The Michigan chronicle. [volume], May 15, 1943, Image 6

About The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current

Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library

                
INDEPENDENT
Mm|fjpirfe
Published Ever* Pnrrsdss By
THE MICHIGAN CHRONICI E PUBLISHING COMPANY
MAIN OFFICE ?6* Eliot Detroit Mich TKrrple l-M7fe
LOUIS EMANUEI MARTIN Editor
Entered s* second class msttei Ms? 1 1940. at the Post Office et
Detroit Mich, under the set ol Mtnh 1 1579
Terms of Subscription (paysble In advarwe)’
One Year $3 00 Sis Months $175; Thtee Months $1 00
TUE WAR GAMES
Last week 14 representatives of the major Ne*
£ro newspapers in this country were flown from
Chicago to central Louisiana to observe the war
maneuvers as of the War department. The
£3rd division which is called the first colored divi
sion in the present United States Army, participated
in these war games which are generally regarded as
one of the final examinations given to a division to
determine its fitness for action on a war front. The
invitation of the War department to the Negro pub
lishers was unsolicited and, in the minds of most
of them, it represented a new recognition on the
part of the War department of the Negro Press
and of the millions it serves. The brass hats ap
parently are beginning to realize that Negro opin
ion is important to the war effort and that this war
requires a united front of all the people to the end
that a decisive victory over the Axis powers may
be assured.
The Negro publishers were graciously received
by the officers and men of the Third Army on man
euvers and they were at liberty to interview the sol
diers in the field of all ranks from private to major
general. It was obvious that the War department
was interested in having the newspapermen see at
first hand the progress that has been made in train
ing and the new opportunities that have been made
available to Negro soldiers. The reactions of the
publishers to what they saw can be summed up in
the joint statement which they sent to the Secretary
of War: “We have been impressed favorably with
the way our men are being given thorough train
ing, with modern weapons, to enable them to do their
share to win the victory.”
Despite the excellent training and the new op
portunities which have been given our soldiers, the
publishers were convinced that the segregated policy
of the armed services is mitigating against the effec
tiveness of our fighting forces and that until the
color bar is abolished, the war effort will be impeded
and true national unity will be impossible. Jim crow
remains the hall mark of white supremacy, and it
will always be intolerable to every honest and sin
cere believer in the democratic form of government,
white and black alike. The prowess and skill of our
men of the 93rd division which was demonstrated
on the maneuvers disclosed beyond question the
potentialities of our people. By segregating them,
the War department is paying deference to the anti
democratic trad tions of our country whielvhave
no place in a people’s war and are widening the gap
between the races in the most crucial period of our
history. It is our profound hope that our govern
ment will shortly come to realize that the elimina
tion of segregation in the armed services is one of
the compelling necessities of th's age in which all
men of all creeds and colors are struggling every
where to be free.
POLL TAX
The 218 signatures necessary to bring the Anti-
Poll Tax bill to the floor of the House have at last
been secured. Those organizat'ons and individuals
who have worked so faithfully to this end are to be
congratulated for their efforts. But the fight is not
yet won. The bill must be voted upon by both House
and Senate before it will become law. Now more
than ever it is important to write our representatives
in Congress urging them to vote for this bill. It is
in the Senate that the measure will reee’ve the full
weight of southern disapproval through filibuster
ing. In the last Congress a combination of southern
Democrats and reactionary northern Republicans de
feated the anti-poll tax measure in the "Senate by
refusing to vote for cloture. These northern reac
tionaries must be bombarded with protests against
their unholy combine with poll tax congressmen.
OUT IN THE OPEN
There have already been several results from
the three public hearings held in the interest of a
democratic war housing policy for Detroit. By fai
the most important one has been the necessity foi
the Mayor, the Council and the Housing Commis
pi on to enunciate a policy on bi-racial housing. Mr.
Charles Edgecomb, secretary-director of the Hous
ing Commission, is splitting hairs when he states
that the’ Housing Commission ‘‘has never taken a
position on mixed occupancy.*’ When the Commis
sion followed the policy of not changing the “racial
characteristics of any neighborhood by the occupancy
of housing projects” it in practice opposed bi-racial
projects. Negroes have not been deceived by this
double talk and however disillusioning the actions
of the Mayor, Council and Housing Commission have
EDITORIAL PAGE OF THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
been, it is well to have the situation out in the open.
