The guardian. [volume], May 20, 1939, Image 1

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

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THE GUARDIAN
VOL. 38, NO. 29
RACE MEMBER on MASS. GOV'S. STAFF
aiths Croup In War On Baseball J. Crow
ub Flier in New Venture - Wyche and Kenney Toss Hats in Ring
BOSTON PLANNING :
BIGGEST "POPS" EVER
campaign to make this year’s
• < ni ’’ concert of Afro-American mu
greater success even than the last
>is have been entered its final
this week as the large committee
Jug the affair flooded the mails
vu: invitations to noted citizens to at
ter I the concert.
-amb of letters of special invi
v ere sent out, the publicity com
< reported, and other special in
■ - are still to be sent to figures
al prominence. “We wish we
mn for every noted persons in
■ miry to listen to this great eon
to American race culture”,
' A. Simmons of the Publicity
att e commented. “We are sin
ur belief that Boston’s “Pops”
■ ch year is doing a grand job
l iving and popularizing the
। ontribution of our race to the
■ of the country”, he added.
a dozen additional organiza-
Handed the enlarged sponsoring
iic that was held at 558 Massa
< i . Ave last Wednesday night, it
'r d, and an urgent appeal was
id \ i’roident John S. R. Bourne
"f fl "Xa England Congress for other
bodies tn send their representatives to
subs ;iiil meetings. These, he said,
are ; mg held every Wednesday night
concert on June 26.
The Ahinr Committee of the com
bined m'ciaiizations reported Wednes
day that it will soon public its
■' ns of a colored singer and pian
। ippear with the Symphony Hall
cl -Ira on the “Pops” program.
artists are expected to be the
Unusual Opera Voice
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W L,
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Ora Wake, soprano, has an unusual
'oiee, which has been carefully trained.
She is also one of the principal singers
ot \\ illiam Rhodes Opera Society, and
she will he heard in Wagner’s “Das
Rhemgold”, singing the Role of Wog-
Inide. Phis performance will be given
in Brown Hall, New England Conserv
atory of Music, on Thursday evening,
•line 1, at 8:15 o’clock. Opera Acts
™ m ,“ Der Freischutz,” by Weber, and
Erminie,” by Jakobowski will also be
perl ormed by an all star cast of promi
nent singers, supported by a concert
orchestra. William Rhodes will con
•uet the performance. John Powell,
Business Supervisor, and James Hen
uerson, stage director. Rush seats 85
eents, reserved seats sl.lO and $1.65
including tax.
DePriest Garage
255 NORTHAMPTON ST.
Oil . G a s . Repairing - Storage
Now Maintaining the
Ford Service
Tel KEN more 8358 H. ThompK., Prop.
SUFFOLK
DOWNS
UNTIL JULY 22
DAILY DOUBLE POST « r-
J' 2nd * a "* TIME 2:T 5
" °SIO N «"«. TAX) Grand „ ond „ t
Clubh o«« $1.50 • « RACES DAILY •
outstanding ones in the New England
area.
Tickets for the concert are being sold
in every section of the city this week,
and may be obtained from heads of
most organizations or by calling Atty.
J. S. R. Bourne, HANcock 4024. Mr.
Bourne urged early reservations, stat
ing that he did not believe the number
of tickets available will satisfy more
than a fraction of the people who will
want them.
E
DR. SAM’L G. PARLO
Leading exponent of equality for all—
A "later day abolitionist"
BUD' CROSSON IN
A LEADING ROLE
The sight of a colored man in one of
the leading roles with an entire white
supporting cast will greet theatre-goers
in a few days when “The Big Blow”,
with “Bud” Crosson in the cast, opens
at the Copley Theatre. The production
will be sponsored by the local Federal
Theatre Project.
Crosson, former Bostonian, will play
the part of “Clay,” a colored man who
is loved and respected by many citizens
of the southern community in which he
lives, but who is maneuvered into a
compromising position by a man who
hates him. A lynching is averted only
by the coming of one of the quick, de
vastating hurricanes peculiar to the
South.
The role is one that has been much
disputed, and is made possible here
only by the advanced nature of Boston
audiences. It was created in New York
some months ago by Frank Wilson of
“Porgy” fame, who succeeded so well
in the part that the show ran on Broad
way for more than six months.
