Activities Among Negroes
A few weeks ago the writer attended a get-acquainted club party in Oakland. During the evening the thought occurred that it would be well for the reading public to get acquainted with some of the leading colored people living in California, and especially those living in the bay district. Hence today the presentation of Mrs. H. E. DeHart of Oakland.
There are few colored women better known in either the city or state than this woman. During the twenty-five years that she has lived in Oakland she has worked untiringly for the advancement of her race. It was during the Oakland annexation campaign that she was brought before the public. Her arguments of the future possibilities of the development of Oakland were so convincing that one of the local papers published in a Sunday issue an article on Mrs. De Hart and her picture. Her high estimate of the spirit of Oakland in regard to its colored citizens was emphasized a few years later, when a committee of colored citizens waited upon the city council to ask for assistance in their "Welcome home" reception to the returning soldiers of their race from the World War. They were granted the use of the Municipal Auditorium, the services of the municipal band and other courtesies.
Mrs. De Hart had lived in Oakland less than a year when her spirit of race pride was shown in her successful efforts in organizing the Fanny Coppin Club. [Fanny Jackson Coppin] This was the first colored women's club organized in Northern California. Later she accepted the position as secretary of the Northern California branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. She has held the office for seven years, during which time she has assumed at times almost complete guidance in many issue of vital interest to the race. It has been largely through her personal efforts that many prominent white citizens are members of this organization,
No doubt the reading public will be interested in knowing something about the Fred Douglass home recently mentioned in this column, [I have been unable to find this article. - MF] The following is quoted from Alice Moore Nelson's book called "Masterpieces of Negro Eloquence," to which she has said: "Fred Douglass, the greatest of negro orators, though born and reared a glave, attained great eminence in the world. After a successful career as lecturer, editor and author, he held successively the positions of secretary to the San Domingo Commission, 1871; Presidential elector for the state of New York, 1872; United States marshal for the District of Columbia, 1876-'84; recorder of deeds for the District of Columbia, 1881-'86; minister to Hayti, 1889-'91."
Fred Douglass, in his "Life and Times" by himself, tells how after he had run away from his master and had reached New York City the first person to befriend him was a colored man by the name of David Ruggles, who was the first officer of the underground railroad, secured his passage to New Bedford, Mass., where he met and was associated with William Wells Brown, Phillip A. Bell, Sam Cornish, J. B. Sanderson and many other free men of color. He also met and became personally acquainted with many abolitionists, such as William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips and others. He was also a personal friend of John Brown of Harper's Ferry fame, whose papers caused a price to be placed on the head of Fred Douglass. He fled to Canada and later to England, where he lectured on the evils of slavery, resulting in his freedom being purchased. He is quoted as saying: "Miss Ellen Richardson, an excellent member of the Society of Friends, assisted by her sister-in-law, Mrs. Henry Richardson, a lady devoted to every good work, the friend of the Indian and African, conceived the plan of raising a fund to effect my ransom from slavery. They corresponded with Walter Forward of Pennsylvania, and through him ascertained that Captain Auld would take one hundred and fifty pounds sterling for me. The sum was promptly raised and paid for my liberty."
David Ruggles. the first person to befriend Douglass, has descendants still living in San Francisco, and J. B. Sanderson and a daughter, in Oakland, Mrs. Mary Sanderson Grasses. Fred Douglass' home is an old colonial structure located on Cedar Hill, Anacosta, Washington, D. C. He lived there during his public career in Washington. He was a champion of women's rights. In his autobiography he recalls many conferences he held with Mrs. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and other leading women of that date who were making the fight for votes for women. He has been quoted as saying: "I have never yet been able to find one consideration or argument or suggestion in favor of man's right to participate in civil government which did not.equally apply to the rights of women."
Aside from the Douglass home in Washington, D. C., there is another building of great importance to the race - the home of the American Negro Academy. The members of this organization are men who have graduated with honors from leading white universities and colleges in America, afterward spending years a broad studying in universities. Through this organization the reading public has been given the "Journal of Negro History," "The Negro in American History," "The Encyclopedia of the Negro," "The Negro in Literature and Art" and other books that have been recognised and accepted in every civilized land where there is a library or school.
"The Pentecostal Colored church held cornerstone ceremonies Sunday afternoon on the site where it will build a modern church on West Eighth and Peralta Streets.
Mrs. Calvin Williams of Berkeley has returned home from St. Louis, Mo., having completed a course at Poro College of that city. She will address the missionary society of North Oakland Baptist church at their next meeting,
Parks Chapel A. M. E. church gave a reception for its newly appointed pastor and wife, Rev. and Mrs. Collins, last Monday evening. Rev. Pryor and other pastors of the bay district assisted in welcoming them to Oakland.
Emanuel Quivers, a descendant of an old California pioneer family, died October 30.
The Fanny Wall Children's Home and Day Nursery will hold Its annual dinner Monday.