Another result of the hearings is the plans under
foot now by the Commission to erect a mixed occu
pancy project in the area bounded by Nevada, Ryan,
Watko and Conant Avenues. However, plans for
this so-called “experimental” project do not answer
the just demands of the Negro citizens of Detroit
for the removal of the color bar in all war housing
projects. Our democracy has reached a sorry state
when equal citizenship rights for all citizens is
looked upon as an “experiment.” We were under
the impression that this was the experiment launched
in 1770 and so clearly and incontestably stated as
the law of the land in the Constitution of the United
States.
Th&*
•Y WILUAM L. SHERRILL
TO KNOW—why do our colored
groups, our colleges and Little
Theatre groups, almost invariably
put on plays by white writers about
white people when there are so
many plays written by Negro writ
ers about colored people? . . . “Can
anybody answer me that?" he asks.
“Not that there is anything wrong
| about doing plays by white dramat
ics.” Hughes continues, “but there
is such a crying need to develop
our own Negro drama, to create our
own theatres based on our own
lives, that I am amazed when some
of our best colleges waste weeks
of time and quite a deal of money
putting on some old play that white
folks themselves have forgotten
long ago, and that has no meaning
in terms of contemporary Negro
life at all.” . . . “If our own Negro
acting croups don’t produce Negro
plays, who will?” he concludes.
* * *
THE ANSWER TO MR HUGHES’
last question, "Who is gfurig to pro
duce Negro plays if Negroes don’t
is: Nobody is going to produce Ne
gro plays which give true inter
pretations of Negro life but the Ne
gro himself.
The answer to the question, why
Negroes by-pass* Negro plays about
Negro life and produce plays writ- j
ten by white folks about white
folks is . . . that Negroes do not
feel that there is much in Negro
life worth portraying. You see,
Negroes have been taught that Ne
groes have never achieved any
thing—that the color of their skin
Is ugly—that the texture of their
hair is bad—that they are not the
same as other people. . . The Negro
is so persistently played down. . . .
The radio plays him down. . . The
press plays him down . . . the stage
plays him down . . . Modern his
tory plays him down. . . He is made
the butt of jest and ridicule. . . .
The world has poked fun at him so
long—laughed at him so often that
the Negro now laughs at himself. . .
The Negro is ashamed of himself—
ashamed of his color ... ashamed of
his broad nose . . . ashamed of his
wooly hair . . . ashamed of Negro
life and all that is Negro.
* * *
PEOPLE WHO ARE ASHAMED
of themselves ... so ashamed that
they spend millions of dollars an
nually for ointments and greases to
whiten their skins and straighten
their hair, have no desire to pre
serve and portray their life and
history. Negroes do not want to be
what they are. .. They would rather
belong to any other race. . . They
are proud to boast, “I have French
blood—l have Indian blood—l have
white blood—but you never hear
any boasting that they have African
blood. . . The white man has cer
tainly done a good job of destroying
the Negro’s pride in himself and
respect for all that is his.
Dr. Howard Thurman tells a very
interesting experience he had a
few years ago with some three huiv
dred Negro children. . . He was
staging a pageant of the races of
Always interested
\ HfUmtor
A strategic POSITION
#ls MASTER TO THE US.. ii'SiWIIiCAHI TW CARIBBEAN
M. LESCOT WAS A FAMltlA* MPODUC \ HAm WM COuCTf * >
FIGURE IN PRE-WAR BY THE A%IS. MOW
WASHJHGTOR. tVER, SHE TURNER A.
l / v WAP eAR TO THESE
V \ OVERTURES, AND JOINED
>1 FORCES WITH THE UNITED
AMM't* •»& HA7,OMS.
_ wWPI
i the world. . . He says he had no
I trouble getting Negro children to
play the part of Chinese children
I. . . German children .. . Japanese
children ... French, Spanish, Dtuch,
Polish, Russian, Indian and Turkish
rhildren. But out of the three hun
dred Negro children there was not
one child who wanted to play the
part of an African child.
