Speeches & Writings File 
Miscellaneous Fragments [hand written in corner of folder]

10

urged her to go to Paris, after she had completed her course in the Cooper
Union school.
Instructed and inspired by such artists as Fleury and [Le?] Mrs.
Walker's progress abroad was so rapid that in less than a year she had
painted a picture which a jury of great French artists deemed worthy of
exhibition in a Paris salon.  It must have been a proud day for Mrs. Walker,
when in this Salon of 1896 she saw the portrait which she had been
allowed to exhibit hanging on the wall with masterpieces painted by such
eminent artists as as Gerome, who was then president of the Jury of Award,
Bouguereau, [Leffr?], Constant and Laurens, whose name and fame are known
all over the world.  Daniel in the Lion's Den, the work of Mr. H.O. Tanner
the other colored artist was exhibited and received Honorable Mention in the same Salon.
Mrs. Lillian Thomas, the artist to whom President McKinley gave his
last sitting was formerly a teacher of drawing in the Colored Public School
of St. Louis Mo.  The portrait is considered such an excellent likeness of
the martyred president that is was purchased by a great organization of
New York.

The Progress of Colored Women.
One of the most courteous and complimentary letters which George Washington
ever wrote was addressed to a young African woman in Boston who was
a poet and a slave at one and the same time.  Among the art treasures which
the Marquis of Bute collected with great care and cost none was prozed
more highly than a Madonna which had been exquisitely chiseled by a Colored
woman from the United States.  The last portrait of President McKinley
for which he gave a sitting was painted by a Colored woman.  One of the few
women in the country who have succeeded in founding two conservatories
of music is Colored.  Long before industrial education for the masses had
been so eloquently and effectively enunciated by the Wizard of Tuskegee,
a trade school was founded in Philadelphia by a Colored woman for the
youth of her race.
In studying the history of the Colored people of this country since
1865, nothing strikes one more than the marvellous progress made by the
women.  Handicapped both on account of their sex as well as their race,
they have forged steadily and courageously ahead, until to day there are
few trades or occupations which it is possible for them to enter in which
they have not achieved success.  In the cultivation of the arts, also,
their progress has been phenomenal.  To use a thought of the illustrious
Frederick Douglass, if judged by the depths from which they have come,
rather than by the heights to which those blessed with centuries of opportunity
have attained, Colored women need not hang their heads in shame.
A more remarkable literary career than that of Phyllis Wheatley, the first
African poetess, cannot be found in the history of any people of any time.
Across the ocean she came on a vessel in which she and the others intended
for the slave markets of the United States were packed like sardines,
and landed in Boston, when she was about seven years old. It happened
that the wife of a wealthy tailor, Mr. John Wheatlet of  Boston, wanted a
young African girl whom she could train for domestic service in her family

3 years before the Declaration of Independence was signed a volume of poems
written by an African girl before any woman of the dominant race whose name still [adorn] lives in the literature appeared who was only
is her country had attempted [written] either [poetry]  verse or prose
In the history of American literature , with
The first proof which [Colored] women of African [?] give of possessing intellectual [Slavery]
faculties of a high order was in the field of literature
One of the first women who
[3 years before the declaration] One of the first women who


7

energetic and hopeful. It is easy enough to impress upon them the necessity
of improving their minds, of becoming skilled workmen, of being honest,
energetic and industrious, but how difficult a thing it is for a Colored
mother to inspire her children with hope under the existing condition of
things in the United States. As the mother of a dominant race looks
into the innocent, sweet face of her baby, her heart thrills with happiness
not only in the present, but with joyful anticipations of the future.
For well she knows that honor, wealth, fame, and greatness in any vocation
he might choose, are all his, if he but possess the ability and the
determination to secure them. She knows that if it in him to be great, all
the exterior circumstances which can help him to the goal of his ambition,
such as the laws of this country, the public opinion of his countrymen,
public sentiment and manifold opportunities, are all his without the asking. From his birth he is a
king in his own right and is no suppliant for justice. But ah, how bitter
But, ah, how bitter is the contrast between the feelings of joy
and hope which will thrill the heart of the white mother and those which stir
the soul of her Colored sister. As a mother of the weaker race clasps to
her bosom the baby which she loves with an affection as tender and as
deep as that the white mother bears her child, her heart can not thrill
with joyful anticipations of the future. Before her baby she sees the
thorny path of prejudice and prescription which his little feet must tread
She knows that no matter how honest his heart, how great his need and how
skillful his hand, trades unions will close their doors in his face and
make his struggle for existence desperate indeed. So rough does the way
of her infant appear to many a poor Colored mother, as she thinks of his
future that instead of thrilling with the joy and hope, she trembles with apprehension
and despair.

This picture, the forbidding to look upon is not overdrawn, as those
who have studied the labor problem in this country with reference to the Colod
people can abundantly testify. But, depressing the the situation may be,
ored women are not sitting supinely by with folded hands, drooping
s and weeping eyes. Many of them are up and active,, trying to smooth
over which tiny feet that now patter in play

[*Let me beseech of you to help us secure at
least two of the requirements which are of 
the greatest importance in the moral uplift of
any people. If there must be vice Districts in
your large cities, do not invariably locate them
in districts where Col people are forced to live.
It is difficult for any people to lead
moral lives if they are unable to earn their daily
breads.*]

Washington D.C. June 2nd, 1911.

My Dear

June 14th is the one hundredth anniversary of
the birth of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Every individual
who has one drop of African blood in his veins should
know something about the life of this great and good
woman. For no author has done more with the pen to
promote the cause of human liberty than did Mrs. Stowe.

At present there is no short sketch of Mrs.
Stowe's life cheap enough for many to possess one who
would like to inform themselves about this gifted and
good woman's career. For this reason some of my friends
have asked me to prepare a short sketch of Mrs. Stowe's
life and I have acted on their suggestion. This sketch
has been printed on good paper, contains all the important
facts in Mrs. Stowe's career, together with a tribute to
her for the effective work she did in creating sentiment
in behalf of the slave. The frontispiece is a fine
portrait of Mrs. Stowe taken from a photo presented to
me by Mrs. Stowe's sister.

The booklet can be read in an hour and may be
had for fifty cents. I am sending you copies.
You probably will not care to sell the book yourself,
but I shall be very grateful to you, if you will find
some energetic, reliable young man or woman who my be 
trusted to dispose of these books. I shall give the
individual who sells the books 20% or ten cents
for each copy he sells.

Please let me know hear from you immediately, so
that I may know what you will do. If you can find no
one who will do to undertake the work of selling the
booklets, please return them to me at my expense.
Let me know also, if you wish any more copies, so that
I may get them ready for you immediately.

Hoping to receive an early and favorable
reply, I am

Very truly yours,

17
have cheerfully testified that they gave entire satisfaction, before their racial
identity was known.  But, when it was discovered that a single drop of
African blood was lurking somewhere about their anatomy, these same employers
have suddenly discovered that these colored people were not making good and
discharged them.  This does not always happen, to be sure, for all the broad-minded,
justice-loving white people are not dead yet, but it does happen much
more frequently than the Average white American is aware.
Nobody is more directly and disastrously affected by this industrial
boycott against colored people than is the colored woman herself.  Wage-earning
colored women are being shown how fatal it will be to their highest, best
interests and to the future welfare of their children, if they do not try to
build up a reputation of reliability and proficiency for the race.  The dignity
of labor, therefore, is being preached in season and out, and the youth are urged
to make themselves thoroughly proficient and absolutely reliable in whatever
pursuit they engage.
But it is as a home maker that the colored woman deserves an especially
big and bright star in her crown.  Some day, let us hope, a genius will
arise to pay a fitting, richly-deserved tribute to the poor, ignorant mother
who ministered so conscientiously and effectively to their children's physical, mental and spiritual needs, as soon as their shackles were broken.
The education of children immediately after emancipation was due to a large
extent to the colored mother who bent early and late over the washtub and
stood at the ironing board till midnight.  And it is in the home that the
colored woman faces the greatest difficulty of all, when she tries to train her children right.  It is comparitively easy for a colored mother to impress
upon her children the necessity of cultivating their minds, becoming skilled
workmen, being honest, energetic and industrious, but how difficult a thing
it is for a colored mother to inspire her children with hope and offer them
an incentive for their best endeavor under the existing conditions in the
United States / as soon as
19
tious circumstances of race, or color, or creed.  Colored mothers are imploring
the white parents of the United States to teach their children, that, when they
they grow to manhood and womanhood, if they deliberately prevent their brothers
and sisters of a darker hue from earning an honest living, the Father of
all men will hold them responsible for the crimes which are the result of their
injustice and for the human wrecks which the ruthless crushing of hope and
ambition always makes.  In the name of the helplessness and innocence of
childhood, black as well as white, colored women are appealing to the white parents
of the United States to make the future of their boys and girls as bright and as promising as should be that of every child born in a country which owes
its very existence to the love of freedom in the human heart.
In various ways colored women have proved indisputably that they intend to
put forth earnest efforts on behalf of their race.  Intelligently and conscientiously
those who have been blessed with an education are studying the questions
which deeply and directly affect their race., hoping to find a just and reasonable
solution for some of the vexatious problems which confront them.
Against Lynching, the Jim Crow Car laws, the Convict Lease System, cruel
discriminations in the various pursuits and trades, they intend to agitate with
such of logic and intensity of soul, that those who continue to handicap them
will either be converted to righteousness and justice or be ashamed openly to
violate the Golden Rule and flout the very principles upon which this government
was built.
Over almost insurmountable obstacles colored women have forged steadily ahead, so that to day there is scarcely a trade or a profession in which they
are allowed to engage, in which they have not at least one worthy representative.
In many ways colored women are rendering their race a service whose
magnitude and importance it is impossible to estimate or express.  Lifting as they
climb, onward and upward they go, struggling, striving and hoping that the door
of opportunity will be opened wider unto them ere long.  With courage born of su
success they have achieved in the past and with a keen sense of responsibility
which they will continue to assume, they look forward to the future large

Questions affecting their legal status as a race have been sometime 
agitated by colored women. In Tennessee and Louisiana colored women 
have several times petitioned the legislatures of their respective 
States to repeal the obnoxious Jim Crow car laws. They are also 
calling attention to the barbarity of the Convict Lease System of 
which colored people and especially the female prisoners are the 
principal victims, with the hope that the conscience of the country 
may be touched and this stain on its escutcheon be forever wiped 
away, Against the one room cabin some of the leaders have inaugurated 
a vigorous crusade. When families of eight or ten men, women 
and children are all huddles promiscuously together in a single 
apartment, a condition common among the poor all over the country, 
there is little chance of inculcating morality or modesty.
One of the most serious problems confronting colored women
 is their inability to secure certain kinds of employment in 
which they are fitted by native ability training and education to engage. 
Temporarily the Colored-American's industrial status was suddenly 
changed for the better by labor conditions [during] brought on by the great World 
War. During this time pursuits were opened  to colored men women [and to 
the men] which had previously been closed against them hard and 
fast. But, in many instances the opportunities for employment 
which colored women enjoyed during the World War are being speedily 
withdrawn and denied them to day. 
For instance, during the war colored girls operated the elevators in the
largest & best department stores in Wash D.C. But a short while
ago they were dismissed and these jobs given to white girls.
In many stores colored girls were used as bundle wrappers
but these jobs have also been taken from them since the war.
With the exception of teaching, sewing, nursing, there
is practically nothing that a colored girl can get to do in the
United States, no matter how intelligent, or skilful or prepossessing
she may be and no matter how great her need, unless she is willing
to engage in [a] one of a few menial pursuits. While the women of the dominant
race have a variety of trades and pursits [*from*] in which they may engage [*choose*],
the women through whose veins one single drop of African blood is
known to flow is limited to a pitiful few. [*previous to the war*] So overcrowded are the



woman, a certain man, and I have a suspicion that he was in love with one
of them, took it upon himself to see how many college bred women secure
a divorce. After gathering unto himself certain figures and facts, he
announced to this brethren in the United States, that if a man marries a
woman holding the degree of A.B. or A.M. in 99 cases out of a woman his
domestic infelicities will not have to be aired, and the ardent love letters
which he wrote when he was a wooing will not have to be read in a
public court, because his wife is securing a divorce.
The women who first studied medicine were also considered very vulgar and
very bold. The families of some of these women considered themselves disgraced
and were looked upon with sympathy and pity by their friends.
But the world soon discovered that the woman physician had come to stay,
because she fills a very important niche and is a tremendous power for
good. And so, whenever the world takes a step forward in progress, some
old custom falls dead at its feet.
For the life of me I can not see one bit of difference between the attitude
of mind assumed by slaves who are sorry that they have become free,
and intelligent American women, particularly those who have gone thry college,
who occupy important and lucrative positions in our publi schools,
who have entered the professions and thus enjoy the fruits of the labors
of the women who made tremendous sacrifices for the cause of woman suffrage,
I say for the life of me I can not see a bit of difference between
the attitude of mind assumed by ex-slaves who are sorry that they have
become free and intellligent American women who would rather remain in the
politicla thralldom which they now endure than enjoy the privileges, and
blessings and full freedom of American citizenship.
More than once I have heard of ex-slaves in this country regret that the emancipation
proclamation had been signed whereby they had becomre free. I have
heard them paint in glowing colors the most beautiful word pictures of the
glorious times they had of slavery, when they had such jolly times and
had no responsibility whatever concerning shelter or clothing or food.

Many other proofs might be given over the
progress made by colored women. Into the
various channels of

2
Tis hard to be a colored boy,
I'm in an awful plight.
"Tis hard, but do the best you can,
Altho you are not white.


14
cerned about their children, They can not help being apprehensive about what
the future has in store for them.

As a mother of the dominant race looks into the innocent sweet face of 
her baby, her heart thrills not only with happiness in the present but also
with joyful anticipations of the future. For well she knows that no matter ho
how poor her baby may be, honor wealth, fame or greatness in any vocation he
may choose are all his, if he but posses the ability or determination to secure
them. She knows that if it is in her baby to be great, all the exterior
circumstances which can help him to the goal of his ambition, such as the laws
of his country, the public opinion of his countryman and manifold opportunities are his without the asking. From his birth he is a King in his own right
and is no suppliant for justice.

But how bitter is the contrast between the joy which fills the heart
of the white mother and the anguish which stirs the sould of her colored sister.
As she clasps to her bosom the baby which she loves with an affection as
tender and as deep as that which the white mother bears her child, she can not thrill with
joyful anticipations of the future. Before her baby the colored mother sees
the thorny path of race-prejudice and proscription which his little feet
must tread. She knows that no matter how marvellous his ability or how lof
his aspiration there are comparitively few pursuits and professions in which
he will be allowed to succeed. She knows that no matter how skillful his
hand, how honest his heart or how dire his need trades of many kinds will be
closed aganst him so that his struggle to earn his daily bread may be desperate
indeed. So rough does the way of her baby appear to many a colored
mother that instead of thrilling with joy and hope, she trembles with apprehension
and despair. This picture though forbidding to look upon is not
ever drawn as those who have studied existing conditions can abundantly testify.

But depressing though the siauation may be, colored women are not sitting
supinely by with folded hands, drooping heads and weeping eyes. Many of thm

7
and listen this plank which Mr. John W. Davis introduced and vigorously
advocated at the time he was trying to prevent colored men from protecting
themselves by the ballot.  "We favor enactment of a law requiring common
carriers engaged in passenger traffic to furnish separate coaches or
compartments for white and colored passengers."
And this is the man that the leading colored Democrat says he is going to
vote for to preserve himself and the man he describes as being "humanitarian and broad."  If this is the way broad and humanitarian white men
treat our racial group, give us some as narrow and as brutal as they
come, say I.
Two distinguished men have recently told the truth about the
Democratic party.  One was Secretary Wilbur who declared that practically the
the South has had since the War of the Rebellion and the only one
only political problem in the South to day is how to prevent the Republicans
from exercising their rights guaranteed them by the Federal constitution.
Mr Davis had said in one of his speeches that the Democrats want [?]
to remember. "That is true", replied Seretary Wilbur, "They still remember
that colored men were once slaves and they insist that these former
slaves shall not vote, notwithstanding the constitutional provision written
with the blood on Union soldiers.  The South is solidly Democratic with
out hope of change, and when we speak of the South, we are speaking of the
Democratic party. "Without the solid South there would be no democratic party."
And yet we have intelligent colored women and a distinguished
colored man urging their race to vote for a party composed of men and women who have done nothing since the emancipation proclamation was signed
but deprive colored men of their constitutional rights, deny them priviliges
and withhold from them opportunities which every citizen in this cou
country should have a right to enjoy.
The colored woman who has charge of the Eastern Bureau of the Democratic
National Committee in charge of the work among colored women in spite of

For many years the need of a Young Women's Christian Association for colored women and girls in the National Capital was keenly felt.  And so in
1905 Colored women established one themselves and maintained it until they
were confronted by conditions brought on by the World War.  Then the presence
of many soldiers in and near the city and the large number of women and
girls who flocked to Washington either hoping to secure employment here or
who remained here a few days on their way to further North made the work so
heavy and increased the expense so much that the War Work Council was asked
to come to the colored women's aid.  The beautiful. well appointed building
known as the Phyllis Wheatley Young Women's Christian Association at the cor
corner of 9th and Rhode Island Ave. shows how generously the War Work Council
responded to this appeal.  Ever since this Phyllis Wheatly building was
dedicated Dec. 191 1920, it has been doing work along all lines for the
mental, spiritual and physical development of colored women and girls which
it would be impossible to estimate and very difficult to describe.
Classes in various subjects are taught by competent teachers.
There are drills for the girls in the gymnasium.  Many clubs hold their
meetings regularly in the parlors.  In fact the Phyllis Wheatley Young Womens
Christian Association is practically the only center for the various public
activities in which colored women engage.  It is a perfect beehive of
work of various kinds during most of the day until closing time comes at
night.  The Phyllis Wheatley Christian Association is also a haven and
refuge for colored women and children who for one reason or another find
themselves stranded here and have no one to whom to appeal for aid.
It would be easy to cite many instances of the assistance rendered and the
charity bestowed upon helpless women, girls and children, if I had the time.
Very little is done by the average municipality to promote the welfare of
colored girls or to aid them in their hour of need compared with the
prodigious amount of labor, time and money expended for the uplift and assistance
of girls of other groups.  This Phyllis Wheatley Association, therefor
literally filled a long felt want and it is hard to imagine what the color

We condemn that unAmerican system of segregation prevailing in the government
service, as a violation of the letter and spirit of the Constitution
of the U.S.; a gross injustice to 14 millions of struggling and loyal
Americans; and a caste system which condemns a great race to the lower
level of society.
For the past 20 years this vicious practice has grown through successive administrations, regardless
of party, (for twenty years,) and today there is more segregation in the
Federal Government than has existed at any time since the Civil war.
It has destroyed the merit system in public service, held the Negro up
to the world as a social pariah, and bred disrespect for our laws and
the rights of our fellowship.
We condemn the practice as a fundamental bar to our progress and request
the President of the U.S. to order its abolition at once.
Resolved that a copy of these resolutions be sent to the President of the U.S., to the Presidential candidates of the two major parties, the President of th eSenate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Respectfully,
Mrs John P. Rhines,
40 Maury St.,
Nashville, Tenn.



From the city hospitals colored doctors were excluded altogether, not even
being allowed to practice in the colored wards.  Colored patients, no matter how
ill or how wealthy, [they were,] were not received into the City Hospital at all,
unless they were willing to go into the charity wards.  The establishment of
this Sanatarium, therefore, answered a variety of purposes.  It provided a
well-equipped institution to which colored patients might go who did not care
to be treated in the charity ward of the City Hospital and it afforded colored
medical students an excellent opportunity of gaining a practical knowledge
of their profession.
In the surgical department which is supplied with all the modern
appliances, hundreds of operations have been performed, nearly all of which
have resulted successfully under the colored surgeon-in chief.  During an
epidemic of yellow fever in New Orleans some years ago Phyllis Wheatley nurses
rendered such excellent service that they have been employed by the best people
of that city ever since.  This Sanatarium with its training school for
nurses which was established by a few energetic, public-spirited colored women
of New Orleans has proved to be such a blessing to the city as a whole without
regard to race or color that the municipal government has [appropriated] voted an annual
several hundred dollars with which to help defray the current expense of running it.
Mt. Meigs Institute is an excellent example of a work originated
and carried into successful execution by a colored woman.  The school was established 
for the benefit of colored people in the black belt of Alabama,
because of the 700,000 colored people living in the State at that time, probably
90% were outside of the cities.  Waugh was selected, because in the township
of Mt. Meigs, the population is practically all colored.  Instruction given
in this school is the kind best suited to the needs of the people for whom it
was established.  Along with their scholastic training girls are taught every
thing pertaining to the management of the home, while boys learn practical
farming, carpentering, wheelwrighting, blacksmithing and have some military
training.  Having started with nothing, the trustees of the school now own

many acres of land and well constructed building in which several thousand pupils
have received instruction, who would in all probability have remained 
densely ignorant- all through the industry, [*had it not been for] the energy and the sacrifice of o
one colored woman. 
In Augusta Ga., there is a coeducational school for colored youth
founded by Miss Lucy Laney who has devoted her entire life to the elevation o
of her race.  Having struggled heroically against desperate odds, Miss Laney
finally graduated from Atlanta University.  After teaching several years and
saving every penny of her small salary not actually needed for self support, 
Miss Laney rented a two-story frame house in Augusta, which she used as a dormitory
and converted an old barn on the premises  into recitation rooms.
For years Miss Laney toiled under the most depressing conditions and frequently 
had no money with which to pay her teachers who depended entirely
upon their salary for support.  But, she had shouldered this responsibility
with a determination and a tenacity which simply mocked defeat.  To day the school 
Haines Industrial and Normal School in honor of a friend [for]. Instead of being named for its founder
[it was] the institution is known as and named for a friend who greatly assisted in Mess Laney in time of 
need) owns substantial building worth many thousand dollars and has in attendance
    [*2*]
more than a thousand pupils from all parts of the South.
Ex-President Taft delivered an address at Miss Laney's school a few years ago
 andwas deeply impressed with the prodigious amount of work this colored
woman had done the newspapers which reported his speech reported him as saying. [*10 1/2]
But, so far as the schools established by colored women are concerned, these
are only [*a few*] two bright and shining lights with innumerable lesser rays  twinkling
and burning  all over the South.    The number of schools established
by colored women is literally legion.  So inadequate  are the educational facilities
for colored children in many cities and towns  of a large section of
this country, that thousands of them would remain in the densest ignorance,
if it were not for these private school established [by] the women of the race.



