Newspaper Page Text
FAQ* for*
ilir favmmali ©ritowr
Established 1975 BOL C. JOHNSON
By J. H. DEVEAUX 188»—1954
MRS WILL A A. JOHNSON Editor & Publisher
EZRA JOHNSON_____________ As.st. to Publisher
J. H. BUTLHR Asso Editor
R W. GADSDEN________ Contributing Editor
GEORGE E. JENKINS Advertising Manager
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
1009 WEST BROAD STREET
Telephone, Dial 5338
Subscription Hates In Advance
One Year ----------- __ $112
Rix Months---- $3.09
•Ingle Copy ______ ... .. __ .10
Remittance must be made by Express, Post
Office Money Order or Registered Mail.
Entered as Second Class Matter at tiie Post
Office at Savannah, Qa., under the Act of
;; J March 3, 1919.
“In n democracy there is no better
rough altfl ready diode of governing than
by the- will of the majority, but, to be
workable and to,make a contented nation,
that theory presupposes that every pos¬
sible protection shall be given to a minor¬
ity.
—James Truslow Adams,
IT IS EVER THUS
There have always been a lot of Amer¬
icans -Vflvr possessed a passionate devo¬
tion tb> ! their country and to the cause of
human rights. There are a lot of them
still who have not bowed nor bent their
knees to the Baal of bigotry, racial prej¬
udice and wanton injustice, who have tak¬
en the part of the downtrodden and dis¬
advantaged, some of whom have been out¬
spoken and have “stuck their necks out.” in
advocacy of right, and some whose hearts
are right, but, who for ' irious real reasons
could not stick their necks out. And yet
we doubt that there are many of these
who can imagine cmi what it means to
be a Negro in the United Stales of Amer¬
ica, as good as it is compared with other
countries in the world. The feeling we ex¬
press here is highlighted by implications
of a view held by Pern Greene of Mis¬
sissippi and such other editors as Virgin¬
ias Dalmey, Mark Etheridge, et al. Those
who are keeping up with current hap¬
penings. have read that the consensus
among editors surveyed m-rntly on race
relations as a result of the Supreme Court
decision on segregation seems to be that
“relations between white persons and Ne¬
groes in the South have worsened since
the Supreme Court decision ordered an
end to separate public schools for the two
races.”
This is a dark picture indeed but it is
not the first such dark picture that be¬
lievers in human rig Ids and the American
Negro have had to face. Who could have
foreseen in 1620 that slavery would have
ended in 1865? Who foresaw in 1620
that America would have smeared its es¬
cutcheon with the kind of thing that Ne¬
gro slavery was? There were some peo¬
ple who believed that the emancipation
of the slaves was the eifd of their woes.
The slaves did. But there were those who
thought otherwise. Thi greatest achieve-
fnent for human rights since the Magna
Carta was met bv a reaction whose horror
is too well known to require reciting.
Every student of American history knows
what happened when Negroes were given
the ballot. The cry of "Negro domination"
went out and there was bloodshed, plenty
of it. Less than twenty-five years ago in
our own state Negroes wore killed be¬
cause they tried to vote. It is almost
axiomatic that every time a step is made
toward a new granting of civil rights or
recognition of thosy rights, violence marks
the resistenee ut nine white Americans
to it. The appointment of a colored wo¬
man to a Postmaster’s job at Indianola,
Miss., the appointment of Crum to the
Customs Post in Charleston, S. C„ and
the reception of Booker T. Washington
at the White House by President Theo¬
dore Roosevelt were occasions for violence,
and a South Carolina Senator said about
it. “Now, we shall have to kill a thousand
'niggers’ t< get them back in their places.”
Alarming and unfortuante as it is,
things are pretty tough in some sections
an<l look very had. but it has always been
true, or apparently so. if Negroes didn't
aspire to become fir -1 class American cit¬
izens. if they ask for nothing, if courts
set up and established by whites didn't
award them justice in the areas of civil
rights, if they remain satisfied to wait
on the pa terrain- ill of our fellow-citizens,
everything would be all right, there would
be no trouble, relations would remain
good.
1*7/47 IS THE SOLUTION?
