NAACP
Prompt AcfiflH Ob DesegregafiM
■^riocjicaji
In a meeting Sonday. November 7, the AMVKT8 elected G. T. Mayo, of Mayo’s T. V. Clinic,
Commander of Robinson-Brown Post 500.
9^*' officers elected were as follows: Robert E. Clements, 1st Vice Commander; William
Bund, 2nd Vice Commander; Miss Berlliae Monk. Adjustant; Kaymond Hayte, Sarxeon General;
ftseph ^ ^eeman, Pnblic Relations Officer; Louis B. Vereen, Cnaplain; Ellia Greeny Finance
Officer: Robert W. Laney, Assistant AMntant: Raphel W. Clarke, Jadge Advocate; Lee C. Gamble,
Provost Marshall. These officers wUl carry on the operaUons of the AMVET8 nntU Nov., 1»S5
Urge Supreme Court
"To Prevent Delay Of
School Integration
WASHINGTON, D. 0.
Decrees ordering immedlatel
desegregation in public schools
are asked by the attorneys fof
Legal Defense and
■*^'''"'^*1SPRatlonal Fund in their brielj
! filed with the United State Su-
, preme Court today in answer
to the Court’s questions on the
implementation of the May 17th
decision.
However, if the Supreme
Court issues its decree at a time
- when desegregation would pre^
sent an administrative problem,
Septemijer 1955, it the date the
Court is asked to order the de
fendants in the five .school se
gregation cases to put an end to
their Jim Crow schools.
On the other tiand, should the
Court decide to grant the
schools time to develop and in
stitute a gradual desegregatioq
plan, then September, 1956, iq
asked as “the outside date by
which desegregation must be ac-
'compUshed.”
The lawyers do not ask the
Court to direct or supervise the
decrees. They claim no elabo
rate decree structure is neces
sary.
Normally, a Supreme Court
decision would put an inunedi-
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Marme tigt. Clarence B. Rodgers, is congrat
manding Officer, Marine Lt. Col. James W.
Love,
promoted to his present rank while serving with the
Battalion here.
Be la the son of Mr. and Blrs. Robert J. Rodgers of 20S
Sycamore Street, and hnsband of the former Miss Corene Games
of 109 Perry Street, all of WUllamstoiK N. C.
Before enlisting In September, 1950, Rodgers attended the
Williamston High School and was employed by the Board of Ednca-
tlon.
NewOfficers
Newspaper
Syndicate
Mr*. Robert L Vann,
Board Chairman
OMEGAS HOLD ACHIEVBIENT
PROGDAN AT FAVEIIEVIUE
Mr*. Robert L. Vann, President
of The Courier Publishing Com
pany, noa just been elected Chali^
man of the Board of Interstata
United Newspapers, Inc.
Mr. Wntam 6. Made,
F.
Mr. William G. Black, new Pres
ident, is majority sto^oider of
Interstate UnitM Newspapers,
Inc., an organization represent
ing 86 Negro Newspapers, 8
Magazines, and several Radio
Stations. Mr. Black has had a
wide range of selling experieoee,
having sold all ty^ of print
media, including black and white,
four color coimcs, rotogravure
and rotogravure magasines,
marine supplements, and radio,
and has featured 86 cooking
schools and homemaker’a fairs.
He introduced color advertising
into all major Negro nawapictura
magazines and instituted many
of the newer merchandising tech-
■ Mf*. nlfiAlr Am
niques. Mr. Black says: am
convinccd that one of the strong-
i.- aU- VT—— T-
press growing for many years
to come."
Other Interstate offlcers are:
Mr. John J. Messman, Treasurer,
and Miss Clora Ligon, Business
Manager and SecretM^
FAYETTEVILLE
Sponsored Jointly by the Delta
Chapter of Omega on the cam-
pt» at the Fayettevme Statoj Charles Allen,
Teacher's College of which
Charles Allen of Fayetteville is
the basileus and the Beta Chi
Chapter, a graduate unit, the
Annual Achievement Week
Program was held on Sunday,
November 14 in the school’s
new auditorium. Introduced by
J. Ervin Farmer, vice basileus
of Delta Gamma, Professor
Lloyd T. Blatch of the Depart
ment of Social Sciences talked
from the topic: “Implementing
Integration by Understanding
and Treating Prejudice”.