Nothing lies nearer the hearts of colored women than the children whose welfare
they are trying to promote in every possible way.    Thoughtful, intelligent
colored women know that the more unfavorable the environment of children
the more  necessary it is to make earnest efforts so as to counteract baleful
influences upon innocent victims.  How imperative [it is] then that colored women inculcate
correct principles and set good examples for their own youth whose little
feet will have so many thorny paths of temptation, prejudice and injustic 
among other things to tread.  The need of kindergartens for colored children is keenly felt, particularly
in those sections where the majority live and where the school facilities
as a rule are very poor, [as a rule].  The first president of the National Association
of Colored Women started a kindergarten fund at the first large convevention
held by the organization , hoping that sufficient money would be
raised to send out a kindergarten organizer whose duty it would be to arouse
more & more the conscience of intelligent colored women is being aroused to the duty of rescuing the little
ones whose evil nature alone is encouraged to develop and whose noble
qualities are deadened and dwarfed by the very atmosphere which they breathe
Believing that it is only through the home that any
people can become really good and truly  great the National Association
is urging the women to reais the standards and purify the atmosphere
of their homes.   Homes, more homes, better homes, purer
homes is the text upon which sermons have been and will be preached.
There has been an earnest and a determined effort to have heart
to heart talks with the women so that they may strike at the  root
of evils, many of which lie in the home.  If the women of the dominanant
race with all the centuries of education, culture and refinement
back of them with all the wealth of opportunity ever present
with them feel the need of a "Mother's Congress", that they may be
enlightened concerning the best methods of rearing their children
and conducting their homes, how much more do colored women, from
whom the shackles have but yesterday been stricken need information
on the most vital subjects.  So the National Association is working

13
with  might and main to establish"Mother's Congresses on a small
scale wherever colored women may be reached.


 By Some organizations A few Day Nureseries have been established- a charity of which
there is imperative need.  The proportion of self-supporting, wage
earning colored women is greater than that [*the women of*] of any other racial
group in the United States.  Thousands of wage-earning mothers
with large families dependent almost if not entirely upon them for
support are obliged to leave their children all day, entrusted to
the care of small brothers and sisters who do not know how to care [*look after*] 
for them properly or to some good-natured neighbor who promises muc
but who does little.  Some of the infants are locked alone in the
room from the time the mother leaves in the morning until she returns
at night.  Not long ago a southern newspaper gave an account
of an infant thus [*which was*] locked alone in a room ass day while its mother
went out to work [*that*] had cried itself to death.  Then one [*reflects upon*] thinks of the
slaugh[t]er of the innocents which is going on with pitiless persistency 
every day and thinks of the multitudes who are maimed for life 
or are rendered imbecile because of the treatment received during
their helpless infancy, it is evident that by establishing Day Nurseries
colored women will render one of the greatest services [*possible*] to
humanity and to the race. 
While the condition of the children of every racial group whose parents
are ignorant or poor is deplorable, those confronting colored
children owing to race-prejudice in the United States are particularly
forbidding and hard.


15
the pursuits in which colored women  [may] might engage and so poor [?] [?] that they have not  
received the increase in wages  which others now enjoy and they would otherwise receive.
There is reason to believe that history is repeating itself now.
To colored women who are obliged to earn their living , race prejudice 
which excludes them from most of the gainful occupations and
limits them to an unlucrative few means in many cases misery and
despair.  The printed report submitted a few years ago by the Vice
Commission of Chicago states that owing to prejudice against them
on account of their race colored girls are frequently forced to
accept positions as maids in houses of ill fame.
"Employment agents do not hesitate to send colored girls to these
houses", the Vice Commission reports.  "They make the astounding
statement that the law does not allow them to send white girls to
these immoral places, but they can furnish colored help.  It is an
appalling fact", reads this printed report, "that practically all
of the male and female servants connected with disreputable houses
are colored". 
A few years ago Miss Frances Kellor, who was then Director General
of the Intermunicipal Committee on Household Research made a thorough
investigation of conditions under which domestices live in
the United States.  After carefully informing herself she declared
that colored domestics are more friendless than any other racial
group in the North and are subjected to dangers greater than those 
besetting any other women in this country except, perhaps, the most
ignorant of immigrants.  Owing to this flagrant discrimination
against colored girls who seek employment and, in many instances owing to th
lack of protection afforded them by the law colored mothers who
have high ideals for their daughters find the task of properly rearing them
[property] increased an hundred fold.  Colored women are hoping that
after a while those who are interested, not especially in the moral
welfare of the colored girl , but in the moral welfare of the national

and even during the war when coloreds
profited by the demand for labor which
it was so difficult to supply, they did
not always receive the increase in wages
which women of other races were paid.

mentally, but it would increase their general efficiency and greatly
enhance their value, so that they would stand a much better
chance of getting good positions. But, more than once my heart wa
saddened, when some young woman or man would say to me, "Why do you
urge us to educate ourselves thoroughly? It will do us no good. It
will not help us to secure good, paying positions. in the United
States. We cant all be doctors, lawyers, preachers and teachers,
there are more teachers now than can get good jobs, and there is no
nothing left for colored people to do except hold menial positions
We do not need a good education for that. No matter what colored 
people know , no matter how competent and good they are, there are
only a few things they can get to do."
This lack of incentive to put forth their best effort, because the
future looms so forbidding and threatening before them has such a
depressing effect upon thousands of colored youth in this country as no human being
can describe and no white American can possibly comprehend.
[*Over*] [While certain avenues of employment were opened to colore
people during the World War, there is reason to fear that they wil
be closed to them again, since the necessity of using them has ceased.]
[*2*] When those who, formerly employed col people & refuse to do so now [formerly] employ[ed] colored women [who refuse
to do so now] are asked why they have established what is equivalent
to a boycott against them, they invariably reply that colored 
women [servants] are [no longer] neither reliable nor [or] shilfull. [*2*] While there is no
doubt that in the majority of cases colored women are not employed
because of the cruel, unreasonable prejudice against their [them] race rather
than because of lack of skill, on their part it must be admitted that three is occasionally just
enough truth in this charge of unreliability and lack of skill to
make colored people themselves and their good white friends wince,
when it is preferred. [To stem this tide of popular disfavor is
the desire and ambition of the leaders among colored women who
have the interests of their race at heart.] They are pointing
[*4*] For that reason colored 
women who have the interests of their race at heart

(1)
Therefore is there no work more important than
that undertaken by certain leaders
among colored women who are doing
everything they can to stem this tide
of popular disfavor against the [colored]
race in the field of labor. certain leading col women are doing all they can.
[They are showing their wage earning
[?]] As a rule when those who
refuse to employ colored [people] women are
asked &c
Therefore certain leaders among colored women are doing 


[*Remarks*] of the National Chairman on Legislation.

Through the medium of the National Notes the chairman on Legislation has
communicated with the women of the National Association, whenever she
might she could offer any suggestion or give any information. She has
been careful not to dictate to the women in their respective States with
reference to the particular individuals for whom they should vote, for
that is the prerogative of the State Chairman, but she has tried to call
their attention to the best ways and methods of discharging their duties
as voters, how to keep themselves informed concerning the political conditions
of their respective States and communities and has urged them to do
everything in their power to put good men into office.
The chairman has gone to Congress to represent the National Association
when important bills come up for a hearing and has spoken, whenever
she thought her opinions would have any weight. She was allowed to express
herself, when the Dyer-Anti-Lynching Bill came up for a hearing and her
views were printed in the report which was sent out by the Government.
Through the Notes she [urged] requested the women of the National Association to write
to their respective Senators urging them to vote for the Dyer Anti-Lynching
bill, for there is nothing new pending which affects the colored people
of the country more deeply, directly and vitally than does this bill.
When Senator Caraway of Arkansas introduce a bill to prevent the
intermarriage of colored people in the District of Columbia, the chairman
requested the women of the Association to urge their Senators to vote
against it. When our members write about that bill, they should refer to
it as Senate Bill 2160. This bill is not opposed, because as colored women
we are spending sleepless night trying to inveigle white men into marrying
us. Very few representatives of the race think about the subject at
all. But, as a rule, people who want to encat a law to prevent colored and
white people from intermarrying, are perfectly willing that white men
should live with colored women as their mistresses, so long as the are



MRS. MARY CHURCH TERRELL
1615 S STREET, N. W. 
WASHINGTON,D.C.

Oct. 22, 1930.

My dear Mr. Doubleday:
Thank you very much for being willing to consider the articles to
which you referred in your letter of recent date.  I talked with Miss Weyrauch 
about my autobiography which I call "The Confessions of a Colored
Woman" 


3
with unparalleled earnestness to be admitted.  There had been a sudden increase
of colored people in Washington and none of them had taxable property.
The need of schools was greater than ever with no money to support them.
Colored people and their friends begged the National Government to aid them.
They held out as an inducement that those benefitted would soon be able to
support their schools.
Then an appeal dated April 14, 1864, which had been prepared by Superintendent
Newton, was sent throughout the North , begging for books, charts
slates and money to carry out night schools.  This appeal stated that in 
Washington and Georgetown there were "from 10,000 to 12,000 children of African
descent under fifteen years of age unprovided with public school instruction
and but a small part of them with school advantages of anykind", while
there was not a single school house worthy of the need.  Although Congress
had made a commendable effort to secure sufficient funds to 
support the colored schools it did not make an appropriation for building
school houses until three years after the Act to establish them had passed.
The appeal called attention to the fact that the older colored people
who had always been deprived of educational facilities should have a chance
to go to school also.  "What shall be done for the education of the 25,000 to
30, 000 people-all children as regards the rudiments of learning?" asked the
appeal.  This appeal bore abundant fruit.  Financial aid was soon received from
the Freedmen's Aid Society of Boston, the Freedmen's Relief association of
New York and other similar organizations who continued to send money for several
years.

Commission on Worship and Music
Methodist Episcopal Church.

Bishop Wilbur P Thirkield
Chairman
150 Fifth Avenue, New York

Dr. J. Hastie Odgers
Secretary
77 W. Washington Stl,
Chicago, Ill.

Marshfield, Mass.
June 1-October1

Dear Mr. Bruce: 
Let me thank you for that well-deserved tribute to Mrs.
Terrell.  I was present at the graduation,with honor, of Robert Heberten 
Terrell from Harvard and wrote an article on the occasion.  What a noble
career he had in Washington as Judge and as a notable citizen.
Yours cordially,
W.P. Thirkield.


[*[M.CT]*] 
How the Public Schools for Colored Children Were Started.
If you were taking an examination and were asked whether slaves in
the District of Columbia were emancipated before the first school for them
was established or whether the first school for slaves was established before 
they were emancipated youranswer to that question wold probably be
marked zero.  Establishing a school for an enslaved people before emancipating
them seems like a case of putting the cart before the horse.  And yet
that is precisely what happened here if the First Annual Report
Mr. A.E. Newton, a white man who was 
of the Superintendent of Colored Schools for Washington and Georgetown
is authentic.
Mr. A.E. Newton says "The first free school for colored persons
in this city after the commencement of the War of which I find any record
was opened March 16, 1862, one month before the passage of the act abolishing
slavery in the District.  This school was held in 'Duff Green's Row'
near the Capitol and was intended for the benefit of a large number of contrabands 
collected by the Government and held as captured material of war."




-2-

by a slave man.  It would be far easier for the leopare d to
change his spots or the African to change his skin thatn it
would be to metamorphose the colored men into the monster and
brute which his enemies represent him to be in the short space
of sixty years.  The white women of the south are realizing
that the debauchery of colored women and colored girls can no
longer be winked at and condoned without blunting the moral
sensibilities of their respective communities and corrupting their
own men and efforts are being made to protect colored women and
to assist them in living correct lives.  Colored women themselves
are doing a great deal to save their girls.  I wish I could
show the right thinking, broad-minded people of this country how
much they could do to solve the vexatious race problem in the
United States.  They could teach the people of this country to
treat a struggling, heavily handicapped race with common
humanity by giving its representatives opportunities in every
field of labor or of human endeavor to which they have been
fitted and trained.  If the good people of this country pursue
such a magnanimous course toward colored people they would prove
to the world that the public is Christian in fact as well as in
name.  They would atone in part, at least, to a race, many of
whose vices and defects may be attributed to the cruel bondage
in which it was held for two hundred and fifty years and
they would also use one of the most effective methods of purifying
the morals of this nation which they could possibly employ.

The people who are really interested in the moral elevation
of this nation cannot consistently ignore the industrial boycott
which militates so seriously against the colored woman's struggle
for existence and which not infrequently leads to her ruin.
They should do everything in their power to create a humane
public sentiment which will give colored women and girls the
same chance to an honest living by decent toil which the women
of other races enjoy.  So long as the womanhood of any race is
sacrificedupon the altar of race prejudice or prescription, so 
long is the womanhood of no race absolutely secure.



2

thirty minutes in which to discuss this big and important subject, and if I turn
aside to explain the Convict Lease System, I shall be unable to tell you many
things which I want good women like you to know, while I have the chance."
"Wait a minute", said the presiding officer, stepping to the front of the
platform. "How many in this audience know anything about the Convict Lease
System as it affects colored people in this country?  Please raise your hands,
if you do. I wont call upon you to explain or describe it, but I am interested
to see how many women know anything at all about it." Not a single hand
was raised. Then, the presiding officer requested me to tell all I could about
the System in ten minutes and she would extend my time that much. The members
of this organization represented the intelligence and culture of New England.
Many of them held degrees from the leading colleges of this country
and were chairmen or members of important committees.
I can not resist the temptation to cite another case.  Once upon a time
I was talking to a Harvard graduate who lives in Boston. He took issue with
me because I said in certain sections of the South colored men could not vote.
At that time the elective franchise had not been extended to women. The Harvard
graduated stated that he had once thought he would like to go to Congress.
"In that case", I said,"you should go to one of the southern States and
be a Democrat. It will be much easier for you to be elected to Congress from
that section than it will be from the North, where everybody can vote without
regard to race or sex. Senator W, for instance was sent to the Senate
with only a few thousand votes, because colored men in his State are practically
disfranchised. Owing to that fact," I continued, "in some of the southern
States the vote of one white man, whether he be illiterate or highly educated
is equal to that of from 8 to 10  or even more votes of men in the North,
East or West, where everybody not a criminal or an idiot or a minor is permitted
to cast his ballot."  "Now, Mrs. Terrell," replied the Harvard graduate
indignantly, "do you mean to say that the 15th amendment to the Constitution
of the United States is openly, flagrantly violated like that? Walk
softly, Mrs. Terrell, walk softly, when you make a charge like that," he admonished.


3

And I am sure the gentleman did not believe a word I said.  I have cited
these cases to prove that some of the most highly educated people in the
United States know practically nothing about the injustices perpetrated upon
a large group here, not to mention the almost insurmountable obstacles confronting
them in their efforts to achieve something worth while along vaious
lines of human endeavor as well as in their struggle to earn their daily
bread.
Personally, I like to think that this is true.  I would much rather believe
that I am handicapped and debarred from opportunities because people do not
know that I am a victim of injustice and discrimination than that they deliberately,
coldbloodedly and with malice aforethought withhold from  me privileges
which I should be allowed to enjoy.
Occasionally I have been invited to address Forums in which  it is the
custom for the speaker to hold forth from a half an hour to an hour and then
permit people in the audience to fire questions at  him for about that length
of time.  Some of the questions asked me about the race problem have shown
that thosewho have propounded them have been so ignorant of the conditions 
under which colored people live that I have wondered whether they knew as
little about it as they indicated. But a glance at these people has always
convinced me that they were both earnest and sincere.
But some of my colored friends laugh at me, when I say that the race is
subjected to indignities and is deprived of opportunities, becausethe broaded-minded,
justice loving people in this country really do not know about the
handicaps which meet us at every turn. They think I am very gullible indeed.
"Good white people read the newspapers , dont they?" one of my friends inquires
sarcastically.  "These crimes against us and the injustices appear in
the public press," she says. "Why dont good white people know? None so blind
as those who wont see," she says. But most people are busy and are naturally
engrossed in their own affairs. On the side there are charities in which
they are interested and recreations in which they indulge. After that very
little time remains.  . And so colored people and their problems are left 



4 

standing out in the cold.
Whenever a group of people is handicapped or suffers any disability what
ever, it is an axiom that the lot of the women is much harder than that of the
men.  With certain labor organizations increasingly hostile to them the outlook 
of colored men is gloomy enough.  There are certain trades which colored
men in certain sections are not allowed to enter at all.  Gentle reader, how
many colored plumbers have you ever seen in your bailiwick?  If not, why not?
But to a colored woman who has to earn her own living this cruel, unreasonable
prejudice which bars her from most of the gainful, desirable occupations
and limits her to an unlucrative few means in many cases despair and ruin.
With the exception of cooking, sewing nursing and teaching there are
comparitively few jobs which a colored woman can get
to do in the United States, no matter how highly educated or well trained
she may be, no matter how prepossessing in appearance and no matter how great
her need.  It is sometimes claimed that colored people are unable to secure desirable
positions, because they are both unreliable and unskilled. Often when 
I have discussed the colored woman's inability to secure employment with some
of my good white friends, they have given me the comforting assurance that
when colored women learned to do their work as well as white women they would
have no difficulty whatever in getting good jobs. But this point of view is
not justified by the facts. Over and over again when colored women have secured
good positions, because their employers did not know their racial
classification, they have lost them as soon as it was discovered that a drop
or so of African blood was coursing through their veins. Before their racial
identity was known, however, in the majority of cases their employers had expressed
themselves as being perfectly satisfied with the services rendered.
Bus as soon as the awful secret leaked out of the bag these same employers
found any good and sufficient reasons for turning the cold soldier upon the
colored women and showing them the door. This does not happen in every single,
solitary case, of course, because all the justice-loving, broad-minded white
people in the United States are not dead yet. But it does happen much more 


5

frequently than many people interested in the colored woman's welfare suppose.
One day an intelligent, refined and beautiful young woman came to me
in great distress and urged me to intercede  immediately with her employer for
her.  She had just been discharged, she said, because the proprietor of the
store had discovered that she was colored. "When I went to secure the position,"
she explained, "I did not say anything about the race with which I am identified,
because I knew I would not have a ghost of a chance to get it, if I
did. I knew I could give satisfaction, and I hoped Mr. L would not discharge
me even if he  discovered that I am colored."  This young woman had served
a long and successful apprenticeship in one of the largest and best department
stores in New York City. But her family lived in Washington and she wanted
to come home. Armed with most complimentary letters of recommendation she had
no difficulty in securing the position for which she applied.
When I went to see the proprietor of the store in the young woman's behalf,
he expressed great regret at being forced to dispense with her services.
"When I employed Miss B," he said, "I had no idea that she was colored. There
was nothing whatever to indicate such a thing. She is as fair as a lily in
the first place. She is very well-educated and she is refined. She had been 
in the store about two months when one of the saleswomen came to me and complained
that I had employed a colored girl. I denied this, of course. 'Yes
you have,' insisted my informant. Miss B is certainly colored'.  But I assured 
the saleswoman she was greatly mistaken, for I was certain she was wrong.
Less than a week after this conversation took place my informant brought me indisputable
proof of the fact that Miss B was colored and urged me to discharge
her at once. I told her I would do nothing of the kind. 'Well, all the saleswomen
in your store will leave you. ' she threatened,'for we wont work with a 
colored girl." All right, you may leave," I said, "It will not be hard to fill
your places. There's must as good fish in the sea, you know." A short time
after that, however, my customers came to me to protest against my employing
a colored girl in my store. Delegation after delegation of them came to demand
that I dismiss Miss B immediately and they threatened to boycott my store if 