NOW OPEN FOR
BUSINESS
AN
ATLANTIC
GAS ST A.
under the sole proprietorship of
T. ROLLINS
ROSS
Offering
MODERN EFFICIENCY
PLUS HIGH QUALITY WORK
BY EXPERIENCED
RACE ATTENDANTS
Equipped to render
COMPLETE
FILLING
STATION
SERVICE
1105 TREMONT ST. (at WESTON)
GUARDIAN, BOSTON, MASS., MAY 20, 1939
FAITHS FIGHT
TO END BASEBALL
J. CROW THIS YR.
Concerted action to end baseball
Jim Crow has been started by a na
tional committee of the World Fellow
shipship of Faiths, world, wide organi
zation working for racial unity.
Baron Frary von Blomberg has been
appointed to represent this committee
in New England.
Many sport editors and baseball
writers are already against discrimi
nation with Colored players and others
will be approached by this committee
very shortly. It is planned to have
petitions filed by baseball fans.
Baron von Blomberg believes that
any poll of American sports fans
would be 9-1 for ending the ban on
talented performers for reason of the
color of the skin. It is hoped that
this Jim Crow in baseball will be ended
this year.
At his office, 53 Devonshire Street,
the Baron points out that one million
baseball fans in eastern and western
cities watch fifteen teams in the
western cities watch 15 teams in the
two major colored leagues play organ
ized baseball each year from May 15
until September 15 and in these
months they see batters as great as
Babe Ruth and pitchers more colorful
and skillful than Dizzy Dean or Lefty
Gomez.
These teams spend on an average of
over a half million dollars a season in
overhead, salaries, publicity, the finest
of uniforms, and transportation. Each
maintains spring training camps in
the South such as the major leagues
do. The two leagues meet regularly,
trade players, make outright pur
chases of players, decide on regulation
balls to use, experience “hold-outs”
and duplicate the activities of the
majors in practically every detail—to
such an extent that both weekly and
daily newspapers throughout the
country have insisted that top-notch
ers in the colored leagues be taken
into the big leagues.
Baron von Blomberg believes that
such names as Leon Day, Satchell
Paige, Cool Papa Bell, Willie Wells,
Johnny Taylor and Newt Allen will
one day be as familiar to the white
baseball fans of the nation as they are
to the million colored fans of today.
G
BOSTON DEBUT
ON TUESDAY EVE.
7 ? X
■Lu
KENNETH SPENCER. WEST
COAST BASSO, HERE IN BENE
FIT CONCERT AT STEINERT
HALL, MAY 23
Eastern audiences, and more par
ticularly Bostonians who attend the
concert at Steinert’s Hall on next
Tuesday evening are to have a real
treat. Kenneth Spencer makes his
first appearance in this section in a
program for the benefit of the Chil
dren’s Summer Camp Fund of the
Church of St. John the Evangelist,
Boston and St. Augustine’s, Lenox
Street, Roxbury.
Mr. Spencer, a basso who has gained
unanimous acclaim from the West
Coast critics for the rich fullness of
his tones and his technique will add
further laurels to himself in the pro
gram he is to present.
He is to be accompanied by the well
known Boston pianist, Justin Sand
ridge. This combination of singer and
accompanist will long be remembered
as one of the leading attractions pre
sented in Boston this season.
The committee in charge, headed by
Mrs. Edward W. Grew, chairman,
Mrs. Albert Arnold, vice chairman
(Continued on Page 5)
NEW HEAD OF
WPA PROJECT
NEW YORK—Edna Thomas, the
former Edna Lewis of Boston, last
week succeeded J. Augustus Smith as
head of a WPA Federal Theatre Pro
ject’s unit here.
She began her career in 1918 with
the famous Lafayette Stock Company.
She appeared in the role of Clara in
the Theatre Guild’s “Porgy,” here and
in Europe. Later, she played the part
of Ella in Hall Johnson’s “Run Lil’
Chillun” and Ruby in the Theatre
Union’s “Stevedore.”
In 1936 Edna Thomas appeared as
lady Macbeth in the WPA’s “Macbeth”
and more recently she played the part
of Lavinia in the Federal Theatre’s
all-colored production of Bernard
Shaw’s “Androcles and the Lion.”
jEk, ii
EDNA THOMAS
Who heads a N. Y. W.P.A. Project—
Well known in her native Boston.
