Part 8

Atlanta, Georgia, Y. W. C. A., 196 Piedmont Avenue. Augusta, Georgia, Y. W. C. A., 1104 Gwinnett Street. Baltimore, Maryland, Y. W. C. A., 1200 Druid Hill Avenue. Bridgeport, Conn., Y. W. C. A., 70 Beach Street. Brooklyn, N. Y., Y. W. C. A., 45 Ashland Place. Camden, N. J., Y. W. C. A., 829 Kaighn Avenue. Charleston, S. C., Y. W. C. A., 106 Coming Street. Chattanooga, Tenn., Y. W. C. A., 411 East 9th Street. Chicago, Ill., Y. W. C. A., 3541 Indiana Avenue. Cincinnati, Ohio, Y. W. C. A., 704 Eighth Street. Columbia, S. C., Y. W. C. A., 1323 Assembly Street. Columbus, Ohio, Y. W. C. A., 495 East Long Street. Dayton, Ohio, Y. W. C. A., 800 West Fifth Street. Des Moines, Iowa, Y. W. C. A., 728 Walnut Street. Detroit, Mich., Y. W. C. A., 2111 St. Aubin Avenue. East St. Louis, Mo., Y. W. C. A., 826 East Broadway. Fort Worth, Texas, Y. W. C. A., 415 East 6th Avenue. Germantown, Pa., Y. W. C. A., 6128 Germantown Avenue. Harrisburg, Pa., Y. W. C. A., 804 Cowden Street. Houston, Texas, Y. W. C. A., 806 Clay Avenue. Jersey City, N. J., Y. W. C. A., 31 Ege Avenue. Kansas City, Mo., Y. W. C. A., 1501 East 19th Street. Little Rock, Ark., Y. W. C. A., 924 Gaines Street. Los Angeles, Cal., Y. W. C. A., 1108 West 12th Street. Louisville, Ky., Y. W. C. A., 1021 W. Madison Street. Lynchburg, Va., Y. W. C. A., 613 Monroe Street. McKeesport, Pa., Y. W. C. A., 317 Tenth Street. Montclair, N. J., Y. W. C. A., 159 Glenridge Avenue. Nashville, Tenn., Y. W. C. A., 436 Fifth Avenue, North. Newark, N. J., Y. W. C. A., 71 Wilsey Street. Newcastle, Pa., Y. W. C. A., 140 Elm Street. Newport News, Va., Y. W. C. A., 2300 Madison Avenue. New York City, N. Y., Y. W. C. A., 179 West 137th Street. Oakland, Cal., Y. W. C. A., 828 Linden Street. Omaha, Neb., Y. W. C. A., 2306 No. 22nd Street. Orange, N. J., Y. W. C. A., 78 Oakwood Avenue. Petersburg, Va., Y. W. C. A., 457 Harding Street. Philadelphia, Pa., Y. W. C. A., 756 South 16th Street. Pittsburgh, Pa., Y. W. C. A., 2215 Wylie Avenue. Portland, Oregon, Y. W. C. A., Broadway and Taylor Streets. Richmond, Va., Y. W. C. A., 515 South 7th Street. San Antonio, Texas, Y. W. C. A., 328 North Pino Street. St. Joseph, Mo., Y. W. C. A., 1021 Francis Street. St. Louis, Mo., Y. W. C. A., 703 North Garrison Street. St. Paul, Minn., Y. W. C. A., 598 West Central Avenue. Springfield, Ohio, Y. W. C. A., 134 West Clark Street. Warren, Ohio, Y. W. C. A., 132 North Park Avenue. Washington, D.C., Y. W. C. A., 901 Rhode Island Avenue. Williamsport, Pa., Y. W. C. A., 429 Walnut Street. Winston-Salem, N. C., Y. W. C. A., 717 East Depot Street. Youngstown, Ohio, Y. W. C. A., 248 Belmont Avenue.

