The fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama by the late Booker T. Washington, was fittingly observed at the Institute for three days beginning Sunday, April 12. Hundreds of noted educators, men and women ranking high in the financial world, together with an equal number of distinguished Negro citizens, either former students or friends of the institution, were in attendance. This correspondent having been personally invited and urged to attend, sent the following telegram: "Sorry cannot be present. The founding of Tuskegee Institute was a great blessing to mankind irrespective of race or color, for it lifted common labor to the dignity of educational training."
Those who were privileged to have listened to the "broadcasting" of the Founder's Day address part of the program from Tuskegee Institute, certainly must have been very happy when Dr. Robert R. Moton, president of the institute compared the events in that part of the United States 66 years ago, with this celebration. "It was a historical event to have listened when Dr. Morton introduced to that radio audience Herbert Hoover, president of the United States, who delivered the Founder's Day address."
The high light to the readers of this column would have been when the President said: "one of the greatest agencies today in solving race problems in the south is the Race-Cooperation Commission, who in their method of approach to the subject are doing a great work."
The reader will recall that under the leadership of Dr. Will Alexander of Atlanta. Ga., the Race Cooperation commission is developing a new South upon lines of Justice. This commission is fast convincing politicians that they must not use the vote of the Negro citizen to antagonize the south. In every line of human endeavor the commission is trying to convince the world that a new South has been born, and the bitterness of the struggle of 1861-63 must be allowed to heal and remain forever healed.
FISK CELEBRATES
According to a news release received from Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., the Musical festival April 23 to 26 will have two of its programs broadcast on a nationwide hook-up on April 23 from 2 to 3 o'clock central standard time. This broadcasting will mark the beginning of the three day celebration of the third annual Festival of Music and Fine Arts to be held at Fisk. The Fisk Jubilee singers, under the direction of Mrs. Henrietta Myers, and the equally popular Fisk glee club, under the direction of John W. Work, will be heard over the Columbia Broadcasting system on the first day of the festival.
The literary aspects of the festival are not being overlooked. Countee Cullen, who is known as a great poet, rather than as a Negro poet, will talk on "Negro Literature," and read some of his own verse. There will be concerts by the various musical organizations of Fisk, the Men's Glee club, and the Mozart society. Because of her deep rooted musical tradition, Fisk University might be expected, in a festival of this sort, to neglect the fine arts in her zeal to present the various splendid musical organizations on the campus. But this will not be the case in this year's festival.
PAINTING EXHIBIT
A rare treat is in store because very recently a wonderful gift of art was presented to Fisk university. This collection of some 300 paintings of native African scenes and types by Cyrus Leroy Baldridge has been purchased by Chicago philanthropist and presented to Fisk. Three years ago Leroy Baldridge and his wife, Caroline Singer, spent a year in Africa gathering material for a book on the life and customs of the natives. This volume was published on their return to America under the title of "White Africans and Black" the text by Caroline Singer, and the artwork by Leroy Baldridge, although most of Baldridge’s African paintings were reproduced in this joint book on Africa, which was considered one of the most beautiful as well as one of the most authentic published that year. It is the complete African collection that is being presented to Fisk. It is the rare sympathy and understanding with which Baldridge handles subjects usually treated as savages that make this collection unique and valuable. The Baldridge collection will be on exhibit during the festival. Baldridge superintended the hanging of these paintings.
In addition to the exhibition of the Baldridge collection the fourth annual Harmon Exhibition of the work of Negro artist will also be on display during the festival. This loan collection includes not only the work of the new school of Negro artist Henry O. Tanner, and three by the late Edward Bannister. Henry O. Tanner is not only a great Negro painter, he is one of the living masters.
The new group of Negro artists are being encouraged by the Harmon foundation with yearly awards and exhibits is well represented by the work of the prize winners of this and former years. The work of James Lesesne Wells the recipient of the 1930 award, has been exhibited in some of the best galleries in the United States. Archibald Motley, a prize winner for a former year, whose work is being known again this year, has the distinction of being the only Negro who has had a "one-man exhibit" in a New York gallery.
LOCAL NOTES
The third reciprocity meeting of the Northern District, California Federation of Colored Women’s clubs convened last Saturday, April 11, in Sacramento. Mrs. C. Sledge, president for the district presiding.
Aside from the regular routine of business the rending of letters received in reply to their circular letter of protest sent out to the members of the California legislature were read to the large assembly of representative club women in attendance. It was at the meeting in January held by this body in San Francisco that it voted to send resolutions of protest to the California legislature against a piece of legislation which had been published in a local paper which said:
"Municipal group asks 16 laws:" Sixteen new laws pertaining to city government are to be presented to the state legislature at Sacramento by the League of California Municipalities, the City Council was informed today by C. H. S. Bidwell, league president and mayor of Sacramento. Oakland has been invited to submit suggested laws and the matter has been referred to the city attorney.
The one especially interesting the colored club women read: "Rule on Playgrounds", authorizing cities to set aside a specific time for the use of playgrounds, and swimming pools for colored children."
These letters are an answer to the club women's resolution of protest: A few other replies are:
Mrs. C. Sledge, president of the northern district Federation of Colored Women's clubs. "No legislation tending to humiliate your race win have my approval. You may be assured of that. I refer to your letter of January 7, 1931.
GEORGE B. BOWERS, (78th District)
"This will acknowledge the receipt of your letter of January 7 in which you speak of proposed discriminatory measures concerning colored boys and girls. I want you to know that I am absolutely against any unworthy discrimination laws of any nature of those mentioned in your letter, and I would be delighted to hear from you at any time on this subject.
CHARLES W. FISHER, (31st District)
"Your letter of January 7 received and read with a great deal of satisfaction. I do not believe there should be any discrimination against children of American citizens, irrespective of race or color. I am not fully advised as to the discriminatory act sponsored by the League of Municipalities and shall endeavor to try and inform myself fully in regard to its objective. In San Diego the people of your race have an organization called the Douglas league and I had the honor to be endorsed by them. I have many friends among them and I certainly would not by my vote do anything which would impose humiliation upon them.
EDWIN L. HEAD (79th. district)
Among the sick reported during the week was A. H. Wall, retired U. S. A. sergeant, and principle musician of 24th Infantry who was operated upon Monday. He is confined in Letterman hospital. He is the husband of Mrs. Wall, founder of Children's Home and Day Nursery.
A. Lee., husband of Mrs. Ester Jones Lee, post state president of California Federation of Colored Women's Clubs, is reported critically ill in the Southern Pacific hospital, San Francisco.
Activities Among Negroes/Sun, April 19, 1931 19 Apr 1931, Sun Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California) Newspapers.com
