ACTIVITIES AMONG NEGROES

BY DELILAH L. BEASLEY

Mrs. Lutie Gilbert, who on Monday evening celebrated her 79th birthday at a reception tendered her by Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Saunders, her daughter and son-in-law. It was held in a downtown clubhouse at which all her friends were invited to pay her homage. The great respect; and admiration in which she is held was attested by the large numbers in attendance, and by the profusion of greetings received by radio, telegrams, and flowers. It has been years since a more beautiful party has been given in Oakland by the colored society group. Mrs. Gilbert is the mother of Mrs. Cyril Saunders and Mrs. Harry Johnson of Sacramento.

She is a native of Kentucky and came from Denver 29 years ago to live in Oakland. During that time she has been an outstanding figure in inspiring the Negro to try and improve his economic and citizenship status. She served for ten years as a member of the board of directors of the local branch, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and at the second annual state convention of the California State Federation of Colored Women's Club, was unanimously elected first vice-president for the state. She has been for several years an active member of Auxiliary No. 2 of the Home for Aged and Infirm Colored People, located at Beulah, California. Notwithstanding the invitations read "no presents," she received a profusion of flowers which later she distributed among the shut in patients of Fairmont hospital, at Arroyo sanitarium and others whose suffering would be lightened by such an act. May she live many more years to render such unselfish service for her race.

WOMEN'S DAY

The eighteenth annual women's day of North Oakland Baptist church was observed in the church last Sunday under the auspices of the Northern California section of the Colored Federated clubs. Mrs. A. Morris of Young Women's Progressive club acted as hostess and club representative. Mrs. C. Sledge, president of Northern District federation of Colored Women's clubs, served as the official representative. In her opening remarks she reviewed the activities of a few of the nationally known Negro women among whom were Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of Bethune-Cookman Institute, Daytona Beach, Fla., and Miss Nannie Burroughs, founder of a school for Negro girls at Lincoln Heights, near Washington, D.C. She closed her remarks by paying a tribute to Delilah L. Beasley of The TRIBUNE, whom she said, aside from being the only Negro woman to have ever written a history of a race and country, was doing through her column in The TRIBUNE, a great piece of work for inter-racial better understanding.

The speaker of the day was Mrs. Ethel Clark, executive secretary the Community Center of San Francisco. Mrs. Sledge, in introducing her, spoke of her training In social work in her home at Boston, which had been broadened and enriched by travel and contact with other races. Mrs. Clark produced much information concerning the race, which she presented in a convincing manner, calling the attention of the race to no longer thinking in terms of the race, but in world development through inter-racial contact. She then read of the inter-racial seminar which recently made a good will tour of the southern states. The party consisting of 24 persons who were equally divided between the races, both women and men traveling in the same Pullman car. The effect and opinion as to the value of the experiment she gave by reading from a current issue of the "Congregational Herald." Mrs. Clark possesses a splendid knowledge of Negro history which served her well in commenting on this event. Her address was inspiring and valuable. In the evening, the completion Women's day program, a scripture reading by Mrs. Ella Garner, and a sermonette by Rev. Daniel Payne Jones, of Chicago. He is in Oakland to attend the Saint John Baptist Missionary district conference which was held this week in Rev. Moore's church on Thirty-seventh street. The Rev. G. C. Coleman is state president of the organization.

ENTER PROTEST

Among the numerous protests received from lodges and clubs against the proposed legislation of discrimination against Negro school children in California were resolutions from the Alameda County league of Colored Women Voters and the Colored Committee on Negro Welfare of the Public Welfare League for Alameda county.

THE PLAY

Under the direction of Mrs. Vivian Osborn Marsh the Delta Sigma Theta sorority of colored girls repeated their play, the "Scheming Six," on Monday night in North Oakland Baptist church. The performance was witnessed by the "Play-Makers" of Berkeley of which they asked the sorority to assist them in a play they are planning to produce called "Is Romance Dead" written by Edna Strachan. The cast will consist of H. Ingersol of the "Play Makers,” Thelma Johnson and Tarae Pittman of the sorority, and Mrs. K. Blote of the "Play Makers.” This will make a cast of a mixed racial ground and will mark the first time such an experiment has ever been tried in this part of the {country?}.

Y. W. C. A. CONFERENCE

The eighth annual Young Women's Christian Association conference of Linden branch was held Tuesday afternoon and evening in the branch. It was pronounced the most successful they have ever held. A large attendance was on hand throughout the entire time. The carefully prepared reports rendered by the different members of the committee of management that while unemployment had also effected their members nevertheless through a spirit of hearty cooperation, they had more members today than at any time since becoming a branch, which speaks well for Mrs. Allen O. Newman, chairman of the committee of management: Miss Lulu Chapman executive secretary; Miss Canadac Black, Girl Reserve secretary, and the various assistant committees and members. Mrs. Luti Gilbert Saunders acted as mistress of the conference ceremonies. The annual branch dinner will be held in the Central Y. W. C. A. on January 30, at which time the annual election of a committee of management members whose time expires will be held.

COMMUNITY CHEST DINNER

The recent Community Chest Church Cooperative dinner was held last Thursday evening in the dining hall of First Christian Church. It was very gratifying to the writer to discover that among the number of churches represented were many of her race, notably Rev. G. C Coleman, Oakland Baptist church: Rev. T. Deaman Scott, First A. M. E. Rev, H. T. S. Johnson. Taylor Memorial M. E. church; Rev. W. J. J. Byers, Cooper A. M. E. Zion, and others. This year the Negro group along with other groups will share in the activities of the Chest through standing committees during the entire year. Next week's article will give details of the plan.

INTER-RACIAL MEET

Rev. L. B. Brown, pastor of Mt. Pleasant Baptist church of Berkeley, announces that tonight the services of this church will be in the form of an International Forum, with music, furnished by a forty-piece orchestra. Dr. Riley will be the main speaker. The choir, under the direction of Miss Thelman Dubois Brown, will render some special music. There will be speakers as representatives of the Negro, Chinese, Japanese, and Caucasian races. The public will be welcome.

UNEMPLOYMENT

Rev. Daniel Payne Jones, of Chicago, who has been in attendance at the Saint John Baptist Missionary northern California conference, when asked for a statement concerning the unemployment situation among Negroes in Chicago, said: "The situation is being taken care of through an interracial committee appointed by the governor of the state, the mayor of Chicago, and the assistance of Urban league.

"Chicago soon after the first of January gave jobs to 10,000 men and women, and the Negro citizens shared equally with other groups, of course," he said, "there are many who are yet out of work, and the city has a bread line but { } effort is being made by this committee to see that no discrimination is made in giving jobs to any group. The Rock Island railroad was the first to respond to the appeal, hiring 2500 almost immediately." He stressed the value of interracial groups in promoting better citizens, as well as solving the unemployment problems.

North Honored Mrs. Lutie Gilbert, active in Negro welfare work, who was feted on her seventy ninth birthday with a party at a downtown clubhouse