12
deposit.  I can not sell you the house.  The Real Estate Firm which has it for
sale has discovered that a colored family wants it and they refuse to let you
have it!  Incidentally, there was no way in the world for the firm to "discover"
it except through the agent himself.  "Under the circumstances, it is a good
thing for you," he continued, "that you didn't get it.  For, if you had moved 
into that neighborhood, you would have had all kinds of trouble.  Nobody
would have served you milk or ice.  Both you and your daughter would have been
stoned every time you went into the street."
     I had walked and ridden so many miles, had expended so much energy and experienced so many difficulties of various kinds before I found a house which
suited my taste and my purse at the same time that my inability to secure
this one was a bitter disappointment and a cruel blow.  This experience so
disheartened and depressed me that I resolved never again to try to buy a
house in the National Capital.  But a few years after that circumstances forced 
me to do so.  This time a colored real estate agent showed me a house in a
neighborhood in which both white and colored people live.  But history repeated 
itself.  The Firm which had the house for sale positively refused to sell
it to colored people, no matter who or what they were.  The colored agent could
not consummate the deal and had to return my deposit.  If it had not been for
the vigorous efforts put forth by a white friend, I would have been unable
to secure the house in which we now live.
     Not long ago a prominent colored man who was an assistant in the War Department during the World War was sued, because he had bought a residence on
a certain street in Washingon.  In the covenant of the deed to twenty six
pieces of property in that particular block the owners pledged themselves
not to sell, rent or lease them to colored people for twenty one years.
Another case similar to this has been carried to the Supreme Court which 
will hand down its decision soon.
     If, as a colored woman, I want to hear great singers, or a symphony; If I
want to attend a good play, I am unable to do so, unless I am willing to be
segregated.  And there are theatres in the National Capital, as there are in

A few years ago the members of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority requested
me to write a creed for them. I complied and embodied in this creed the
rues of conduct by which, under the circumstances, I think ever colored woman 
in the United States should try to guide her live.  With varying success 
I have attempted to abide by the following precepts myself.
I will strive to reach the highest educational, moral and spiritual
ficiency which I can possibly attain.
I will never lower my aims for any temporary benefit which might be
gained.
I will endeavor to preserve my health, for however great one's mental
and moral strength may be, physical weakness prevents the accomlish
of much that otherwise might be done
I will close my ears and seal my lips to slanderous gossip.
I will labor to ennoble the ideals and purify the atmosphere of the 
I will always protest against the double standard of morals.
I will take an active interest in the welfare of my country, using w
fluence toward the enactment of laws or the protection of the unfor
nate and weak and for the repeal of those depriving human beings o
their privileges and rights.
I will never belittle my race, but encourage all to hold it in honor
and esteem.
I will not shrink from undertaking what seems wise and good, because
labor under the doubel handicap of race and sex; but striving to preserve
a calm mind with a courageous and cheerful spirit, barring bitterness 
from my heart, I will struggle all the more earnestly to reach
the goal.
Considering that I have lived in a country in which my race is regarded
as inferior, whose representatives are terribly circumscribed
and limited in various and devious ways and are socially ostracized
the bargain, I have had a fairly fortunate existence, I must confess 

2
which as old as reck-ribbed and ancient hills- namely the duty and the necessity 
of using one's brain plus the tragedy if you dont.
Something I read in the newspaper the other day caused me to select this
as my subject. For, like Will Rogers, the humorist, "all I know is what I read
in the papers. A  certain professor in psychology recently declared that it 
is doubtful whether it pays an undergraduate in an American University to
think. This man has come to the conclusion that under the present educational
system a student my succeed better academially by listening,agreeing,
recording, memorizing and reproducing than he can by reasoning things out for
himself and reaching his own conclusions. That is to say a student can succeed
better in an institution in this country if he accepts solutions and a
opinions without forming them himself. "Mental comprehension is more highly
prized mental initiative in the United States universities," declares this
professor, "and the student's business is to learn rather than to think. Under
such a system," he asks, "how is it possible for a student to develop a
sane and healthy skepticism and a tendency to evaluate and criticize?"
Well, if that is really the case, if students are not encourages to use
their own brains in our universities, if they are obliged to accept everything
which is told them without question, they can not possibly learn to
think. Personally I do not want to think that is true. I must confess, however
when I have heard some college graduates talk I have had very uncomfortable
suspicion that during their college course they  did not work their mental faculties over
something somewhere was wrong. But I usually explained it
to myself by saying  time, to say the least that the students themselves were responsible  and not the teachers..

The day has long since passed when good teachers even in our public schools
treat the pupils as though they were simply a lot of human containers into
whose heads facts should be poured as one pours water into a jug. Even children
in our public schools are encouraged by good teachers to use a certain
amount of initiative in their work and are urged to think.
While I do not want to agree with the professor in psychology that the
students in our universities are not encouraged to think, I do most firmly
believe that at the present time as in the past the curse of the world is
the average human being does not use his brain as much as he should.

If I were in a Latin Class I wd
dispose of these cases just cited as
conditions contrary to fait. It is
notorious that people who are unkind
and unjust [*sometimes have*] not only have hard
hearts but they often have wooden
minds


3
I believe also that most of the problems designated as insoluble might eaily 
be solved, if those upon the world depends for their solution would only 
think. I also believe that a great deal of what we call wickedness is the direct 
result of allowing one's brain to lie dorment and not using it to reason 
out which course of action it is right and wise to pursue. This persuaded 
that the root of all evil for the individual as well as for governments which 
are simply collections of individuals is the failure to think.
This very minute there are incarcerated [sitting] in the various houses of correction 
all over the world men who are serving sentences for crimes [which they have 
committed,] not because they are necessarily any worse at heart than some of their neighbors who 
are enjoying freedom, but because they have started on a certain course 
of action without thinking what the consequences would be. Many men keep out 
of trouble, not because their motives are any purer or their standards are 
any higher than those who fall into it, but because they are more cautios, 
which simply means that they were more thoughtful. We sometimes laugh at the 
advice which warns us "If you cant be good, be careful," but it contains the 
germ of a deep philosophical truth. It means if your ideals and standards 
are not high enough to do the right thing, for its own dear sake, think well, 
for you do anything questionable or contrary to recognized standards of decency. 
Being careful, being cautious simply means using one's brain. [*exercising a bit of common horse sense.*]
[*as many troubles which worry the individual due to his failure to
think out great national and international ills may be traced
directly to the same cause.*]
Not only does the individual who neglects to think suffer, but failure 
to do is the cause of most of the problems and ills of the world. The war
in which 37,000,000 human beings were killed and 
world War would never have swept Europe with such a courage of destruction 
and death as it did. if the evil forces which started it had given the matter 
sufficient thought. If they had done so (it might have occurred) (in a lucid interval) to their benighted [?world] they would have known they more
than likely they would dig their own graves, if they allowed themselves to be [?] 
[?] into such an all-embracing, all engulfing cataclysm of [?] 
as they did. Even if they had cared nothing about the fearful loss of precious 
lives, which such a bloody conflict would necessarily entail the probability of losing their own kingdoms and their own worthy lives would have stared them in the face to such an extent it would have acted as a deterrent, if they had only allowed their brains

We can not all be heroes acclaimed by the
whole wide world. We can not all have our names
written high & bright upon the scroll of fame
But we can all cultivate the habit of careful
conscientious thinking and by so doing we will not
only [do] accomplish a great deal to promote the welfare
of the world but we will fulfill the destiny
to which each of us has been called in the
best possible way.
I beg of you to use the brain which God
has given each and every one of you so that
you may formulate your plans and
[execute] carry them out [in the best possible way] as well as you possibly can

When I think of the atrocities perpetrated under
the regime of slavery and reflect that its advocates
evidently believed that it wd last
forever I can not help feeling that many
of them were afflicted [*suffering*] from softening of the
brain.




4
to function a bit. If the leaders in that country which is generally considered 
to have precipitated the World War had only used their knowlege of 
human nature and history they would have known that the fear of being dominated 
by a single power would cause all the countries threatened by it to combine 
their forces be that one nation could conquer and tyrannize over 
the rest of the civilized world. There were people who scarcely had brains 
enough to fill a good-sized thimble who predicted from the first that Germany 
could not win the war, no matter how powerful and perfect her fighting machine 
might be, simply because they [?] situation and utilized their 
knowledge of human nature to reach their conclusion. X
The men who fastened the institution of slavery upon this country 
and those who perpetrated it for nearly 300 years are another striking illustration 
of human beings who anasthetized their brains. Many of them 
knew what in the past slavery had been the capture of such slaughter, suffering 
and woe, not only to the bondmen but to their masters as well. Even if 
the misery of their helpless victims had not moved the slaveholders at least 
to soften some of the most cruel features of the system, if they had used 
a little common sense they would have known they were certainly laying up a
lot of trouble for their posterity, if they continued it.
It is almost axiomatic that however people who are unjust & unkind not only have hard hearts but are usually afflicted with wooden minds.   
The leaders in this country at the present time are still another 
bright and shining example of people who are laying up [a lot of] trouble for the[ir] future children, 
if haply they escape themselves, by lulling their brains to sleep. 
If they would only give their mental faculties a little bit of a Chinaman's chance to function they would know that they could not continue to handicap, hinder and harass a group of human beings whose mental equipment compared 
favorably with their own, whose aspirations were as high and whose determination 
to enjoy all the right, privileges and opportunities granted 
other racial groups is as fixed and immovable as their own. In this country 
at the present time there are thousands of people overturning Heaven and 
earth to enforce the 18th amendment while they are silent as oysters about the violation of the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution of the U.S. which gave the right of citizenship
to a group numbering 12 or 15 million at least in a large section of the 
United States. on account of which the right of citizenship has been violentlly 
snatched from a group of people numbering 12 or 15 million at least

While Referring to the World I must say
And is it not amazing that human beings
endowed by the Creator with brains with which
to think shd [after all these centuries] still
be settling their disputes & differences by [resorting] the 
wholesale slaughter of human beings [?rendered]
by civilized nations under the name of war.



5
Do you think for a minute that the leaders of this country would continue 
in such a reprehensible, indefensible and unjust course as this, if they used 
their brains? Even if they cared nothing [*no more*] for the welfare and happiness of 
the victims of these high-handed measures than they do, they would refrain 
from imposing upon them some of the terrible limitations which impede their 
progress, if they only stopped to think to what a cataclysm such injustice 
must inevitably lead.
The high-handed manner in which for centuried men treated the women 
of England and the United States furnishes indisputable proof of the fact 
that their brains were certainly not hitting on all 6. What could have been more absurd than the impudence and audacity exhibited for centuried by men toward 
women whom they treated like idiots or children. And make you, the men who 
in spite of the fact that they had never a chance to acquire 
were accustomed to think could clearly see that the intellectual capacity of 
women equalled and in [all instances] many cases surpassed their own.
By the same token the marvelous achievements of individuals and nations 
come as the direct result of thought. Men behold a marvelous invention 
and forget that it is tangible evidence of thought. Almost a year ago to the 
day a young man preformed a daring feat for the first time it was ever done 
by a single human being [along] in the history of the whole world. We laud Charles Lindbergh to the skies. The world acclaims him for what he did. That is right 
Nothing one can say about a human being who performed such a wonderful feat 
as Lindbergh did is too much or too good. But most of us forget the processes 
of thought through which he went before he reached the point where he was 
able and courageous enough to attempt the deed. He carefully thought out the plan on each and ever 
which his machine should be built. When he was asked why he had an aviator had been crushed to death be-

Deeds, of in applauding the deed may of us fail to remember the painful, 
gruelling labor of the mind,
There is no group of people in the United States who need to learn to 
use their brains more than does this one with which most of us in this room 
are identified. The races which have made the most valuable contributions

But we forget the painful gruelling processes from
which C L's mind passed before he

But C L's flight over the At Ocean was simply the result of an
idea wh he nourished & cherish till it developed into a
perfected tangible reality.
If



6
the civilization of the world have done so because they have had many
thinkers among them. We too as a group most produce thinkers before we can
hope to occupy a position of dignity and respect among other races to which we aspire. The Colored
American must not only work out his own salvation, but he must learn to
think it out as well. We must learn to reason certain conditions to certain
if we wish to reach the heights toward which we arise conclusions wuite as much as we need to fashion with the hand or to dig with
the hoe. The most egregious blunders which we make as a group today are made
because as a group we are not accustomed to think.
       Have you ever stopped to think how different our own status would be as a group
if, as a racial group, we used our brains a little more than we are accustomed 
to do? Even [if] though the masses of us were incapable of sustained and systematic 
thought there is no doubt that our condition would be greatly improved if 
those who consider themselves leaders would give the rest of us the benefit 
of their trained minds. My dear young friends use the brains which God has 
given each and every one of you. Don't lock them up in a box. Exercise them 
and give them an airing once in a while, so to speak. Think and you may become 
a hero. Use your brains and your name may be written high and bright  
upon the scroll of fame. Best of all you may be able to do considerable to 
promote the welfare of the world and leave it a much better place because you 
have lived.
    all an individual is required to do in the world
Please do not understand me to say that
a [man] human being need do nothing but stand or
sit still and think all his life in order
to play his role conscientiously & effectively in
this world. I have simply tried to emphasize
the necessity of careful thinking as a preparation
for effective action. Life is much more
than thought. It goes without saying that a
man who wants to do his duty and who wants to

accomplish something in the world
must do a great deal more than give
himself up entirely to thought __
In commentary upon  C L's flight
many of us lost sight of the long painful
gruelling labor of his mind
If any of you ever have a thot which you
have reason to believe possesses the slightest
value whatsoever develop & cherish it and [?] it
as best you can __ Whatever you do
Do not neglect it or cast it ruthlessly
away __
The point I am trying to
make is that even if people
were not good if they wd exercise
a little common sense
they wd refrain from doing many
things which do nothing but get them
into trouble in the end

[*By Mary Church Terrell*]
[*1*] 

It seems hard to believe that slavery still exists anywhere in the world.
That is a fact nevertheless. Just the other day the Supreme Court of Sierra
Leone, British protectorate of Africa,failed to convict slave owners accused
of assault and slave owning.  The conscience of the court, ( if a court may
be said to have such an article ) was undoubtedly soothed by stating that"the
law had always intended that slavery should die out." But it is hard to see
how an evil can ever "die out", so long as a court fails to convict those who
are guilty of practicing or perpetrating these evils. And, by the way, the word
evils" does not adequately describe the barbarities and cruelties inherent in
the institution of slavery. Some of our mothers and grandparents in this country
who were victims of that pernicious institution and who are still alive can easily
convince anybody who doubts the statement of its truth, if they tell even a 
a few of the experiences thru which they themselves, the members of their families
or their friends passed.
This Sierra Leone protectorate adjoins Liberia, in which a goodly number of
colored people from the United States lives. All these colored citizens of this Republic
have to do is to take a short journey to see the working of that diabolical
institution from which their forepaents were liberated 62 years ago. When this
protectorate started in 1896 slavery was an established custom there
and while the British claimed they wanted to abolish it altogether, they might
have done much more than they have to carry out this intention.  Last year,
however, spurred on by British subjects who were ashamed of having slavery
flourish under their flag the government decreed that children of slaves should 
be free and that slaves themselves should be emancipated at their master's
death.  But now, since the slave owners who were recently brought into court
for treating their slaves brutally were acquitted, the prestige and power of that
unspeakable institution will be greatly increased. The Manchester Guardian, one
of the greatest newspapers in the British Isles, calls attention to this fact
and, in a recent editorial states that altho the League of Nations is engaged
in suppressing slavery and Great Britain is a member of this League, it can
hardly have "the face" to take its share in this task while it has "this crime"
against freedom [*on its own conscience.*]


Up To Date
Mary Church Terrell
July 28, 1928.
At last the Federal Council of the Churches  of Christ is putting the questio
of lynching squarel y up to the churches. It should have been placed there
long ago. Good people in the church arose in arms a few years ago, when Jac
Johnson won a prize fight and the moving picture houses wanted to show thew
packnocked out a white man. Such an outcry against this exhibition of a w
white man's defeat went up all over the country that the moving picture
houses were enjoined from showing it. Some of hem defied the authorities
any how and let the public see how the white man was pummeled around the
ring and finally knocked out. But the churches have not worried themselves
much about lynching. Human bings have been shot and beaten to death and they
have been burned alive, while the churches of this country have remained a
silent, as a rule. If a few have raised their voices against it, the protests
have been so feeble they have bee scarcely been heard. There is no
doubt whatever that the Federal Council of Churches is on the right track to
stop lynching, when it"calls upon church people of all denominations and
creeds to rise in public protest against these outrages and urges them to
exercise their direct influence upon national and local officials, in order
that every citizen may be safe and law and order strengthened."
If the churches in this country had used their influence upon national
and local officials to stop lynching a few years ago, there is not the
slightest doubt that the Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill would have been passed.
If any churches in this country made any special effort to induce their respective
representatives in Congress to vote for that measure, the press did
not give the news wide circulation. Unfortunately, the church does not take
the lead in movements designed to give human beings their rights. During
slavery the churches in the South were largely supported by the sole of human
beings and little effort was made to save their souls. They were not even
taught or allowed to read the Bible. Abrham Lincoln refused to join
church in Springfield, Illinois, because only three out of twenty two ministers
in the whole city stood with him in his effort to free the slave.




   And now some people are getting all het up, because it has suddenly dawned upon them that the Constitution of the United States has been "set aside" by Congress. They are worrying because they have discovered that 27 States haven't a full representation in the House of Representatives. At present members of the House are electing according to the 1910 census, when they should be elected according to the census of 1920. Congress was in session when the result of that census was announced, but nothing was done to reapportion the country on the new basis, although under the Constitution Congress is required to reapportion the country according to the Census taken every ten years.
   The presidential election may be seriously affected by the failure of Congress to do its duty. For, California should have 18 electoral votes instead of 15, Michigan should have 19 instead of 15, New York should have 51 instead of 45 and so on and so forth. If there were a close contest in the next presidential election all sorts of complications might arise. But some of us have grown so accustomed to seeing the Constitution violated, it is an old story. Moreover, "what's the Constitution between friends?"
   Some men who wanted to be original told the National Wholesale Jeweler's Association which met in Philadelphia recently that the modern girl doesn't wear clothing enough to hang jewelry on. "As a result", he said, "the women of today are wearing expensive jewelry out of sight of the male glance, such as jeweled garter buckles and lingerie sets." Of course any man who claims that, "jeweled garter buckles" are hidden away from anybody's sight during the prevailing styles is just as blind as a bat.
   In London men are wearing ornamental suspenders, which have pictures of hunting scenes, horses heads and movie stars on the shoulder straps. And the gentlemen of this country are going to wear engagement rings in the future. Surely the world do move. But, which way?

Written by Mary Church Terrell
Up To Date
   Like the old woman who lived in a shoe Washington has so much news this week, it doesn't know what to do. Congress is with us again. There are congressmen to the right of us, congressmen to the left of us, congressmen all around us. And each one has at least several bills. Some of them have more than several which they want to pass, so as to save the country.
   The Republican National Committee is with us also and there are four colored people on it- Mr. Perry Howard and Mrs. Booze of Mississippi and Mr. Ben Davis and Mrs. George Williams of Georgia. These colored representatives were placed on important committees also. If I should hear that several Lily Whites down in their neck of the woods had suddenly given up the ghost on account of this deserved recognition of colored people, I should not be at all surprised.
   Of course there was a dinner given to the visitors at the Whitelaw Hotel. Since it was managed by the Honorable Perry Howard, it goes without saying that it was a brilliant success from every point of view- the menu and the speeches included. Prominent colored men from all parts of the country were present and it was inspiring to hear them present their points of view.
   But there were several things which especially interested our group in the reassembling of Congress. A petition was presented to the Senate and the House of Representatives by the National Race Congress and the Equal Rights League asking enforcement of the 14th amendment to the constitution of the United States. It declares that colored citizens have been robbed of their right to vote in certain parts of this country. The Federal Government has failed to carry out the provisions of the Constitution, it states, so that lawlessness on such a widespread scale has resulted that even Southern officials have become alarmed. And finally these two organizations of colored people urge Congress to carry out its sworn obligation to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, so that the rights of all citizens may be secured. It was a strong statement and it is hard to believe that it will not appeal to men who have some regard for the oath of office which they have taken and who believe in fair play.

Mary Church Terrell
1615 S St. N. W.
Wash DC                                                                                                                                       
Page one

   The jump from the luxury and comfort of the White House to a little, old-fashioned, story and a half white frame house with no modern improvements is a long and big one, but the President and Mrs. Coolidge have made it with all ease. What's more they are having a wonderful time. Only last year a telephone was installed in this house for the first time. Leaving White Pine Camp, a millionaire's summer home, the present occupant of the White House and the First lady of the Land decided to spend a part of their vacation at Plymouth Vermont, where the President was born and reared and where three years ago his father administered the oath which made his son the President of the United States.
    The President's room at Plymouth is the only one in the house that has curtains, Its furniture is very simple indeed. The bed is of maple and has slats upon which a hard mattress rests. There is a plain walnut bureau with a mirror inclined to be uncertain and tricky, There is a pine washstand holding a white china pitcher of water, a basin and a mug to match. The floor is only partially covered with two small-sized braid rugs typical of New England thrift. 
   But Mr. Coolidge is sawing, hammering, mailing and repairing things around the place which he thinks need attention just as though he were an ordinary farmer and not the President of the United States. 

  Mr. Williams Gibbs McAdoo is already putting on his war paint and feathers. He has made up his mind to be the Democratic standard bearer for 1928. 
  He is going to start early and keep it up late. But the friends of New York's popular Governor are not sitting still and twirling their thumbs. Al Smith, they say, will have at least 280 electoral votes, or more than the required 266. These Smith folks claim that he is"a sure winner"  and McAdoo is"a sure loser." They have a wonderful way of reasoning all this out and seem perfectly satisfied with their "Points."  "Which shall it be, Which shall it be?" I looked at Miss Democracy and She looked at me. 