A special feature of the pro
gram was the presentation of
plagues to Brother Henr}(
Black, basileus ol the Beta Chi
Chapte^ as Omega man of the
year, and to Mr. B. F. Fergu
son, local religious and frater
nal leader, as Citizen of the
Year. The music for the exer-i
cises was furnished by the Col
lege choir under the direction
AVC Seeks
Action On
Mixed Scliools
WASHINGTON, D. C.
The American Veterans Com
mittee (AVC) today urged the
Supreme Court that it should
reject any proposal to postpone
prompt implementation of ita
May 17 decision that publid
school segregation is unconstl-'
tutional.
Instead, said the “Citizena
First” veterans organization hi,
a brief amious curiae filed to
day, the Court should lay down
certain principles which will
guide local school officials In
complying with the Constitu
tion, effective (save in excep
tional cases) at the beginning of
the next school term.
The alternative methods are
advanced In the brief as appli
cable to students now in school;
1) assignment of all children
solely on the basis of geogra
phical proximity to a school, or
alternatively, allowing children
to select any school if geogra-
Please Turn To Page Eight
of Miss Alary E. Teriy.
Officers and members of the
Delta Gamma chapter are:
Basileus; Ervin
Farmer, Vice Basileus; Earl
Garrett, Keeper of Records and
Seals; Richard L. Thompson,
Chaplain and Chapter Editor;
Jesse Gillis, Keeper of Peace;
and Andrew Frazier, Treasurer,
Other members of the group,
are Leo Dancy, Richard Woods,
and Lawrence Thompson.
The list of officers and mem
bers of B^^a Chi include: Henry
A. Black, Basileus; H. C. Lee,
Vice Basileus; Edward W. Har
graves, Keeper of Records and
Seals; R. L. Jennings, Treasur
er; A. L. Scott, Chaplain anc(
Editor; and Brother H. W. Vick,
Keeper of Peace. To complete
the chapter roster are; William
Hinson; Arthenius Dew; J. E.
Anthony; Dr, J. Ward Sea-
brook; Harold L. Scott; Lloy4
T. Blatch; R. H. Lewis; Dr. G.
W. Allen, Ralph Jordan; J. S.
Spivey;' Dr. W. C. Melchor; Dr.
W. E. Merritt; John W. Parker,
L. H. Newberry; Dr. E. J,
Gregg; Dr. J. D. Douglass; and
Edward MacRae.
Seeks New Trial For Youth
Forced To Confess Rape
VOLUME SI — NUMBER 48
DURHAM, N. C., SATURDAY, NOV. 20, 1954
PRICE 10 CENTS
SEVEN DIE IN WRECK;
DRIVER NAPS AT WHEEl
INVESIIOATING OFFICEIi HNDS
HASS Of BIEEMNG BODIES
LILLINGTON
Sgt. Eugene Faison Holder,
24, son of Mr. and Mrs. William
F. Holder of Durham, was kill
ed in a head-on collision Tues
day morning on Highway 210
near here; Six other persona
died in the tragic wreck, five
adults instantly and two child
ren who later succumbed.
Holder, a Fort Bragg soldier,
is credited with blame for the
accident as he drove his 1951
Pontiac over the crest of a hill
into the path of the other car,
wliile on his way back to the
Fort. The accident occurred
about 12:40.
Police officers said that Hol
der apparently went to sleep at
the whe^L and lost control of liia
car as it topped the hlU. His
machine was on the left side o£
the road at the time of the
crash.
There was no evidence that
either caif was speeding or t^t
either driver had be been drink
ing. Indkations were that each
car was travelling about 50
miles PM: hour.