Among the foremost Y. W. C. A. Colored leaders who are so nobly and ably assisting Miss Eva D. Bowles in the smooth and efficient supervision of the above named branches are Misses May B. Belcher, Crystal Bird, Mabel Brady, Mary E. Jackson, Josephine Pinyon, Lucy B. Richmond, Adele F. Ruffin, Clayda Williams, Mrs. Charlton Wallace, and Mrs. Cordella A. Winn. Before her death on December 31, 1919, Mrs. Marie A. Wilder was one of the most faithful and hardest workers in the above group.

But the main stream of success connected with this work has come about through the “working together” “branch relationship” co-operation on the parts of Mrs. Samuel J. Broadwell, Treasurer; Miss Mable Cratty, Gen’l Sec’y; Mrs. Jas. S. Cushman, 1st Vice-Pres.; Mrs. John French, Chairman Execu. Com.; Mrs. Lewis H. Lapham, Sec’y; Mrs. Wm. W. Rossiter, 2nd Vice-Pres.; and Mrs. Robt. E. Speer, President, who compose the National Board (white) of The Young Womens Christian Association of the United States of America. And in the different cities where they are established the white and Colored branch workers are carrying on the above co-operations. During the World War, the War Work Council showed its co-operation by appointing a Colored Work Committee with Miss Eva D. Bowles as Executive and Mrs. Charlton Wallace as Chairman and, The War Work Council, “recognizing the loyalty and need of the colored girls and women in this country, appropriated $400,000 for the work.”

In speaking of the work of this committee Miss Bowles said, “The Y. W. C. A. is the only organization that is handling the work with all girls alike, and the result of its efforts is bound to be the building up of the confidence of the colored race, not only in the nation itself but in Christianity. With the colored, as with all other women and girls throughout the world, the aim of the Y. W. C. A. is a constructive foundation of Christian ideals. Girls are girls, whatever their race or complexion. As naturally as a flower demands sunshine and rain, a girl craves good times, pretty clothes and happiness.”

In closing this vital chapter, the writer can think of no better way than to quote the following words of Miss Bowles when she summed up the past and pointed out the future regarding the leaderships of Colored women among their own people in the United States.

“The war has given opportunity to the colored woman to prove her ability for leadership. She had her chance and she made good. With all the strength of having suffered, she will be able, through the patience born of suffering, to lead the women and girls whom only she can lead. The time is past for white leadership for colored people. As white and colored women, we must understand each other, we must think and work and plan together for upon all of us rests the responsibility of the girlhood of our nation.”

THE YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION

THE “Y” MEN

The buildings where, “Y” men do live Have comforts like, dear mothers give. Fine lodgings they are for single men, Who with the best do want to blend. Without rank smoke and vulgar swear Billiards and pool are also there The gym., the baths and sleeping rooms Give to their healths the greatest booms. Night schools and also Christian talks Do most to guide young “Y” men walks. --_Harrison._

The 110 Negro college Young Men’s Christian Associations and the fifty or more city branches is as many cities in twenty-three different states in the Union are really God-sends to thousands of young Colored men who prefer to spend their spare minutes in the best places of physical cleanliness, social purity and mental advancement. These “Y” branches in the cities are also great blessings for thousands of intelligent, refined and progressive Colored men who are constantly visiting strange places on important businesses and want to be sure they are stopping in modern, sanitary, decent, respectable and congenial lodgings.

Mr. Julius Rosenwald of Chicago, Ill. made an offer in 1911 to give the sum of $25,000 to every city in the United States that would raise $75,000 by public subscription for the construction of a Y. M. C. A. building for the use of Colored people. This offer was gladly and eagerly accepted and as a result buildings have already been erected in Atlanta, Ga., Baltimore, Md., Brooklyn, N.Y., Chicago, Ill., Columbus, O., Indianapolis, Ind., Kansas City, Mo., New York City, N. Y., Philadelphia, Pa., Pittsburgh, Pa., St. Louis, Mo., and Washington, D.C. During the past ten years Mr. Rosenwald has given $350,000 toward the erection of these buildings, other white people have given nearly a million dollars, while Colored people have contributed over a quarter of a million dollars. Thus over two million dollars have already been expended in the construction of Y. M. C. A. buildings in cities for Colored men.

