Minneapolis spokesman. [volume], October 30, 1942, Image 1

About Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
In these columns this week
will be found the appeals and re
quests for votes from most of
the leading candidates for pub
lic office subject to the Nov. 3
elections. Read their ads. The
fact that they advertise here is
possible evidence of their inter
est in the Negro people of this
state and county.
N
OL. 9, NO. 12
j ■ w *
■ 4
CT
Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Hughes, 3852
Fourth Ave. S., have announced the
engagement of their daughter
Glaine Clarissa to Mr. Paul Arnold
Mayes, son of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd
Minnesotans Urged to Vote
for Elmer Benson, Former
Governor, for U. S. Senator
(Statement Issued by Boyd Little}chn & Herron)
Negroes of Minnesota should
give their whole-hearted indorse
ment to Elmer A. Benson’s can
didacy for United States senator.
There are many reasons why we
urge the election of this great
Farmer-Labor leader. The reasons
given here, we. believe, are perti
nent to the tremendous task of win
ning the war quickly and decisively.
America needs leal unity if ti is
to defeat its enemies both the
enemies abroad and the fifth col
umn at home. Mr. Benson fights
for that unity. His record is one
of the* best in the nation.
It was Mr. Benson who exposed
the Black Legion Fascist threat in
1936. It was Mr. Benson, then
United States Senator, who de
manded a joint House and Senate
investigation of that subversive
movement. The Congressional Rec
ord in 1936 quotes Mr. Benson in
these prophetic words:
“Evidence discloses that this
(Black Legion) organization
plotted to overthrow the govern
ment of the United States by force
and violence, establish a Fascist
dictatorship, and deny certain
classes of our citizens the rights
guaranteed under our Constitution.
“The activities of such an or
ganization, conducting terrorist
campaigns against labor, liberals,
and other groups of law-abiding
citizens, is a national outrage and
presents a national rather than a
state problem. Unless the federal
government acts quickly, we may
awake to the day when our cher
ished American liberty will be a
relic of the past.”
That same year Mr. Benson
called to national attention the ac
tivities of the Silver Shirts, an anti-
Semitic and anti-Negro organiza
tion whose leader Pelley recently
was imprisoned.
Because the administration gave
no heed to the appeals by Mr. Ben
son and other champions of the un
derprivileged, it has become pos
sible for some 750 subversive
groups to be in existence in the
United States at this time. Au
thority for this statement is found
in the September, 1942, issue of
the Readers Digest in an article
entitled, “The Ghost Walks Again.”
Successors to the Black Legion
continue to be active even since the
outbreak of war. They were found
inciting the race riots last spring
against the Sojourner Truth hous
ing project in Detroit. They have
made trouble in war industries and
in the armed services as well.
These same forces are respon
sible for the lynchings and terror
ism which the Axis propagandists
use in their efforts to create dis
loyalty among American Negroes.
The administration’s indifference
(until Pearl Harbor) to these
homegrown Fascist movements, we
believe, is a contributing factor to
the present state of international
chaos.
Therefore we pledge our efforts
to elect Mr. Benson to the United
States Senate where we know he
will fight to:
1. End racial and nationality dis
crimination NOW in industry and
Glaine Hughes to Marry
B Ridgeport 3595
Mayes, 3816 Fourth Ave. S. The
marriage ceremony will be per
formed at St. Thomas Episcopal
Church on Thanksgiving Day.
in the armed forces.
2. Outlaw the poll tax.
3. Secure for women equal pay
for equal work.
The Negro soldier has many just
demands. He wants an equal chance
NOW in the armed forces. He
wants a second front. He wants
freedom for ALL oppressed people
throughout the world, includ’r.g *he
people of India.
Mr. Benson we know will cham
pion these just demands.
Signed:
Frank Boyd, Secretary-Treasurer
Twin Cities Division Brotherhood
of Sleeping Car Porters.
Maceo V. Littlejohn, General
Chairman, Local No. 516, Dining
Car Employes.
Wm. “Bill” Herron, Committee
man.