* * *
YOU CAN T BUILD with a Tace
that is ashamed of itself. . . People
work, sacrifice and die for their
place in the world because they
love themselves, are proud of them
selves and have faith in themselves,
! Destroy a people’s respect and es
: teem for themselves and you des
troy the mainspring of freedom and
, progress.
Many Negroes argue that If Ne
-1 r, ro America hopes to receive all the
I benefits of the American nation that
! they must not attempt to build
| racial consciousness. . . While this
j reasoning sounds logical it is not;
for the only ivay the black Ameri
can can live and enjoy in the pres
ent America, is by the development
of a group consciousness. . . As long
as America insists on setting us
apart in American life as Americans
—but black Americans, w*e must
fight together not as Americans,
but as black Americans, if we are
to win our place in American life.
* * *
AND IF THIS FIGHT is to be
waged successfully . . . we must
build up group loyalty, group pride,
esteem and appreciation. . . It will
take these to cement us into one
solid mass.
Although we are bona fide Amer
icans it appears that we shall never
b« accepted as such until we force
America to accept us. . . To do this
we must harness and intelligently
direct our race consciousness—to
that point only, where we will have
sufficient strength to force open the
doorr now closed against us. When
the day arrives that white America
accepts the Negro as an American,
then we can forget about race and
olor . . . but until that day black
America must close ranks and fight
as Negro Americans for the things
Negro Americans want
Race Gets Use
Of Center In Mo.
ST. LOUIS (ANP) Samuel
Plant, president of the board of the
Neighborhood assoc iat i o n,' an
nounced that beginning Monday
Neighborhood house, recreation,
health and civic center, will be op
erated for the exclusive use of Ne
groes.
A recent survey revealed that the
flve-story building is located in a
community which Is 90 percent
Negro. Plant said, “A total absence
of social agencies and practically
no organized activities for children
or adults in a neighborhood of
dingy houses and bleak yards, make
the area a seed-bed for delinquency,
crime and broken homes.”
North End
News
By MARIAN C. McGILL
The masses st Sacred Heart
Church were well attended on Sun
day. Being Mother’s Day, many
were present to pay tribute to
mother and also to the Blessed
Mother. Rev. Father Mullen sang
the 8:30 mass and the 9:30 mass and
also delivered a very inspirational
sermon. He paid special tribute to
those mothers who are with us and
to what we owe to her even though
she is old and feeble. We should
love, honor and respect her as our
dear Lord loved his mother. Sun
day being the second Sunday, the
Holy Name men and boys com
muned in a body. They offered up
their mass for their mothers and
for mothers throughout the world.
The Epist w’as taken from Ist Peter
2:21-26 and the Gospel from St.
John 10:11-18.
Devotional on Tuesday evening at
7:30 followed by instruction class.
The classes are conducted by Father
Clynnes and Father Mullen. You
are cordially invited. Sunday will
be communion for the Children of
Mary. Confessions are heard on
Saturday. Parents are urged to co
operate and see that their children
go to confession on Saturday. Re
member the boys in the service in
your prayers. Rev. Father Theifels,
pastor; Marian C. McGill, reporter.
REMARKABLE
Have you ever heard Baby Mary
Frances Williams, five years old, en
lighten you on politics, history and
reliious subjects? She has never
been to school and can spell any
words you ask her. She wa. the
wonder on the program on Sunday
at the Y.W.C.A. She is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Williams of Sacred
Church.
IMPROVING
Mrs. Eva Graham is improving in
St. Mary's hospital. Mrs. McGill
taken ill on Sunday evening after
the play at the Y.W.C.A. and is
confined to bed. The doctor or
dered complete rest. We wish her
a speedy recovery.
CHRISTIAN MOTHER'S NEWS
On Sunday afternoon in the
auditorium of the Y.W.C.A., the
Metropolitan players presented for
the Christian Mothers of Sacred
Heart a drama and fashion show.
The skits on the program were
written and directed by our own.
Mrs. Rosa Reid Williams. The open
ing scene was the miracle of the
Blessed Mother in the home of Mrs.
Homer Griffin and her two beauti
ful daughters whose desire is to
enter a convent and become a nun,
but the mother is a bit hesitant un
til this miracle happens while talk
ing to the girls. The characters in
this scene were as follows: Mrs.
