The guardian. [volume], April 29, 1939, Image 1

About The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960

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THE GUARDIAN
VOL. 38, NO. 26
BOSTON UNITES FOR ANTI-LYNCH
Pickens NAACP Orator, May 8 at Zion
Women s Service Club s 20th — Open New Community House Apr. 4
fwl, * *
MISS GLADYS HOLMES
G -c ous President of Mass. State Union of Women's Clubs that celebrated
its Twenty-fifth anniversary last week. Miss Holmes, a graduate of Wellesley
College, is taking a year off from her State House position for advanced
study at Simmons College. With her co-workers she is actively preparing to
entertain the National Club Women in Boston next summer.
CLUB WOMEN IN
25th ANNUAL
Women from all parts of the state
gathered at the i?th Church
Wednesday, April 19, for the 25th an
r d invention of the Masaschusetts
State Union of Womens’ Clubs.
ihe Union was the guest of the
Mother's Club of the Robert Gould
’ l.aw House and was celebrating its
Stiver Anniversary. The theme of
tiie convention was, “The Challenge of
iii" New Day To Club Women.” Miss
GLujxs R. Holmes is president. Miss
' Jones, executive chairman.
he morning session was opened at
’ 1 , ibis was an executive session
witn Miss Jones, presiding. At 11:30
the convention formally opened. Miss
Holmes presiding. Officers reports,
club reports were heard and the rout
ine business conducted. The main
work was perfecting plans for the
entertaining of the National Associa
tion of Colored Women, which meets
in convention in Boston in July as the
guest ot Mass. State Union. Miss
Holmes, who was suffering with laryn
gitis was ably supported by the vice-
Pp sidents. Mrs. Chester Canada and
Mis. Harry Browne.
~ n n he ev ™ing the Silver Anniver
san Reception was held in honor of
the founder, past presidents and post
executive chairmen: The past presi
p nts D are Dr. M. C. Simpson, Mrs.
tva Bernard, Mrs. Dora O. Johnson,
(Continued on Page 5)
WINS ELK’S CONTEST
i IWr*
. WILLIAM ELLIS
k iTr .' n - S ra+or i c al Contest
held last Sunday at Peoples Baptist
Church-He was last year's winner,
aISO.
Garage
255 NORTHAMPTON ST.
O’* - Gas - Repairing - Storage
Now Maintaining the
Ford Service
J<‘- KEN.no,. BJSB Thomp.™, Prop.
ASK LEGISLATURE BACKING
FOR ANTI-LYNCH BILL
Putting their campaign objectives
into concrete action in a drastic man
ner. the Boston Branch of the N'AAC'P
drove a strong wedge into the fight
for the passage of an anti-lynching
bill, at the State House Thursday
morning. Appearing with several
other bodies, the NAACP presented
speaker after speaker to demand that
the legislature here memorialize the
United States Congress to pass the
Gavagan-Van Nuys Bill, which has
been sponsored by the Association
since its introduction last year.
The fight in the committee hearings
on the bill was led by Attorney Irwin
T. Dorch, chairman of the Association
here, and Atty. J. S. R. Bourne, veter
an member of the NAACP and head of
the strong New England Congress for
Equal Opportunities. Appearing for
the national body of the NAACP was
George T. Murphy, who is conducting
the local membership drive.
Atty. Bourne acted as informal
chairman of the body. He explained
the measure before the Congress and
showed how this state can help its
passage. He was followed by Mr.
Murphy, who clarified the committee
on the intentions of the proponents of
the anti-lynch action. Manuel Blanc,
Fathers’ Club
Host to Wives
Smith Hall in the Masonic Building
was the spacious hall engaged by the
popular Father’s Club of the Shaw
House for their annual reception to
their wives. Tables arranged under
the special supervision of Lavern Bar
nette, chairman, spread forth a most
delicious chicken dinner cooked with
the tender touch of Mrs. Elizabeth
Pleasant, Mother’s Lunch chef.
The added freshness and delicious
ness of the dinner were attributed to
the arrangement of Mattie Games, who
had the chicken cooked in the hall
kitchen. James Jones, master of cere
monies, saw to it that every one was
in a merry mood. Director and Mrs.
Morris Taylor of the Shaw House were
the honored guests. Dance music, fur
nished hy a smooth swing band, found
the Fathers and their guests having a
grand time.