It was the wish of political hopefuls
that the decision of !he Supreme Court
on segregation would remove it from be¬
coming an issue in tho campaign now on
the way. But it is already an issue and
an important one at that. The two active
candidates for the Democratic nomina¬
tion have found it a hot one. Both Mr.
Stevenson and Mr. Kefauver have ex¬
pressed themselves, more or less evasive¬
ly. depending mi the time and place of tho
need for saying what their stand on the
issue is. Both believe the law of the land
should be obeyed; that a means short of
defiance and violence should be found to
implement the court’s decision: gradual¬
ism, conferences and the force of persua¬
sion. These means will work in some
places, but there are places where they
National Advertising Representatives
Associated Publishers
31 West 48 Street
New York 30, New York
160 W. Washington St.
Chicago 2, 111.
Whaley-Simpson Co.
6513 Hollywood Boulevard
San Francisco 5, California
55 New Whaley-Simpson Co.
Montgomery Street
Los Angeles, California
will not work, and since nobody wants
violence or the National Guard to be used,
what are we going to do? Some states
do not intend ever to obey the Court.
What becomes of the prestige of America
as a country of law and order?
Mr. Kefauver has lost some support
in the Deep South and Mr. Stevenson has
not gained any in California, even though
he has a good record in civil rights in
Illinois. Fortunately for both of these
gentlemen, Mr. Nixon has provided a
diversion for them. His reference to Chief
Justice Warren as a Republican Judge
gives them a breathing spell during which
they may center their fire upon him and
escape having to answer questions as to
their position on segregation. As to the
final solution of the question, we believe
no man has the answer. Only time has
it.
MR. ROY HARRIS AT THE COLLEGE
Perhaps il was a good thing that Mr.
Harris was the speaker at the dedication
of tlie new building at the Savannah State
College to the memory of two former
presidents of the college. As we see it,
a more appropriate time and occasion
could not have been found to have him
expound his views on a matter in which
he has taken so active a part. He spoke
ill the presence of teachers and students
who themselves know something of the
history of Georgia and its attitude to¬
ward race relations; who have the ad¬
vantage of having gotten their informa¬
tion from impartial and unbiased sources
and who are willing to hear all sides of
the issue that is befogged by ancient
mvths, racial bigotry and out-moded tra¬
ditions, that arc retarding the progress
of the South.
Wo find ourselves at variance with Mr.
Harris at several points of his address
that dealt with race relations:
(I) He says. “Your race in America
during the last 90 years has made more
progress than your race has made in the
history of its existence up until that
time.” The usual statement a-s to the
Negro’s progress is that “he has made
more nrogress since emancipation than
anv other race in history under compar¬
able circumstances,” Negroes are proud of
their progress. They do have race pride.
II is precisely because lliev are proud of
their race that they resist and refute
the concept of race supremacy; that they
insist on becoming first-class citizens.
Mnpv Negroes know that, except for
nearly 800 years of American inhumanity,
their ancestors had achieved a cultural
maturity before the Britons bad emerged
from savagerv. Race pride is not incon¬
sistent with hones and aspirations to par¬
ticipate in the stream of American life. To
hope and aspire and participate is inher¬
ent '0 American democracy.
(21. “The old time carpetbaggers used
tlie members of your race . . . They came
for the sole purpose of enriching them¬
selves and taking advantage of the mem¬
bers of vour race.” “As a result of your
people’s following the carpetbaggers, ill
foolin'" developed between your race and
mine.” On this pouit the whole storv in¬
cludes a number of facts that students
of history can supply. For instance, all
of the so-called carpetbaggers, men and
women, and all of the scalawags. Union
and men of the South, were not
adventurers intent on exploiting "vour
race and mine” and enriching themselves.
On tin' contrary, they enriched the South,
but for whom the progress we are so
proud of would have been impossible. A
percentage of the teachers of Negro
and girls during the past 90 years
educated in schools and colleges
founded by so-called carpetbaggers: Ware,
h. Sumner. Howard. Armstrong.
Rankin, Sales and Thirkield. and
do not forget some of the progress we
made is attributable to a few lib¬
Southerners who were called scala¬
ft should be known that every
the Savannah State College has
was either educated at a school or
founded by tlve carpetbaggers or
taught by someone who was educat¬
in such a school or college.