Marian C. McGill as the mother;
Jerry Westbrook and Connie Green
house, the daughters; Lena Mae
Curl, the blessed Virgin; the little
angels were Lorraine and Amy
Smith, Annie Lee, Patsy Westbrook,
Victorine Singleton, Irene McGill,
Ceola Bradford. “Ave A Marie” was
sung by Rose Marie Walker. The
skit, “Woman In This War,” was a
9cream from beginning to end. The
madam of the house was played by
Mrs. Lonnie Bradford. Amanda, the
maid, was Tessie Fails; Susie, the
niece was Jean Scott; lam the
cheuffeur, was Jimmie Wilson, Liza,
the newsy maid next door was
Catherine Westbrooks. Our poet of
CKLW, Miss Theresa Caver also
gave two beautiful readings on
Mother's Day.
Then Mrs. Knox with her dancing
dolls entertained the guests. Mrs.
Marian Ames Green with her
dancing team from Birdhurst Cen
ter were very good. Marian always
has her way with small children.
It’s her life work. Take them away
from her and her life would be
finished. Then our own girls of
Sacred Heart, Catherine and Jerry
Westbrook, danced beautifully. Th"y
have been dancing s ; nce they were
two years old. Miss Veronci Steel’s
joined the team also.
The fashion show was announced
by Miss Vunies Barrow. Say she
was chic and charming as she an
nounced each model. Space will
not allow us to mention the names
of each model, but you missed a
treat by being absent for such
gowns and beautiful furs, hats,
nylon hose and the slippers—well
they had their suoply before ration
ing. The bridal gown was shown
by Mrs. Frederika Barker Ventour.
Every model was charming.
The last skit was presented by
*A REAL HOME IS WORTH A REAL FIGHT!"
Mrs. Curl and Mrs. Bradford. Mrs.
Bradford is the wife of Master Ser
geant Scott E. Bradford. She has
a charming personality and is the
mother of three beautiful children,
one boy and two girls. She is do
ing her bit here on the home front.
Mrs. Bradford is here in Detroit
with her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Cur
tis on Inverness .'or the duration.
They are loyal members of Sacred
Heart Parish and the Christian
Mother's Sodality.
Those who worked so faithfully
with Mrs. Williams to make the
play a success were: Carol Flippins.
Mrs. ClaPa Knox. Mrs. Marian Ames
Green, TeSs.e Fails, Mrs. Spaulding.
Mrs. Cornell ie, Mrs. Radford.
Marian C. McGill, Mrs. Singleton.
Mrs. Westbrooks and many others
The staff otfleen? -re: Mrs. M. Mor
rison, Mrs. Carol Flippins, Mrs.
Curl and Mrs. Westbrooks, Ruth
Newman, Vivian Greenhouse, Rosa
Reid Williams and Mrs. Geraldine
Harris. Worthy Prefect. Rev. Father
Hen F. Theifels, pastor; Father
Mullen, assistant pastor; Father
Clynnes, assistant pastor and Father
Carron, assistant pastor. Marian C.
McGill, reporter. We were honored
with the presence of our own
Father Dukctt of Flint, Mich.
HIGHLAND
PARK
By AUDREY BOULDINO
Due to the rainy season things
are quiet in and around the Park
tliis week. Only a few of our gard
eners have begun to get their gar
dens in shape. However, many
lawns have put on their beautiful
carpets of green.
DELEGATES ATTEND
CONFERENCE
The Rev. and Mrs. S. W. Bank
head and Mrs. Kathleen Bright are
attending the annual conference
held in Indianapolis, Ind. tnis wer’:.
Mrs. Estella Barnes is visiting her
husband. Sgt. B. J. Barnes, who is
stationed in Atlanta. Ga Mrs. Nora
Baker ran over to Chicago to visit
her children, David and Louise.
CAPTAIN MARTIN AND
SGT. MURRAY VISITED H. P.
JUNIOR COMMANDOS
The captain -nd the sergeant
were heartily welcomed by the
Commandos Tuesday evening in
Fellowship Hall, Berea. Both of
ficers commended the Commandos
on their excellent contributions t°
Civilian Defense. The boys drilled
under the careful supervision of the
two officers.