  In the recent primaries Kansas gave the Ku Klux Klan a knock out blow from which it will not recover soon. The returns indicate that three Republican supreme court justices who were members of the court that handed down a decisions ousting the klan from the State, a man who wants to be attorney-general and a man who wants to be renominated Secretary of State all had overcome the opposition of the klan. Senator Charles Curtis , floor leader, had everything his own way. Mr. Nick Chiles, the well known colored editor, was the only man who opposed him. The Drys were beaten in Missouri by large pluralities, And Al Smith's friends claim that the victory won by the Wets in Missouri greatly enhance his chances and they are already adding the states eighteen electoral votes on their side of the ledger. 



Written by Mary Church Terrell. 
  A nice Christmas present was recently given by President Coolidge to a man who had made a wonderful record in the World War but who could not land a job of any kind, so that he could earn money enough to support himself and family . The present came in the shape of a job in the New York City pots toffice. The interesting thing about this appointment is that the man did not come up to the educational requirements demanded by the Civil Service Commission. but These were promptly set aside, however, by the President, and the Postmaster General who had recommended that an executive order be issues which would permit  to be appointed instructed the postmaster of New York to em-ploy him. And now he is on the pay roll. 
  his action taken by the President well illustrates a point which people in power often forget- namely that rules were made for men and not men for rules. If ever an exception should be made in a man's favor, certainly it was in the case of the man for when a special order was issued. 
He was called the "Savior of the Lost Batallion", because when the 308th Infantry was entirely surrounded by the enemy. he succeeded in carrying a message thru the lines after many of his comrades had been shot down in the attempt. This Abraham Krotshonisky knew that 35 soldiers had been killed in a desperate effort to carry dispatches back to the allies and yet he fearlessly volunteered to try do it in face of almost certain death. The newspapers of the country rang with the man's heroism and he was awarded medals of various kinds. But, alas, when he returned to the United States neither the fame nor the medals he had won helped him to get a job. And so for nearly ten years he has been knocked from pillar to pot eking out a miserable existence, trying to keep his family together on the little he could earn. His health had been seriously impaired in the army but he kept a stiff upper lip and kept going somehow all the time.  It seems almost incredible that a man who had displayed such heroism as this soldier did and who had rendered such signal service in time of war should have been unable to find employment in a big city like New York.  But it is a fact nevertheless.  If the President of the United States had failed to


000108

3
of any other group in the United States. It is a good thing for young 
women to help support themselves at an early age, when that is necessary, 
but [there is something pathetic about] it is pathetic to see girls going out to work to earn their living when 
they should be in school and should be enjoying the freedom from care to which youth 
is entitled. Earnest efforts should be made to induce those who employ 
young women to make their burdens as light as possible and to care for them 
in the best possible way. 
A well-known newspaper man declared a few days ago that the most significant 
thing in the world today is the increasing self-consciousness 
of the American Negro since the World War. Not only is the black man beginning 
to feel his importance in this country but dark people all over 
the world are waking up and are refusing to allow themselves to be kicked 
around as they did fifteen or twenty years ago he says. Let us hope the newspaper 
man reads the signs of the time aright. There are many conditions which 
might be improved, if the group in this country which is the victim of procription 
and prejudice realized its power and determined to yield it to 
promote its welfare. For one thing the representative of the race in the 
States where they can cast their ballots knowing they will be counted might 
use the suffrage to much better advantage than they do. When we learn how 
to do this effectively man obstacles to our progress will be removed. 
[Efforts are being made to induce people to vote at the]
[No group of citizens in this country should exercise presidential
election. At the last election in 1924 only fifty percent of the sex who were
elegible to vote cast their ballots.]
Earnest efforts are being made to induce people who have the right to 
vote cast their ballot at the coming presidential election. At the 
election in 1924 only fifty percent of those whose duty it was to vote 
went to the polls. Some of those who complain loudest about the interior 
type of men who are elected to the various offices frequently do not take 
the time and the pains to cast their ballots for anybody. All they do is 
criticize the men after they have been elected. If anybody in this country 
should make it a matter of conscience and religion to exercise the right 
of suffrage, it is certainly representative of that group which suffers



Up To Date 
Mary Church Terrell 
June16, 1928

 A woman who was probably put in jail more often than any of her sisters has 
recently died in London. She was Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst, the first militant 
suffragist, one of the most remarkable women England has ever produced. 
The injustice perpetrated upon women put the iron into her soul and she decided 
that she would do everything in her power to right the wrongs from 
which they suffered. Accordingly, with her daughter Christabel she founded 
the Women's Social and Political Union and started the Votes form Women agitation. 
She headed a deputation to the House Commons to demand the vote only 
to be thrown into jail with others who had joined her. Nothing daunted 
she would resume her crusade more vigorously than ever as soon as she was released 
from jail. It was a common sight to behold Mrs. Pankhurst being yanked 
to the Holloway jail by a big, burly Bobby. She and others who had joined 
the fight for suffrage resorted to the most desperate methods imaginable. 
They broke the windows in the residences of officials, stoned the gentlemen 
themselves and got themselves disliked by the august authorities on general 
principles. When I was in London a few years ago one of the leaders of the 
movement discussed the method of procedure very frankly. 
"I presume," she said "that you American women think we are very unladylike 
over here. Well, maybe we are. But after we discovered that being ladylike 
was not getting us anywhere, we decided to pursue an entirely different 
course, we came to the conclusion that it was better to be unladylike and 
get our rights than to be ladylike and never have them. Moreover, you American 
women don't have to carry on as we do the you want something. American men 
will at least listen to you. But our men wouldn't even hear what we had to 
say, until we showed them we are willing to fight and die, if necessary to 
get our rights. [*several of] Once these militant suffragists bound themselves with heavy iron chains to 
posts in the House of Parliament and locked themselves to them with great 
heavy keys which were given to confederates to be taken away. Then they began 
to deliver a speech demanding votes for women. When the policemen went to re-

HARRIS & EWING
Photographers of National Notables

Photographic
News Service 

HE

1313 F Street
North West

WASHINGTON, D.C.
October
31,
1927.

Mrs. Mary Church Terrell,
445 East 42nd Street,
Chicago,Illinois.

Dear Mrs. Terrell:

We have your letter of October 28th and are
pleased to advise that we have found the negative to
which you referred.  The file was under the name of
"Mrs. Robert H. Terrell",hence we could not locate it
as "Mary Church Terrell".

We can make you duplicate of the photograph
sent us, which is our Imperial Artist Proof at $7.00 the
copy, or we can make you six of these for $30.00.

Squeegees from this negative for size 8 by 10,
are $2.00 the copy, $10.00 for six or $18.00 the dozen.
We will be pleased to make these photographs and send
them to the addressed as directed.

Cordially yours,
HARRIS & EWING.
W P [?Minter]

The photograph sent us is being cleaned, remounted
and will be sent to you in the next few days.



Up To Date
Mary Church Terrell
October 6, 1928.
"They are after me, they're after me, I'm the individual they require", is
the song which Paul Robeson must have sung recently when both England and
the United States were trying so hard to get him. It is certainly a great
compliment to him that neither the managing director or the theatre in
which he has been playing in the"Show Boat"in London nor the New York theatrical
producer was willing to give him up. Sir Alfred Butt says the run
of the show would probably end, if Robeson were to leave it. And Miss Dugan,
who claims that Robeson made a contract with her to return to New York 
to appear in a revue, is just as certain she can not carry it to a successful
issue, if the singer does not fulfill his contract with her. It must
have been a great shock to the actor's nerves to behold Miss Dugan appear
in London and be haled into court on a breach of contract. But the English
judge refused to force Robeson to leave the Show Boat, so he will
not appear in the New York revue, this season anyhow.  It is really a great,
grand and glorious feeling to see two white [artists] theatrical producers so keen on securing
the services of an artist like Robeson. It is another fine illustration of the fact
that when an individual can really deliver the goods , those who need his
services can easily forget all about his race or his color. The fight
waged by white people over this artist should greatly encourage our young people
who aspire to a career on the stage either as an actor or a singer. If
rumor is correct, Paul Robeson does not intend to act anymore. He is said
to have decided to devote himself exclusively to singing. It is fortunate
that he won his case in the English Court, for it gives him a better
standing with the English people among whom he is a great favorite.
Good for the Mexicans who are strennously objecting to [a motion picture] the showing of a film
which they claim presents a false picture of life in Tampico or any
where else in their country. "Tampico" is the name of this movie and the
Joseph Hergesheimer the author who wrote the book on which it is based is said to have spent several
months in Tampico gathering material for it. It is outrageous for

The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, Incorporated

JOHN R. HAWKINS, PRESIDENT
CARTER G. WOODSON, DIRECTOR
S. W. RUTHERFORD, SECRETARY-TREASURER

Lecturers and 
Investigators

ALAIN L. LOCKE
CARTER G. WOODSON
CHARLES H. WESLEY
JAMES H. JOHNSTON
RUTH A. FISHER
ROBERT C. WOODS
JOHN J. MCKINLEY
IVA R. MARSHALL

EXTENSION DIVISION

LECTURE BUREAU
and
HOME STUDY
DEPARTMENT

1538 NINTH STREET, N.W.
Washington, D. C.

Teaching Staff

E. FRANKLIN FRAZIER
DAVID A. LANE
LUTHER P. JACKSON
MILES MARK FISHER
CHARLES S. JOHNSON
ALAIN L. LOCKE
CHARLES H. WESLEY
CARTER G. WOODSON
JAMES H. JOHNSTON

September 26, 1928.

Dear Coworker:

The District of Columbia Branch of the
Association for the Study of Negro Life and
History will meet at the Y.W.C.A. Tuesday
October 2, 1928 at 7:30 P.M. The approaching
Annual Meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, the
last of next month warrants our consideration
immediately of whether or not we shall send a
delegate. It has been suggested that we should
extend an invitation for the Annual Meeting of
the Association to come to Washington, D.C. in
1929.

In view of the importance of the above
matters, you are especially urged to be present.
The meeting will be called to order promptly at
7:30 P.M. and it should not hold you longer than
an hour. Come, therefore, and bring a friend of
the work next Tuesday evening.

Sincerely yours,

W.M. Brewer
President.

WMB-R



Written by Mary Church Terrell
1615 S St., N.W.
Washington, D.C.

We have a Bishop in our town. He is not only wondrous wise himself, but
he knows how to impart his wisdom to others in clear, strong English. The xix
Bishop's name is E.D.W. Jones of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.
He has just advised colored people in the District of Columbia not to worry
too much about reforms. "Negroes," he says, "appear always willing to help
others work out their pet reforms, but these same people are seldom willing
to help the Negro in his struggles for the reforms he craves. Washington is
one of the most prejudiced cities in America. Attention should be called to
this fact, and such American evils as come under this head should be included
in the churchman's movement to rid the city of harmful vices."
That was something which would make almost anybody sit up and take notice.
But the Bishop wasn't satisfied to put a period right there. He continued to
unburden his mind as follows: "If white preachers, from whom the Negro" (please
observe, gentle reader, that I spell it with a capital N)" has suffered more
than from any other source in American life, want to clean up our city, let 
them begin on the insiduous forces of prejudice which do the most harm."
No matter what anybody may think about these remarks, it is certain
that nobody can claim that the Bishop failed to tell the truth. Practically
everybody who knows anything about current events is aware that while millions
of dollars have been spent to enforce the 18th amendment, almost nothing
has been spent to enforce the 14th amendment. Moreover, nobody connected with
that department of the government whose duty it is to enforce the laws of
this country appears to be spending any sleepless nights worrying about the
thousands of colored men and women from whom the right of citizenship has been
violently and illegally torn.
X   X   X   X   X   X   X   X   X   
A wellknown writer here admitted open and above board the other day that 
for fifty years the North had been helping the South to violate the 14th xxx
amendment. "But," said this writer, "the North is getting tired of helping the
South violate the 14th amendment, now that the South is forcing the 18th
amendment upon the North." "When thieves fall out, just men get their

Up To Date.
Mary Church Terrell.
Sept. 22, 1928.
Thisministers have at last waked up, if the ferocious attacks upon the man
the Democrats are running for president is any sign. The campaign has done
one good thing at least. It has shown that when some ministers think the
constitution is in danger of being violated, they roll up their sleeves and begin to
fight with a right good will. It all depends, however, upon what part of the Constitution [is being] think is about to be violated. They have slumbered and slept, lo these many
years, when portions of it in which they were not interested were being ignored.
The Methodists who met in Peoria not long ago went after the Governor of New York with 
hammer and tongs . The people of that denomination were asked not to vote
for him and the ministers were requested to"denounce him from every pulpit
in the Methodist Church in America."  Strong language that.  If a human being
had been burned at the stake, the gentleman of the cloth could not have been
more stirred up.  In fact that particular representative of the Church has
never asked his denomination to denounce the mobs who lynch and beat people 
to death.  He failed to enlist every minister to work for the Dyer Anti-Lynching
Bill and speak for it in every pulpit in the Methodist Church in
America. If he had tried as hard to protect the lives of human beings against
murder as he is trying to defeat a man for the presidency of whom he does
not approve, perhaps public opinion would have been strong enough to force
Congress to pass the Anti-Lynching Bill. But Al Smith has stirred this representative
of the Church up far more than the murder of human beings by
mobs has ever done.
Shortly after that Bishop Titus Love of the Methodist Episcopal Church
waxed eloquent when he was addressing a conference in Takoma Washington as he
implored the ministers and laymen of his denomination to get into the political
campaign and defeat Alfred E. Smith.  He called loudly upon the ministers
to make themselves felt politically in the approaching campaign.  He rebuked
Senator Joseph Robinson for daring to hint that the churches should
keep out of the political fight this year.  He figurately shook his fist at
the Arkansaw traveller, as he shouted "I do not think Joe Robinson has the

Page 1 Continued.
organizations in 1896 and now has a membership of approximately 200,000.
I was the first colored woman to be invited to deliver an address before an
international meeting of white women in a foreign country.  In 1904 I delivered
an address both in German and French before the International Council of
Women which met in Berlin, Germany.
I was the first colored woman in the United States and perhaps in the world
to be a member of a Board of Education.  The Commissioner of the District of
Columbia having in charge its educational affairs appointed me on the Board
of Education and he kept reappointing me till I had served six years and then
I resigned.


[*By Mary Church Terrell-*]
A meeting which will long be remembered by the Women's Republican League of
Washington was held the other night in the Young Women's Christian Association
A woman who is legal adviser for the National Women's Party, Mrs. Burnita Matthews,
told them about the laws in the various States which discriminate against
women and how they do it. Nobody should know better than Mrs. Matthews,what
these laws are and in what States they have been enacted, for she has helped to
compile the little books which contain the laws of each State that are unjust 
to her sex.  The members of the League were shocked  to learn that right here
in the District of Columbia, for instance, a father inherits to the exclusion
of the mother. A concrete illustration of the way injustice of this law as well illustrated
by a case which happened a few years ago in West Virginia. 
A father deserted his wife and little son who was about six years old
at the time. The mother had to work hard to support herself and child till he
reached manhood. Then he secured a good position as telegraph operator at a railroad
station.  One night he stepped infront of one train while he was trying to
avoid another and was killed. He was about twenty seven years old then and unmarried.
But he had saved enough money to buy himself and his mother a nice little
home. When he was dead and buried, the father who had done nothing for his
boy stepped in, claimed the property as the rightful heir and got it. The members
of the League realized for the first time in their lives that any mother
in the District of Columbia would suffer the same fate, if her son or daughter
should pass away without leaving a will.
But our next door neighbor, Maryland,has a law which is  just as bad, it
not worse than the one  mentioned above. For in that State a Father can actually
will away his children from their mother. If, for instance, he has left her
and wishes to spite her, he can appoint by will a guardian for his children other
than the  mother and in spite of the mother's opposition.  It is, therefore,
possible for a father in Maryland to day, just as in ancient times, by his will
to tear young children from their mother's care and to hand them over to a
stranger, or to some one whom the mother thinks entirely unsuited to bring up 
the child. Thus one of the most unjust and cruel features of the common law of 



Written by Mary Church Terrell, 
1615 S St., N.W. 
Washington, D.C. 

UP TO DATE. 

When the Sesquicentennial closed its gates a few days ago it was more than 
$5,000,000 in debt. The private individuals and the business firms who 
bought certificates to the tune of $3,000,000 have lost nearly every cent 
they invested. Suppose an enterprise planned and manned by colored people 
had been such a diurnal failure financially as the Sesqui, what would our Superior
brothers and sisters have said? It would have undoubtedly been cited as 
striking proof of the Negro's inability to manage successfully anything which  
required knowledge and skill on a large scale. But, since these superior men 
have come out of the little end of the horn, it doesn't mean a thing, except 
that they have sunk $5,000,000 in an enterprise which should have been a magnificent 
success, since the Sesqui celebrated the 150th anniversary of the 
signing of the Declaration of Independence. I heard an Englishman say that if 
the United States couldn't do any better than it did in celebrating its 150th 
anniversary of freedom from British rule, the Colonies had better remained 
with the mother country. And yet, when colored people occasionally make a 
mistake in handling a big enterprise, members of their race invariably say 
"that's just like "the man and brother", If white people had managed that, 
it would have been a magnificent success. But white people frequently fail. 

Folks in the National Capital got many more divorces in 1925 than they 
did licenses to marry. The increase in marriages for that year was only 5%, 
while the percentage of increase in divorces was 25.4. Throughout the whole   
country the poor little love god faired badly, for there were many more divorces 
than there were weddings. Why in the world don't married folks think 
more about that little statement in the marriage ceremony which says something 
about "for better or for worse." 

Did you know that several years ago the death rate among colored women in 
child birth was 67% higher than that of white women in the area which registers 
births? This fact has just been released by the Children's Bureau 
of the U.S. 

1

And yet in spite of our marvellous progress along all lines of human endeavor, 
we are still leagues and leagues from our goal. One of the greatest 
hindrances to our progress is that, as a race, we do not think. We 
take it for granted that we think, but, if actions speak louder than 
words, circumstantial evidence is against us. The verdict of an impartial 
jury must be that we do not think. We are constantly doing and saying 
things which militate most seriously and sadly against the progress of 
the race. Those of us who have had superior advantages of education are 
the chief sinners in this respect. Often I have heard men who were graduates 
of Harvard, Yale and other great universities of similar standing
in the presence of young people tell jokes about representative men and 
women and refer to characteristics of the race which could not help making      
them lose respect for it. Some who occupy most conspicuous positions 
seem never quite so happy as when they tell stories which make Colored people 
the butt of ridicule. Anecdotes are related in which Colored people 
are represented as being cowards, for instance, s that the laugh is always 
turned on them and we can not help feeling disgust and contempt for 
them. 

A favorite joke is to represent a Colored man as claiming to
be very brave in his relations with white people. "Yes indeed," says the 
Colored man in the joke, "if that white man says or does this or that to 
me", and the joker always quotes the Colored buffoon as saying "dis" or 
"dat", "if dat white man says or does dis or dat to me, I'm jes going to 
evermo knock his head off" or do something else as drastic. And then the 
joker represents the white man as doing the very thing which the Colored 
man has bravely declared he would not stand for, but instead of carrying 
out his threat of putting the white man out of commission, the Colored man 
goes all to pieces the moment he lays eyes on the Colored man and takes 
to his heels and skedaddles down the pike so fast that the wind could not 
catch him. You all know that type of story, you have heard it again and 
again. It is really very amusing. It is so ridiculous that it is hard to 
suppress a laugh, but it is a pity to persist in doing this kind of      
 
 

        

Scholarship Loan Fund. Tuesday, May 10, 1932. Metropolitan A.M.E. Church. 
Those who are trying to establish a Scholarship Loan Fund deserve our heartiest 
cooperation and our warmest praise. They are trying to help our young men and 
women who have been endowed by nature with superior mental attainments, who want 
to complete their college course, but who can not do so without financial aid. 
It is hard to think of any service more greatly needed than that rendered by 
those who seek to promote the welfare of gifted and talented youth. 

It is unnecessary to consume time here tonight to prove that the service rendered 
by those who seek to afford educational opportunities to our own young people 
of which they would otherwise be deprived is especially valuable. 

At all times in season and out it is right and proper to focus the attention of the public 
the necessity of taking proper care of its youth. But at this particular time of financial discouragement 
and confusion it becomes doubly necessary to emphasize the duty we 
owe to highly endowed young people upon whose shoulders 
will rest the responsibility of citizenship and who are the future representative 
of our race. 

I am very glad to see the effort made by those who are interested in this   
Scholarship Loan Fund, because as I go up and down the earth I am persuaded that 
a determined effort is being made to discourage some of our young people from taking 
a college course. It just occurs to me that the Bible refers to an individual 
who goes up and down the earth. Well, his carryings on were evil and his reputation 
was bad, so I hope you won't compare me with him. 

As I was saying, as I go out from place to place sometimes I hear opinions that 
make me very apprehensive indeed / Those who are trying to discourage our young 
people from taking a college course have a very insidious method indeed. They talk 
entertainingly to our young people about "self-made men" and tell them that these 
men achieved success without going to school and taking a college course. But 
they forget to say that the very fact that the success of these people excite so 
much comment and create so much surprise proves that they are very rare birds 
indeed. People never talk with open-mouthed astonishment about things which ??     
    

[*Feb 25*]

4

up her mind to marry the man she loves, "all the king's horses and all the
king's men" cant pull her away from him. Selah.

