Activities Among Negroes
The following interesting news was received from the national headquarters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored. People in New York:
"Following long the vigorous protests by the N. A. A. C. P. and other bodies, the department of justice has decided to cancel the contract by which 200 Negro convicts from Atlanta federal penitentiary were to be boarded in Chatham county, Georgia to do road work."
When the plan first became known, the N. A. A. C. P. on October 31, 1929, wrote to Attorney General William De Witt Mitchell, protesting against what it termed a discriminatory practice" in sing ling out Negro convicts and condemning the system of convict leasing or boarding. The association also wrote to Senator Arthur Capper, of Kansas, a member of its board enligting his interest. During ensuing correspondence with Sanford Bates, U. S. superintendent of prisons and at a personal conference in Washington between him and Messrs Arthur B. Springarn, Walter White and Judge James A. Cobb, the N. A. A. C. P. maintained its position that convict boarding of Negroes, despite assurances that they would be well treated, was discriminatory and the practice a dangerous and undesirable one.
DENOUNCED IN CONGRESS
The project was denounced in congress by Senators Wagner and Borah, and Representative La Guardia of New York. On December 14 the N. A. A. C. P. wired Superintendent Bates restating its objection to the convict boarding plan, and on December 27, the N. A, A. P. C. telegraphed Senators Wagner, Hawes, Vadenburgh, and Norris, objecting to a bill which would have reorganized federal prison administration on the ground that it would "perpetuate a system by which colored prisoners will be virtually leased out to t southern communities."
Superintendent Bates suggested a conference in New York with representatives of the N. A. A. C. P. in an effort to arrive at some work able plan to prevent discrimination against Negro convicts in the plan to relieve over-crowding in federal prisons.
Walter White, acting secretary of the N. A. A. C. P., made the following statement on the contract cancellation:
"The N. A. A. C. P. Is highly gratified that the contract to board federal colored prisoners in Georgia has been abandoned. We are not unmindful of the problems created by over-crowding in federal prisons. But we are against solving one problem by creating another. Sanford Bates has shown himself eager to cooperate with the N. A. A. C. P. throughout."
UNVEILING OF TABLET
The annual mass meeting of the N. A, A. C. P. was held last Sunday afternoon in St. Mark's M, E. 19 church, New York, Over a thousand people were in attendance to 1 witness the unveiling of the life membership tablet bearing the names of full paid lire members. Dr. DuBois, who addressed the meeting on the function of the N. A. A. C. P. in American life, traced the history of the movements for the emancipation of the Negro in America from pre-revolutionary times. The N. A. A, C, P., he said, was part of this long development and in its twenty years had profoundly altered the tone of race relations in this country and throughout the world. Continuing he said:
"Twelve million Negroes are organized to contend for emancipation from .discrimination in America. China has abolished extraterritoriality, India has declared for independence, Ethiopia has entered the League of Nations and sent a minister to England. All those movements are disconnected, but significant of a world movement toward freedom for colored races."
The next speaker was Bishop Francis J. McConnell, of the M. E. church, and president of the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America, who urged tolerance and understanding between members of various races, saying: "The problem is not racial but human.” He urged Negro leaders for Negroes, as leadership depended not upon race but upon the training and background of the individual leader. He stated his belief that more Negro bishops should be appointed.
LOCAL NEWS
A large delegation of Oakland colored clubwomen chartered a stage last Thursday and motored to San Mateo, where they attended the second reciprocity meeting for northern district of California State Federation of Colored Women's clubs. The meeting was held in A. M. E. Zion church and attended by delegations from San Francisco, Palo Alto, San Jose, Stockton and Sacramento. Mrs. Lawrence Sledge, president for the district, presided. She called into session the executive board with twenty members answering the roll call. They discussed ways and means to entertain the state convention in June and the biennial convention of the National Association of Colored Women's clubs, which meets this year in Hot Springs, Ark. At the close of the session all delegates were invited to the club house of the Fleur de Lis club of San Mateo, where luncheon was served. The beautifully furnished clubhouse is the first one owned by colored clubwomen in the state.
After lunch they returned to the church, where the meeting opened with short devotional exercises. Reports were then called for and a ready response by chairman of all the committees. There were 16 clubs represented with 30 accredited delegates, and a large delegation from each city 80 represented. One of the outstanding features of the reports was the spirit of cooperation of all the clubs in meeting their state and national obligations, especially in the service rendered to needy families this winter, the Fanny Wall Home and Day Nursery and the Home for Aged Colored People.