<:U. The implication that both races
together a satisfactory way of
is not consistent with the facts as
we think we know them. Negroes in
up to now, have had no part in
any plan. White people have
the “evolving” and Negroes have
more or less passive recipients of
the “evolving.” We know of only four
Negroes who office ha\*e Upen commission appointed at the or
to any or
making level. The state’s determ-
THE SAVANNAH TRIBUNE
ZSTZZLtZ—. ..S#i »J®S1
Mrs. Harriette Wright Hines cuts ribbon to Wright Hall at Savannah State College. This building
was named in honor of Mrs. Hines’ father, R. R. Wright, and was dedicated on last Saturday.
I)r. W. K. Pa.vnc, Miss Mamie Davis (Miss Savannah Stale, 195J-56) and Dr. Thomas Brooks,
Personnel Dean, are seen to the left.
Roy Harris
Makes Blast
(Continued from Page One)
most outstanding objection
coming from the local branch
of the NAACP which asked that
the address be boycotted, char¬
ging, “This foe of racial inte-
gratlon and human rights has
continued, to propose schemes
for forestalling integration in
the public schools and was the
prinic mover in the formation
of the States Rights Council.”
Tlie Association’s written state¬
ment further said that Harris’
appearance here would be an
“affront to the hopes and as¬
pirations of the Negro people.”
A casual glance at the size of
the crowd which assembled to
listen to the address of one of
Georgia’s bitterest foes of civil
rights for the Negro and inte-
gration of the schools gave the
impression that the boycott
efforts were Ineffective,
when a close scrutinization was
made it could be clearly seen
that many of tlie prominent
local alumni and many friends
of the college in Savannah had
apparently purposely absented
themselves from the exercises.
Of the crowd of little
1,000 persons present two-thirds
of them were students of the
college who were practically
forced to be in attendance.
The day before the ceremon¬
ies the students were warned
by the school authorities that
if they did not attend the ex¬
orcises they would be given
two demerits, and this in spite
of tlie fact that Saturday is not
a school day at the college.
This was a rather severe penal¬
ty because, ordinarily, only one
demerit is charged against a
student, for missing a chapel
exercise, In order to keep tab
on any absent student, each
student was given a yellow
slip of paper with his name on
it, which was to be placed in a
box near the stage at the con¬
clusion of the program.
It is also understood that all
members of the faculty and
other personnel of the teaching
force were under compulsion to
attend tlie exercises.
Harris spoke for approximate¬
ly a half hour. Tlie first part
of his address was consumed in
recounting the progress educa¬
tion had made in Georgia, the
terrific struggle which faced
the state immediately follow¬
ing the War Between the States
and the role tlie Carpet-Bag¬
gers played in the period im¬
mediately following the War.
He also pointed to the de¬
velopment of the educational
facilities at Savannah State
College and the bright future
which lies ahead for the school,
stating that the two new build-
inution to maintain segregation and its
way of life does not encourage the sit-
ting-down-together of whites and Ne¬ i
groes.. Except in one or two volunteer !
organizations, this is true at city, county
and state levels after 90 years. |
There other points at which 1
arc we are
in disagreement with Mr. Harris. We can
only see hatred, bitterness, strife and
bloodshed if it is initiated and carried
out by white people at the suggestion
and encouragement of predictions of dem¬
agogues. '
ings which were being dedicated
were but a beginning for the
vast development which the
Board of Regents has in view
for the school.
In the latter part of his ad-
dress Harris blasted what he
termed “The Modern Carpet-
1 Baggers,” who, he said, come
\ South to divide the people and
cause hatred and strife and to
lead in the fight for integra-
; tion.
j Harris did not mention by
name who these “Modern Car-
pet Baggers" are but the infer¬
1 ence is he had reference to the
NAACP which is spearheading j
the Negro’s fight for full civil
rights and tlie integration of
the schools.
In closing his address Harris
said we are entering into a new
! era in Georgia and the South
in which golden opportunities
lie ahead for both races, stating:
“Our way of life, in the South
has evolved over a 90-year
period of trial and hardships
and you are now witnesses to
the progress that has been
made under this way of life.
j “To disrupt this way of life
j and to produce bitterness,
hatred and bloodshed jeopar¬
dizes our future progress and
development.