Veronica Luca
Recital Success
On the stage of the newly deco
rated Hallie Q. Brown auditorium
flanked with palms and colorful
flags of the Colonel Young aux
iliary, Veronica Lucas, in lemon
yellow taffeta, pleased her audience
in her recital October 16. Mrs.
Katherine Mitchell accompanied
her.
The qualities in Mrs. Lucas’ voice
were brought out in Mighty Lac A
Rose, The Morning Song, by
Speaks; The Cradle Song, by
Brahm, and The Song My Mother
Taught Me, by Dvorak.
American beauty roses tied with
red, white and blue ribbon were
presented to Mrs. Lucas. Members
of the auxiliary wore corsages of
red, white and yellow, their colors.
Oscar Newman
Joins Navy
Oscar Newman, son of Cecil
Newman, newspaper publisher,
signed up with the U. S. Navy Mon
day. Oscar resides with his mother,
Mrs. Willa Newman, 2434 Fifth
Ave. S.
LORRAINE CHIVERS IN
RECITAL
Louraine E. Chivers will be
among the pupils of Iza M. Canfield,
teacher of vocal and piano, to be
presented in recital at the Minne
apolis branch Y. W. C. A. at 8 p. m.,
November 13. Admission free.
HALLOWE’EN PARTY
AND BEAN FEED
The Men’s Club of St. Thomas
Episcopal Church will have their
annual Bean Feed in the form of a
Hallowe’en party Saturday, October
31, at 345 E. 38th St., from 8 to
12 p. m.
This feed is for the boys and
girls of the South Central district of
Minneapolis. Movies, dancing and
other entertainment will be free
i with plenty of good eats.
Prizes will be given for the girl
and boy wearing the best costume.
Mothers of the smaller children are
urged to be present. Everyone is
welcome. C. A. Hughes is chair
man. Tela Burt, Martin Brown, J.
Boyd Crawford, A. J. Clark, Jr.,
and Dr. W. D. Brown are other com
mittee members.
Sa> 3 194 S
—— ■ •. i i ■ i i i i i i * i
St. Paul NAACP
Wires President
on Lynchings
Telegrams were ordered sent to
the nine Minnesota Representatives
in Congiess by the special meeting
of the Executive Board of the St.
Paul Branch of the National Asso
ciation for the Advancement of
Colored People last Thursday night
at the Hallie Q. Brown Community
House. The text of the telegrams
sent by the publicity chairman, Rev.
Clarence T. R. Nelson, is as follows:
“Three lynchings in the same
week in Mississippi make Federal
anti-lynching law imperative. Five
hundred and eighty-five members
of our Association urge you to sign
the discharge petition on H.R. 971.”
The telegrams were sent to Repre
sentatives August H. Andresen, Jo
seph P. O’Hara, Richard P. Gale,
Melvin J. Maas, Oscar Youngdahl,
Harold Knutson, H. Carl Andersen,
William J. Pittenger and Richard
Buckler.
The national office of the Nation
al Association for the Advance
ment of Colored People is making
every effort possible to have the
Galvigan anti-lynching bill H.R.
971, brought out of committee to
the floor of the House of Represen
tatives for a vote at this session of
Congress.
Members of the Association and
other interested citizens are urged
to write or wire our Representa
tives in Congress to sign the dis
charge petition for the anti-lynch
ing bill, H.R. 971.
A letter was received from Rep.
Melvin J. Maas stating that he
was the first to sign the petition
some time ago.
The St. Paul Branch doubled its
pledge to the Community Chest
this year and has paid S2O 00 in
the present campaign.
Ellington Plays
for Credit Union
Dances Saturday
Duke Ellington and his famous
orchest ■» will be the feature at
traction at the Ninth Annual Grand
Ball of the Minnesota League of
Credit Unions at the St. Paul Audi
torium, Saturday, October 31, from
9 to 12. Jan Savitt and his Top
Hatters will head the bill at the
Minneapolis Auditorium the same
night.
Morton Lake, chairman of the
St. Paul committee, and Norman
Arneson, chairman of the Minne
apolis committee, announced that
tickets for 1,000 Service Men who
are to be guests of honor at the
Grand Ball, have been delivered to
the Service Men’s Centers.