Great credit for the early development and rapid growth of this work is due the late W. A. Hunton, who was made a member on the staff of the International Secretary Board of the Y. M. C. A. Today this work is continuing to rapidly grow and spread with the friendly co-operation and hearty support of Messrs. B. H. Fancher, Treas., A. E. Marling, Chairman and J. R. Mott, Gen’l Sec’y of The International Committee of the Y. M. C. A., and under the wise supervision of Dr. J. E. Mooreland, who is being ably assisted by H. K. Craft, W. C. Craver, R. P. Hamlin, C. H. Tobias, J. B. Watson, Max Yergen and other efficient members on that large staff. During the World War 350 Y. M. C. A. Colored Secretaries, under the guidance of Dr. J. E. Moorland, R. B. DeFrantz, W. J. Faulkner, J. F. Gregory and G. L. Johnson loyally served Colored soldiers stationed in 55 camps, training schools and forts in America. Among those who were the leaders in Y. M. C. A. and social work among the Colored soldiers over-seas were J. E. Blanton, Mrs. Helen Curtis, Miss Helen Hagan, Dr. John Hope, Mrs. Addie Hunton, Miss Katherine Johnson, Dr. B. M. Murrell, Dr. H. H. Proctor, C. H. Williams and Max Yergen.

In the following named cities Y. M. C. A. Branches are being directed and carried on by their secretaries for the encouragement and uplift of Colored youths:

