ACTIVITIES AMONG NEGROES
During the past week there was held in Berkeley the Twenty-third annual meeting of the California Conference for Social Work. It was divided into nine sections, or groups, many of the meetings being held in the International House. The fact that the theme of the conference was "Economic Justice, and Social Progress" carried a special appeal to the Negro social, and Y. M. C. A., Y. W. C. A. workers, resulting in delegations of Negroes in those fields attending from Los Angeles, Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco, and neighboring cities. These Negro delegates at all times took a keen interest in the proceedings of all the different sections, which always had a Negro representative present.
INTERNATIONAL HOUSE
The reader will recall that a few years ago John D. Rockefeller gave $1,800,000 for the erection on the Campus of the University of California of an International House. This writer was privileged to address an audience of nearly a thousand P.T. A. and club women representing the Alameda County Federation in a meeting in the Veteran's Memorial building in Berkeley, on the proposed erection of International House. Later by special request she conducted an International program on the campus for the "Brotherhood of Races" a student society. Appearing on this program were seven district racial groups. A few months later at the request of the Oakland Council of Church Women she conducted an Interracial meeting. Immediately followed by an International luncheon program held in the First Congregational church of Oakland. This luncheon program had five different racial groups participating with a United States Congressman, as first speaker, followed by representatives of foreign governments at San Francisco. There were 115 persons at this luncheon, representatives from about ten different racial groups. The writer serving as hostess in her opening remarks on both occasions said, "that she hoped the valuable program of International House in New York city would be the program of the proposed International House in Berkeley." The basis of American prejudice she considered the lack of contact with other groups of people. The program of the Berkeley International House has been the same as the one in New York city. This has given to the Negro student an opportunity to sit at the council table with representatives of other races, and try to break down the barriers of American prejudice.
OPENING CONFERENCE
In the opening meeting of the conference held Sunday evening in Wheeler hall, the address delivered by Allen C. Blaisdell, director of International house, among other things said:
"Man with all his inventive genius has yet to invent machinery that can rise above, tunnel beneath, or bridge across the great barrier of racial prejudices. The most foreign of foreigners are those who live next door to us. Sometimes it is difficult to say where interracial problems end, and international ones begin. You cannot be an intelligent internationalist without being a friendly and intelligent inter-racialist."
This address was the keynote to the conference that many different racial groups would participate in the meetings and discussions. The Negro delegates did take part in the discussion groups especially in the section devoted to "Racial and Citizenship Problems." At every session the Negro leaders were headed by Attorney George Johnson, graduate of the University of California, who during his student days, and since has done much to create a better racial understanding and at the request of the conference committee of this section, was made one of this committee, and prepared a "Summary of the United States Immigration Laws.”
Another outstanding Negro delegate was Lester B. Granger, who has been serving as an executive secretary of Los Angeles Urban Iague. He is a graduate of Dartmouth college with the class of 1918, spending eight years at State Vocational school, Bordertown, N. J., in charge of extension work and is returning to New Jersey in June. The splendid educational advantages enjoyed by Granger, together with his position in the National Urban league as one of its executive secretaries, has given him a wealth of knowledge of his race's struggles in all sections of the United States, thus enabling him at all times to answer clearly many difficult questions asked by other racial representatives. This was particularly true in the "Racial and Citizenship Problems" section. At times these questions were embarrassing to other Negroes in the audience because it showed how acute the prejudice is against his race in California. But Granger's answers carried much food for serious and sympathetic thought, and will be helpful to his race. Another distinguished Negro leader among the delegates was Loren Miller, city editor of the California Eagle, published in Los Angeles. He was educated in Kansas City high school, Kansas University, Howard University and Washburn Law school, formerly a lawyer in Kansas City. In his remarks in the industry section he said: "The solution of the Negro workers problems lies in cooperation with the white worker. Only when both white and Negro worker cooperate will they be able to get their due from employing classes." Another out-of-town Negro delegates taking part was Miss Juanita Ellsworth. County welfare bureau at Los Angeles county; who spoke on "Municipal Mountain summer camps." Mrs. Clark, from the "Booker T. Community center" of San Francisco, as its executive secretary spoke for ten minutes before the section devoted to leisure time. She is a product of the public schools and colleges in and around her home in Boston. Others in attendance were Miss Gladys Harris, graduate of U. of S. C. and now a field worker in the Los Angeles county social work. Mrs. Mattie Nelson, at present executive secretary Twelfth street Y. W. C. A in Los Angeles. Attending the section devoted to "California Girls Housing council" were the following officials of the Madam C. J. Walker home in San Francisco: Mrs. Tulip Jones, president; Mrs. Addis Clark, vice president and Superintendent Mrs. Margaret C. Roberts. Among the local representatives were many club women including Miss Lula Chapman, executive secretary Linden Y. W. C. A., Mrs. Sledge, Bertha Allen, Mrs. O. M. Ruffin and others.
