Activities Among Negroes
There has never been a time in the history of the United States when the white and negro race were doing more to understand each other and bring about a better feeling between the races than is being done at the present, as the following will show. During the past few years the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People have used their energies to have either the president of the United States or congress appoint an Interracial commission.
In the meantime Dr. Moten, the president of the Tuskegee institute, Alabama, with a company of white and colored representative men, made a "Good Will" tour of the south, following the route of "Sherman from Atlanta to the sea." The result of this tour has been the organizing of many Inter-racial commissions in section of the south.
This spring the idea was brought north, and, through the Chicago Defender, a group of negro business men from many sections of the north made a Good Will tour of the south. The result of this trip was that the interracial discussion group of the Y. W. C. A. of the University of Chicago, made a tour through the southside business and residential district of Chicago, where the majority of the colored people live. These white students were conveyed through the district in automobiles furnished by colored citizens under the leadership of Editor Abbott, and Jess Binga, president of Binga State bank.
The purpose of this interracial discussion group is to bring about a better understanding, greater cooperation, and a closer relationship between the two racial groups on the campus of the University of Chicago. The personnel of this group includes the following white students: Miss Sevilla Mills, daughter of Prof. Mills, of the department of political economy; Miss Margaret Clark, student secretary of the Y. W. C. A.; Miss Margaret Walker, daughter of Prof. Walker, of the department of theology; Miss Antoinette Forrester, president of the Y. W. C. A., of the University of Chicago and 11 others.
The colored college women of America, have organized a permanent National association. They recently held a convention in Washington, D. C. The object of this convention was to devise some means of stimulating ideas of colored women toward higher institutions of learning, and to help those who have already started along that path. Some of the questions discussed, at this convention were "Practical ways of influencing girls in northern, and western cities, to avail themselves fully of educational opportunities around them," and "What can college women do to improve the social and intellectual life of their communities?"
There were 60 colored college women in attendance. Among the white visitors and speakers was Dean Amos, of the University of Pittsburgh, and Madam Bannergee, of India. The result of this convention has been, that Governor Pinchot appointed last week two colored men for a survey commission, to make a survey of conditions affecting the negro citizens of Pennsylvania.
The commission is to call together representative citizens in each community for advice and counsel, before the local investigation is started, and to assemble them again later to consider the findings, and to assist in the making of final recommendations.
The colored men named by Governor Pinchot, for this survey, are Forrester B. Washington, as director, and Prince L. Edwards assistant, and field worker.
The National Youth convention of the American Federation of Negro students recently met in convention at Nashville, Tenn. The object and spirit of the movement is the unity of the race. Every fraternity and sorority of the colored race was represented, either officially or otherwise.
The New York Age publishes that "Miss Juliett Derricott, secretary of the student department of the National Y. W. C. A. headquarters in New York City, has been selected as one of the 10 American delegates to the World's Students' Christian Federation which meets in High Leigh, England, in August, and will possibly hold a session in Germany.
"The World's Student Christian Federation, which was organized 29 years ago announces as its general purpose to unite student Christian movements or organizations throughout the world, and to promote mutual relation among them."
In California the Negro Youth movement has been introduced through the leadership of Erroll Jones a student of the University of California. It is known as the California College Forum. Last Sunday afternoon about fifty members motored to San Jose where they held a Forum at Alum Rock Park.
The following is quoted from the New Age Dispatch of Los Angeles: "Dr. and Mrs. John S. Outlaw will sail July 2 from Quebec, Canada, for Europe where Dr. Outlaw will spend six months, or perhaps a year, in research work; after which they will tour Europe and return to California.
The Dunbar hospital (the only hospital owned and controlled by colored doctors and trained nurses in California) has, through the hospital board, made public a statement that it has just completed its first year, during which time they have had 334 patients for medical, surgical, and obstetrical service. Of that number forty-eight were for major operations, 170 minor operations, thirty- five births and seventy medical cases; out of which there were eleven deaths."
"The district convention representing the Second district of the American Woodman will meet in San Antonio, Texas, June 23 and 28. This district is composed of the state of California, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. California will send as delegates J. E. Rector, deputy and clerk, of Los Angeles Camp No. 1; B. H. Graham, supervisor of the state of California; H. K. Watkins, deputy and clerk of Camp No. 2, and Rev. M. T. Mitchel, commander of Camp No: 1."
J. L. Jarrett, an active member of the Los Angeles Y. M. C. A., has just died in that city. He devoted his life and fortune to the racial advancement in California. He was an active officer in the Los Angeles' Forum, Y. M. C. A., and Golden Rule lodge of Odd Fellows.
The following persons have died in Oakland during the week: T. Henry, a former president of the West Indian association; Mr. Granderson, the father of Mrs. Oceota Brown.