Officers and members present were:
W. Wayne, pres.; L. Lindsay, v. pres.;
A. Harris, sec’y; W. Youngblood, F.
sec’y; F. Stokes, treas.; N. Thompson,
S. Arms.; W. Washington, chap.; J.
(Continued on Page 5)
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
Presents the
GREATER BOSTON MALE
CHORUS
Dorothy Richardson, Director
ST. MARK CHURCH
Townsend St., Roxbury
Sunday, Apr. 30, 8 P.M.
Committee: Dorothy Jones, Vivian Hodge,
Myrtis Andrews
Admission 25 Cents
GUARDIAN, BOSTON, MASS., APRIL 29, 1939
NAACP DRIVE
AT HIGH SPEED
The annual membership campaign of
the local Association is now running
full speed ahead at the headquarters
at 464 Massachusetts Ave. A staff of
secretaries in the office and one of the
largest corps of workers in the field
that the branch has ever had are bus
ily engaged in putting across a record
number of memberships and contribu
tions.
Atty. Irwin T. Dorch, under whose
administration the Association has
harl its three largest drives and now
enters upon its fourth, stated Thurs
day afternoon that “We are out to
make this year’s drive the biggest in
our history. We want 2,500 more
people to join the organization’s
splendid fight against lynching and
for the full civil rights of the race.
This year, without fail, we intend to
have them.”
Mr. Dorch referred also to the num
ber of petitions against lynchings
that are now flooding the city. “Thou
sands are signing these every day,”
he said, “and we will get thousands
(Continued on Page 5)
well known Communist leader, later
read a copy of the Wagner-Van Nuys
bill to the body.
Nearly two dozen persons were
heard on the measure. These includ
ed several women and a number of
direct descendants of famous leaders
of the abolition movement here in the
past. Among these were Wendell
Phillips Thore, of Squantum, Frances
L. Hurwitz of the Prineetown Law
Review, Arthur D. Hill, noted lawyer
and Miss Florence Luscomb, noted
liberal.
Mr. Thore in an unusual appeal
stated that he did not understand how
any red-blooded American could fail
to support the type of freedom that
his illustrious ancestor, Wendell Phil
ips, gave his life to preserve.
Dr. M. Cravath Simpson brought
tears to the eyes of two members of
the Committee when she described the
lynching of a woman some years ago
and the killing of her unborn child.
Martin D. Richardson, speaking for
the New England Conference of Col
ored Youth, called for Massachusetts
to live up to its historic tradition as
the home of abolition and take this
first important action in the abolition
(Continued on Page 5)
FOR BIGGER AND
BETTER BUSINESS
By Monroe Mason
Each year a greater perspective of
bigger and better business is brought
to Boston through the medium of a
national organization known as “Phi
Beta Sigma.” The local chapter, Pi
Beta Sigma, this year eclipsed its
former efforts by far in staging last
Sunday’s meeting at Metropolitan
Baptist Church.
A. A. Austin, a New York colored
business man of wide experience,
talked earnestly of his own experi
ences in attaining success after a hard
struggle. “To succeed in business,”
he said, “is make the best use of what
you have.” He eulogized the late
Philip A. Payton as a pioneer in New
York City business, who opened up
the first avenues of commercial life
there —for Colored people. He added
that the fundamentals of business de
pended upon “needs” and a “purpose,”
also proper bookkeeping methods.
“There should be depreciation reser
(Continued on Page 5)
NAACP MASS MEETING
CLOSING MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
Col. Ave. Zion Church
MONDAY, MAY 8 — 7.30 p.m.
SPEAKER
WM. PICKENS
FIELD SECRETARY NAACP
Final Reports Music 2500 New Member,
ADMISSION FREE
HAIR DRESSERS AT RECENT BANQUET
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APEX BANQUET
At Estelles in honor of Mrs. Dorothy Chapman, Apex beauty teacher of New York
NEW SETTLEMENT OPENS
JULIAN STEELE HEAD
Another milestone in the history of
Boston welfare and progress will have
been passed next Thursday afternoon
when the new Armstrong-Hemenway
Foundation opens the doors of its Cen
ter, 43 Rutland Square to the public
with an unusual opening celebration.
Mayor Maurice J. Tobin is scheduled
to be the opening speaker for the
event. He will be joined on the pro
gram by Lester B. Granger, of New
York and Washington, an authority on
the economic and civic position of the
American colored man.
Also scheduled to speak on the open
ing program are Miss Ethel Fair, of
the Cooperative Council of Greater
Boston, Miss Rose Pesotta, of the In
ternational Ladies Garment Workers
Union, Calvin H. Yuill, director of the
Housing Association of Boston, and
W. Duncan Russell, director of the
Community Service of this city.
