent years I
have not come into direct contact
with you, but have followed and
admired your work.
You probably know that I was
recently made Erecutive Assist
ant to the Campaign Chairman of
the Republican National Commit
tee, and Assistant to the Chair
man. A few weeks ago a letter
which you had written to Mr.
Brownell was turned over to me.
At the time Mr. Brownell was
retiring from the Committee, and
I had just been appointed.
My job, as you can readily real,
ize, is no easy one, and I will need
the help of all true friends and
well-wishers. I am anxious to talk
with you, and would like to make
an appointment to see you the
next time I am in New York.
Since my schedule keeps me
pretty much on the go, I think I
stand a better chance of seeing
you there than in Washington.
Our program for the success of
the Republican party is in the
making, and I would like to know
what suggestions or criticism you
might have which would assist us
in drawing up this program. You
can be of great assistance to us.
I will either write or call you be
fore coming to New York. You
can reach me in Washington Mon
day and Tuesday of next week
should you want me at an earli
er date. I am looking forward to
talking with you soon.
Sincerely yours,
Val J. Washington
NEW YORK GIRL
SETS PRECEDENT
Raleigh, N. C. (Global)—Friday
December 6, Eunice Tucker of
New York City, a co-ed at St.
Augustine College became the
first Negro ever to preside over
a mixed meeting of North Caro
lina students.
The precedent was set when
Miss Tucker was elected president
pro tem of the North Carolina
Student Legislative Assembly,..
which was participated in by 34
delegates from State Negro col.
leges and 79 delegates from while
colleges.
The gavel was handed over to
her by a University of North Ca
rolina student, former Senate
President Robert Morrison o f
Hickory.
This marked the first time that
Negro students had been invited
to participate in the annual as
sembly.
TWO OUTSTANDING SONG
FESTIVALS TO BE GIVEN
FOR OMAHA’S SOCIETY
Imperial Choral Ensemble To
Present Post-Christmas
Recital December 29th
The Imperialist Choral Ensem
ble will present their post-Christ -
mas recital Sunday evening Dec.
29th at the EKis Hall at 6:00 p. m.
Personell of this group are: Jac.
queline Johnson; Charlene Dailey;
Young Lee Simms; Lavon Mon
day; Delores Hall; Juanita Mos
ley, Olive Whidby; Liiiian Bell;
Evelyn Butler; Norman Monday;
Eva Whidby; George Miles, Arth
ur Hayden; Leonard King; Jos
eph Webb; Marvin Reed; Clar.
ence Smith; E. W. Collins; Ervin
Penn; Norris Preston.
Mrs. Pearl Gibson will be guest
soloist on the program. As many
of you no doubt know this En
semble is one of the most out
standing Choral groups in the
middle west. If you fail to attend
this recital you will surely miss
a rare musical treat. The group
is under the direction of Walter
Bell.
Progressive ‘24’ To Present
St. John's Senior Choir In
Recital In February
Plans are under way for the
presenting of St. John’s Choir in
a musical Recital by the Progres
sive 24, an auxiliary of St. John’s
Church in February 1947. This
auxiliary in presenting this choir
will bring to the Christian music
loving public some of the finest
local talent in the city of Oma.
ha. Many beautiful, new and
breath-taking spiritual and musi
renditions are being prepared for
this presentation. There will be a
host of special arrangements and
solos.
The Choir has already com
menced to rehearse diligently and
industrously under the direction
of Mrs. Pearl Gibson for this oc
casion. A full orchestra will ac.
company this group in their pre
sentation.
Mr. W. P. Ervin,'president
NAACP YOUTH CHAPTER SET
UP ON COLUMBIA CAMPUS
NEW YORK, Dec. 18th—An or
ientation meeting of the newly
chartered NAACP Youth Chapter
at Columbia University, New
York City, was held on the cam
pus on December 13th. Over one
hundred and fifty students heard
addresses by Dr. Ruth Benedict,
noted anthropologist, and Faculty
Advisor of the Chapter, and Mrs.