A Junior Hallowe’en Grand Ball
will be staged Friday, October 30,
at the St. Paul Auditorium for teen
age people of the Twin Cities. A
program of entertainment and a
couple of hours of dancing have
been arranged for the youngsters
on that night with Duke Ellington
and his orchestra doing the enter
taining. Morton Lake expressed the
opinion that there will be a ca
pacity house.
Mr. and Mrs. Woodford W. Mills,
944 St. Anthony avenue, are re
ceiving congratulations on the birth
of a baby girl, weighing six and
one-half pounds, Wednesday, Oc
tober 21, at Bethesda hospital. The
new arrival has been named Carol
Jeanne. The Woodford Mills have
two other children, both boys. The
paternal grandparents are Mr. and
Mrs. William Mills, 944 St. An
thony avenue, and the maternal
grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Earl
Howard, 563 W. Central avenue.
Mr. and Mrs. Huron J. Shelton,
Jr, 925 E. Magnolia street, gave
an informal party Saturday,' Oc
tober 24, following the Minnesota-
Michigan football game to honor
their house guest, Dr. William L.
Postles of Detroit, Michigan, who
is also a talented pianist. Games
were played and refreshments were
served. Guests at the party in
cluded Messrs, and Mesdames B.
F. Henderson, John R. Lawrence,
Jr., John L. Banks, Jr, Miss Nilee
Nyan Luckie and Mr. A. J. Lewis,
Misses Fem and June Lee, Mrs.
Norma Beauford and Mrs. Ernest
Baxter, Jr, of East Orange, New
Jersey. . . . Dr. Postles was also
the dinner guest on Saturday of
Mr. and Mrs. George Lee, 1174
Sherburne avenue. . . . Sunday aft
ernoon, October 25, Dr. Postles was
the dinner guest of Mr. and Mrs.
J. F. Stevens, 3224 4th avenue
south, Minneapolis.
Mrs. Aaron Jones of Chicago,
who has been visiting in the city
as the house guest of her brother
and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs.
Louis P. Moore, 662 W. Central
avenue, left Monday, October 26,
for home.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30,1942
Geraldine Lawhorn, 24-Year
Blind Artist to be Presented
In Recital November 5
Miss Geraldine Lawhorn, 24-
year-old wonder, with her Master’s-
Eye dog, Blondie, will be presented
in a dramatic recital by the Cred
jafawn Club, November 5, at 8
p. m, at the Catholic Youth Center,
150 North Smith Avenue, St. Paul.
At the Chicago Piano College and
School of Fine Arts where she is
studying on a scholarship awarded
by the State of Illinois, Miss Law
horn is regarded the institution’s
most unusual student. She plays
the piano, dances, operates a stand
ard keyboard typewriter and a
Braille machine, and has written
several short stories, some prize
winning
It is said that the dramatic read
er’s adjustment to her handicaps,
her radiant personality and cour
ageous manner remove impulses to
pity her, but instead inspire ad
miration and respect for her spirit,
determination and remarkable
ability. She will present some of
her most noted dramatic portrayals
in the November 5 concert as well
as the appearance of Blondie in one
number. She will also play Dett’s
“Juba,” a difficult piano interpreta
tion for normal artists.
Members of the Credjafawn Club
believe that such a high type and
unusual program will be appreci
ated by the people of these commu
nities and urge their support.
This young lady, accompanied on
her trips by her mother, has been
lauded by the Chicago Daily News
as well as many other leading news
papers and periodicals all over the
United States.
Assisting on the program will
be Norma Stokes Beauford, xylo
phonist, and the Melody Maids,
youthful singing group, directed by
Arlee Harris.
Patron tickets are one dollar;
general admission is sixty-five cents
Producing Ammunition for Uncle’s Men
Among the several thousand women employed at the Federal Cartridge Corp, operated Twin Cities
Ordnance Plant at New Brighton, is Mrs. Grace Bryant of Minneapolis who is shown in this St. Paul
Dispatch photo intently watching and inspecting the cartridges as they go through the machine she
operates.
Wm. M. Smith
81 Friday
Wm. M. Smith, familiar figure in
Twin City newspaper, civic and re
ligious circles for many years, will
observe his 81st birthday Friday
(today).