[*Omitted*] [The progress made by all the dark races of the world is astounding.
Last Monday 10,000,000 Japanese men who had never been allowed to vote
before cast their ballots for members of Congress, as we call it. Under the new
law any sane male citizen of Japan 25 years old who has resided in one place
for a year previously, who is not dependent on the State for support, who
has never been convicted of a felony and who can read and write, may cast a
ballot. Before the new law was enacted nobody but taxpayers could vote.
The method of voting is like that used in the United States. All the voters
must be registered in their respective [precints] precincts and the voting is done in
secret booths. There is one striking difference between the two methods,
however. Each voter is required to write the name of the man for whom he
is voting with his own hand. Since there are very few Japanese who can
neither read nor write, owing to the compulsory education laws, there will
be only a handful, so to speak, who will not be able to cast their ballots
on account of ignorance. Even the blind will be able to vote under the new
law by using what is called the Braille system.
There are 464 members of the Diet to be elect and it will be interesting
to see what kind of men these newly-enfranchised citizens will
[elect] choose to help run the government. Democracy in spreading slowly but surely
throughout the nations of the earth. The colored people in this country
have less of it where the majority of them live than do the Japanese to
day. It is safe to assert now that the law permits every Japanese to vote
who fulfills the requirements laid down, a selfish, lawless tyrannical
crowd will not be allowed to snatch the right of citizenship from any group
of Japanese citizens they choose to disfranchise as those who violate the
14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution of the United States are
allowed to disfranchise colored men.]


[5]4

cline. Undoubtedly airplanes will be equipped with this new invention,
for the danger of fire in a crash is so great that a fuel which does not
flare up and burn violently will be a great blessing and boon. It is
claimed by those interested in this invention that in the event of fire the contents of
the fuel tanks of airplanes equipped with it can be sprayed over every part
that is likely to catch fire. It seems almost too good to be true.

A great drive against films from the United States is being made in certain
parts of Europe. A paper published in Rome declares that the films from
this country are doing more to undermine the morals of Europe than France
has ever done with her demoralizing novels. "There is all the wickedness
of Paris mixed with the taste of the savage rsskins of America in the
American films", this newspaper declares. Attention is called to the rapidity
with which the American family is said to be disintegrating and the
moving picture is said to be largely responsible for it. There is no doubt
whatever that the movie may be used most successfully to impress the
minds of the young and teach them good or evil. For better or for worse
the movie is here to stay, no matter how much it may be criticized or denounced.
Those of us who believe it has become an instrument of evil
should do everything in our power to raise it to a higher level. The people
who run the movies are human like the rest of us. If they show objectionable
pictures, it is our duty to appeal to them tactfully to give
their patrons better films. If this is done persistently, in the majority
of cases the manager of a moving pictures house will respect the wishes of
his patrons. If he persists in presenting pictures which are objectionable,
the only recourse left is to step patronizing the place. The moving
picture may be made such an instrument for good, in teaching lessons of
various kinds thru the medium of the eye which retains more easily what it
sees than the ear remembers what it hears, that is it a great pity it
should be used to lower the standards of conduct and vitiate the taste of
either young or old.

4

most when the wrong men are elevated to prominence and power. When men
who are hostile to our group are elected to office in many places, we
have nobody to blame but ourselves. We do not take the interest in the
primaries that we should and often we do not vote when we can and should.

It is estimated that 7,000,000 graduates of High schools and colleges
will cast their ballots this year for the first time. Efforts are being
made to interest this great army of young people in matters affecting
their government. They are being educated concerning their duty as citizens
and are being urged to discharge them as they should. At a meeting which
was recently been held in Washington and which was attended by representatives
of many organizations of the two big political parties as well plans were
made to start a crusade to interest people in their duties as citizens.

As a group we shall make a big mistake if we do not wake up politically
and start our young men and women on the right track too. Among
those 7,000,000 young people who will cast their ballot for the first
time this year there will be a goodly number who have African blood flowing
through their veins. What are the teachers and business men of the
race and all other adults going to do to educate our youth in their duties
as citizens? We should do a great deal and we should start right 
away.

4

When bootleggers in the National Capital are looking for a place to settle
and be safe from molestation they choose a house as near the Supreme Court
as possible. At least that is what some of them have done, if a statement made
by a citizen who lives near that august body is true. Moreover, bootleggers
arrange to have some of their own fraternity sit on the jury when they are being tried
for violating the Volstead Act. It is claimed that four men who recently served
on a jury here in a bootleg trial had been convicted themselves of bootlegging.
No wonder the jury system in the National Capital is being criticized. But the
jury system here is probably no worse than it is anywhere else in the United
States. It has been notoriously unsatisfactory for years. One reason for th
this is that it is difficult to induce the right kind of people to serve on a 
jury. They offer all sorts of excuses to be relieved of this duty. There is no
telling how many cases of miscarriage of justice occur every year because
the well-known defects in the jury system are not corrected.

It is sometimes hard for us to believe that old age is often a state of mind
rather than a cold and cruel fact from which there is no escape. But every
now and then "time stole their infinite variety." Recently a man 82 years old (or
shall we say 82 years young?) was sued for alienating the affections of another
man's wife who was 53. The husband won the suit and the 82 year old disturber
of marital peace was fined #1. Testimony at the trial showed that "the old 
man" wrote love lyrics to the lady who had won his heart and asked her to marry
him after telling her that her husband was becoming mentally unbalanced.
No young man of 25 could have exhibited more ardor in wooing the lady of his
choice than did this swain of 82. Who says that folks have to grow old?
As a man thinketh, so is he. Why not remain young? Of course it is not necessary
to try to win another man's wife in order to ward off old age.

RANDALL H. HAGNER AND COMPANY
REAL ESTATE
1321 CONNECTICUT AVENUE

TELEPHONE MAIN 9700

MORTGAGE LOAN CORRESPONDENT NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

CHARLES E. HAGNER
MANAGER
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT

NEWARK FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
UNION ASSURANCE SOCIETY, LIMITED
THE ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY
OCEAN ACCIDENT AND GUARANTEE CORPORATION, LTD.
STAR INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
LLOYDS OF LONDON, ENGLAND

WASHINGTON, D.C.

December 1, 1926.

Mrs. March Church Terrell,
1615 S Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C.

My dear Mrs. Terrell:

I am enclosing you Union policy No. 701594 for
$3,000.00 on your dwelling and $350.00 on the garage in
rear, expiring December 6, 1929.

This is a renewal of the policy placed with us
three years ago, and I trust that you will find it satisfactory.

Thanking you for it, I remain,

Very truly yours,

Charles E. Hagner

CEH:C

4

cruel limitations imposed upon her colored sisters and the almost insurmountable
obstacles which they have to overcome. I wondered if she had ever
thought about the colored woman's desperate struggle for existence. For not
only because they are women, but because they are colored women are discouragement
and disappointment staring them in the face. The white woman who
was making a plea for her sisters has only the handicap of sex to overcome,
but colored women have two handicaps to carry- that of race and of sex/ But I
dare say the lot of colored women never entered that fine white woman's head
Human beings are selfish, as a rule. If their group fares well, all is well.
They should worry about groups who are having a hard time.

Aren't you glad the President urged the citizens of this country to
get together and stop talking so much about sectionalism. I am referring especially
to representatives of the dominant race. The average white southerner
is always talking about the glories, beauties and perfection of the
South. The women of the South are more beautiful and more virtuous he says than are
those in any other section of the country. Not long ago I read an article
written by a southerner in which he ridiculed this habit indulged in so generally
by southern speakers. A southern senator once declared in Congress
that there was one letter of the alphabet, the letter N which he didn't like very much, because
it stood for the word Nation and Negro. The nation he said, didn't mean very
much to the South. One rarely hears a Northern speaker tear passion to tatters
extolling the beauties, virtues and glories of the North. It would really
be a great blessing if this were a united country with the laws of the land
obeyed equally in each and every section. But there is as much difference in
between the civilization of the North and that found in some parts of the
South as there is between light and darkness. And so long as the South
holds itself aloof and insists upon being a law unto itself, insisting that its
antiquated customs and traditions are superior to those observed in other sections
of the land, just so long will the country be divided and union an
irredescent dream.

4

under the water for his eggs. And this is controlled by a clock which works
perfectly. If that youth can invent something which will turn all those
tricks in the home, when he graduates from the university, his fortune will
surely be made.
                            [*Omitted*]
Do you know the difference between a hobo, a tramp and a bum? Well, all
those varieties of gentlemen have been holding an unemployment conference in
their Capital, as they have a perfect right to do, and some of us have been
educated in the qualities of head, heart and hand peculiar to each of them.
A hobo is a gentlemen really looking for work and honestly trying to find it.
A tramp is an individual who claims to be looking for a job, hoping he won't
find one but willing to make a stab at it, if it almost knocks him down.
A bum is somebody who wont work, no matter how much he needs a job and how
hard you try to make him earn his daily bread.
Now these gentlemen have concocted a nice little scheme whereby a man who
doesn't work may get $6 a day from the government. They have it all nicely
worked out, because since they do not work for a living, they have time
enough to work out schemes by which they can exist happily without going to
work like the common herd. The unemployment Conference has been presided
over by a millionaire hobo who is the editor of the Hobo News, Dr. J. Eads Howe by
name. He scornfully refused to accept a bequest of several millions a few
years ago. [Now he wants the government to pay a man]
If this gentlemen and his friends succeed in persuading the government to
pay all the unemployed men in this country $6 a day, it will only cost the
about $15,000,000,000, for according to Senator Shipstead there are 8,000,000
out of work. The members of the Unemployment Conference tried to get an
audience with President Coolidge, but he was too busy to see them. It might
take quite some time to convince the President that this scheme was sound
economically. The Conference adjourned to meet here again in April 31 - in
time to form an army for Coxey to lead. The country has not heard the last
of these gentlemen by any means.

Juvenile Protective Association
OF THE
District of Columbia

1000 VERMONT AVENUE, WASHINGTON, D.C
(CORNER H STREET)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CLARENCE L. HARDING, President
LOUIS A. SIMON, First Vice Pres.
REV. J. J. DIMON, D.D., Second Vice Pres.
MISS LOUISE F. KING, Secretary
CHARLES B. LYDDANE, Treasurer
DR. L. W. GLAZEBROOK, Medical Examiner
REV. GEORGE W. ATKINSON, D.D.
MISS SUSAN BAKER
IRVING O. BALL
MRS. EDWARD B. CLARK
MRS. GEORGE W. COOK
MRS. M. A. FRANCIS
MRS. GILBERT GROSVENOR
J. WILMER LATIMER
ELLWOOD P. MOREY
CLAUDE W. OWEN
MRS. WALTER S. UFFORD

HONORARY MEMBERS

MRS. EDNA K. BUSHEE
MRS. WHITMAN CROSS
MRS. CHARLES HAMLIN
MISS BESSIE KIBBEY
MISS JULIA LATHROP
MSGR. C.F. THOMAS
DR. W. H. WILMER

LESLIE J. KIPLINGER
Executive Secretary

KATHARINE R. BILLOPP
Supervisor of Case Work

Telephones: Main 2314
                    Main 5539

February 7, 1927.

Dear Mrs. Terrell:

One of the greatest things that you can do is
to help a distressed child keep to the straight path.

The simpliest and most effective way to help
such a child is to reach him while he is in the formative
years that make or unmake criminals and work with him to
make him honest, self-respecting, self-dependent.

This is what the Juvenile Protective Association
does, and this is what you, by contributing to its work
some time ago, have been doing in the past year.

Don't you want to continue your gift to humanity?
Your check, written in a moment, and mailed in the enclosed
stamped envelope, will work all year to help some under-
priveleged child become a good citizen. Our enrollment is
steadily increasing. Without your gift we must necessarily
limit our work.

May we count on you not to turn these children away?

Sincerely yours,

Chas B. Lyddane
TREASURER.



4

to lose should stay away from the card table. Everybody likes to win, of
course. A person has no right to play cards who does not want to win. If he
has so little interest in the game which he is playing that he does not care
whether he loses or not, he should stay out of it. He is nothing but a burden
and a nuisance to his partner who may have studied the game and who enjoys
playing it scientifically.
On the other hand there is no reason why an individual who likes to
win and who understands the game better than his partner should fly into a
rage, make everybody around him miserable and be a boor, because mistakes
are made which cause him to lose. It is just as important to be a good loser
as it is to be a non-gloating winner. There is nothing better suited to take
one's mind off the carking cares of this world, and to help him forget his
troubles than a game of cards played with congenial friends, even if some of
them do trump their partners card occasionally or plant down a trump on the
thirteenth card which will stand up for itself. But the individual who is a
poor loser and lacks self control should give cards a wide berth.

[*Above appeared April 7 - Lindy April 21*]

Dear Lindy has been taking all the Senators, Representatives, their sisters
and their cousins and their aunts on flying trips here this week, but
as yet nobody except those identified with the dominant race has been invited
to ascend into the heavenly ether with that wonderful youth. It is not his
fault that this is so. From several statements which he made while he was with
his dark admirers in Haiti it is safe to assume that he is like his father
who is said to have been entirely free from race prejudice. But he has to do
what the Powers That Be direct and those gentlemen always forget that their
brothers and sisters of a darker hue are entitled to privilege and pleasure
which other citizens enjoy. However, there are no colored Senators and Representatives
in the Congress of the United States. The prejudice-ridden group
has seen to that. But how long will those who are victims of this discrimination
stand for it? That is indeed the question.

MEMBER OF THE YOUNG WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Phyllis Wheatly
Young Women's Christian Association
901 RHODE ISLAND AVE., N. W.
TELEPHONE N. 191
Washington, D. C.

March 8, 1928.

Dear Friend:

A copy of this letter is going out to all my
friends and to workers on all the teams.

You will remember that on my coming to Washington I counted
on our "Non-Stop-Flight to $20,500" being made possible
by Your and each of the other workers collecting $60.00
in twelve days, including each his or her own personal
gift. As a few workers have unfortunately fallen ill, and
have not been able to work, we are asking that they send
in at least their own subscriptions by Saturday, if they
have not already done so. We will see they are credited
to their teams.

And will you not collect more than your $60.00 if you possibly
can (some have already done this and are still working)
to bring up the average the share of those who are ill?

A problem in Mathematics for us: 400 workers, $60.00 each,
$24,000 by Saturday night. Can we solve it? Will we make
the whole country look with respect and admiration on the
Phyllis Wheatley of Washington because it made the non-stop-
flight on schedule time? Plenty more cards to take out, or
a plan, if you call up, to work without them.

I want to be glad I came to Washington - will you personally
see to it that I am before I leave on Monday?

Very earnestly,
Helen Farquhar Sanford
Helen Farquhar Sanford,
Campaign Director.

4
pieces. They did not say that to each other, and they were not conscious of
being indifferent to its security, perhaps, But the fact remains that when
human beings are in no direct, immediate danger themselves, they dont worry
much about the danger other people are in. If I had it in my power to
change that unlovely, reprehensible quality in human nature, I would do so.
                  [*Omitted*] [* April 14*]
At last Howard University will not be pestered every year by those Congressmen
who try to prevent it from receiving the appropriation which it needs
for its upkeep and which Congress has been giving it for 48 years. Every
time the matter is discussed in [the Senate] Congress, certain members of that august
body [make occasion] seize the opportunity to take an ugly fling at the Negro. They roll his faults
like a sweet morsel under their tongues. They rehash all the evil deeds he
has done and ridicule the idea of giving the race the higher education. If
these gentlemen had their way, all the students of Howard University who are
studying the higher mathematics and the sciences would be down in their section
picking cotton or in the various mines, where it is almost impossible to
get white men to work. Henceforth these orators will not have that phase of
the Race Problem to"stir up them up to mutiny and rage."For the Reed bill
has just passed the House which by an overwhelming majority- 226 to 94. It makes legal
thr annual appropriations for Howard University. Representative Reed,Republican
of New York, who introduced the bill is said to have declared he wanted to stop the annual
vaudeville performance which was pulled off every year every time the
appropriation for Howard University was discussed. Of,course gentlemen like
Cole Blease and a few others of his type made a desperate effort to defeat
the bill. Every Southern Democrat but one hurled thunderbolts of oratory
against it, but it has passed the House nevertheless. There is no doubt what
ever that it will get a majority vote in the Senate. After all , our group
has many broad-minded, generous- hearted friends in the dominant race.

RANDALL H. HAGNER & COMPANY 
REAL ESTATE 
4321 CONNECTICUT AVENUE 

TELEPHONE MAIN 9700 

CHARLES E. HAGNER 
MANAGER 
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT 

NEWARK FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY 
UNION ASSURANCE SOCIETY, LIMITED 
THE ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY
OCEAN ACCIDENT & GUARANTEE CORPORATION, LTD. 
STAR INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA 
LLOYDS OF LONDON, ENGLAND 

WASHINGTON, D. C.

January 14th, 1925. 

Mrs. Mary Church Terrell, 
1615 S Street, N.W. 
City.  

Dear Mrs. Terrell: 

Enclosed please find Union policy #701216 covering 
$6000.00 on your swelling at 1615 S Street, N.W. for a period of 
three years from December 4th, 1924, as per your request. 

I will be obliged if you will return the Union 
policy being $701196 which we sent you as we will cancel this 
policy no charge and are sending you the enclosed one in lieu 
thereof. 

Thanking you, I remain 

Very truly yours, 

CEH:AHG
(encl).

4

provides that there shall be a new congressional apportionment after 
the census has been taken, because it failed to do so after the 1920 
returns were in. Congressional apportionment is based on population.   
If there had been a reapportionment after the 1920 census had been taken, 
some States would have more representatives than they do now and some 
would have less. California, for instance, would be entitled to three more representatives 
than she has now and Missouri would have her representation 
reduced by two. Of course the votes in the electoral college would be 
also changed. "Suppose", says a man who enjoys dealing in conundrums, 
"Hoover should be elected by a plurality of five votes in the electoral college. 
Then, suppose it could be shown that if Smith had received the additional 
votes a reapportionment would have given him in the States he carried 
he would have beaten the Hoover plurality and would have been elected.
Would the Democrats in the States in which Smith would have gained the  
votes to elect him demand a decision of the Supreme Court based on the 
failure of Congress to make a reapportionment after the Census of 1920 
which deprived their candidate of his rights? It would be a good thing 
if something startling should happen which would compel Congress to 
obey the laws laid down in the Constitution. No wonder this is such a 
lawless country, when the lawmakers themselves flagrantly violate the 
laws themselves. 

Thanks to a doctor in Brussels, Belgium, it is no longer 
necessary for a woman to have wide or broad feet. Observing how unhappy 
some of the sisterhood were, because their pedal extremities spread over
too wide a surface, he set about to remedy such an unfortunate situation. 
The method employed is as simple as can be. The resourceful doctor just 
amputates one pair of little toes or may be two pairs, as necessity requires, 
and presto change, the lady has a pair of feet so narrow that she 
can easily squeeze them into a triple A. This custom is said to be 
spreading over Europe rapidly and an American women who resorted to this 
surgical operation to reduce the breadth of her ample feet declares that 
she received two marriage proposals in a week. With such advertisement 
to commend it, the practice of cutting off the little toes to improve 
the appearance of milady's feet will grow by leaps and bounds.     
   


   


 


nothing as a rule.
     
    In a variety of ways white men, who write for the press misrepresent the group which is not. In an editorial in which syndicates short editorials which appear in a large number of dailies declared not long ago "The negro in the South is as true to his own standards as other men are, but he will take a wife without benefit of clergy and feel that he does no wrong. It is the white man's law that requires marriage, not his."
    In the face of the well known immorality in the United States without
regard to race, color or previous condition, it is indeed strange that any man who has  the slightest regard 
for truth should single out any division or group as being especially 
prone to disregard laws making for decency and morality. In the large cities 
of this country, not to mention Europe, it is growing more and more common 
for men and women to live together as man and wife without benefit of clergy. 
This has been especially noticeable since the World War. It is hardly possible 
that "the negro in the South" sins more in this respect that do other [sons and daughters of the first families] groups who are white. Not long ago a man who has been studying the problems 
of marriage and divorce in this country for a long time declared that if [mat] 
something is not done to change the present tendency, the present tendency, the old fashioned
[as our for]
marriage will be practically absolute in fifty years. 
Even though this man is recognized as an expert, nobody can believe that his 
prophecy can possibly come true in so short a time as fifty years. But his 
statement is quoted to show how rapidly white are transgressing the 
law which the moral and the self-respecting are supposed to obey. This expert 
certainly was not talking about "Negro in the South," when he addressed 
an organization of white women to whom he made that startling statement. 
This habit of injecting something uncomplimentary, untrue and slanderous 
about those who have been the victim of such propaganda for years is altogether 
too common among the white writers of to day. The are always easing 
in something into thwir releases which causes those who read them to lessen or lose their respect 
for the group whose short comings and defect are grossly exaggerated. 
But what can we do to remedy such a situation. Even if a correction 
such statements is sent to the newspapers in which they have appeared 


4
had arrested on a charge of driving a truck with the headlight and the tail 
light out. The driver admitted that the lights were out, but he said he was 
going to have them fixed. The judge discovered that the man was driving a 
fFellowship forum truck. "What is that you said you worked for?" he inquired 
"I think its a Ku Klux paper, judge," said Courtney, the driver, who is not 
classified as a Nordic. "Aren't you afraid to work for them?" asked the judge. 
"Well, they aint bothered me none yet, judge, the man replied. After Courtney 
left the courtroom the judge chuckled to himself. "That's one of the funniest 
stories I've run against since I've been on the bench," he said. "A colored 
man working for the Ku Klux Klan is arrested by an Irish cop and is tri
tried by an Irish judge. Courtney enjoyed the joke, too, and he promised to 
heed the court's warning in the future to keep all his lights burning. 