Akron, Ohio, G. W. Thompson, Secretary, 259 So. Main Street. Asheville, N. C., N. Martin, Secretary, Market & Eagle Streets. Atlanta, Ga., W. J. Trent, Secretary, 146 Butler Street. Atlantic City, N. J., C. M. Cain, Secretary, 1711 Artic Avenue. Augusta, Ga., Silas Floyd, Secretary, 9th and Miller Streets. Baltimore, Md., S. S. Booker, Secretary, 1619 Druid Hill Avenue. Beloit, Wis., J. D. Stevenson, Secretary, Colored Men’s Branch. Benham, Ky., Alex. Gregory, Secretary, Colored Men’s Branch. Birmingham, Ala., A. M. Walker, Secretary, Acipco Branch. Bluefield, W. Va., P. A. Goins, Secretary, 432 Scott Street. Boston, Mass., B. F. Seldon, Secretary, 316 Huntington Street. Brooklyn, N. Y., R. M. Meroney, Secretary, 405 Carlton Avenue. Buxton, Iowa, W. L. Hutcherson, General Secretary. Camden, N. J., E. C. Richardson, Secretary, Hunton Branch. Charleston, S. C., G. D. Brock, Secretary, 61 Cannon Street. Charlotte, N. C., J. B. F. Prather, Y. M. C. A., State Committeeman. Chicago, Ill., George R. Arthur, Secretary, 3763 So. Wabash Avenue. Cincinnati, Ohio, B. W. Overton, 436 W. Ninth Street. Columbus, Ohio, N. B. Allen, Secretary, 202 E. Spring Street. Columbus, Ga., Robert D. Kelsey, Secretary, 521 Ninth Street. Crossett, Arkansas, Chas. E. Johnson, Secretary Colored Men’s Dep’t. Dallas, Tex., J. D. Rice, Secretary, 3710 State Street. Dayton, Ohio, John A. Green, Secretary, Fifth Street Branch. Denver, Col., T. J. Bell, Secretary, 2800 Glenarm Street. Detroit, Mich., H. S. Dunbar, Secretary, 1930 St. Antonia Street. Des Moines, Iowa, E. C. Robinson, Secretary, 782 West 9th Street. East Moline, Ill., B. G. Smith, Secretary, Colored Men’s Branch. East St. Louis, Ill., J. E. Nance, Secretary, Colored Men’s Branch. Englewood, N. J., W. H. Kindle, Secretary, 135 W. 132nd St., N.Y. City. Evanston, Ill., J. D. Ross, Secretary, 1014 Emerson Street. Fort Worth, Tex., S. H. Fowler, Sr., Secretary, 915½ Calhoun Street. Gary, Ind., H. K. Craft, Secretary, 1716 Washington Street. Germantown, Pa., Leon C. James, Secretary, 132 West Rittenhouse St. Greenwood, Miss., Thos. M. Elliott, Secretary, Hunton Branch, Box 283. Harrisburg, Pa., Fritz Caneler, Secretary, 644 Broad Street. Houston, Texas, H. P. Carter, Secretary, 711 Prairie Avenue. Indianapolis, Ind., F. E. DeFrantz, Secretary, 450 N. Senate Avenue. Indiana Harbor, Ind., A. G. Fallings, Secretary, 2115 137th Street. Kansas City, Mo., F. A. Harris, Secretary, 1824 Pasco Boulevarde. Los Angeles, Cal., T. A. Greene, Secretary, 1400 E. Ninth Street. Louisville, Ky., J. W. Ramsey in charge, 920 West Chestnut St. Marshall, Tex., J. W. Davis, Secretary, Colored Men’s Branch. Miami, Fla., G. P. McKinney, Jr., Secretary, 1st Street & Avenue H. Mineola, Long Island, R. T. Weatherby, Secretary, Nassau-Suffolk County. Mobile, Ala., W. J. Williams, Secretary, 510 Congress Street. Montclair, N. J., C. H. Bullock, Secretary, Bloomfield Avenue Branch. Nashville, Tenn., W. N. Sanders, Secretary, Cor. Cedar St., & 4th Ave. No. Newport News, Va., A. F. Williams, Secretary, 2201 Marshall Avenue. New York City, N. Y., Thos. E. Taylor, Secretary, 181 West 135th Street. Norfolk, Va., C. C. Dogan, Secretary, 440 E. Queen Street. Oakland, Cal., Allen O. Newman, Secretary, Colored Men’s Branch. Orange, N. J., J. W. Bowers, Secretary, 34 Cebtral Place. Philadelphia, Pa., H. W. Porter, Secretary, 1724 Christian Street. Pittsburgh, Pa., S. R. Morsell, Secretary, 1847 Central Avenue. Princeton, N. J., H. H. Cain, Secretary, 102 Witherspoon Street. Richmond, Va., Secretary, 214 East Leigh Street. Ridgewood, N. J., A. E. Flournoy, Secretary, 220 Broad Street. Rouse, Col., W. T. Thornton, Secretary, Colo. Fuel & Iron Company. Savannah, Ga., T. Walter Moore, Secretary, 817 West Broad Street. Sewickley, Pa., J. T. Morris, Secretary, 411 Walnut Street. Springfield, Ohio, W. S. Smith, Secretary, 209 So. Center Street. St. Louis, Mo., D. D. Jones, Secretary, 2839 Pine Street. Tulsa, Okla., G. A. Gregg, Secretary, Hunton Branch. Washington, D.C., Wm. Stevenson, Secretary, 1816 12th Street, N. W.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COLORED WOMEN

NATIONAL COLORED CLUB WOMEN

“Lifting As We Climb”--Their motto in life Is their battle cry in uplift strife In leading their women to higher things So better to rear their Race off-springs. --_Harrison._

While they went about their self-imposed and greatly beneficial tasks in somewhat crude ways that were executed under circumstances far more trying and peculiar than these modern times; nevertheless, Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth may be rightly called the first real welfare and uplift national workers among American Colored women. And the histories of the untiring efforts, speakings and lectures of those two pioneers who fearlessly worked for the freedom of their Race sisters and brothers should be learned by all Colored youths, especially girls.

While leading Colored women throughout the country as far back as 1894 had already decided and carefully planned to gather and form some kind of a national body among themselves, they were indeed suddenly inspired to whole-heartedly and fearlessly carry out those plans immediately, when a prejudiced white editor of a village paper in the United States published an open letter in which he accused alike all American Colored women as being without moral characters and uplifting principles. Not only the educated, refined and moral Colored women resented and challenged that poisoned-pen letter that had lied on and slandered a whole race of their sisters, but the largest nationally known white newspapers of large cities in both America and Europe came out in broad-minded editorials verbally chastising and denouncing without mercy that editor of their race who stained his profession and shamed his race by stooping so low in unsuccessfully using that narrow-minded and short-sighted means of gaining subscriptions for his failing paper and fame for his unheard of name.