HIGHLAND PARK NAACP
YOUTH COUNCIL
Held an interes'ing meeting last
Tuesday evening in the home of
their counselor. Many new mem
bers attended. Plans are under way
to help put the coming member
ship drive over in a big way. The
drive will begin early in June.
Many other important projects were
discussed to further the program of
the counciL
THE SUB-DEBS AND
YOUNG BACHELORS
Were the invited b ikfast guest
at the Lucy Thurman YWCA Sun
day morning, May 9, honoring Dr.
Carter G Woodson. The breakfast
was sponsored by the Detroit chap
ter of the Negro History class. Those
of the group who enjoyed the h~cak
fast and admired the elegant speak
er Brcnard Gregory, Thomas
Reeves; Jerry Roberts. Bc..bara
Gordon, Jean Bankhead, Mary Dob
son. Jewel Hill. Bernice Davis,
Elizabeth Randalls, Avis Matthews,
Freddie Parker, Bobby Frederick,
and Rolland Woodson of West Kir
by, guest of the roup's counselor.
MRS. ALBERT NELSON
HONORED
Last Sunday lovely Mrs. Albert
Asa Nelson, of King tvenue, was
honored with a pretty b.-today
party given for her by the Mr.
Guest: Rev. J. Oneal and Miss A.
Taylor, Mr. and Mr.*. A. Durant.
Mr. H. German, Miss Irene Walton,
Mr. Paschell. Mrs. Gentry Oden.
Mrs. Sherman Lusk, Mrs. Sadie
Northcross. Mrs. R. V. Phillips, Mrs.
Samuel Archie, of Scotton; Mr. and
Mrs. Ben Richard<on of Scotton.
and others. Many friends who could
not attend the party called the
honoree to wish her many more
happy birthdays. She didn't tell
-I
Carl Ruthven Offord, author of
THE WHITE FACE (Robert M.
Mcßride &c Co., New York City;
$2 75). states that his intention in
writing his book was “to produce
a weapon that would strengthen
our hands against the fascists,
abroad and here in our midst.'* He
has succeeded to some extent but in
my opinion he has not drawn the
issue clearly enough.
His story is of two Georgia Ne
groes# Chris and Nelln. who come
to Harlem with their baby looking
for a life of freedom from want and
fear. Harlem is a disappointment
to them in many ways and Chris
falls prey to the doctrines of Reeves,
a demagog and anti-Semite of the
first order. In time he falls under
the influence of Manny, a Negro
fascist, whose wild plans include
talk of « Black Pogrom. Nella does
not share Chris’ views and her op
position to Reeves and Manny turns
Chris against her. The two forces,
the fascists and the Congress which
stands for unity between Negroes
and white, are brought into sharp
opposition when Chris is arrested
for assaulting the son of Nella's
Jewish employer.
Mr. Offord has chosen a subject
which needed to be clearly and
forcefully presented and has intro
duced a variety of extraneous is
sues which cloud the main one. His
emphasis on the slave market in the
Bronx, the introduction of the rape
angle and Nella's acceptance of it
to protect Chris, the death of their
baby and the consequent problem it
raised for Chris and Nella detract
from the force of the story. One is
reminded of “Native Son" when
Chris is in jail and the liberal forces
are joining hands in an attempt to
save him from extradition to
Georgia for a crime of which he was
not guilty. But here again the is
sue isn’t clear enough. Bigger’s
crime grew out of his environment
and was a sudden, wild action bom
of fear. Chris, on the other hand,
is influenced by evil counsels of
Manny and has gone to kill Nella
w’hen he overhears her exposing
Manny and it is then that he at
tacks Wallman.
The ending of the story weakens
rather than strengthens the author's
case against fascism. For dramtie
effect. Mr. Offord has exaggerated
the power of the fascist elements
among Negroes and in this exagg
eration lies the danger that some
readers will believe it a true pic
ture. Actually investigations of Axis
elements among Negroes have dis
closed the leaders to be crackpots
who have no prestige among the
MARRIAGE LICENSES
DURING THE PERIOD APRIL 27,
TO MAY 3
Odell Shell. 45. Albert Hnyman, 28
Earnest Butler, 18. Dorothy Lewis,
18.