  At Lindbergh's suggestion sixty three young men, one from every State and 
one from every large city in the country are to be given instruction in aviation. 
The plan calls for the appointment of boards to pass upon the qualifications 
of the men in each area. The best flier developed in this training will 
be given an $12,000 air plane, exactly like Lindbergh's new Ryan brougham
But, since this is the United States of America none but white boys need apply. 
Everyone else will be shut out. Is there nothing we can do to remedy or 
change this? Shall we continue to rest quietly under all this discrimination 
which closes the door of opportunity against our youth? I wonder what Lindbergh 
would say if he were requested to use his influence to give one of our 
boys a chance. When opportunities like this are offered "boys" in this country, 
it never even occurs to [anything but only white boys] boys is included. We could 
certainly suggest that there are boys belonging to other racial groups in 
the United States who deserve consideration when unusual opportunities are 
being offered.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
A. E. MEYZEEK, Pres., Louisville. 
A. S. WILSON, Sec'y, Louisville.
J. R. RAY, Treas., Louisville. 
W. J. CALLERY, Historian, Little Rock. 
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
P. MOORE, Princeton
MRS. L. C. SNOWDEN, Lexington
MRS. E. S. TAYLOR, Winchester
W. S. BLANTON, Frankfort
OFFICERS
MRS. F. H. WHITE, First V.Pres., Lexington
W. H. HUMPHREY, Second V.Pres., Maysville.
MISS L. V. RENELS, Asst. Secretary, Winchester.
M. J. SLEET, Reporter, Owensboro.

DEPARTMENTS  
J. H. WARD  
High School and College 
Departments  
Owensboro  
L. W. GEE  
Elementary School Dept.  
Hopkinsville.  
MRS. BLANCHE ELLIOT  
Primary Department  
Louisville Greenville  
MISS R. L. CARPENTER  
Music Department  
Louisville 
MISS M.B. ANDERSON  
Home Economics Dept. 
Louisville 
G. L. CORDERY  
Manual Training Department  
Lincoln Ridge   
MRS. T. L. ANDERSON 
Rural School Department  
Frankfort  
LEE L. BROWN  
Commercial Department  
Louisville  
R. D. ROMAN  
Principals' Conference 
Earlington  
MRS ESSIE D. MACK  
Parent-Teacher Dept.  
Louisville  

DISTRICT ORGANIZERS  
First  
MISS M. S. BROWN  
Mayfield
Second
S. L. BARKER  
Owensboro  
Third  
C. L. TIMBERLAKE  
Greenville  
Fourth  
R. L. DOWERY  
Elizabethtown 
Fifth  
MRS. D. L. POIGNARD  
South Park  
Sixth  
H. R. MERRY  
Covington  
Seventh  
E. S. TAYLOR  
Winchester  
Eighth  
J. W. BATE  
Danville  
Ninth   
J. RODGER JONES  
Mt. Sterling  
Tenth  
K. L. WALKER  
Hazard  
Eleventh  
J. H. INGRAM  
Middlesboro


KENTUCKY
Negro Educational Association
OFFICE OF SECRETARY
2518 W. MAGAZINE STREET

Place of Next Meeting-Louisville, Ky.
Dates of Next Meeting-April 18-21, 1928

Louisville, KY.
March 23, 1928

Mrs. Mary Church Terrell, 
314 National Bank Building, 
Syracuse, Mew York,
Dear Mrs. Terrell, 
      Prof. A. E. Meyzeek, the president of the Ky. 
Negro Educational Association, has informed me that 
he has had correspondence with you concerning a 
speaking engagement at the annual meeting of this 
association which is to be held on April 18. 

      Since we had the conference relative to inviting 
you to speak to us, a complete change of program 
has been made necessary because we have failed 
in getting some financial assistance which we had 
expected to aid us with our speakers. 

        I am therefore askingtthat you not arrange for  
the Louisville engagement at present. I do hope 
however that we shall be in position to have you 
come to us next year.
Very truly yours, 
A S Wilson
Secretary, K.N.E.A.
[*Copy of letter
Sent March 23, 1928*]

4
There had been a great deal of excitement here in Washington recently, because 
the Fellowship Forum headquarters, where the official organ of the Ku Klux 
Klan is to the published, suddenly collapsed. There were wild rumors that the 
building was blown up and the general manager of the paper insisted that it 
had been wrecked by "enemies of the Fellowship Forum."
      But the superintendent of police ridiculed the idea. He says the walls of 
the structure were weakened by digging in the basement to put in new presses. 
And it is said that the officials of the Klan will be prosecuted for making 
excavations without first securing a permit. Nothing could be less suitable 
for the name of a publication which will be used for propaganda against the 
Catholics, the Jews, and the Negro than the "fellowship Forum." It is a [?] the 
most striking example of a misnomer that one could possibly cite. There are 
three large groups of citizens of the United States [which] with whom those who publish the "Forum" can not "fellowship."
   But the building which collapsed is one of the eldest structures in the city and [and most interesting structure in the city]
there are few which are richer in historic interest than it is. In the first 
place, the Democrats dedicated it "as a monument to Andrew Jackson in the propagation [dedication] of his principles." The Grand Master of Masons of the District of Columbia used the same trowel in laying its corner stones as was used by George 
Washington in laying the corner stone of the Capitol. The inaugural ball after 
Zachary Taylor's election was held [ehld] on the third floor of the building, March 
4th, 1845. And if Franklin Pierce's son had not died, the inagural ball would 
have been held there again 1853. Maybe the old building which had had such 
an interesting, historical and dignified past just naturally caved in, when 
it realized to what use it was to be put in the National Capital by the Ku 
Klux Klan.

4

A survey is being made of the housing conditions of the colored people 
of Washington. William H. Jones, professor in Sociology at Howard University 
with 35 graduate students has undertaken this work. Reports have already 
been made which cover conditions found in streets, alleys sidewalks, and yards ??
the Northwest and the Southwest sections of the city. The disposal of 
garbage, sanitation, ventilation, lighting, plumbing, heating and repairs 
are to be included in this report which will be ready some time during year 
??? and will be published by the Federation of Churches. Dr. Anson Phelps, 
canon of the National Cathedral, is chairman of the race relations committee 
and Dr. Emmett Scott is secretary. Woofter's recent report on Negro housing 
conditions in American cities did not include Washington. 

And now a student at the University of Chicago tells the waiting world 
that human hair betrays race, nationality, sex and probably age. This last is 
the most unkindest cut of all. Fancy having somebody snatch a strand of your         
hair, so as to ascertain how old you are. An Irishman's hair, says this scientist, 
has a different weight from the Italian's, and a young Irishman's hair 
shows a definite difference in weight from an old one's. So there you are. 
If Science keeps on making such discoveries, it will be impossible to fib 
about your age or conceal any of your private affairs from the public. 

A noted Educator of China, Dr. Hu Shih, predicts that the Asiatic people 
will rise up against the whites within the next fifty years. He says that 
all over the Far East the people are deeply impressed with the fact that each 
nation should be allowed to govern itself. "I think India will throw off the 
yoke of oppression soon," he says. "It cannot be half a century before 
the nations of Asia are a brotherhood. Upon the attitude of the white races    
toward us then," he says, "will depend whether there is to be the most titanic 
struggle the world has ever seen." It is a long lane that has no end. 

The white races have kept their iron heel of oppression upon the necks of 
the dark races for many centuries, but justice will undoubtedly prevail in the 
end. 

4

be allowed to do. I am acquainted with one colored woman who was employed 
by a large daily in the East many years ago, when the prejudice against 
colored people in the North was not as pronounced as it is to day. She was 
given a chance by a broad-minded man who wanted to see what a colored women 
could do with such a job. She has succeeded admirably in her work and enjoys
the respect and confidence of both her employers and her associates. In 
spite of the splendid record which this colored woman has made, however, it 
is doubtful whether one of her race could secure a similar position on that 
same paper today. I am also acquainted with another colored women who by a 
fortunate concatenation of circumstances secured employment in the fashion 
department of a large magazine in the East. But these outstanding cases are 
simply the exceptions which prove the rule. It is about as easy for a colored 
women to secure such a position as either of these as it is to catch 
greased lightning in a bottle. 

In spite of my college education I might walk up and down the streets 
of ninety-nine cities out of every hundred in the United States without being 
able to get employment as a typist or stenographer with a white firm. My degrees
of A.B. and A.M. from Oberlin College and travel
abroad would avail nothing. Here and there it is possible to find isolated 
cases in which rare, fortuitous and fortunate circumstances have made 
it possible for a well-educated colored woman to secure a position as typist 
or stenographer with a white firm, but these are about as rare as the proverbial
hen's teeth. Colored women got such jobs about as often as one finds 
a bag of gold at the end of the rainbow. 

It occurred to me while I was still in college that it would be a fine 
thing to earn some money during the summer vacation. I had never done so, 
and as I happened to be in New York City one summer, I thought it would be a 
most opportune time to begin. I had heard my college friends talk about the 
desirable positions which students during the summer vacation were able to 
secure. One of them had been employed by a wealthy woman who wanted a young, 
intelligent girl to read aloud to her, write letters for her and act in the   
                 




3  duplicate side
that the number of old-fashioned homes, [haxx] which meant that each family had a separate dwelling to itself, should be decreasing. for any reason whatsoever. For a long time experts who study the tendency of the times have been declaring that the home as it was fifty years ago is becoming rarer [xxxx] and rarer [xxxx] every day, particularly in the cities. Writers who used to paint [xxx] a beautiful picture of the home with the numbers of the family sitting around the dining room table, the parents [readingxar] reading while the children studied their lessons, can no longer do so now unless they draw on their imagination. There are one hundred things to attract people-old and young- from their homes to day, where there was only one a few years ago. Let us hope, however, that the old fashioned home as it once existed will not become altogether extinct. 
                     X              X                                X                           X                        X
  Speaking of home reminds me that a well-known official in a big real estate corporation recently advised people to make every possible sacrifice to buy a home. He told them not to hesitate to go in debt to acquire a home, assuring those who do so that is they really want to own one, [kkxt] [xxxxxxxx] things generally work out right in the long run. It is amazing, he says, the way payments will be taken care of an the mortgages reduced as the seasons go by. Just as soon as a man has a steady job, he say, and enough money to make a down payment. he should begin to look for a house. The rest can be easily arranged by paying a certain sum each month, while one lives in his newly-acquired residence. According to his opinion the following are a few important reasons why one should own his own home: 
"1. Home ownership gives stability in a [kx] business way, for credit is more often extended to a home-owner than a renter. 
"2. Your ability to care for your family is best evidenced in the possession of a home. 
"3. If you have a sudden call for capital or are in dire distress, money usually can be realised if you have a home to pledge as security. 
"4. A home purchases on the payment plan encourages the cultivation of thrift and its continuance thruout your life time. 
"5. You can get a lot of comfort and pleasure tinkering about and fixing upward


2
upward with aversion and distrust. In one of the theatres in Washington I heard a group of white men give the rebel yell which fairly [fxx] shook the rafters, when the black boy had injured a beautiful little white girl was about to be lynched. And every time the Ku Klux Klan appeared with its sheets and foolscaps the audience went into raptures. For, your National Capital, remember, is situated on southern soil. 
   The Jews organized a society to defend their race against slander and misrepresentation in the press, in books, on the stage and elsewhere a long time ago. Now the Irish are following suit. What can our group do to stop the propaganda which so seriously militates against it to day?
                     X                        X                                X                             X                      X
    You needn't worry any more, if you are not sure you know how to use shall and will according to old-fashioned grammar. Neither need you weep and wail, if you may "who did you see to day?" instead of whom. And it makes no difference at all, if you never heard about the nice little distinction between  may and can. Commit any offence [skkeenxe] against the poor old English language you care to, and you have pretty good authority for doing so. For a jury acting  for the National Council of Teachers of English has just sanctioned the misuse of shall and will, says who and whom are acceptable and declares you needn't bother yourself about that old may and can rule. Up to date this jury has not put its seal of approval upon "none are" or "it is me", but it is young yet and there is plenty of time to make this change. People are no longer concerrned about the niceties of speech. They simply want to tell you as clearly and forcibly as possible what is on their minds. The old fashioned sticklers for pure English may rave and tear their hair, but theirs is a losing cause. Folk who speak and write nowadays feel like the men who couldn't spell [xgxxdl] correctly. He edited a newspaper which was far from being a spelling book. One of his friends took him to task about his poor orthography. "Why in the world dont you learn to spell better?" he said. "Oh, replied the editor," what people want is ideas. They dont give a hang for spelling."
                         X                         X                                    X                            X

3
I delivered a great many campaign speeches thruout the Kast. I would work 
all day in the New York office, take ran afternoon train when it was possible to reach the place 
at which I was to speak in time, fill the engagement take the midnight train back 
[for] to New York and reach my office in time to begin the day's work. For instance, 
I left New York one day at three minutes past one o'clock in the afternoon 
reached NewPort at 7, began to dress at 7:35 ate a bite or two, made my 
campaign speech and was on the [New York] boat bound for 9:45. (and splendid meetings were arranged everywhere) [and] (the women [seemed eager to] entered the campaign enthusiastically)
But [in one of the] Then I went to fill an engagement in a city in one of the States on the border 
line of the South I ran into trouble sure enough. Unfortunately for me I arrived 
on a train a little earlier that I was expected and the gentleman who 
            X          X                 X                     X                         X                        X
was to meet me was not at the station. Since I did not know where I was going 
to stop, I thought I would phone him to inquire about the arrangements 
which had been made. I went into the telephone booth but could not find his name. Knowing Since he was a well-known business man as well as a political leader 
in Republican circles I went to the window and asked the ticket agent if he 
knew [would be kind enough to tell] him and could tell me where I might locate him. [explaining] He ordered 
me roughly to look in the telephone directory, I explained that I had 
done so before I had come to him for information and could not find the name. 
"Go away from that window," the agent roared [angrily] red as a flame with rage. 
I stood a second at the window transfixed to the spot with surprise that a man 
could fly into such a passion because a woman had asked a question. "Go away from 
that window", the ticket agent roared again, "or I'll have you arrested. I'll 
call the police. "For what?" I inquired. He then rushed angrily to the to the telephone, 
took down the receiver and began to talk. Naturally I was sure he had 
carried out his threat. Feeling [sure] certain that the police would soon come to arrest 
me, I thought I would ask information for the number of the man who had 
charge of the meeting I was to address in a few hours. While I was phoning I 
looked up and saw the ticket agent standing at the door of the booth glaring 
at me and listening to what I said. At first I though he had come to strike 
me, He was in such a towering rage, but, when he did not do so, I decided he
                                 X                            X                            X                                X

2
The watch they had in mind, they said, would use no electric current, 
[and] would not have to be wound and would keep perfect time. 
     With characteristic determination and persintence Turner [Turner] 
worked in a laboratory at the Waltham plant for a long time, trying to 
find a key to the problems which had to be solved, before he could produce 
the thing he had been asked to make. And he finally succeeded in doing 
just what he had been commissioned to do. But it cost twenty dollars each 
to make the timepiece which Turner invented, so that the Waltham Company 
abandoned the idea of manufacturing it. Electric clocks had been put on 
the market, none of which sold for less than a dollar. 
    No better proof that the Turners services with the Waltham people were 
considered satisfactory by them could be cited then the fact that they helped 
him get fine position with the National Company of Boston which manufactures 
short wave apparatus. The work which the young man did successfully here for 
four years may be regarded as a miracle. In spite of the fact that he had 
never had any formal training as a radio engineer he was employed by this 
company in that capacity, was given the hard job of aligning receivers and 
had to approve every piece of apparatus which was sent from the shop.  
      On more than one occasion while the young scientist was forging 
ahead so brilliantly, people wrote to the company for which he was working 
saying that it was not true that he had built the smallest radio. And this 
challenge was sometimes accompanied by a set smaller than the one which had 
made him famous. Turner wasted no time denying this claim and arguing the point. 
He simply built a set so small that it could pass through a needle's eye 
and that has settled question for all time. 
     Turner has not confirmed his activities exclusively to his work 
in the shops where he has been employed. In addition to his technical 
knowledge and skill he wields a very facile pen. He has contributed articles 
to magazines specializing in Radio news such as QST, the Eperimenter, and 
Radio News. He has a knack of making technical articles interesting and 


2
not joined together in wedlock. The reasons why colored women should do 
anything in their power to defeat any bill like Senate Bill 2160 are 
so numerous and apparent that it would be a reflection upon their intelligence 
to mention them. 
    The chairman also urged the women to write their Senators to oppose vigorously 
a bill introduced by senator Cole Blease of South Carolina which 
provides for Jim Crow Street cars in the District of Columbia. This is 
Senate Bill 2979. If it should pass, it would be subjected to this humiliation, whenever 
they visit their National Capital. 
       There is one measure to which the chairman wants especially to call 
the attention of the National Association, because it should deeply, vitally 
interest every woman in the United States. And that is the Child Labor 
Amendment. Our women should do everything in their power to influence their 
State Legislators to support it. Before this human and beneficent legislation 
to protect helpless children can become a law, it must be passed by two 
thirds of the States. The Child Labor Amendment has been passed by both 
houses in the following States: Arkansaw, Arizona, California and Wisconsin. 
Lets stop long enough to give three cheers for the great State 
in which we are now holding our Biennial. California has set a fine example 
to the other States by passing the Child Labor Amendment. 
The Child Labor Amendment has been passed by one house in New Mexico and 
Montana. 
    The Child Labor Amendment has been rejected by both houses in the following 
States: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, 
Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, 
South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. 
Not long ago I read that Kentucky unanimously rejected the 
amendment. 
   The Child Labor Amendment has been rejected by one house in the following

2

right to put a clamp on the lips of any clear-thinking minister of the 
Church of Christ." This shows what ministers of the gospel will do, when they
want to put evil doers out of commission. When they do not urge the 
members of the Church to put down certain kinds of lawlessness which snatch 
the right of citizenship from thousands of their brothers in Christ, it is 
simply because they don't care a hang. When Bishops do not urge "the ministers 
and laymen to make themselves felt politically" to pass a bill designed 
to stop the beating, shooting and burning to death of helpless human beings 
it is simply because these crimes don't disturb them a bit. Only once in recent 
years have the ministers been so aroused as they are to day. That was 
when Jack Johnson knocked a white man out in a prize fight. Oh then, these 
representatives of Christ really got busy. They insisted that the Movies 
should not show the pictures of this trouncing of a white man and they 
fought so hard, they won their fight, It all depends upon whose ox is gored,   
the good ministers think. 

There is nothing like a sense of humor to keep people from making themselves 
ridiculous. If the "Dry Democrats" who met in Memphis a short while 
ago had possessed this, they could not possibly have issued a statement 
they made. When somebody presented it to the assembled group, they would all 
have laughed uproariously instead of adopting it as their slogan and let it 
go at that. But these gentlemen actually sent this delicious bit of pious 
pretense out to the world, 

"For the sake of the Democratic principles 
which Gov. Smith has abandoned and transgressed, we appeal to the millions
of Democrats of the Union WHO REVERE THE CONSTITUTION AND RESPECT THE LAW 
to cooperate with us in wrestling Democracy from the unclean hands of Tammany 
Hell by defeating the candidacy for President of prohibition's most 
dangerous foe." Undoubtedly some of the men who voted for that statement     

 

   


DUNBAR NATIONAL BANK
MEMBER FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
2824 EIGHTH AVENUE AT 150TH STREET

Joseph D. Higgins             
President   
                
Telephone 
Bradhurst 7800

NEW YORK
                         
September 11th, 1928

Mrs. Mary Church Terrell:
                 I take the liberty of writing you this 
personal letter to apprise you and through you, if possible, 
your many friends of the opening of THE DUNBAR 
NATIONAL BANK OF NEW YORK on Monday, September 17th, 
and to invite you and them with all cordiality to be 
present on this significant occasion. 
                 This institution is designed to contribute 
steadily and wisely, along with other agencies, 
to the betterment of business conditions here in Harlem. 
It is a community bank and as such it will endeavor right 
earnestly to deserve permanently the active interest and 
support not only of business men and women but of all good 
citizens. This is a bank without prejudices, whether of 
race or sex or religion or economic status. Its services 
are entirely at the command of the humblest citizen. 

Sincerely yours, 
J G Higgins
Joseph D. Higgins
President 



2
rescued from the ruins of the Mather mine where he had been entombed for 
six long days and nights. Nobody dreamed that any human being could possiblly 
survive for so long a time the awful conditions in that mine which had been wrecked by an explosion [for so 
long a time]. Nearly 200 men had lost their lives in the tragedy. After this 
man had been found alive after he had been in the mine 60 hours. This was 
considered a miracle and it never occurred to anybody to entertain the 
slightest hope that another human could still be living. down in that tomb 
of destruction and death. But, the rescuing party who had gone to remove the dead found Wade sitting calmly 
in a portion of the mine about two miles from the entrance. He was apparently 
none the worse for wear and said he has kept form starving by eating 
what he had found in the dead miners' food buckets. We are lawys hearing 
learned men talk about the "survival of the fittest." According to that theory 
this man who does not belong to the dominant race was certainly the 
fittest"miner of them all. Anyhow he was "superior" in the ability to 
live after nearly 200 men had perished. It's a great thing to know how 
to live under conditions which others can not survive.
         This is indeed an encouraging bit of news item which comes from Vicksburg, Mississippi. A federal judge has set aside a verdict for a sum of money 
awarded by a jury, because belonging to a group which frequently does not 
receive justice in the courts of that section, because it was too small. 
Johnson sued a lumber company because the foremen struck him over the head 
for refusing to work on Sunday. The Jury returned a verdict for $167.33. 
The judge set aside this verdict, because it was grossly inadequate," he 
said, "and evinced prejudice and passion on the part of the jurors." 
"Although Johnson is a negro, declared the judge, the jurors were white men and Johnson was represented 
and prosecuted by white men before a white judge, it is the sole 
duty of the judge to see that he gets a fair trail." One feels like exclaiming 
"Will wonders never cease?" Here indeed is a just and righteous 
judge. 