“As 1 see it, there can be no
progress without good will. As
1 see it,, there can he no pro¬
gress without co-operation and
without peace.
“The way of the modern-day
carpetbagger leads to bitterness,
to hate, to strife, to turmoil and
bloodshed.
“It means a halt to the pro-
Stress we have made in out
school system. It means a halt
to the progress that you are
making at Savannah State
College.
“So, I submit to you that the
way of life that has brought to
us peace, understanding, pro¬
gress, prosperity and happineS.s
and which holds so many prom¬
ises for the future is worthy of
continuing.
“The white people of this
state will not voluntarily sur¬
render that way of life. They
will fight for its continuance
and its preservation.”
Dedicated were the Richard
K. Wright Hall, a 210-bed men’s
dormitory named for the col¬
lege's first, president, and the
Cyrus G. Wiley Hall, a large
gymnasium honoring the insti¬
tution’s second head. Following
dedication ceremonies in the
auditorium Mrs. Hariett Wright
Hines of Philadelphia, daugh¬
ter of the college’s first presi¬
dent,, cut the ribbon officially
opening the edifice named for
her father, and Mrs. C. G.
Wiley, widow of the institution’s
second president, cut the ribbon
opening the structure honoring
her late husband. !
Guests included Mayor Frank |
T. Wall of Thunderbolt, Mayor j
W. Lee Mingledorff of Savan-
nah, Reps. Frank S. Cheatham,
Jr., and Edgar P. Eyler, Thun¬
derbolt Police Chief William A
Leonard, Savannah Beach Po¬
lice Chief David A. McCutchen,
and Solicitor General Andrew
J. Ryan.
Gordon H. Brown, assistant
chancellor of the University Sys¬
tem, received the keys of the
building from Cietus W. and
William P. Bergen, architects,
and presented them to Dr.
Payne. The benediction was
pronounced by the college min¬
ister, Rev. Andrew J. Hargrett.
Music for the dedicatorial
program was rendered by the
college chorus under the direc-
tion of Dr. C. A. Braithwaite.
Suits Filed In
8 So. States
(Continued from r*gr One)
tiers.
Thurgood Marshall, chief
-el, and Key Wilkins, executive
secretary, outlined the N.A.A.C.P.
nolicy at a news conference yes¬
terday held in conjunction with a
meeting of N.A.A.C.P leaders
from It Southern states.
They said the N.A.A.C.P. had,
been asked to file suits in one or
more areas in Alabama. Florida.
Ceorsria, Louisiana,
North Carolina, South
and Virginia.
“We find that in many areas of
->aeh of the above-mentioned states
Negro parents have filed petitions
with local school boards socking
desegregation and have been rc- (
buffo,j at every effort,to negotiate
and have requested the N.A.A.C.P.
for support in proposed legal ac¬
tions to compel compliance with
the Supreme Court’s decision,”
they said.
The two men pledged the full
support of the N.A.A.C.P.. in these
eight states which they said Con-' are.
“in rebellion against the
-Titution and the law of character-1 the land.”
Marshall and Wilkins
ire,! s„ called “interposition” and I
“nullification” moves in some of I
t|, c . .states as “merely nice sound- j
ing phrases brought out for the
sole of trying to put « ii the . 1
purpose
cloak of respectability and lawful¬
ness upon the defiant attitude of
those who continue to refuse to
abide by the law of the land.”
Marshal! said “no argument can
tie made” for interposition in any
court. Tlie doctrine is based on a i
constitutional provision that states
uniting themselves into a federal I
government retain certain rights
and powers.
■
The N.A.A.C.P leaders said that!
Delaware, M 1 . d, , Missouri, .
a r y a 11
Oklahoma and West Virginia arc
desegregating I lit-. in .. « sensible —— 1 .1.,
fashion. But, they said, progressl
Is immeasurably slow’ > n :
Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee 1
and Texas-, where “much can be
accomplished t h r o u g h further
negotiations.”
In the eight “recalcitrant” states
the N.A.A.C.P. expressed willing¬
ness to negotiate with any local
school hoard which has the
“courage” to support the Consti-
tution of the United States.