AGED HOME AIDED
The report from the Phyllis Wheatley club of debutants was most encouraging. They have annually given a dansant [dance], the proceeds going to the Home for Aged Colored People. This year, because of the heavy street assessments for the home, they made an extra donation, making in all for the year about $96. The Madam C. J. Walker club of San Francisco was reported by Mrs. Dennis, who gave a list of needy families cared for besides hundreds of community children during the holidays. They are preparing to spend $14,000 in building an addition to their home. She also reported a gift of $140 worth of bedding through the San Francisco Community Chest. A club from Vallejo reported they had prepared and distributed sit baskets of food during the holidays to needy families, and made donations, one of $10 and another of $5, to worthy causes. Mrs. O. M. Ruffin, of Oakland, reported. for the Young Mother's club, which she said made an annual survey at Christmas time of the needy Oakland families. This year they discovered five mothers and 25 children whom they supplied a dinner through the kindness of Mr. Curtis, a business man of Oakland.
GREETINGS EXTENDED
Greetings were then read from Mrs. Irene Ruggles and Mrs. Esther Jones Lee, both past presidents, and from the San Joaquin club of Stockton. After which Delilah L. Beasley, extended greetings from Mrs. Elizabeth Lindsey Davis of Chicago who wished the clubs a New Year of success and harmony, and called attention to the receipt by the Phylis Wheatly association of Chicago of a cheek for $10,000 from the estate of the late Mrs. Blackstone. She also called the attention of the club women to the recent honor bestowed upon the national president, Mrs. Sallie Stewart, being elected one of the vice-presidents of the "International Council of Women." She will sail early in May to attend the quin-quennial meeting of this organization in Vienna. The speaker was followed by Mrs. Lydia Smith Ward who told of Mrs. Charlotte Hawkins Brown being elected a delegate by the Congregations church to attend the International Sunday school convention in June in London, England.
Visitors were then introduced, among whom was Rev. Fred Hughes, pastor of Bethel A. M. E. church, San Francisco. He delivered a brief but forceful address on the value of a Juvenile colored worker in [?largsles?]. He is a trained social worker and told some of his experiences in California in such work. He urged clubwomen to seriously consider such work in their programs. He was followed by Rev. Wesley Sledge of Chicago who is the guest of Attorney and Mrs. Lawrence Sledge of East Oakland. (He is the pastor of Jenefer A. M. E. church of Chicago, on a three months' leave of absence. He is the executive secretary of the National Republican Colored Committee, having been elected to that position in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1920, re-elected in Kansas City, Mo., in
1929. He has served as a sergeant-at-arms in the National Republican Party convention since 1908. At present he is president of the Colored Division for the World's Fair Commission for 1933 to be held in Chicago.
Short addresses were then delivered by Mrs. Theo Purnell, representing the Swasteka club of Berkeley and the chairman of Exchange. She spoke on the value to clubwomen of the Exchange day which this year will be held June 12 in Oakland. She was followed by Mrs. A. M. Smith who told something of the yearly program for the Fanny J. Coppin club of Oakland. They are studying the Home and Its Soul," believing that the first consideration for clubwomen should be to study the home and its influence upon society. She was followed by Mrs. Hettie B. Tilghman, who represented the Alameda County League of Colored Women Voters. She spoke on the petition being circulated by the National League of Women Voters to be sent to the Five Power naval conference in London. The meeting closed with prayer pronounced by Rev. Wimberly, pastor of the church.
CLUBWOMEN MEET.
Sunday was observed all over California as Clubwomen's Day at the request of the state president, Mrs. Z. Otey Smith. In Oakland, the clubwomen held its observance in North Oakland Baptist church, Mrs. Ceola Brown having charge of the program. After singing the Négro National Anthem, she introduced Mrs. L. Sledge, who in turn introduced the speaker for the occasion, Mrs. Ethel Clark, executive secretary for Booker T. Washington Center of San Francisco, who spoke on pioneer colored women, Phylis Wheatly, Sojourner Truth and Harriett Tubman. She told the value in any movement or organization for cooperation and abolishment of prejudices. After the address Mrs. C. Brown called upon many in the audience for a word of expression on women's work. Among response were the Rev. A. M. Ward of Parks chapel, Oakland, Rev. Wesley Sledge and Delilah L. Beasley, who spoke briefly on Phylis Wheatly, who as a slave had been educated by her mistress for a house servant, and encouraged to write poetry, her poems were accepted and historians speak of her as the first woman of any race in American letters to write poetry. This alone makes her life of value to Negro women.
HOLD ELECTION.
William E. Watkins, executive secretary Filbert street Y. M. C. A., states these will be held tomorrow, Monday, January 20, the annual election of board members for this branch, Polls will be open in the building from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. During the past week he has collected for the branch in new members and donation $100. The branch is continuing its drive for new members throughout this month.
WOMEN'S DAY.
Today is Women's Day at North Oakland Baptist church. Mrs. Allen 0. Newman will preside at the services this morning where a well balanced program will be given, and this afternoon Mrs. Saddler will preside. The public will be welcome The Dorcan Society of the Market Street Seven Day Adventist church tonight will render a pageant in the church. It will be a musical called "Candle Light." The public will be welcome.
