ACTIVITIES AMONG NEGROES
The writer wishes gratefully to acknowledge copies of the "Paul Lawrence Dunbar News," an illustrated catalog of the Paul Lawrence Dunbar National bank and apartments for Negro citizens New York City; the twenty-first annual report of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; a copy of the "World Call," missionary magazine: the "Christ Advocate." California edition for May, published by the Methodist Episcopal church; "America" a catholic weekly magazine: together with valuable clippings from a Chicago daily newspaper associate editor, and a souvenir program from the "Piney Woods" school, where the "Cotton Blossom" singers are students in Piney Woods, Mississippi, all of which will in due time receive recognition in this column.
This column constantly is being requested to give information concerning Negro writers. Hereafter each week it will contain something on this subject. Abbott's magazine for June contains a well written illustrated article on the life of the late Col Charles Young, the reader will recall that he was a West Point graduate. After seeing service in the Philippine Islands, upon his return to San Francisco, acting upon orders from the United States government, served as construction engineer in building roads in many of the national parks in California.
This article will interest many of his friends living in Oakland and San Francisco. The May issue of the "Christian Advocate" contains a wonderful article by Miss Mary White Ovington, "The Negro Brings His Gifts." She is an English lady who was the motive spirit in organizing the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and has for the past twenty one years rendered most valuable services in creating "Better Race Relations." This article definitely proves the sincerity of her actions, since the magazine has a circulation among only white churchmen, with here and there a scattering of Negro communicants as this church has only two Negro churches of its affiliation in all of California. Miss Ovington is now serving as acting treasurer for this national Negro organization. Recently she sent out an appeal for membership. The pamphlet was headed "The first line of defense, being a summary of twenty years civil rights struggle for American Negroes."
NEGRO BRINGS HIS GIFTS
This article by Miss Mary White Ovington, published in The Christian Advocate (California edition), contains much of value, extracts ot which are here quoted: "Since the American Negro was emancipated much sympathy has been expressed for his aspirations, and much money has been expended upon his education.
While philanthropy has seen him as a beneficiary, 'the nation's ward,' to be helped along his way. Today however, thanks partly to that philanthropy, the situation is to some extent reversed. The whites have become beneficiaries of the Negroes. The cultural life of the white race, starving at times for beauty, and for deep religious expression, has been fed by the genius of the colored. Some of the most profound and lovely creative art today comes from this small element of our population, an element that only two generations ago was deprived of all right, even the right to live secure with wife and child,"
NEGRO AND ENCYCLICAL
Under the above heading the following appears in "America," a Catholic weekly: "Someone remarked that the greatest difficulty felt by the Negro in this country is that he is always some kind of an object. Formerly he was an object of purchase; at a later period he became an object of charity; today he is an object of speculation. Some surprise, therefore, is occasioned when the Negro refuses to be an object, and reversing the traditional role, steps out to treat the public as the object of his own charity and tries to heal the troubles of the times.
"This is the plan of the Laymen's Union, the little group of colored Catholic professional and business men in New York City, who on May 17 singed a public celebration in honor of the fortieth anniversary of the Pope Leo XIII's Encyclical 'Rerum Novarum.' The Elks' auditorium in Harlem was filled to overflowing with people of both races who gathered to hear the Rev. Dr. Edward Roberts Moore of the Catholic Charities bring the greetings for the occasion of his Eminence Cardinal Hayes and to listen to labor leaders, educators and Catholic pastors expound the Encyclical and apply its teachings to the immediate problems of the laboring men. Particularly dramatic was the account given by Mrs. Mary McClead Bethune, of Daytona Beach, Florida, perhaps the most widely known colored woman educator in this country, of her personal appeal, 'in the Name of American Negro Womanhood,' to Pope Plus XI for his special blessing as she knelt before him at an international audience, and to the generous way in which it was granted."
LOCAL
During the meeting held Tuesday afternoon in Central Y. W. C. A. by the Social Service department of the Oakland Council of Churches, among other things discussed was the question of Negro public school teachers in Oakland schools. The question was presented by Rabbi Coffee at the request of a local Negro minister. After considerable discussion the council passed a resolution which said in effect "The superintendent or Oakland public schools, be recommended to make appointments for teachers in the public schools upon educational qualifications, irrespective of race or color."
The Alameda County League of Colored Women Voters at their meeting held Wednesday afternoon in Linden branch Y. W. C. A. "highly endorsed the resolution passed by the Social Service department of Oakland Council of Churches in regard to appointing Oakland public school teachers on educational qualifications and not in consideration of race or color, the same as is done in many cities throughout the United States." They, however, objected to the creating of a segregated public school, which they had protested against when all Negro graduate students were sent to Prescott school for their practice training, simply because Oakland had one Negro teacher in this school. She has worked herself up from the first class to the highest In the school, and has classes of all races as pupils. This could not have happened in a segregated school, which would create problems not helpful to either race. Another resolution passed created a new department of the league, that of parent teacher, and members will be requested to study school problems through attendance to P. T. A. in their respective districts.
ELECT NEW OFFICERS
The following new officers were then elected: Mrs. Hettie B. Tilghman, president emeritus, after serving the league ten years. Mrs. Bertha Allen, president; Delilah L. Beasley, vice-president; Mrs. F. Bruce, recording secretary: Mrs. F. A. T. Berry, corresponding secretary; Lillian Dixon, financial secretary; Mrs. Mary Grasses, treasurer. After the election Attorney Virginia Stephens gave a carefully detailed report of the recent annual convention of the California League of Women Voters held at Asilomar, at which she represented this league as a delegate.
Activities Among Negroes/June 14, 1931 14 Jun 1931, Sun Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