Marshall assured newsmen that
the N.A.A.C.P. will use all its re-
sources to defend Fred Gray, a
25-year-old Montgomery, Ala., at¬
torney indicted by a grand jury
investigating the lengthy bus boy-
colt in that city.
Gray was charged with unlaw-
fully filing an anti-segregation
suit in V. S. District Court last
month without the consent of one :
Here And There
By Wills
“NO MAN is worth his salt
who is not ready at all times
to risk his body ... to risk his
well-being ... to risk his life ...
in a great cause.” — Theodore
Roosevelt.
* v * #
"COURAGE is grace under
pressure.”— Ernest Hemingway.
"TRADITION is an impor¬
tant help to history, but its
statements should be carefully
scrutinized before we rely on
them.”—Addison.
* * ❖ *
MRS. F. R. LAMBKIN, the
wife of Prof. F. R. Lampkin of
Columbus, sailed for Birming¬
ham, England, on February
16th, to visit her uncle. Dr. E.
J. Cobb, who is ill.
* * * *
THE SERVICE LEAGUE of
First Congregational Church
sponsored a bathroom shower
for Greenbriar Children’s Cen¬
ter, recently, which culminated
on Valentine’s Day. A large
heart-shaped boxed filled with
useful gifts was presented to
Mrs. Doris Roberts, executive
director of the Center. Mrs
Roberta Spencer is president of
the League.
HAI’PY BIRTHDAY to Mrs
Ouida Thompson iFeb. 14 1 Miss
Frankie Golden, Arnett Waters
1 Feb. 13); Mrs. Ernestine Tay¬
lor, Mrs. Ethel King (Feb. 18 1 ,
Mrs. Alice A. Curry 1 Feb. 22 1
and Mrs. Mary L. Ayers (Feb
20 1 . All enjoyed their celebra¬
tions. Some had parties. Mrs.
Ayers shared her birthday cake
with some of her younger
friends and wished that all of
them will enjoy life as long
s p e has.
MRS. HARRIET WRIGHT
HINES, vice president of the
Citizens ,v Southern Bank &
Trust Company of Philadelphia
visited the Tribune this week
accompanied by S. J. Brown.
Mrs. Hines is the daughter of
the late President R. R. Wright
of Georgia State College.
MRS. NANCY T. COLLIER \
Mrs. Dorothy B. Taylor attend¬
ed the funeral of Dr. T. H.
Brewer in Columbus, Tuesday.
Both are close friends of Mrs.
Brewer, the widow of the de¬
ceased.
MRS. MAMIE SINGLETON is
in Atlanta this week visiting
her son-in-law and daughter,
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Leonard.
❖ * * $
FUNERAL SERVICES for
Thomas S. Beaton were held
yesterday (Wednesday) at the
Second Baptist Church, Rev. E
P. Quarterman, pastor. The
deceased is the father of Thos.
S. Beaton, Jr,, and Mrs. Mary
B. Pearson.
of the five Negro women whose
names "PPeaved on the
n * KUlt »«** to Mont-
( ’ ltv an<1 Male segregation
h,ws lU “ 1 " ,ir with P«'die trims-
>’“ rtat,on - Negroes have boycotted
< ,' ty h ] lsc * t hcn ' s 'nee early last
December when i a Negro
was ti n.x mi arrested it.MiMi for mu not rmr (•(inirmruuv complying
with segregation laws.
Referring to a Valdosta,
ease where the state sued the local
school board to test validity of a
state segregation law, Marshall
said it was a “smear effort with
the idea ol ultimate force without
K' v ing the immediate issue a
chance. Hie Valdosta case is
pending.
1 he N.A.A.C.P. leaders adopted
a resolution criticizing Dr. W. K.
p 1 uyne, president • , . of , „
College, “for extending an
jnvitatjon to R()y v „ ^ k 1 f . U
* ‘ "
, Ga„ to address and insult J
thp stu(|( , nl bo(ly „ f that instit
tion |Ild th(f dt j zens of t , 6 t '
state of - Georgia.”
Harris, ,
a prominent Georgia j
segregation leader and member of)
the Board of Regents of the Uni- :
versity at the System college of Georgia, before^ spoke)
Saturday
about 1.000 students and alumni
of the Negro college. He warned
that “bitterness, strife, hatred and
bloodshed” would result if the fed-
era! courts enforce integration.
