ACTIVITIES AMONG NEGROES
A communication received from George E. Haynes states that a report has just been received by the commission on race relations, Federal Council of Churches, 105 East Twenty-second street, New York City, that a collection of fine arts for Negroes and books by Negro authors sent by the commission to South Africa, is being exhibited in several cities and is receiving marked attention from both white and native peoples.
This collection of artistic and literary material went first to the Worlds Service Exhibition held last May in Johannesburg. The exhibition included portrayal of missionary work in China, Japan, India, and Africa. Besides the exhibition of American Negro artists and authors, it included exhibits from these other lands, and a pageant which aimed "to portray in vivid form the history of the development of the worldwide enterprise of the Christian church."
The pageant included white South Africans, natives and Asiatic peoples showing the effective influence of missionaries throughout the world. It was presented in St. Mary's Cathedral of Johannesburg. Natives were welcomed as full participants in the exercises. There was a daily program for a week comprising addresses, music and moving pictures arranged by Rev. Ray E. Phillips of the American Board of Missions (Congregational). Among the speakers were Dr. Thomas Jessie Jones of America, who was visiting South Africa at that time: Dr. J. Dexter Taylor, Mrs. F. B. Bridgeman, missionaries from America, and Dr. Zuma, a native African physician educated at Tuskegee Institute and Northwestern University in America. Much of the music was furnished by a native choir from Wilberforce Institute of the African Methodist Episcopal church of South Africa, led by Professor Gow, a well-known South African graduate of Tuskegee Institute and Wilberforce University.
Among books by Negro authors were publications of such well-known authors as Carter G. Woodson, Langston Hughes, Alain Locke, Jessie Fauset, Walter White, George E. Haynes, W. E. B. Du-Bois, James Weldon Johnson and Countee Cullen. The newspapers and white public of South Africa have marveled at these evidences of progress of the Negro and have been discussing the development of the millions of natives of the union in the light of this evidence of the black man's mastery of modern culture and civilization. Following the Johannesburg exhibition this collection has been on tour to Maritzburg, Durban, Cape Town, and other leading urban centers of the Union of South Africa.
AFRICAN LEGACY
Alain Locke, in a recent statement, said: "One of the reasons the present day Negro artist has not sooner developed a school of art, distinctive of his race, is that the young American Negro artist has not as yet been exposed to the influence of African art. As recently as 1927 a movement was started to bring the Negro artists and the lay public into direct face to face contact with African art, and after a New York exhibition of the Blondiau-Theater Arts Collection of sculpture and metal work from the Belgian Congo, the nucleus of this collection was purchased for the permanent and traveling collections of the Harlem Museum of African Art, organized at that time. The project was organized to preserve and interpret the ancestral arts and crafts of the African Negro and to make them effective as fresh inspiration for Negro art expression and culture in America."
This present exhibition of the Harmon Foundation collection of works by Negro artists now being shown in Oakland Art Galleries has been pronounced the very best ever produced by American Negro artists, and the beginning of a real school of art by the Negro. Notwithstanding, Dr. Locke and other writers have given historical proof that many centuries ago there was a fine school of African art in Africa. It has also been proven by the great Negro student and writer, Arthur Schamburg, that two of Spain's outstanding old master artists were Negroes, who painted religious subjects, many of which are still preserved.
LOCAL NOTES
The colored churches through the Ministerial Alliance have submitted the following names of members of their different churches who will serve on any day convenient to them as hostesses at the Harmon Foundation exhibition of Negro artists in the Oakland Art Galleries. North Oakland Baptist church Rev. G. C. Coleman pastor, Mrs. Emma Bolmer; New Hope Baptist church: Rev. Smith pastor, Mrs. B. E. Pace and Mrs. M. Burton; Taylor M. E. church: Rev. H. T. S. Johnson, pastor. Mrs. Gryce Mathews, and Mrs. E. G. Wilson; Beth Eden Baptist church: Rev. Hubbard, pastor, Mrs. Grace West and Magge Alexander; Cooper A. M. E. Zion Rev. W. J. J. Byers, pastor; Mrs. Alce Ford and Mrs. Mildred Slater; Mt. Zion: Rev. L. B. Moore, pastor; Mrs. L. V. Jiggets and Mrs. D. Jones.
CLUB HOSTESS
The following hostesses were selected by the committee sponsoring the exhibit to serve: Sunday, members of the committee; Monday, the Phyllis Wheatley club Mrs. Gretta Branch, president; Tuesday, committee of the Welfare of the Colored Group (Public Welfare League) Miss Ruth Bailey, chairman; Wednesday, Self Improvement club, Mrs. Parker president, and the Negro women's Progressive club, Richmond, Mrs. Maynard, president; Thursday, the Hollier club, Mrs. Cora Brock president; Friday, Swastika club of Berkeley, Mrs. Hettie B. Tilghman president, with Mrs. Thomas Jackson, Bessie Mack and Grace Jones Heed, special representatives. This is a fine club for race understanding and is expected to outdo the Fanny Jackson Coppin club of which Mrs. Theo Lee Purnell is president when they acted as hostess. Saturday, the Hallie Q. Brown club, Mrs. Anita Rudder, president. This club has on several days rendered valuable service and is expected on the day appointed for them to have a record crowd in attendance. Sunday, the young women's department of Federated clubs; Monday, Imperial Arts club; Tuesday, Elmhurst club, Mrs. Ramurvez, president; Tuesday, Young Mothers' club; Wednesday, chairmen of all the federated colored clubs (Northern section).
COSMOPOLITAN DINNER
The annual Cosmopolitan dinner served last Thursday evening in Saint Augustin dining hall by the committee of the Welfare of the Colored Group (Public Welfare League) was a decided success. A very well balanced program was rendered. Rev. Stanley Hunter of St. John's church, Berkeley, was the principal speaker. He told the value and needs of world fellowship. The chairman of the evening. Rev. Lloyd Thomas, of Trinity Episcopal church, Oakland, in introducing Attorney George Johnson, paid a glowing tribute to him as a speaker, and one working for "better race-understanding." There were several musical numbers by Alex Sands and A. Swanagan. Reading of an original poem, written In honor of Mrs. Arte Artieda, executive secretary, served to introduce her to the audience. She touched upon several different subjects in the course of her remarks, notably the Community Chest, and the value of visiting the Harmon Foundation exhibition of works by Negro artists now being shown In the Oakland Art Galleries, and the significance of it, giving all a better idea of the Negro and his aims to better his own condition. The meeting closed with all present pronouncing it one of the finest since Mrs. O. M. Ruffin inaugurated the Idea four years ago. Miss Ruth Bally complimented her committee for their fine spirit of cooperation, while the chairman paid a glowing tribute to former chairmen, notably Mrs. Bertah Allen and Mrs. Ruffin for their part in the previous years in keeping the spirit or the adventure alive.