Leßoy Quinn, 38. Carrie Jackson,
37.
Artis McKee, 30, Willie M Mosely.
24.
Davis, 37, Florence O. Con
ley. 30.
Milton W. Potter, 32, Alycc Spears,
27.
Leon Williams, 24. Ella D. Harris,
24
Silas L. Walton. 21, Pearl Andrews,
24.
David Toles. 40. Lillie Scott.
Bruce Taylor, 25, Ressic M. Grccn
ard, 21.
Andrew Thomas, 31, Valeria Jeff
ries, 35.
Frank Comer, 36, Idella S. Donahue,
27
Charles Smiley, 35, Exie Kennedy,
36.
Wesley L. W’ard, 29. Boutry.
21.
Morris Bass. 22. Beatrice White, 18
Ernest Leonard. Lcutha Graves. 29
just how many years she has tacked
on to her birthday.
SATURDAY, MAY 15, 1948
BOOK NOTES
By
GERTRUDE SCOTT MARTIN
Negroes in their communities. This
statement on the cover blurb is also
misleading: “The story mounts to a
climax of tragedy that is also a
challenge to the reader who takes
f«4T granted the continued loyalty of
America's thirteen million Negroes
in the face of such fascist-like move
ments as the story exposes.’’
Mr. Offord w’as born i- Trinidad,
attended the Queen’s Royal College
in the British West Indies and has
been a reporter and editor In New
York. This first novel is a testimo
ny to his ability as a writer al
though the effectiveness of his book
is weakened by the diversity of his
canvas.
♦ * *
A pamphlet by Max Yergan called
AFRICA IN THE WAR is a brief
statement of present conditions In
Africa, the historical background of
these conditions, and reforms as
proposed by the Council on African
Affairs of which Mr. Yergan Is
executive director. The immediate
reforms suggested include the right
of African workers to organize and
bargain collectivelv. the right to
vote, the removal of the legal color
bar and wage increases to guaran
tee a docent standard of living.
Long-range plans are the end of the
colonial system and provision of
full citi7enship for Africans.
Paul Robeson is chairman of the
Council on African Affairs. This
pamphlet and other material on
Africa and post-war planning can
be secured from the Council at 1123
Broadway. The pamphlet is an ex
cellent presentation of the import
ance of Africa today us well as in
the post-war world.
* * *
Through an oversight we have
failed to mention the article on the
Negro Press by Thomas Sanction in
the April 26 issue of the New Re
public. Mr. Sancton, managing ed
itor of that mngaine. has appraised
the various factors which make the
Negro press what it is and shows
that for the most part its writers,
especially the columnists and edi
torial writers, compare favorably
with those of the white press He
criticized the racism of the Negro
press and its lack of objectivity on
the race problem. The publishers
of the Negro press, Mr. Sancton
points out. like their w hite brethren,
are simply big business men some
of whom “have been rich men so
long that they have almost forgot
ten what it feels like to be a Negro."
The article is fair and reflects a far
greater knowledge of the Negro
press than many which have gone
before.
Wm A Packer, 43, Bessie Brew
ton, 37.
Frances Byers, 18, Emma Burbridge,
17.
Arthur Jackson. 37. Berttha Turner,
23.
Joshua J. Cot. Louise Herbert, 11.
Ben Jarrett, 57. Etta E Holdon, 42.
Wm. Parker, 21. Rosie L. Karrell.
18
Earl Strayhorne 45, Betty Mayo, 28.
Thomas Ray. 22, Doris M. Gipson.
19.
Clarence Thomas. 34. Coreta G.
Newland, 34.
Albert Thomas, 21, Clara McMillan,
19.
Daniel Brown. 56. Allcan Wilson,
54.
Clarence Tyler, 28, Pearl McClod
den. 21.
Ivory Hughes, 24, Dorothy Spann,
18.
Eddie Hicks, 31, Alma McGlothen,
19.
Luther A. Bennett, 18, Ernestine
Gibcrt, 18.
Genders S. Davis, 29. Ruth V. Pat
terson. 21.
James Cochran, 18, Mildred Buck
. ner, 18.
Marion Starks, 49, Evcrlee Ander
son. 35
Andrew Jackson, 54, Dnzzlt L.
Tcamer, 32.