The Savannah branch of the
N.A.A.C.P had protested his ap
"
pearance.
___ |
FIREMAN, ’ 50, ’ GETS
LULLLuL ULviKEL
NEW YORK (NAP). — Walter,
THURS., FEBRUARY 23, 1956
FVT. BURNEY ADAMS, son of I
William Adams, Sr., 701 m Har-
! mon St., and brother of Misses
Aifreta and Jettie Adams and
William Adams, Jr., will leave
i fur Germany soon, after spend¬
ing fifteen days at home with
his family and friends. Pvt.
Adams entered the service in
June of 1955 and received his
basic training at Fort Jackson,
S. C. He was then assigned to
the 11th Airborne Division
Jump School where he gradu¬
ated as a qualified parachutist.
Ue is now a member of tlie
188 th Airborne Medical Com¬
pany.
* * * *
THE BAPTIST USHERS UN¬
ION will meet Wednesday night,
Feb. 29, at 8 o’clock at Bethle¬
hem Baptist Church.
•t * #■ *
MARCH 2nd is the date of the
SHIVARAjyi performance at
Beach High School which will
be presented by the Alpha
Kappa Alpha Sorority. From
the advance sale of tickets,
there will be a capacity audi¬
ence, Be sure to be on time, 8
o’clock.
* * * *
MARCH 12th is the date that
tlie dramatics group of Beach
High School will present their
innual play. Mrs. E. P. Law is
tlieir director.
ijs * Si: *
GROOVER THORNTON is
home after serving for two
years in the U. S. Army. He
spent eighteen months in Ger¬
many. He is the son of Mrs.
Marie Thornton, 509 West 34th
Street.
* * * *
M. W. BRIGHT of Lathrop
Avenue has returned to the city
after attending the funeral of
his nephew, Adam Wright, who
lied on Feb. 9t.h in Tampa, Fla.
Funeral services were held on
Feb. 12 at Tavares, Flu.
# * * i|S
THE REGULAR MEETING of
the local chapter of the Savan¬
nah State College Alumni Assn,
will be held on Sunday, Febru¬
ary 26. at 4:00 p.m. at the West
Broad Street YMCA. AU chair¬
men arc asked to make reports.
FRANK A. BLACKSHKAR, a
native Savannahian now living
in Jatniaca, New York, writes
Hist ho regards the Savannah
Tribune as a “spokesman for
the Negro citizens of Savan¬
nah.” He lias been a reader of
this newspaper since childhood.
. * * $ *
“TROUBLES are often the
tools by which God fashions us
for better things.” H. W.
Beecher.
# * $ *
“HE IS TRULY WISE who
gains wisdom from another’s
mishap.”—Publius Syrus.
“TIME hath often cured the
wound which reason failed to
heal.”—Seneca.
1 Thomas, menmer of (he New York
.
City hire Department graduated
cum laude from City College last
week. He received his college de-
gree at the age of 50 after at-
tending high school and college
j classes time off mi from evenings work, and during his
i Thomas, who resides with his
wife at 2170 Madison Ave., left
school to play tenor saxaphone, re¬
turning to high school in 1929. He
received his diploma in 1941.
Eleven years later, he enrolled
in City College and completed the
four-year course in three and a
half years of day and evening and
summer-session study, lie became
the oldest varsity athlete at the
college when he earned a letter as
a member of the tennis team.
Not satisfied, Thomas last week
started T' iii* 1 ™ in ln pursult pursuit • . of of a a master’s '''aster’s
degree at City College’s School
of of Education, Education. His ambition is to
become a teacher. lie would like to
teach sociology.
WOULD REFUSE ALA.
GRADS RECOGNITION
ALBANY, N. Y. (ANP).- As-
se 'uMyman Bessie Buchanan has
''Produced into the New York state
legislature a bill to deny recogni-
tion to graduates of Alabama Uni¬
versity including all certificate
holders from the school until the
institution opens its doors to Ne-
g'oes and guarantees their safety.
Mrs. Buchanan’s bill was intro¬
duced immediately following the
recent racial outbreak at the 125-
year-old school.