NEGRO STUDENT
The student residents in International House are selected by quota as to race. One of the two Negro students was Miss Cammiller Weems, of Georgia State Industrial college of Savannah, Ga. She won a Julius Rosenwald scholarship for her excellent work as State Home Demonstration agent for Georgia. She has spent the past year in the University of California doing graduate work. Previous to coming to Berkeley she attended four summer school sessions in Columbia college in New York. During her stay in Berkeley, she has been shown every advantage by invitations to address clubs, schools and societies of the other races on her work and race educational progress. She attended and took an active part in the Pacific Relations student conference held last winter in Lokoyne Inn in the California mountains.
LOCAL NOTES
Mrs. F. B. Watson, a missionary sent by the Third Baptist church of Kansas City, Kansas and the Lott Carey National Baptist convention of America, to Africa, spent eight years in Careysburg, Africa, near Liberia. She addressed the congregation of North Oakland Baptist church last Sunday afternoon, and the Missionary society on Monday evening in the home of Mrs. Gates on Market street. She is returning to Africa in August.
Y. W. C. A. NOTES
The social committee of Linden branch Y. W. C. A. invites the public to attend a tea this afternoon honoring the newly elected officers and members of the committee of management. Mrs. Iva Gray will be the speaker bringing an interesting report on the Regional conference recently held in Asilomar. Mrs. Made Carigg will be chairman.
HOUR OF MUSIC
Mrs. Julia Fisher and a committee have arranged an hour of music for this evening in First A. M. E. church at which time several radio artists of the race will render vocal and instrumental numbers. The director, Mrs. Lincolonia Morgan, director for this church choir, will act as director of the program with Mrs. Lola B. Anderson, Mrs. Myrtle Mitchell assisting with special musical numbers. Programs begin promptly at 7:30 and the public will be welcome.
DEFENSE TEA
The Northern section of California Colored Federation of clubs will sponsor a tea today at residence of Mrs. Bertha Allen to raise funds to assist in defense of Ted Vallejo case.
MUSICAL FESTIVAL
The Etude Musical club will hold their annual spring musical festival on the evening of May 26 in the parlors of Cooper A. M. E. Zion church. The public will be welcome.
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The Conference Educational club of First A. M. E. church are sponsoring a colonial wedding in the social hall of the church in the evening of May 21. The public will be welcomed. Mrs. Lucy M. Dewson will serve as director of program.
The Young Women's Progressive club held a benefit whist tournament last Saturday evening in the home of Mrs. W. H. Hogan, the newly elected president. The object was to raise funds to pay their Community Chest pledge. Have you paid your pledge? The affair was well attended, twenty-five tables being filled, with ten prizes given. The members were not allowed to contest for a prize.
The Booker T. Washington community center of San Francisco is establishing a library of books by Negro authors. At their Forum meeting today they will be presented several books to enter their library. The public is invited.
Activities Among Negroes/Sun, May 24, 1931 24 May 1931, Sun Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