But what is the matter with our jury system? It is well known that 
[*rescued from the ruins of the Mather mine for more than six days and nights.*]
notorious criminals often are not convicted although most convincing proof

OFFICERS 

Miss Bertha L. Bailey, President 
Mrs. W. H. Merriam, Vice-Pres. 
Mrs. H. S. Janes, 2nd Vice-Pres. 
Mrs. W. T. Anderson, 3rd Vice-Pres. 

The Phyllis Wheatley Association 
Incorporated 
4450 CEDAR AVENUE 
CLEVELAND, OHIO 
 
OFFICERS 

Mrs. F. L. Taft, Chairman of 
Kingsley-Arter Center 
Mr. J. R. Wyllie, Treasurer 
Jane E. Hunter, Secretary 

May 25, 1928 

Dear Friend: 

FIVE THOUSAND MEMBERS IS OUR SLOGAN, and do you know we are really 
counting on you as one of the five thousand? 

The Welfare Federation, of which the Phillis Wheatley Association is 
a member has requested the Board of Trustees to conduct its Annual 
Membership Drive in the sprint, of each year, rather than in the fall. 
We are, therefore, appealing to you and sincerely hope you will send 
us your membership on or before June 10th. If you will do this, we 
will not cal on you again until May 1929. 

The long talked of new Phillis Wheatley Association is now a reality, 
and we have adequate equipment to do an outstanding piece of work.     
But to do this, we must, however, have your cooperation and support. 

We could tell you of the many things which we are doing for young 
girls and women, but know this is needless, because you get an idea 
of our work through "The Open Door" our little monthly paper. Your 
membership will enable us to make more openings for our young people. 

Now, as never before, we need your assistance and know you will respond 
to our appeal. We are enclosing two membership cards; one is for a
new member and one is for your own. One dollar is for associate membership 
and five dollars is for voting membership. Please make check 
payable to The Phillis Wheatley Association, and may we ask to hear 
from you within the next week or ten days, because we must close our
campaign by June 10th. 

We assure you that we will appreciate your support in this effort. 

Sincerely yours 
Jane E Hunter 
General Secretary 
The Phillis Wheatley Association 
 
FNC:JEH:PWA:S

FIVE THOUSAND MEMBERS IS OUR SLOGAN 

 2

ed? Not at all. But they should make it a rule, when they discuss such a 
disaster that has overtaken colored people in the presence of our youth 
always to refer to a similar occurrence which has taken place among white 
people. And there is a good reason for pursuing such a plan. The fact that 
a disaster similar to the one which has befallen colored people has overtaken 
white people also counteracts the effect which this failure of their 
own group has made upon our young people's minds. I once heard a white man 
who was very friendly to colored people declare that the emphasis laid upon 
the crimes committed by colored people in the white press had a tendency to 
make white people believe that colored people are more criminal than any 
other racial group. When a human being hears some on thing continually, 
after a while he believes it is true from the constant repetition, whether 
it is based on fact or not. 

So, PLEASE DON'T ridicule the race and speak contemptuously of its outstanding 
representatives in the presence of children and then complain that 
the rising generation has no self respect and is ashamed of being identified 
with our group.        
      



2

sessions attended by delegates from 42 large cities [ask] who told about the fight they 
are making against the loan shark and the men who buy salaries. One of the directors 
of the Russell Sage Foundation promised to give financial assistance to the Better 
Business Bureau to help curb [the loan shark] money lenders who charge usurious interest. He thanked the Bureau for putting 
the loan shark out of business in Atlanta, where the first of the salary 
buyers known as the big four was [driven to [?] stop]] forced to stop robbing the public. Laws [ag]
against charging exorbitant rate of interest have already been passed in many 
States and arrangements whereby people can borrow small sums at a reasonable rate 
[of interest] have also been made. Several leading railroads, notably in North 
Carolina and South Carolina, are helping to drive out the [sharks] money lenders who buy the 
salaries from the men employed and then charge them excessive interest. 
In Alabama, however, the loan shark has but up the stiffest fight and has thus 
far been able to prevent the enactment of laws which would prevent him from 
ruining people who are at his mercy. In that State colored people and poor whites 
are the greatest victims. But all over the country it is our group which suffers 
most at the hands of unscrupulous men who lend them money in their hour of 
need on terms which it is impossible for them to meet and which spell ruin. 
            X                    X                            X                         X                                 X
[The] An investigation has been made by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 
to show whether people prefer living in an apartment house to residing in 
[their] a separate dwelling. There is no [dobt] doubt whatever that the trend is decidedly 
toward the apartment house. Only two of the [four] cities out of the fourteen 
investigated show any tendency to live in single homes. These are Baltimore 
and Milwaukee. In all the others a [decded] decided preference for the [aprtment]  apartment house was 
shown. In New York 99.9 percent of the people live in apartments. Here in 
the National Capital more than half of the citizens follow suit.             
There is no doubt that it is much easier to live comfortably in an apartment 
house where heat is furnished in the winter and certain services included 
in the rent than it is to do all the work one's self. It is growing more and 
more difficult for even the wealthy to secure competent helpers and the cost of 
doing so is prohibitive to people of limited means. How ever it seems a pity

2

every man to carry a revolver in his pocket. Fortunately, no one was injured
and I was allowed to remain with my courageous father in the white coach.
Naturally, this incident agitated my young mind considerably. I plied my
father with questions. I thought of all the sins of omission and commission
against which my mother had warned me before I left home. I could think of
nothing I had done wrong. I could get no satisfaction from my father, for
he refused to talk about the affair and forbade me to do so.

In relating the incident to my mother, when I reached home, I asked her
why the conductor had wanted to take me out of a nice, clean car and put me
into an old, dirty one. I told her that I had been careful to do everything
she had instructed me to do. My hands were clean and so was my face. I had
hadn't mussed my hair. It was perfectly smooth brushed straight back from
my forehead. I hadn't soiled my dress. I was sitting up straight and proper.
I was not looking out of the window resting on my knees with my feet on the
seat as I dearly loved to do. I was not talking loud. In short, I assured
my mother I was "behaving like a little lady", as she had bidden me to do.

The tears rolled down my mother's cheeks as she patted me on the
head and comforted me by saying that she was quite I was behaving myself,
but she explained the incident by telling me that sometimes mean conductors
on railroad trains treated good little girls very badly. Seeing
their children scared and wounded by race prejudice is one of the heaviest
crosses which colored women have to bear.

On the occasion to which I referred my father was able to do something
in his child's behalf which I was unable to do many years afterwards, when
my little daughters were subjected to similar treatment in a State much further
North. Father threatened to sue the railroad company, because the
conductor had tried to eject me from a first class coach, although he had a
first class ticket and had purchased a first-class half ticket for me.
Since there was no law in the State compelling colored people to ride in a
separate coach, as there is to day,  a good case against the railroad company
might easily have been made.

When my little daughters were about ten and twelve years old, I

3

was invited to be one of five judges for an art exhibit made by colored
people for the Jamestown Exposition. In going from Jamestown to Norfolk
we boarded an electric car. The condictor did not observe that the girls
were with me, so he directed them to a seat near the front. The two back
seats on each side of the aisle were reserved for colored people, and
knowing the law all to well. I took one of these. One of my children
turned around to see where I was and beckoned to me to come up to the front
and take a seat behind them.

"Are those our children?" the conductor inquired. "Why do you ask?" I
countered. "You'll see," he replied. Whereupon he went forward and rudely
ordered my two little girls to go back to one of the rear seas where they
belonged. The children did not understand what it was all about. They knew
nothing whatever about the Jim Crow laws. They had never heard that colored
people were obliged to sit in certain seats or in separate cars anywhere
in the United States. They had lived in Washington, D.C., to be sure,
where there are separate churches and separate schools, but where there are
no special places assigned to colored people in the street cars. In their
tender youth I tried to keep them in ignirance of the indignities to which
colored people are subjected on account of their race. I argued that as they
grew to womanhood, they would learn about them soon enough.

Althoug, as a colored woman I have passed through many harrowing experiences
which I should like to forget, I can recall nothing with pained
me more than when I heard my little girls ordered out of the front seat,
saw them forced to walk down the aisle with the passengers gazing at them
in their confusion and take seats in the Jim Crow section of the car.

But the most serious thing which confronts me as a colored woman is my inability
to secure employment in the pursuits in which I am fitted by nature
and training successfully to engage. It would practically impossible for me
to secure a position in a newspaper office, for example, in any city of
this country to do the kind of work which a woman belonging to any race expcept
the one with which I am identified, would under similar circumstances

2

sessions attended by delegates from 42 large cities [ask] who told about the fight they 
are making against the loan shark and the men who buy salaries. One of the directors 
of the Russell Sage Foundation promised to give financial assistance to the Better 
Business Bureau to help curb [the loan shark] money lenders who charge usurious interest. He thanked the Bureau for putting 
the loan shark out of business in Atlanta, where the first of the salary 
buyers known as the big four was [driven to shut up shops] forced to stop robbing the public. Laws [ag]
against charging exorbitant rate of interest have already been passed in many 
States and arrangements whereby people can borrow small sums at a reasonable rate 
[of interest] have also been made. Several leading railroads, notably in North 
Carolina and South Carolina, are helping to drive out the [sharks] money lenders who buy the 
salaries from the men employed and then charge them excessive interest. 
In Alabama, however, the loan shark has but up the stiffest fight and has thus 
far been able to prevent the enactment of laws which would prevent him from 
ruining people who are at his mercy. In that State colored people and poor whites 
are the greatest victims. But all over the country it is our group which suffers 
most at the hands of unscrupulous men who lend them money in their hour of 
need on terms which it is impossible for them to meet and which spell ruin. 
            X                    X                            X                         X                                 X
[The] An investigation has been made by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 
to show whether people prefer living in an apartment house to residing in 
[their] a separate dwelling. There is no [dobt] doubt whatever that the trend is decidedly 
toward the apartment house. Only two of the [four] cities out of the fourteen 
investigated show any tendency to live in single homes. These are Baltimore 
and Milwaukee. In all the others a [decded] decided preference for the [aprtment]  apartment house was 
shown. In New York 99.9 percent of the people live in apartments. Here in 
the National Capital more than half of the citizens follow suit.             
There is no doubt that it is much easier to live comfortably in an apartment 
house where heat is furnished in the winter and certain services included 
in the rent than it is to do all the work one's self. It is growing more and 
more difficult for even the wealthy to secure competent helpers and the cost of 
doing so is prohibitive to people of limited means. How ever it seems a pity

(3) 

American Society of Zoologists, the American Naturalists, and a 
corresponding member of the Societe des Sciences Naturelles 
at Mathematique (France). 

In 1914 received the first Spingarn Medal for his contributions 
to science. In 1920 was awarded honorary LL.D by 
State College of South Carolina. Since 1920 has been the Julius 
Rosenwald Fellow in biology of the National Research Council.  

Is generally regarded as the leading authority in the world 
to-day in his special field. His work is always accepted as 
painstaking, careful, accurate and authoritative. 

Has taught only at Howard University since his appointment 
in 1907, Served from 1912 to 1920 as professor and head of the 
department of Physiology in the Medical School of Howard University. 
From this position he resigned to devote himself as head of    
the department of zoology, more intensely to the training of pre-
medical students. Has always given enthusiastic service without 
reservation to his work as a teacher and to the promotion of 
Negro scholarship. 

  

3

health authorities were at their wits end to know what to do with the afflicted 
man. There was little doubt that he had contracted the dread disease while he 
was in his country's service, but even if the government officials had felt that they 
were under no obligation to care for him, it was necessary to protect the public  
from a leper. So a little house was built for him on the outskirts on the National  
Capital and there he stayed for a long time. But he would escape now and then 
much to the horror of the health authorities and the citizens of Washington, till 
he was finally sent to the lepresarium in Louisiana. A few weeks ago he escaped 
from there and made his way to his home in North Carolina. His family lives near 
Tryon and to them John Early went. When the Federal officers came to get him, both 
the leper and his friends resisted their effort to return him to the leper's colony 
in Carrville, La. Early was found hiding in a ravine a short distance from his 
brother's house with a repeating rifle in his hands. He had to be carried by the 
health department agents to his shack, refusing to walk a step. All the members
of Early's family were armed and it looked as though there would be considerable 
trouble for a while. But the leper finally decided to go with the officers and trouble was 
thus averted. Before he went, however, he made a plea to be allowed to spend the rest 
of his days in his own beloved North Carolina mountains which would have softened 
the heart of a stone. It is said that the nine Federal and county officers who 
had come to get him were held well nigh speechless for nearly an hour by the power 
of his eloquent appeal. 

He stood coatless under a bright afternoon sun at the summit of one of the 
cliffs which he loved and swept his finger across the broad expanse of the fertile 
valley below him, as he begged the officers to allow him to remain there. 

"They don't have hills like these down in Louisiana", he said. "They don't have 
this life-giving air and the whisper of birds in tall trees. There's nothing much 
but rows of level homes and the river. I don't want to go back there any more,"
and he shook his fingers at the officers. "Haven't they cooped me up long enough?
For nineteen years they have carried me back, whenever I ran away. I only want to 
be left alone, and I won't harm anybody." But the Federal authorities took him 
back to the lepresarium, as it was undoubtedly their duty to do. One can not help 

5

mystery murder seem far off. Mrs. Russell, a colored woman, is figuring 
very conspicuously in the case, because her testimony refutes that of the 
famous "Pig Woman", who says she saw Rev. Hal and Mrs. Mills murdered. 

It is claimed that much of the evidence brought out in the trial four 
years ago has disappeared and nobody knows how it happened. The new witness 
upon whose testimony Mr. Simpson depends largely to convict the guilty 
parties claims that during the last trial she kept silent, because the witnesses 
whose testimony seemed to incriminate certain people were treated 
so badly she did not have the courage to tell what she knew.   
      

3

Soon after the National Association of Colored Women held its 32nd anniversary 
in Washington, some of the members engaged in a heated discussion 
as to whether it was really worth all the money expended and the energy consumed 
in putting it over. One of the disputants was quite sure that those 
who attended it were more than full repaid for any effort or money it cost 
to assist at the meetings. Her points are all well taken. There is an inspiration 
which comes from uniting with a group of individuals who are all 
interested in the same projects that you are and are trying to reach the same ideals toward 
which you yourself are striving. There is no doubt that many minds  
affect one single mind and that many minds functioning as one mean influence 
is powerfully for good or evil. The thinking which is done by a 
group and the emotions which are felt by a group of people are tremendous 
factors in uplifting and inspiring a single individual. During the World 
War the courage of the individual soldier was strengthened by that displayed
by his buddies. And those who remained at home met together frequently 
in groups, so as to keep up their morale and generate enthusiasm for the 
cause. The majority of the women who attended the recent Biennial at 
Washington undoubtedly derived great benefit from the discussions which 
were held, the opinions expressed and the methods used to transact the business    
of the organization. There is an indescribable inspiration which one 
receives simply from seeing nearly 700 women who have met together to promote 
the welfare of something in which they are interested and for the 
success of which they are willing both to make sacrifices and to work hard. 

Even though mistakes are made at such meeting and the standards of 
correct procedure are sometimes lowered, in the excitement or confusion 
which occasionally prevails at large gatherings, these regrettable occurrences 
can not destroy the good which is done. It will be an unfortunate day 
for men and women, when they stop holding and attending conventions and 
thus lose the inspiration which is always to be derived from groups of
human beings who are all interested in the same things and marching toward 
the same goal. To be sure the railroads reap a harvest, and the cities 
in which the conventions are held are considerably enriched, but 
can not have his cake and eat it too. Neither         
    
   

3
will not fly in the face of Providence therefore by opposing the union of those two
because of Chinese territory.  Of course Japan declares that she is simply
insisting that a certain pact be respected.  But the Nationalist government
comes back hotly with the statement that this pact which gave both Japan
and the United States rights to which they were not entitled was made by
the going regime which it has just overthrown and that consequently [for that reason]
it does not consider itself bound to observe it.  There is reason to hope
that Japan will retreat from her position to keep Manchuria from becoming
a part of the new Chinese Republic.  It is said that she has agreed not to
offer any further objection to the proposed union if Manchuria will
promise not to hoist the Nationalist flag for three months.  After that time
has expired she will not interfere.  If Japan believes such an arrangment
will enable her to withdraw from the controversy with dignity, let us hope
Manchuria will agree.  Let the non-white races come together somehow.
     An interesting health survey has just been made in Hagerstown, a
community consisting of 8,000 white people in western Maryland.  The result
of this investigation is considered especially valuable, because it
is based upon facts obtained from a population exclusively white.  The report
discloses that there is less sickness among persons in the early twenties
than at any other age.  The death toll during infancy and early childhood
is decidedly higher than during period of late childhood and adolescence
because babies are more susceptible to disease than they are a few years
later.  The people die from organic diseases, the investigation shows
while children fall victims to respiratory ills.  Since the various diseases
have been listed and a record has been given which shows how susceptible to
[to] them each age is, this is said to be one of the most important health
charts which has ever been made.  The health returns from Hagerstown will be
consulted by specialists all over the world.  It is the first time that results
based on age groups have ever been undertaken.
     Some newspapers have been engaged in playing the little game of
"Suppose."  It is well known that Congress violated the Constitution which



3
is thinner and more delicate, because they have lived in countries where there
was less sunlight to toughen the and where it was so cold they had to wear
clothes.  [Germs find it easier to enter thin skin than tough]  Colored races in tropical countries go about practically nude as a
rule.  The doctors who have been making a study of the subject claim also that
the lining of the throat and mouth is closely related to the outer skin
and that if the outer skin ringing through the lining of the threat and mouth
will be also.  It is much easier for germs to enter a thin skin than a tough one.
All this sounds very plausible and it is certainly very encouraging.  It is
gratifying to know that in a country where white people with thin skins rule
the roost there is some advantage in being dark with a tough ones.
     If you dont want to vote for either Hoover or Al Smith, there is another
outstanding personality for when you can cast your ballot.  Our friend J. Thomas
Heflin of Alabama is a candidate.  The organization which is now known as
The Knights of American Protestantisn but which is an off-shoot of the Ku
Klux Klan and was once called The Independent Klan of America recently held
a national convention in Indiana and endorsed Heflin.
     Everybody will be glad to learn that a man who had a weakness for gossip
has just been punished for allowing his big mouth to get him into trouble.
He told the acquaintances of a young girl in Camden, N.J.  that she had been
seen kissing a man in the parlor of her home.  The girl who is only nineteen
years old haled him into court and the judge gave him ninety days in jail.
The girl is to be congratulated for having courage and spunk enough to have
the male gossip arrested and the judge is to be commended for imposing the
sentence which he richly deserved.  The world would be a much safer and much
happier place to live in, if everybody who circulated poisonous stories about the 
character and conduct of others was sent to jail.  It would take a sight of
jails though.  There would have to be one on every corner.  There is no trait
more common and more [despical] despicable than the one which causes people to circulate
stories that ruin the reputation of others.  Not long ago the wife of ex-Governor
Pinchot of Pennsylvania declared that certain people had "organized"

BULLETIN 
of the 
JEFFERSON-LINCOLN LEAGUE
of the District of Columbia
Headquarters Suite 601, Our Home Life Insurance Building
1103 Vermount Avenue, N. W., Telefone Franklin 2821
No. 2       Washington, D.C., June 6, 1928.
NOTICE OF NEXT MEETING
The JEFFERSON-LINCOLN LEAGUE will hold a special meeting 
in room 1070, National Press Club Building, 14th & F Sts., N. W., on 
Friday, June 8, at 8:15 p.m.
     Mr. James A. Edgerton, President of the JEFFERSON-LINCOLN 
LEAGUE and Mr. John C. Foster, attorney at law, and National Head of 
the Sons of Jonadab, a total abstinence order, will address the meeting. 
    A round table discussion of ways and means for promoting 
the program of the JEFFERSON-LINCOLN LEAGUE will follow the addresses. 
     Free literature can be obtained at all our meetings or by 
calling our headquarters. 

AN OPEN LETTER
June 4, 1928
Hon. Frank T. Batcheller, 
The Minute Men of America,
105 Sumner Street, Newton Center,
Boston, Mass. 
Dear Sir, 
                The crisis that is now confronting the Democratic Party 
and the Country is my excuse for writing you. If a wet is nominated 
at Houston, as now seems possible, what are Democrats to do? 
For one, I do not want to vote the Republication ticket, nor do I wish 
to remain away from the polls. There seems no way out but to organize 
a new party. I find many leaders are in sympathy with this program 
but, of course, they cannot say anything publicly until after the 
Convention. I also find many Progressive Republicans who are of like 
mind. They oppose Hoover because he is not in sympathy with farm relief, 
is not any too dry, and remained in the Harding Cabinet without protest 
against his fellow members, Fall and Daugherty.