The Foundation’s opening climaxes
many months of hard work and dili
gent planning by Mr. Steele and his
board of directors, a list of which
sounds like a “Who’s Who” of liberal
and progressive thought in New Eng
land. On this board are Mrs. John
MAY DAY
CELEBRATION
The Annual May Day takes on
a new significance this year when
a mammoth celebration and dance is
staged at Butler Hall, with Tasker
Crosson and His Statesmen providing
the music for dancing, Monday even
ing.
The dancing will follow an interest
ing program on which several well
known persons will be heard. Among
these are Hoard Carter, for many
years one of the best known political
and civic leaders in this section, and
Phil Frankfeld, secretary of the Com
munist Party in Massachusetts. Also
on the program will be one of the re
turned veterans of the recent war in
Spain, a member of the Abraham Lin
coln Brigade. Otis Hood, chairman of
the Communist Party, and others will
be heard.
The Butler Hall celebration is open
to the public at a nominal admission
charge. All persons are urged to at
tend the Boston Common meeting.
W. Bartol, who is president of it, Rev.
George Lyman Paine, vice president,
Alfred Baker Lewis, secretary, Louis
C. Bartol, treasurer, Lewis Bell,
Everett Yates, Samuel J. Elder, Max
Nelson, Miss Faith Barney, Rev.
Alfred Bliss, Henry J. Cadbury, Rob
ert S. Coit, Edwin B. Goodell, Jr., Dr.
F. Irving Gray, Reuben L. Lurie and
Rev. Richard M. Owens.
Cooperating closely with these
directors are a committee of advisers,
which includes Miss Florence Johnson,
Miss Jane MacCready, Mrs. Helen
Saftel, Frederick J. Soule, Mrs. Max
Uln and Miss Grace T. Wills.
Julian D. Steele, under whose direc
tion the Robert Gould Shaw House
climbed into national prominence in
less than seven years, will be the ex
ecutive director of the new Founda
tion.
Describing its program, Mr. Steele
states that the Foundation “is a non
profit, interracial, cooperative, enter
prise, organized to promote the devel
opment of cooperatives, better hous
ing, planned recreation, and a com
mittee of labor to assist in adjusting
(Continued on Page 5)
AKA NAT L. BOULE
Plans for the entertainment of the
National AKA Boule next December
were formulated at a joint meeting of
Psi Omega and Epsilon chapters Fri
day, April 21 at the home of Soror
Mary Wright who is General Chair
man, assisted by Soror Olivia Solo
mons as co-chairman. A tentative
program was arranged and committee
chairmen were appointed as follows:
General Chairman, Dr. Mary Wright;
co-chairman, Olivia Stead Solomon;
headquarters, Portia Bosfield; finance,
Dr. Jessie Garnett; Publicity, Thoma
sina Walker Johnson; closed dance,
Atty. Rowena Easterling Taylor; ex
hibition, Regina Keyes; closed ban
quet, Gwendolyn Carter; transporta
tion, Phyllis Walker; model initiation.
Lucy. Miller Mitchell; escorts, Maud
(Continued on Page 5)
The Dire ctors, Members and
Advisory Committee
°F the armstrong-hemenway foundation
Cordially invite the public to the
OPENING OF ITS NEW HEADQUARTERS
43 RUTLAND SQUARE - BOSTON
THURSDAY, MAY 4, ’39
OPEN HOUSE AND TEA 4:00 TO 5:30 P.M.
Evening Program 8 o'clock with Mayor Tobin and other
Prominent Speakers
PRICE FIVE CENTS
4 YEARS IN OPERA
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31
MATILDA BIRCH
One of the most experienced and one
of the best known singers of Boston.
For the past four years, she has been
one of the principal singers of William
Rhodes Opera Society, and each year
she has won favorable comment. On
Thursday evening, June 1, 1939, at
8:15 o’clock in Brown Hall, New Eng
(Continued on Page 5)
G
llrtrrau Hraltnr Draft
Robert T. Murray, for many years
engaged in real estate business; died
Sunday, April 23. Funeral services
were held at Johnson’s Funeral Home,
Shawmut Avenue, Wednesday, April
26 at 3 p.m., Rev. Richard Owens, pas
tor, Peoples Baptist Church of Boston
officiating. Interment was at Mt.
Hope Cemetery.
Robert T. Murray was born in
Brooklyn, N. Y„ Feb. 26, 1867. He
came to Boston twenty-two years ago,
joined the People’s Baptist Church
and started in the real estate business.
He leaves to mourn their loss a
nephew, two grandchildren, two cous
ins, and a host of friends.