An Investigating officer said
it was ttie worst accident he
had ever witnessed. He was the
first offiiuer on the scene and
found a mass of crushed, bleed
ing bodlM.
Those besides Holder who
died in the wreck were Willie
Charlie Jotuison, 33 of Lilling-
ton; his wife Mrs. Rena Johnson,
27; two passengers in their car,
Talmadge Edward Jones, 35 of
Dunn; Mrs. Norma Piiillips, 50
of Dunn; and two Johnson
children, Sheila, 8, and George
3, who died later in a hospital
at Fayetteville.
In a telegram the Command
ing General at Fort Bragg ex
pressed sympathy with Holder’s
parents, advising them that the
youthful soldier’s t>ody was at
the Fort available for burial.
Funeral arrangements for
young Holder have not Ijeen an
nounced.
Over too At
N. C. College
Conference
The 29th annuai meeting of
the North Carolina Negro Col
lie Conference will be held at
North Carolina College here on
Novemijer 17.
Some 100 representatives'
from colleges in this state are
expected to attend the all day
session.
jRegistration for the general
ateting will begin, at liO:QO aJ
in Room 104 of the Music aiid
Fine Arts Building.
Mayes Behrman,' consultant
for the American Friends Ser
vice, will deliver the keynote
talk on the conference’s theme
at the bpehihg session. "Prob
lems of Securing Jobs for Ne
groes in the Various Areas of
Employment, Especially in ttiis
Region” is the 1954 conference
theme.
Dr. Alvin W. Rose, N.C.C. so
ciology, professor, will lead
discussion of Behrman’s ad
dress.
After the opening general
session, the conference will
break up into “Buzz Sessions”,
in rooms 100, 101, and 104 oi
the Science Building.
Luncheon for the delegates is
scheduled at one o’clock ii^
Room 106, Science Building.
The officers of the N. C. Ne
gro College Conference of 1954
are; Dr. James A. Boyer of St.
Augustine’s College, president;
Dr. J. H. Douglass, formerly of
Fayetteville State Teachers Col
lege, Fayetteville, vice presi
dent; Dr. G. S. Davis, Elizabeth
City State Teachers College,
Elizatieth \City, secretary; Dr.
Foster P. Payne, Shaw Univer-
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Last Rites Held For Isaac Oscar
Alston At Saint Joseph's Church
Tubman Leaves For Home
Funeral services for Isaac
Oscar Alston, well-known citi
zen who died quietly in his sleep
last Sunday morning at his resi
dence on Fayetteville Street,
were held Tuesday at 2:30 p.m.
at the St. Joseph AME Church
The officiating minister was
the Rev. J. D. Davis, Presiding
Elder. Prayer was offered by
the Rev. H. Albert Smith; and
the Scripture, the Twenty-third
Psalm, was read by the Rev.
W. A. McEwan. The Senio?
Choir rendered the music. Ac-
luiowledgements were read by
Mr. C. C. Amey.
The active Pallbearers con
sisted of memliers of the Berean
Bible Class, whili^ Class Leaders
and officecs ot. the St. Jo^ph
-Church served as Honorary
Pallbearers. Members of the
Pastor’s Aid Club and Golden
Age Group served as Floral
Bearers. Interment was at the
.Be_echwgod^emetery.
Mr. Alston, who had iDeed
confined with a heart ailment
since last September, was bom
in Chatham County on August
26, 1879. He was the son of
Oscar and Fannie Aiston.
At an early age, he came to
Durham and found employment
with the Liggett and Myers To-
retirement in 1047.
More than 50 years ago, Mr.
Alston l)ecame a member of the
St. Joseph AME Church and
was a faitliful worker in the
Church tiu-oughout tha^ long
stretch of time.
For over 30 years, he served
as librarian of the Berean Bible
Class of his Church.
On April 24, 1901. he was
married to Miss Annie L.