Mr. Smith, associate editor of
the Spokesman and Recorder news
papers for nearly six years, retired
from public life about three years
ago because of ill health At that
time he was a member of the Board
of Directors of the Phyllis Wheat
ley Settlement House and the Ur
ban League, an active member of
long standing in Bethesda Baptist
church and active in the N. A. A.
C. P.
He welcomes his old friends at
home now and chats alertly on
world and national affairs as well
as community problems in which
he still has a deep interest.
This is America’s most complete
newspaper of its size.—Advt.
(tax included for both). Tickets
may be purchased from members
of the club, the Melody Maids or
at the Majestic Drug Store.
To Broadcast On WCCO
Miss Lawhorn will be interviewed
on the Darragh Aldrich Women’s
News program over radio station
WCCO at 2:15 Thursday afternoon,
November 5, the same day of the
recital. On Wednesday afternoon
the day before the recital at 2:15,
Mrs. J. L. Sinykin who helped
train Blondie, Miss Lawhorn’s dog,
will apear on the same program.
Mrs. Sinykin and Miss Aldrich who
are personally acquainted with the
artist have expressed pleasure in
the anticipation of meeting her
again and having her on the pro
gram. Mrs. Sinykin will speak of
Miss Lawhorn on the Wednesday
program.
John Glenn,
Pioneer, Buried
John Glenn, 67 years old, pioneer
Minneapolis resident who died Oct.
10, was buried October 13. Born in
Mississippi, educated in lowa, Mr.
Glenn was married to Mrs. Addie
Glenn, who survives him, at Two
Harbors, Minnesota, in 1900. The
couple moved to Minneapolis in that
year 42 years ago.
Mr. Glenn had been ill since De
cember, 1941, and had not worked
since March this year.
Funeral services were held at
St. Peter A. M. E. church. Sur
viving the deceased are three broth
ers, three sisters and his wife.
Burnquist Committee
Issues Statement
Announcement has been made of
the formation of a Volunteer Com
mittee to work for the re-election
T-
of Attorney General J. A. A. Burn
quist. B. M. Heinzen, Ivanhoe, Lin
coln County Attorney, has been
named chairman of the group. Earl
F. Jackson, St. Paul attorney, is
vice-chairman, Maurice Hessian,
Minneapolis attorney, is secretary
treasurer, and Mrs. Tess Carlson of
Willmar is chairwoman.
Heinzen, in announcing the for
mation of the group, emphasized
the importance of the office of at
torney general and the splendid
record Bumquist has made since
taking office in 1939, winning 226
out of 253 cases in court.
“The state is fortunate,” he said,
“in having a capable lawyer and
an efficient and experienced public
officer like Bumquist as attorney
general, especially in these difficult
times. His experience as governor,
his service as lieutenant governor
and as a member of the legislature,
together with his outstanding ad
ministration of the legal affairs of
the state in tlje past four years
make him a valuable official in the
functioning of our state govern
ment.”
“We must maintain the present
impartial and judicial administra
tion of this office,” Heinzen said,
"by re-electing J. A. A. Bumquist.”
The committee has established
headquarters at 624 Endicott
Building, St. Paul, and is carrying
on a state-wide campaign for the
attorney general.
Forum Listens
to Workers in
Civilian Defense
A representative number of
Minneapolitans braved the icy
blasts of a cold October wind Sun
day afternoon to learn what their
fellow citizens were doing to help
win the war through participation
in the Civilian Defense Programs.
Their efforts were well rewarded,
for the meeting, the first of the
1942-43 series of Minneapolis Sun
day Forum, was both interesting
and informative. The theme of the
Forum was the “The Negro in
Civilian Defense,” and the speakers
expounding the subject were all
members of some branch of the
Civilian Defense Program.
The Forum was sponsored by the
Women’s Auxiliary of the Minne
apolis Urban League for the pur
pose of acquainting the community
with the work that is being done
and to urge fuller participation in
civilian defense efforts.