WOMEN TO LOBBY
IN WASHINGTON
Action against lynching in Boston
will take a concrete form within a few
weeks when a newly-formed lobbying
committee of local young women leave
this city for Washington to lobby in be
half of the Wagner Van Nuys Bill.
The group of women are members of
the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and
have been given the task of following
local and national legislation during
the coming year. Included on the visit
to the United States Congress will be
(Continued on Page 5)
NEW LOCATION
Km K 1
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Mr . '
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SKE&' <
IRENE BECKFORD
A step forward in business was
taken this month by Irene E. Beck
ford, beauty culturist when she opened
her new salon at 80 Humboldt Avenue,
just a few doors from her former
location.
The new salon, in color scheme and
tasteful decoration and equipped with
the most modern beauty culture ap
pliances, reflects the artistic taste
and progressiveness of Miss Beckford
who says that you “can sell beauty
better in beautiful surroundings.”
The telephone number is the same
as before her removal, Highlands
9695; but in the telephone book the
number is listed only under her name,
Irene E. Beckford.
GOV. APPOINTS McKANE
ON OFFICIAL STAFF
(KNS) — History among colored
people of Massachusetts was made on
Wednesday evening, May 17, 1939
when His Excellency Governor Leverett
Saltonstall entered the drill shed at the
South Armory accompanied by his mil
itary staff. On this staff in full uniform
marched a colored officer who is first
lieutenant Cornelius McKane, a former
Sergeant in the 37th Infantry.
The occasion of the Governor’s en
trance was because of his acceptance
of an invitation to review the Third
Battalion, 372 d Infantry, Mass. Na
tional Guard commanded by Major
Alexander R. Davis, of which His Ex
cellency, ex-officio, is Commander-in-
Chief.
The review to the Governor was ex
cellent and the persons who crowded
the large armory enjoyed both the re
view and the evening parade held after
his Excellency had inspected the sup
ply rooms of each company and then
ROBESON HERE, LAUDS
SOVIET EDUCATION
■
I
I ■
■
PAUL ROBESON
Famed singer and actor who thinks education in Soviet Union excels that in
other countries.
NEW YORK, May 17 (CNA)—
Paul Robeson, internationally famous
actor and singer, arrived in New York
this week on the S.S. Normandie. He
explained that he had returned to
the United States in connection with
a concert tour and possibly to act in
the legitimate theatre. Robeson said
BOYS! QIRLS!
A VACATION AT CAMP
WITH ALL EXPENSES PAID
Here's how you can earn that vacation
at one of the popular camps.
(I) Enroll in the campaign by sending your name and address to:
CAMP EDITOR, 66 Harold St., Roxbury
(2) Then start to work by calling on your friends and neighbors and
getting them to subscribe to THE GUARDIAN for 6 months or a year.
With each subscription you obtain you are credited with a number
of points. The number of points you get determine what camp you
go to and how long you spend at camp.
An easy way to earn a vacation isn't it. ENROLL NOW. Contest
closes June 20.
See page 4 for full details
PRICE FIVE CENTS
returned to the drill shed to join the
audience, which applauded the precis
ion of the officers and enlisted men,
including the “best band” in the Mass.
National guard.
Great as was the interest in the mili
tary movements, the greatest interest
was in the fact that at last a colored
man was officially on the Governor’s
Staff, thereby giving the colored people
of Massachusetts recognition for their
military prowess which dates back to
the Revolutionary War and which is
still alive and active in the 372 d In
fantry.
Among the many distinguished per
sons present was Lt.-Col. Larkland F.
Hewit, the only living former com
mander of the battalion who is in Mass
achusetts. The late Lt.-Col. Edward
Dugger was represented in the ranks
by his son, Corporal Edward Dugger,
the famous Tufts track athlete of the
present hour.
that his son Paul, Jr., who has attend
ed school in Moscow, is now in a
Soviet school in London. Pointing out
that under the Soviet system there is
no discrimination, Robeson declared:
“The boy gets a cultural advantage in
that school that he would not have in
(Continued on Page 5)