Rogers. To them was bom one
son, Lathrop Alston.
In addition to iiis wife, the
bacco Company where he work- deceased is survived by a num-
ed for over 35 years until his ber of nephews and nieces.
FRI«DS HONOR JUDGE AND
MliS. WAUNG IN CHARLESTON
NEW YORK
President William V. S. Tub
man wound up his stay in the
United States with the tradi
tional tour of Harlem. In a spe
cial service held at Abyssinian
Baptist Church, Tubman hailed
all the progress of the Ameri
can Negro.
‘We heartily congratulate
and commend you ..god your
brethm who have contributed
in untold measure to your phe
nomenal growth and develop
ment." *
President Tubman was pre
sented with a scroll describing
him as a “Beacon of hope to the
free and those who strive to
ward freedom; a wiUing ser
vant of the people; a dreamer
imd worker for peace and bro
therhood.”
President Tubmdn and his
party sailed for Haiti following
the Harlem reception. Then he
heads for.Liberia trom Haiti.
NATION AWAITS STATE BAPTISTS
DECISION ON SEGREGATION
CHARLOTTE
The eyes of all believers in.
Christianity and Democracy are
trained on Charlotte this week
to see what the North Carolina
State Baptist Convention will
have to say about the Supreme
Court Decision of last May,
calling for the discontinuance of
segregated schools throughout
the south and in the areas where
such schopls have been main
tained.
The announcement- has been
made to the public that a
statement on the decree that so
riled the southern governors
will be made in a report to the
Convention by the Committee
on Social Service and Civic
Righteousness. The Committee
was expected to report Wednes
day, the day this paper goes to
press.
Inasmuch as the Baptists are
the leading religious group in
the State numerically, Negroes
are particularly eager to know
what their stand will be.
The Methodist have already
taken a stand for implementa
tion of the Supreme Court De
cision and tiigh clerical authori
ties in the Roman CathoUo
Church have declared them
selves for the abolition of se
gregation. It remains to see
what this largest religious body
in the State will do.
In financial terms the Bap
tist Churches are a $30,000,000
dollar a year business in North
Carolina. They own 3,107
Please Turn To Page Eight
CHARLESTON, S. C.
Royally received by 500 of
their friends, Judge and Mrs. J.
Waties Waring were given a
warm welcome at a testimonial
dinner here on their return to
the Judge’s native home for the
first time after his retirement
from the Federal Bench in Feb.
1952.
The dinner, held on Novem
ber 6 under auspices of the
South Carolina Conference of
the National Association for the
Advancement of Colored Peo
ple of which the Rev. James M.
Hinton is president, paid tribute
to Judge Waring for ills his
toric dissenting opinion in the
Clarendon County school segre
gation case. Judge Waring’s dis
sent holding such segregation
unconstitutional was unani
mously affirmed by the United
States Supreme Court in its me
morable decision of May 17.
R6bert L. Carter, assistant
special counsel, represented the
NAACP national office at the
dinner.
A bronze plaque presented to
the jurist declare4; “He set the
stage for tearing assunder the
fetters of racial inferiority in
humanely imposed upon cer
tain children and the removal
of the curse of racial superiority
cruelly blighting the lives of
other children, thus making pos
sible—^for the first time—an
unhampered sense of belongings
and brotherhood, and the full
opportunity for every American
child to experience tme demo
cracy in everyday living.”*
In a thoughtful presentation
address Marion A. Wright, pre
sident of the Southern Regional
Council, hailed Judge Waring as
“the one South Carolina jurist
whose decisions have so affect
ed for good the lives of so many.
“His decisions have helped
to break the shacldes which
lx)und the twentieth century tc»
the nineteenth or even the eigh
teenth.”
“I am sure,” the speaker as
serted, “I would be less than
trutiiful if I did not express my
and your conviction tliat liis at
tachment for not one race but
all mankind was quickened and
motivated by the counsel and
companionship of his noble and
lovely wife.”