Ruby Hurley, NAACP Youth
Secretary. Officers of the chapter
were elected, and a goal of 1000
members was set up. The group
will work toward the elimination
of textbooks containing passages
derogatory to minority groups,
abolition of the college ‘auota sy
stem* Improvement of student a ’d
teached attitudes toward race pro
blems and the support of inter.ra
cial Sydenham Hospital’s drive for
funds to carry on.
NAACP ACTION STAYS
MISS. DEATH SENTENCES
New York, Dec. 18—Two Miss
issippi Negro youths sentenced to
die in the electric chair on Dec.
13. 1946, on a charge of murder
ing their employer, may yet be
saved due to the successful action
of the NAACP, through its attor
ney, Walter D. Coleman, in Miss,
issippi, in obtaining a temporary
reprieve from the Governor of the
State.
Pending an investigation of the
facts, the execution of Charles
Trudell, sixteen, and James Lewis
fifteen, has been stayed until Jan.
17, 1947. If the Governor finds
the facts warrant it, it is proba
ble that he will commute both
boys’ death sentences. Should he
fail to do this, attorneys will im
mediately carry the appeal to the
Federal courts.
Calvin’s Digest
|The Year Ahead
IfimRIMIIMIMItllllllllllllinniltMWMIllMIMHtMnNIIIUNiM.iri BY JOHN M. LEE J
Locking back over the past twelve months, as everyone
will be doing, if only briefly, in these last days of 1946, we
shall try to plan the year ahead so that the gains will surpass
the losses. It is a procedure that we follow in our personal
lives, and collectively, as a progressive and influential min
ority group, we will try to come closer to the ideal of full and
equal citizenship on all fronts.
The closing year has been one of many paradoxes. It has
been the first year following the death of FDR, with the re
sultant weakening of the forces of liberalism. It marked
the defeat of the progressive program and the repudiation of
its laders at the polls, while it foreshadowed the struggles of
the year ahead.
There has not been a single year since his emancipation in
which the Negro has not made rapid gains in social, econom
ic and political standing. The past year is no exception.
There have been many notable advances on an individual
and collective basis that will serve in history to mark an, im
portant era in the affairs of the American Negro. Simply
stated, the Negro actually accelerated his pace in 1946, but
it must be noted that the forces of reaction and fascism
showed their greatest strength in this same year.
It was in 1946 that American fascism gouged out the eyes
of Isaac Woodward; it was in 1946 that the Department of
Justice tacitly admitted that it was powerless to protect the
lives and interests of American Negroes, by failing to bring
to justice the mob responsible for the lynching of two Negro'
men and their wives on a lonely road in Georgia.
It was in 1946 that the Ku Klux klan. showed a strong re
surgence in so-called liberal communities all over the coun
try; it was in 1946 that the Columbians and many kindred
hate groups revived the Hitler partPi^Tmff c^^rofH nmlrr
ground to openly campaign and terrorize for white suprem
acy.
Balanced against the losses, the aggregate of all the gains
made by American Negroes in 1946, are as nothing since
there has not been one substantial guarantee provided that
the United States will not become the world capital of fasc
ism. It was in 1946 that the report was made that Chicago
was on the verge of a violent racial outburst. Over twenty
seven years have passed, and yet Chicago, one of the largest
of our cities, have profited little since it last was torn by rac
ial disturbances.
1 he cause ot the right of Negroes to vote in the South was
struck a weakening hiow when Alabama added impossible
tests and conditions to the poll tax qualifications for voting.
This blot can not be wiped out by pointing to the many Ne
groes who were eleeted to important public office; just so
long as some of us remain slaves, none of us are free.
The year ahead i9 as promising as we believe it will be.
\i e cannot hope to accomplish in twelve short months what
many thousands of men and wc|nen have not been able to
bring about in several generations, but we must do better
than we did last year. We must carry on a tighter struggle
with all forces uinted against the fascists who are in a strate
gically superior position at the moment.
I
DUMARIS ESTIME, the recently elected president of Haiti, has de
clared he will sponsor reforms to improve the conditions of the
masses cf the people. Better educational and economic opportunit
ies for the people are among the things for which he stands Re
ports indicate he is strong for cooperation with American Negroes.
(ANP)