Mrs. Estelle Sims, former presi
dent of Auxiliary, spoke of the or
ganization’s interests in the Civil
ian Defense Program and expressed
a desire for the continuance of these
efforts. Mrs. Mae Marshall, mem
ber of the Arrangement Committee
of the Civilian Defense Council;
Mrs. W. D. Brown, member of the
Speakers Bureau of the Civilian De
fense Council; Mrs. Wreatha Max
well, First Aid Unit of the Red
Cross and Mr. Clarence Hughes,
Precinct Captain, Air Raid War
dens, were the principal speakers.
These speakers painted a very clear
picture of the role our group is
playing in our home defenses.
Mrs. N. J. Hunter, Music Director
of the Auxiliary, provided appro
priate musical selections for the
program.
Mrs. Josephine Chambers, Presi
dent of the Auxiliary, and Chas. W.
Washington, Executive Secretary
of the Urban League, assisted in
the floor discussion that followed
the talks and were united in their
plea for a continuance of this es
sential work. The next meeting of
the Auxiliary will be held Tuesday,
November 3, at 8 p. m. Phyllis
Wheatley House, new and old mem
bers welcomed.
PRICE $2.50 A YEAR—7 CENTS A COPY
rOHYLAUn , fl"
I THAT*
V u5tD ? I I
Munsingwear Now
Has Two Negro
Women Employed
Clara Robinson, 98 Hyland Ave
nue, and Leoma Patrick, 813 Oak
Lake, Minneapolis, were employed
during the past week by the Mun-
singwear Corporation. Both of
these young women were placed as
machine operators and according to
statements of Company officials to
Chas. W. Washington, Secretary of
the Minneapolis Urban League,
they are making splendid progress.
Others are to be employed shortly
from among the applications al
ready placed with the Company.
At Honeywell
Minneapolis Honeywell increased
the number of Negro workers by
the employment of Mrs. Sybil Bell,
2646 4th Avenue S., and Mrs. Al
berta Pitts, 3920 sth Avenue South.
The Company now employs six men
and three women, one woman hav
ing been employed a few weeks ago.
William T. “Chatsie“
Thurston Dies
William T. (Chatsie) Thurston,
62 years old, 575 Carroll avenue,
died at the United States Veterans’
Hospital on Friday, October 23,
after being ill for three weeks.
Born in Lawrence, Kansas, Mr.
Thurston had been a resident of the
city for the past thirty years. He
was a member of Col. Charles
Young Camp No. 29, Spanish
American War Veterans
Funeral services were held Wed
nesday, October 28, at 2 p. m., with
Rev. S. E. Ware, pastor of Pilgrim
Baptist Church, officiating. Inter
ment in the National Cemetery at
Fort Snelling.
His only survivor is one son who
lives in Lawrence, Kansas.
Operation Fatal
To Mrs. Cooper
MRS. MANDRILLA COOPER
DIES FOLLOWING OPERATION
Mrs. Mandrilla Cooper, 694 Car
roll avenue, 34 years old, died on
Wednesday, October 21, at St.
Luke’s Hospital several days after
undergoing an operation.
Bom in Cowetta, Oklahoma, 34
years ago, she had been a resident
of St. Paul for the past six years.
She was a member of Pilgrim Bap
tist Church, the Missionary So
ciety, Usher Board and Gospel
Choir of Pilgrim.
Survivors include a 16-year-old
daughter, Dorothy, husband, Leon
ard, mother, Mrs. Bertha Harris of
Omaha, Nebraska, and four broth
ers and a father in Omaha, Ne
braska, also.
Funeral services were held on
Friday, October 23, at 5 p. m., with
Rev. S. E. Ware, officiating. A vo
cal selection was given by Rev. S.
E. Ware. Following the funeral
services, the body was shipped to
Omaha, Nebraska, for last services
and interment.
Revival Service at
Zion Baptist Church
Members and friends of sister
churches are invited to attend a re
vival at Zjoq .Baptist church begin
ning November first, con
ducted •by'■Rdv.' C _ A._ 3?>ulston of
Motile, •**?’• • '.*
Rev, Raulston, •paistor of one of
the largest Baptist churches in
Mobile, is an outstanding minister
in State and National Baptist
circles, Zion Baptist says, “To hear
him once is a guarantee that you
will hear him again.” They promise
a spiritual feast and fellowship.