As a result of the above plans and decisions nearly a dozen States sent upward of a hundred leading and representative Colored women who met in July 1895 in Boston, Mass., where the first National Convention of Colored Women was formed, with Mrs. Josephine St. Pierre Ruffin as president, Mrs. Booker T. Washington and Mrs. Helen Cook as Vice-Presidents and Miss Elizabeth C. Carter as secretary. During the meeting that convention was given the name of “The National Association of Colored Women.” This body became affiliated with The National Council of Women in 1900 and was incorporated in 1904. At different times it has had as its presidents; Mrs. Mary Church Terrell, A. M., Washington, D.C., Mrs. Booker T. Washington, Tuskegee Institute, Ala., Miss Elizabeth C. Carter, New Bedford, Mass., Mrs. Mary B. Talbert, Buffalo, N. Y. and Miss Hallie Q. Brown, Wilberforce, Ohio, who is its present presiding officer. Those who are Miss Brown’s closest assistants in helping to carry on this noble work are named as follows: Mrs. Janie Porter Barrett, Peake, Va., Mrs. Ruth L. Bennett, Chester, Pa., Mrs. Alice Cary, Atlanta, Ga., Mrs. Charlotte Dett, Niagara Falls, N. Y., Mrs. Addie W. Dickerson, Phila., Pa., Mrs. C. L. Hamilton, Indianola, Ill., Mrs. C. R. McDowell, Hannibal, Mo., Mrs. J. C. Napier, Nashville, Tenn., Miss Georgia A. Nugent, Louisville, Ky., Mrs. Minnie Scott, Toledo, Ohio, Mrs. E. J. N. Simms, Spokane, Wash., Mrs. Mamie E. Steward, Louisville, Ky., Mrs. Marion Wilkerson, Orangeburg, S. C. and Mrs. W. T. B. Williams, Tuskegee Institute, Ala.

In regard to the relations of this association with the International Council of Women, several Colored women have attended different European meetings as representatives from the United States. Foremost among such women are Miss Hallie Q. Brown, Mrs. Mary Church Terrell, Mrs. Mary B. Talbert and Dr. Mary F. Waring. The following is an extract from the July 1921 issue of The Crisis:

“The Committee on International Relations--the highest committee of women in personnel of representatives in the League of Nations--has chosen Mrs. Mary B. Talbert as a member. Mrs. Talbert was the first accredited Negro delegate to sit in the International Council of women and one of five American women to speak for the National Council of Women of the United States of America in the House of Parliament at Norway.”

The quotation below is taken from the February 1921 issue of The Favorite Magazine. “Dr. Mary F. Waring, recently returned from a trip through eleven European countries, and one of twenty American women to represent the United States at the International Council of Women in Norway. She had the distinction of being the only woman commissioner of the Lincoln Jubilee in 1915 and the organizer of the Red Cross units Canteen and Home Nursing classes during the World War. After the war the Community Service appointed her as a national organizer for girls’ work.”

Some of the national leading and most prominent Colored women before the public today who as workers in this association or along other elevating lines have encouraged, inspired and helped thousands of American Colored girls to move out of Nobody’s Alley and live on Somebody’s Avenue are Miss Mary M. Bethune, Daytona, Fla., Miss Eva D. Bowles, New York City, N. Y., Miss Hallie Q. Brown, Wilberforce, O., Miss Nannie H. Burroughs, Washington, D.C., Madame E. Azalia Hackley, Detroit, Mich., Mrs. Addie W. Hunton, New York City, N. Y., Miss Jane E. Hunter, Cleveland, O., Miss Lucey Laney, Augusta, Ga., Mrs. S. W. Layton, Phila., Pa., Mrs. R. R. Moton, Tuskegee, Ala., Mrs. Alice Dunbar Nelson, Wilmington, Del., Mrs. Mary B. Talbert, Buffalo, N. Y., Mrs. Florence C. Talbert, Detroit, Mich., Mrs. Mary Church Terrell, Washington, D. C., Mrs. Maggie L. Walker, Richmond, Va., Dr. Mary F. Waring, Chicago., Ill., Mrs. Booker T. Washington, Tuskegee Institute, Ala. and Mrs. Butler R. Wilson, Boston, Mass.

