Blackwell Family
Blackwell, Alice Stone
GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE
McKinlay, WhitefieldWHITEFIELD MCKINLAY
REAL ESTATE, LOANS AND INSURANCE
NOTARY PUBLIC
810 F STREET, N.W., (ROOM 20)
WASHINGTON, D. C.
PHONES: OFFICE: MAIN 1387
HOME: NORTH 9193
ESTABLISHED IN 1887
July 3, 1929.
Mrs. Alice Stone Blackwell,
Dorchester, Massachusetts,
Dear Madam:
Reading your letter to the "Herald" in a recent issue
in which you discuss the propriety of the invitation to Mrs De Priest, I 
take occasion to thank you for the liberal sentiments expressed in your 
letter.
Having made Colored American history my hobby, I wish to 
reinforce what you have so aptly written by stating that Thomas Jefferson 
entertained at Monticello Henry Milburn a wealthy and highly educated man 
of color at a formal dinner to which several distinguished Virginians were 
present. Mr. Jefferson stated to to his guests:  "I have invited you here 
gentlemen to meet an educated colored man in order that you can see that 
FUNDAMENTALLY there is no difference between the races".
Your reference to the Booker Washington dinner at the 
White House was incorrect when you referred to it as an INFORMAL dinner.
Mr. Washington was stopping at my house at the time President Roosevelt 
invited him to dine. I admit that while he was somewhat reluctant about 
accepting the invitation he finally did and went to the Executive Mansion 
in tuxedo. His reluctance was due to what he thought would be an unfavorable 
reaction in the South which might affect his work.
President Lincoln invited Frederick Douglass to tea at 
the Summer White House, now the Soldier's Home in Washington. Mr. Douglass was 
unable to accept the invitation on account of a previous speaking engagement.
You will find reference to this incident in "Life and Times of Frederick 
Douglass"--the autobiographical work by Mr. Douglass himself.
Many of the Colored Federal officials have been invited to 
formal White House receptions over a period of forty years, and William H. 
Lewis of Boston, Massachusetts is included in the list--he was at the time 
under President Taft, Assistant Attorney General of the United States.
Senator and Mrs. B.K.Bruce were frequently invited to the 
White House both at the time he was serving in the Senate and later when 
holding other Federal posts.
 Colored diplomatic representatives have time and again been 
guests at formal White House dinners--I refer to the Haytian, Dominican 
and Nicaraguan representatives at Washington.

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In a democracy the President represents in his official capacity 
every group, as long as modern society is divided into distinct racial 
groups, those representatives of any group who have attained distinction 
should be permitted to be entertained anywhere and by anybody without 
creating an upheaval.
It might be interesting to you to read "Harper's" for July and [read] 
run over the article written by Oswald Garrison Villard on "The Crumbling 
of the Color Line" which, if you have not already read it will very greatly 
strengthen your position.
Very respectfully yours,
W.MCKinlay[*Pro-Colored*]