Rev. H. W. Botts is the church pas
tor.
Citizens Endorse
I. G. Scott
for Re-election
Among the large number of
Northside citizens who have en
dorsed I. G. Scott for re-election
as County Commissioner are
Thomas Miller, Mrs. Myrtle Polk,
Henry Young, Charles J. Smith,
F. L. Johnson, Delbert Ware, Frank
Tanner, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence
Johnson, Mrs. Ida Wright, Mrs.
Mildred Smith, Mrs. Oscar Gates,
and Mrs. Audie Hoskins.
Star Journal and
Tribune Agree to
End Old Practice
The old newspaper practice of
designating the race of persons in
news accounts when such persons
are Negroes will be discontinued
in the Star-Journal and Minneapolis
Tribune newspapers.
This was the promise of Basil
Walters, executive editor of the
newspapers, and David Silverman,
managing editor, made to a com
mittee from the Minneapolis Coun
cil of Negro Organizations several
days ago.
Daily newspapers all over Ameri
ca have had a policy of ignoring
the racial identity of all people in
their news stories except Negroes.
News stories carried about in the
dailies are preponderantly of police
court and crime variety the commit
tee pointed out and the identifica
tion of such persons as Negroes
tends to create in the newspaper
reader’s mind that the Negro fig
ures very largely as a criminal.
The committee pointed out that if
it was improper to refer to the na
tionality of other groups in the
papers it was also improper to
single out the Negro.
Mr. Walters agreed that the com
mittee’s contention had considerable
merit and pointed out that the mat
ter had never before been brought
to his attention.
In the future unless the use of
the word Negro has some news
value in itself it will not be used in
the Minneapolis dailies’ manner
formerly in vogue.
Dr. W. D. Brown, W. C. Jones,
Henry Thomas, Raymond W. Can
non and C. E. Newman composed
the committee which called at the
paper.
Two other dailies, the Dispatch
and Pioneer Press of St. Paul, dis
continued designating the race of
news story figures two years ago.
HALLOWE'EN PARTY AT
WHEATLEY
Saturday, October 31, at 7 p. m.
is the time and place for the kid
dies’ Hallowe'en party at Phyllis
Wheatley House. Refreshments
will be served.
Joseph Gilbert For
Full Rights For
The Negro People
In a statement to this paper,
Joseph Gilbert, Farmer-Labor can
didate for Congress from sth Dis
trict, said: “It is a disgrace to the
American nation that we should
have such a thing as a Negro prob
lem in this day and age. The real
reason for the inequality of rights
granted the Negro people in our so
called political democracy is that
the Negro question is a part of the
great economic problem, just as is
the labor problem, the woman prob
lem and many others. It can never
be fully solved in a society of con
flicting economic interests, or the
capitalist system.
“In the meantime much can be
done by according the Negro full
constitutional rights in practice.
, The main trouble is that racial dis
| crimination is fostered and kept
i alive by ignorance and prejudice.
Scientists have proven that basical
ly there is no fundamental differ
ence between colored and white
i races. All have the same potential
powers, and differences are mainly
due to development, physical, men
tal and emotional, which are deter
mined by environment and oppor
tunity. That is why all citizens in
a political democracy should be ac
corded full and equal rights and
opportunities in every respect.
“A first step in this direction is
by abolishing the vicious poll tax
law. It will then follow that the
Negro must use his political power
to secure equal education, and then
through education and organiza
tion develop power to enforce equal
status in all human relationships.
The Negro must ally himself in his
efforts toward complete emancipa
tion with all liberal forces, indus
trial, social, economic and political,
and cut himself loose from tradi
tion, In common with all socially
minded people he must seek free
dom not for his race alone but for
humanity as a whole. With eco
nomic freedom established and a
still greater diffusion of education
the Negro problem will be a thing
of the past,”
L. J. "BUD” GLEASON ACTIVE
ON INSURANCE BILL
L. J. “Bud” Gleason, candidate
for re-election to the legislature
from the 35th district, was active
in securing the passage of the auto
insurance no discrimination bill in
the last session.
A. Gladys Cannon Nelson, Chi
cago soprano, Recital, Nov. 13,
Camphor Church,—Advt.