National Uplift Organization founded and run by Negroes

The National Negro Business League

In 1900 the late Dr. Booker T. Washington, founder of Tuskegee Institute, organized in Boston, Mass. The National Negro Business League, which is now under the forceful and energetic leadership of Dr. Robert R. Moton. Such nationally known men as Chas. Banks, J. C. Napier and Emmett J. Scott are among those who are closely allied with the president of this League in so widely spreading its influences of encouragement, inspiration and business knowledge.

As a description of the workings of this organization, the writer gives below some extracts from an article written for the August 13, 1921 issue of The Chicago Defender by E. Davidson Washington, son of the late Dr. Booker T. Washington.

“While the Business League has a distinctive purpose (that of promoting the commercial and financial development of our Race,) it does not attempt to prescribe for every racial endeavor; yet it is a significant fact that through the instrumentality of this the national body and its more than 600 local branches or local leagues scattered throughout the country a very large part of the progress made by the Race in the direction of home and farm ownership, banking, insurance, manufacturing and mercantile enterprises has been achieved since the organization of the Business League.

“Among the many subjects discussed are such as: “Making Farming Pay,” “Building a Negro Town,” “The Relation of Education to Business,” “Conducting a Grocery Store,” “Editing a Newspaper” and many others which space will not permit me to mention here. Questions are asked, and in that way those who did not come up to their expectations the previous year try, when they return to their various communities, as far as possible, to put into practice what they have gained through the league.

“The symposiums conducted in the main convention by the following organizations are highly interesting and instructive: The National Negro Bankers’ Association, the National Negro Funeral Directors’ Association, the National Negro Press, the National Negro Bar Association and the National Negro Insurance Men.

“Finally, as a Race we must not be discouraged. There will come to us, as to all races, seasons of depression and gloom. Once in a while even those in high places may seem to seek to insult, humiliate and harass us, but they cannot last. “The morning cometh.” Those who treat us unjustly are losing more than we are. Above all, we must not lose faith in ourselves nor in our Race. We must be as proud of being Negroes as a Japanese is of being a Japanese. It is through such meetings as the National Negro Business League that the Negro is encouraged and made to look upon the brighter side of life and with more optimism for the future than ever before.”

Association For The Study of Negro Life and History

American school white boys and girls get the larger part of their inspirations to become great men and women mostly from what they read in the public school United States Histories about big things members of their race have done. As white authors in writing such histories saw fit to leave out of them all references (with the exception of slavery) to the parts the American Colored people have had in helping to make American history, public school Colored boys and girls get no racial encouragements nor inspirations from such histories.

The Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, organized in 1915, is doing a grand work in helping to supply the American Colored youth with the desired encouraging and inspiring information relating to Negro historical achievements in the United States. The president of this organ, R. E. Park is ably assisted in this work by such scholars as Drs. J. E. Mooreland and C. G. Woodson.

The National Equal Rights League

The National Equal Rights League was started in 1910 and one of its chief purposes is contending for and securing in peaceful but firm ways the same equal rights in the United States for American Colored citizens as those so generously given to members of other races, especially many foreigners in this country who do not understand the laws, cannot speak the language and have no intentions of becoming naturalized. The president of this organization is N. S. Taylor, who is loyally assisted by such race leaders as Wm. Monroe Trotter, and B. N. Murrell.

The Lincoln League of America

The Lincoln League of America is an organization that was started in 1919, and one of its main objects is to instil race pride on a broader scale among Colored people and at the same time encourage them along all lines of citizenship privileges and advancement. Roscoe C. Simmons is president of this body and is nobly aided in this work by such national figures as Henry Lincoln Johnson and Walter Cohen.