CLOSED TRIAL
MAY SAVE
BOY'S LIFE
WASHINGTON
The U. S. Supreme Court was
asked today to set aside the
conviction and death sentence ol
Jeremiah Reeves, Jr., 19-year
old Negro youth convicted by
an all-white Alal>ama jury for
the alleged rape of a wtiite wo
man, and send ths case back to
the Alabama court for a new
trial
The request was made In a
reply brief filed by lawera for
NAACP Legal Defense and Edu
cational Fund, Inc., in behalf of
Reeves.
Reeves was arrested on Nov.
10, 1952, four montlu tttei a
wtiite woman claimed she had
been attacked by an unknown
assailant. He was held in tiie
state penitentiary at Kilby,
Ala., for three days without be
ing permitted to see or consult
wth family, friends or counsel.
During that time, he was sub
jected to constant questioning
in a room with an electric chair
and told that if he did not con
fess to the crime he would die.
A confession would save him,
police officials nsisted.
At the trial, held in Mont
gomery, the judge cleared tiie
courtroom of all persons except
witnesses and court officials. A
motion by Reeves’ attorney to
nave the trial open to tlie pub
lic, in accordance with the
f'ederal Constitution, was de
nied. Another motion by turn
to have his private stenogi-ap...t:,.-
and members of the prt-o i..-
main in the c0Ui t-0ui.i ..
wise denied.
A number of witneistj ItaLi-
cied in Reeves' bciuXf to ms
whereaiMuts pn the date and
time of the al^ged crime. Fur
ther, several testified tiiat
Reeves was emotionally un
balanced. He was 17 at that
time:
Nearing the close of tiie tri^
it was discovered for the fiiat
time that one of the jurors waa
the chief of the Montgomery
Reserve Police Force, organized
CO crack down “alleged Negro
rapists”, and had been actiw
in the case. Reeves' attorney
then asked for a mistrial. TIm
motion was denied.
A petition for rehearing was
denied by the Alabama Su
preme Court on November 27,
iJ53. NAACP Legal Defense
attorneys then petitioned the U.
Supreme court for a hearing
March 12, 1934. It was
granted June 7.
NAACP Le^al Defense law
yers asked the high court to set
aside the conviction and send
the case back to the trial court
on the grounds that Reeves was
denied a fair and impartial trial;
that the confession used to con
vict Reeves was obtain^ by
force, and'that Negroes were
systematically excluded from
the jury which eonvicted him.
The attorneys representing
Reeves are Thurgood Marshall,/
director-counsel of NAACP Le
gal Defense, Robert L. Carter,
assistant, Jack Greenberg and
Eiwood H. Chisolm of Legal
Defense staff, Louis H. PoUaM
of New York, and Peter A. Hall
of Birmingham, Alabama.
N. C. Congress Of Colored Parents
And Teachers To Meet In Charlotte
The North Carolina Congress
of Colored Parents and Teach
ers will hold its 27th annual ges-
ion of the Congress in Charlotte.
November 19 - 20. Delegates
from eleven districts and 100
counties are expected at the
Convention, whose seslon
headquarters will be the North
West Junior High School with
C. E. Moreland, Principal, and
Mrs. A. Z. Zanders, President
of the Charlotte P. T. A. City,
Council, as local hosts.
The Convention theme is
“New Responsibilities in a
Changing Society,” and will
feature speakers, consultants
and PTA leaders stressing top
ics and discussions centered
around this theme in the 2 day
session—November 19-20—that
will set goals and chart tta*
^lurse for children and youth in
North Carolina for
Symposium—“The CtukUeaa»
of our Times” will include such
outstanding leaders as Dr. In-
at>el Bums Lindsay, Dean ot
School of Social Work, Howard
University; Dr. George Do«iglMK
President N- C. Family Life
Council and Hr. John R. Lark
ins, Consultant, N. C. Dspui-
ment Public Welfare.
One of the hi^>Ughtq ci ite
convention will feature a tewB
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