3  
did so with their tongues in their cheek. They winked at each other with 
an understanding nod, I am sure. They could not possibly have suppressed a 
smile, when they put themselves on record as revering the Constitution 
and revering the law. Some of them must have laughed out loud when they 
heard men in that group pledge themselves to repudiate the brazen attempt 
to commit the party (Democratic) to a policy of nullifying the Constitution. 
To quote George Rothwell Brown , the brilliant, broad-minded paragrapher 
of the Washington Post, "The only lessons in nullification that this 
country has ever learned have been taught by the wet-drinking, dry-voting 
South that is forcing prohibition on the North through votes in Congress 
based on a disfranchised Negro population. Watch your step, Dixie-what you 
really want to be afraid of is a lesson in Constitutional enforcement."  
At last Africa is coming into her own at the hands of Science. Bha-r 
[???????] the [????]ain the Latin language and consequently in the 
English came directly from the African. For instance, a Russian scholar who 
has been studying the subject declares that he believes the word "sol" meaning 
"sun" came from the African. [But?][for?][some?][rhush?] means hurry or the 
hand, he says has given rise to the Latin word "tangere" to touch with the 
English derivatives tangent and tangible, he says. 
 The Hottentots had a language of well developed structure. It was by 
no means crude and primitive and crude. People who are studying the origin 
of words are no longer confining themselves exclusively to the language of 
the Teuton and to the Sanscrit. They are delving into the age-old tongues 
of Africa to get the roots of words. Because scientists believe that in 
Africa may be found the source of race and language expeditions are constantly 
going into the dark continent to study the proof of this theory. In a 
book written several years ago the author advanced the idea that there is 
little doubt that Africa exerted a distinct influence upon this continent 
long before Columbus discovered America. And before America became a separate continent. It has been well established that human beings lived and 
moved and had their being in Africa when Europe was lying cold and frozen 
under ice fields. 

[*Dear Friend, 
We take pleasure in enclosing an invitation to a Barbecue to be held 
at Eagle Harbor on Decoration Day. This card is good for your entire party. 
We have made extensive plans for your entertainment and shall look forward 
to seeing you. Directions for reaching Eagle Harbor will be found on this 
invitation.
Eagle Harbor is the new summer colony on salt water, 30 miles from Washington, 
secured after an extensive search by the Washington Eagle for its 
friends. No more charming place could be found anywhere. Its 4,000 feet 
of the finest, clean, sand beach--its plains, plateaus, and wooded slopes--
its marvelous views and glorious vistas--lend a charm that no pen can picture. 
Most summer colonies are over estimated but it is universal concensus 
of opinion that our description does not do it justice. 
The Washington Eagle offers this colony to its friends at practically 
cost. Fine sites may be secured at $25.00. $5.00 gives you immediate 
possession and the balance is payable in 40 equal weekly installments at 
the Prudential Bank. A plot directly on the water may be secured as low 
as $100.00. The Prudential Bank also holds the deed to the plot you select 
for immediate delivery on completion of your payments. This assures absolute 
security and stability. It is a straight class proposition.
From most of the property the natural slope of the ground gives you 
a wide sweep of five miles of beautiful scenery along the wide, curving 
bank of the river. The truth is there are so many things to tell about 
it that you have to see it to appreciate that such a desirable spot may be 
obtained at such a absurdly low price. You may learn more about it from 
the current issue of the Washington Eagle. 
We have arranged for a bus to leave the Eagle Office, 907 You St. N.W., 
at 11 o'clock Decoration Day. If you no motor, telephone North 10402 
for reservations. 
Remember, this is not a real estate promotion scheme. The Eagle is not 
in the real estate business. Come out and enjoy Decoration Day with yourself 
and friends as our guests. We will see that you have a day long to be 
remembered. 
Sincerely yours,
The Washington Eagle
P.S. If you can't get away Decoration Day drive down Sunday. It is only 
30 miles and roads are excellent. If you desire an invitation for a 
special party of friends let us know and we shall take pleasure in sending 
it to them.
Summer Colony offices, 1224 You St. N.W. Telephone North 10402

3
3
...himself has been deliberately taken from him by certain stubborn officials of the Smithsonian Institute, he refuses to allow his plane to stay there. It is of priceless value, is the first airplane in which a human ever flew. It is an historic relic which any country would be glad to possess. It is to be hoped that some compromise will be made whereby Orville Wright will consent to allow his airplane to remain in the plane in the United States where it belongs.
   Will Rogers made a very wise comment on this controversy when he declared that the trustees of the Smithsonian decided Langley's machine could have flown first but didn't. "I could have flown to France ahead of Lindbergh", he said, but I just neglected doing it. I had a lot of other things on my mind at the time."
   For years it has been the custom in this country to talk about the immorality of France. The French always come back with the statement that what they did, they did openly and did not sneak around the back way to do it. But now France says that Americans are getting altogether too reckless for her, and she has decided to curb them, so far as she can, in their mad career. She will no longer grant divorces to rich Americans who go to Paris and to other French cities to seek them. She has recently refused to grant a divorce to a very wealthy American who tried to get one. French people rarely get a divorce themselves. They frown upon it. Americans have carried some of their worse scandals into the courts of France which have greatly shocked both the reputable people of that country as well as the press. For a while the French laughed at the epidemic of American divorces just as they smile at Americans who get so many thrills out of the night clubs and places of amusement which are supported largely by visitors. But so many stage and screen favorites, and society queens began to tell the world that they were going to France to relieve themselves of their undesirable mates, that this objectionable noteriety began to get on the nerves of the thoughtful French people and the Paris press began to insist that it was hurting the reputation of France. So hereafter rich Americans will not

2

sessions attended by delegates from 42 large cities [ask] who told about the fight they 
are making against the loan shark and the men who buy salaries. One of the directors 
of the Russell Sage Foundation promised to give financial assistance to the Better 
Business Bureau to help curb [the loan shark] money lenders who charge usurious interest. He thanked the Bureau for putting 
the loan shark out of business in Atlanta, where the first of the salary 
buyers known as the big four was [driven to shut up shops] forced to stop robbing the public. Laws [ag]
against charging exorbitant rate of interest have already been passed in many 
States and arrangements whereby people can borrow small sums at a reasonable rate 
[of interest] have also been made. Several leading railroads, notably in North 
Carolina and South Carolina, are helping to drive out the [sharks] money lenders who buy the 
salaries from the men employed and then charge them excessive interest. 
In Alabama, however, the loan shark has but up the stiffest fight and has thus 
far been able to prevent the enactment of laws which would prevent him from 
ruining people who are at his mercy. In that State colored people and poor whites 
are the greatest victims. But all over the country it is our group which suffers 
most at the hands of unscrupulous men who lend them money in their hour of 
need on terms which it is impossible for them to meet and which spell ruin. 
            X                    X                            X                         X                                 X
[The] An investigation has been made by the Bureau of Labor Statistics 
to show whether people prefer living in an apartment house to residing in 
[their] a separate dwelling. There is no [dobt] doubt whatever that the trend is decidedly 
toward the apartment house. Only two of the [four] cities out of the fourteen 
investigated show any tendency to live in single homes. These are Baltimore 
and Milwaukee. In all the others a [decded] decided preference for the [aprtment]  apartment house was 
shown. In New York 99.9 percent of the people live in apartments. Here in 
the National Capital more than half of the citizens follow suit.             
There is no doubt that it is much easier to live comfortably in an apartment 
house where heat is furnished in the winter and certain services included 
in the rent than it is to do all the work one's self. It is growing more and 
more difficult for even the wealthy to secure competent helpers and the cost of 
doing so is prohibitive to people of limited means. How ever it seems a pity



XXXX
[A WOMAN]   A woman's brain is equal to a man's. That has been definitely 
established at last by science. Mrs. Helen Gardner, a Washington woman, died 
two years ago and willed her brain to Cornell University. And after thorough 
[study] examination of this woman's brain, Dr. Papez [who has been [study] studying it closely] says 
that in its entire organization it reveals a wealth of gray matter that is 
only equaled, but not exceeded by the best brains in the Cornell collection.
   In the structure of her brain, this authority states, Mrs. Gardner has 
presented abundant evidence that the brain of a woman need not be inferior to 
that of a man of equal rank. Mrs. Gardner was a writer of magazine articles 
short stories and books. In one of her books "Sex in Brain" she showed that 
there was no essential difference in the general mass of brain in the sexes 
which could not be accounted for by the difference in the size of the body 
and that if the female brain had the same chance for development as the male, 
there would be no difference between them at all. And it is interesting 
to note that the Cornell collection of brains includes those of a number 
of doctors, professors, lawyers and naturalists.
   Mrs. Gardner was descended from Sir Oliver Cromwell and Lord Baltimore. 
In 1920 President Wilson appointed her to the United States Civil Service 
Commission, the first woman member of that body.
   By willing her brain to Cornell University this woman has rendered a 
great service to the world. Although women have distinguished themselves 
in every vocation in which they have been allowed to enter, nevertheless there 
were many who insisted that they were mentally inferior to men. Now that the 
brain of a woman who enjoyed educational and cultural advantages has been compared with those of men who were similarly favored, and after weighing, measuring 
and subjecting it to every possible test science has discovered that it is equal 
to the best of men's, there is no longer any reason why that old argument 
about women's mental inferiority should be heard in the land.

2
Hats off to Gertrude Ederle, hailing from the United States and only 19 
years old, [who is] the first woman in the history of the world who has succeeded 
in swimming the English channel. She not only broke the record, because 
she is the first woman to swim across the Channel, but she broke it 
because she swam across quicker than any of the five men who have succeeded 
in performing the same difficult and perilous feat. "Trudie", as her 
friends call her, swam across two hours quicker than anybody else has ever 
done. When the waves were mountain high and the sea was very rough, her 
veteran trainer insisted upon having her come out of the water. He had 
Trudie's father sign a statement exonerating him from all blame, if the 
girl should drown, before the tug following her could reach her. 
When her trainer commanded her to give up and come to the tug, Trudie 
called back "What for?" And now that is the newest slang in New York, used 
in honor of the heroine of the hour.
   An interesting feature of the event is the friendship which sprang up, between 
an Egyptian,[took in] and Gertrude Ederle. Ishak Helmy is described as being "very 
dark." But that does not seem to worry the women [swimmers] who have attempted 
to swim the Channel. He is a favorite with all of them. He swam quite a 
distance with Gertrude to encourage her on her weary way. Last year he 
saved a young woman, when she was about to drown. But Helmy is tall, handsome 
and rich-very rich. Nevertheless, it is a good thing the English Channel 
does not lie along side of the United States. For his chances of being 
treated with the courtesy shown him in France and England would be slim, 
very slim on this side of the big pond. Gertrude Ederle's triumph over 
almost insurmountable obstacles is a splendid illustration of what pluck, 
perseverance, persistent effort and confidence in one's self can do.
                                 X          X           X


3
however [now.]. There is only one hope for them. Maybe the Japanese artist is a bit 
biased in favor of women just now, because he is heels over head in love with 
an American girl whom he expects to marry soon. When men have been badly 
wounded by the arrows of Cupid, they are liable to say any old thing.
X     X       X      X        X       X       X       X       X       X       X
[England is still playing the role of tyrant as she has been doing for centuries. 
She is accustomed to keep those over whom she rules in complete subjection, 
so that she may extract from them the last farthing she can purloin. 
Several years ago Ireland gained her independence after struggling and suffering 
for it 700 years. This time it is Egypt she is threatening.
   After keeping Egypt as a British protectorate for eight years, England 
declared in 1922 that this protectorate had ended and that Egypt, which was formerly held by Turkey, would henceforth be an independent sovereign State. Of 
course this so-called [indepency] independency had several big, strong strings tied to it. 
It wouldn't be England's way of behaving under similar circumstances if there hadn't been.
   Recently a bill was introduced into the Egyptian legislature which provided 
that no steps should be taken against disorder 
in public assemblies except at the request of the Egyptian organizers of the 
meeting or unless disorders actually occurred and that the English policemen who violated 
this measure should be punished. The bill was passed by the Egyptian Chamber 
which compares with our House of Representatives and the Senate. England insisted 
that this bill should be withdrawn by the Egyptian legislature because she wants her snoopers to 
spy on all the gatherings which the Egyptians have. But nationalist feeling 
runs high in Egypt, and the Egyptian parliament refused to [accede to this demand] withdraw the bill.
   Then England gave Egypt just forty eight hours in which to comply 
with this demand. Two battleships and three cruisers were [then] immediately 
dispatched to Egypt to intimidate it. England felt certain that when [that] 
this fleet reached Alexandria, the government of Cairo would yield to her demands.
   Then Egypt displayed fine diplomacy and good, hard common sense 
by making a compromise. She declared that Great Britian had no right to 
interfere with legislation in the Egyptian parliament, but for the sake of]

3
now. There is only one hope for them. Maybe the Japanese artist is a bit 
biassed in favor of women just now, because he is heels over head in love with 
an American girl whom he expects to marry soon. When men have been badly 
wounded by the arrows of Cupid, they are liable to say any old thing.

[England is still playing the role of tyrant as she had been doing for
centuries. She [kept Ireland under the iron hand of oppression]  is accustomed to keep those over whom she rules under complete subjection 
so that she may get the last farthing from them for her own use. Several 
years ago Ireland gained her independence after struggling for it and suffering 
for it for 700 years. This time it is Egypt which she is threatening. 
After holding Egypt as a British protectorate for eight years England declared
in 1922 that this had ended and that this country which was formerly held 
by Turkey would henceforth be an independent sovereign state. Of course this 
so called indepency had several big strong strings tied to it. It would no 
be England's way of [?] under similar circumstances if there hadn't been.
Recently a bill providing that no steps should be taken against disorder 
in public assemblies except at the request of the organizers of the 
meeting or unless disorders actually occurred and that the policemen who violated 
this measure should be published. This bill was passed by the Chamber 
which compares with our House of Representatives and the Senate. England insisted
that this bill should be withdrawn, because she wants her snoopers to 
spy on all the gatherings which the Egyptians have. But nationalist feeling 
runs high in Egypt, and the Egyptian parliament refused to [accede to this demand] withdraw the bill. 
Then England gave Egypt just forty eight hours in which to comply 
with this demand. Two battleships and three cruisers were then immediately 
dispatched to Egypt to intimidate it. England felt certain that then that 
this fleet reached Alexandria the government of Cairo would yield to her demands.
Then Egypt displayed fine diplomacy and good, hard common sense 
by making a compromise. She declared that Great Britain had no right to 
to interfere with legislation in the Egyptian parliament. but for the sake]

WASHINGTON                       NEW YORK 

W. B. Moses & Sons 
ESTABLISHED 1861 
CORNER ELEVENTH & F STREETS NORTHWEST 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 

IMPORTERS 
AND 
RETAILERS 

TELEPHONE MAIN 3770 
MESSAGES RECORDED AT ALL HOURS 

OUR APPRECIATION 

All one of our customers may we extend to you a privilege that we 
are sure will be appreciated. On Monday May 7th we start what we consider one of the most important furniture sales that we have ever held. This sale will be advertised Sunday May 6th. To you and those who have been our regular customers we are extending a courtesy of three days advance inspection and selection. May 3, 4, and 5 will be known as customers' courtesy days. Make your 
purchases, charge them and have them delivered before the sale starts.

WHY THIS FURNITURE SALE?

Approximately 60,000 square feet of floor space in our store is 
used for the display of the samples of our immense stock of furniture. Usually these samples are disposed of at special times in order to provide space for new samples. The last sale of this nature was held for 2 days in February 1927. We have decided to take our entire stock of floor samples and discontinued numbers (approximately $265,000) and offer them at this time at reductions in prices that will quickly move the entire lot. 

Each piece will be plainly marked; whatever you select will be 
marked with your name, and the exact selections made by you will be delivered to you. No special orders will be taken at these prices. The price is for the furniture on the floor only. Each piece will be inspected and carries the Moses 
guarantee. 

FURNITURE OFFERED. 

Living room, dining room, bed room, solarium, kitchen, porch, 
lawn, tables, desks, odd chairs, refrigerators and occasional furniture of all kinds. This is our regular stock merchandise and is considered by those furniture for the average home, and furniture for the most pretentious homes 
are included in this sale.    

WE SUGGEST!

That you take advantage of these three courtesy days. Come early 
and make your selections while the stock is complete. We can arrange the terms to suit your conventions. We anticipate a bog crowd and a great rush when this 
sale is advertised. 

YOUR COURTESY DAYS THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, MAY 3, 4 AND 5. 

W. B. Moses & Sons 
Washington, D. C

15
while.
They know they have genuine friends among the broad-minded, generous-hearted white people of the United States, even though these good people often sit silently by and utter no protest against the injustices, prescription and prejudice which harass, hinder and humiliate colored women at almost every turn.
     But in spite of the opposition which in some sections is relentless, in spite of obstacles which are almost insurmountable, colored women can present to day such a record of progress in education, industry, finance and trade as has never been surpassed by any group similarly situated since the world began. Seeking no favors on account of their color nor even charity, on account of their needs they are simply knocking at the door of justice and are asking for an equal chance.

BURKLIN MANAGEMENT
Larch's
INCORPORATED
Washington's Foremost Cleansers and Dyers

CALL
Main 2022
for the cleansing
or dyeing
of 

826 12th Street, NW.
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Mrs. Mary C. Terrell,
1615 S Street,
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mrs. Terrell:

The other day I received quite a shock.

In passing through the store, I stopped to
greet one of our customers, and during our conversation
learned that she was undecided about dyeing a rather costly
garment. She said she really didn't want to bother me personally
about the matter.......

The shock I refer to was the thought that possibly
some others of our customers did not understand that we look
upon especially difficult dyeing and cleansing questions, not
as a bother, but as an opportunity to demonstrate our real
interest in the customer's problem, and our ability, from
many years' study and experience, to usually solve it satisfactorily.
Naturally, I prefer to have these matters brought
to me personally.

A reputation for the finest type of work, promptly
and courteously performed, is not enough. The writer will welcome
the opportunity to confer with you at any time on any dyeing
or cleansing question, and to make it his personal problem
to see that it is solved to the best of his ability.

May I have that privilege soon?

Very sincerely yours,

Robert M. Burklin

RMB/I

LERCH'S INC.

Rugs
Gloves
Blankets
Curtains
Portieres
Furniture
Fine Laces
All Garments
Etc.

14

As a colored woman, if I want to hear renowned singers or a great symphony,
if I want to see a good play, I am unable to do so in many cities,
unless I am willing to be segregated. There are theatres in the National Capitals
there are in other cities, from which colored people are excluded altogether.

If I want to send my daughter to a good academy in the North, I am very
fortunate indeed, if I succeed. From years ago I entered the daughter of a
friend in an Eastern Academy. It seemed to me unnecessary to say anything about
her race. After she had attended the school several months, somebody
informed the principal that she was colored. I was sent for, and questioned and
reprimanded severely, when I frankly admitted that a few drops of African
blood coursed through the girl's veins. She was promptly dismissed from
the school.

On another occasion when I had arranged in person to have a girl enter Bradford
Academy, I profited by my previous experience and wrote the principal that
she was colored. She replied by return mail that the girl could not be admitted
and rebuked me severely for not stating the the girl was colored at first
first. Since then the daughters of several prominent colored men have attended
that same academy, but it was the influence of their fathers' strong,
white friends which made it possible.

If a colored woman takes a journey and something unexpected happens en
route, so that she is obliged to remain all night in some city or town, she is
in an embarrassing plight indeed. In one section of this country she knows
she can not secure hotel accomodations at all. In no part of the United States does
she receive a welcome as a guest. and in many sections she feel absolutely certain
she can secure a room in a hotel.

Facing the facts as one finds them, therefore, it must be admitted
that being a colored woman in the United States is neither a sincere nor a
joke. Depressing, however, though the situation may be colored women are not
sitting supinely by with drooping heads, weeping eyes and folded hands. Many
of them are striving with might and main to solve their problems, so for as
they can, to work out their own salvation and to accomplish something worth

OPPORTUNITY 
Journal of Negro Life 
Published by the National Urban League 
17 Madison Ave., New York City 

Office of 
CHARLES S. JOHNSON 
EDITOR 

March 3rd 
1928 

My dear Mrs. Terrell:

We want you to own a copy of EBONY AND TOPAZ. The limited edition of 1500 copies, issued at the beginning of the year is 
going out with unexpected steadiness and there will not be 
another printing. If you are interested in what this new 
generation of Negro writers and artists is doing, the table of 
contents which we are enclosing will be sufficient. It does   
not mention, however, the rich and powerful drawings of 
Douglas, Cullen, Bruce, Holbrook and Braxton, nor the reproductions of the 15th century paintings by Gomez, the Negro of Spain, nor the little-known paintings of famous Negroes of the past, by Gainsborough, Sir Joshua Reynolds and Van Dyk. 

"Striking work", says Herschell Brickell in the New York Evening 
Post. 

"I am thrilled by its beauty and uniqueness", says C. C. Spaulding. 

"As a contribution to real understanding, I have met with nothing 
more helpful than this book". - Alfred Henderson in the Cincinnati 
Times-Star. 

The price is $3.00. If you are not getting Opportunity you may 
have both for $4.00. 

Very truly yours, 
[*Charles S. Johnson*]
Charles S. Johnson
EDITOR

Mrs. Mary Church Terrell 
1615 "S" St., N. W.
Washington, D. C.

Transcribed and reviewed by contributors participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.