Last Rites For Leader Slain In
115 GHMKED M BOYGOn
VOLUME 32 — NUMBER 8
DUBHAM, N. C., SATURDAY, FEB. 25, 1956
PBICE 10 CENTS
Last Ditch Plea To Lift
Ban On Player Reiected
Mrs. Martha Donnell, wife of Dr. Clyde Donnell, i> seen
here with Miss Omega King and MIm Aadrey Hinton of Chi
cago, 111 admidst the palm of Miami, Florida where the
Donnelb are spending a winter vacation. Mrs. Donnell is at
right. — Adams Photo.
160,0110 NEW
MEMBERS SEEN
BY NAACP
ATLANTA, G«.
NAACP officials of eight
southeastern states today pled
ged themselves to recruit 100,
000 NAACP members this year.
The figure represents 26 i^r-
cent of the Association’s goal of
400,000 members in 1956.
The remaining 300,000 mem
bers will be sought in the nortlt-
east, northwest, middlewest and
southwest.
The national membership
goal of 400,000 is an increase of
33 per cent. over the total
NAACP membership in 198S.
The new figure was set this
month by NAACP Board Chair
man Dr. Channing H. Tobias.
Conferring here on the 1956
membership campaign with the
AsMKsiation’s Director of Bran
ches Gloster B. Current and
I Southeast Regional Secretary
Mrs. Ruby Hurley were these
NAACP representatives: W. A.
Fordham of Tampa, Fla., sUte
(Continued on Page Bight)
Hope FrankUn,
profesaor of History at How-
hrd University, has been ■•-
lected to head the history de>
partment at Brooklyn Col
lege. A Ugh regarded scholMr,
Dr. Franklin taught history at
Nonh Carolina College in
Durham several years ago be
fore moving to the Waihlng-
ton, D. C. achool. He has lee-
tured at some of the leading
schools or the East, includiag
Harvard. Dr. Franklin is ex
pected to assume chairmaii-
ship of the Booklyn College
history department next Fall.
Thurman To Speak At Founder's
Day At Virginia State College
PETERSBURQ, Vs.
Virginia State College will
observe the 74th anniversary of
its founding on Sunday, March
4, according to an announce
ment by Dr. Robert P. DHnlel,
president of the college.
Dr/ Howard Thurman, dean
of Marsh Chapel and pfofessor
of spiritual resources and dis
ciplines at Boston Unlver^y,
will deliver the Founders Day
Sermpn at the llo’clock service
to be held In the College Cha
pel. Prior to these exercises.
Campus Memorial Services
honoring the departed founders
and alumni will be held at the
Memorial Banch on the front
campus and will be presided
over by President Daniel assist
ed by the Reverend I* E. Ter
rell, acting college minister. At
the conclusion of the Manorial
Services, the College Choir will
lead the procession to the Cha
pel where the Founders Day
Exercises will be held.
A world reknown author, lec
turer and preacher. Dr. Thur
man received his college train
ing at Morehouse College, Col
gate, Rochester Divinity School,
and the Divinity School of
Oberlin College. At one time he
was a special student in philoso
phy with Rufus Jones, the
Quaker! myatic and philosopher,
of Haverford College. He is the
(Continued on Page Eight)
New A&T Prexy
Gibbs’ Election Seen As
Compromise Clioice
GREENSBORO
The election of Dr. Warmoth
T. Gibbs as president of A&T
College here Wednesday was
seen by many observers close to
the college ci compromise
choice.
Dr. Gibbs, wlio had served
as acting president of the insti
tution since the death of Dr. F.
D. Bluford in December, was
unanimously elected to head the
school by trustees in a full
meeting of the board here
Wednesday morning.
The selection brought to an
end a two month search by trus
tees to find a man to fill the job
vacated by the death of Dr.
Bluford.
Dr. Gibbs has been at A&T
for 30 years, coming to the'
school first in 1926. Prior to his
appointment as acting president,
he had servM as dean of the
college for 27 ye^rs and is con
sidered by many a capable adv
is Widely pelieved, •
ever, that Dr. Gibbs’ selection
was the result of a compromise
between two unyieMiflg' fac
tions on "the trustee board. Re-
DR. WARMOTH T. GIBBS
portedly, one group was pres
sing for the selection of an
alumni favorite son, Dr. Earl
McClenny, president of St.
11 -
The candidate for the opposing
group was thought to be Br.
Matthew Whitehead, former
president of Minor and ^ean at
Wilson’s Teachers college in
Washington, D. C.
Dr, McClenny said that he
was not available for the job in
a letted to the TIMES this week.
Earlier in the search, other
nanies '.were mentioned promi
nently, "among which was that
of Dr. £. E. Duncan of Raleigh.
But as_|^the search wore on, it Is
felt that pressure for favorite
candidjites became greater until
an impasse was reached which
could' te resolved only by a
compromise selection.
Fo^lvwing the announcement
of Dr.. Gibbs' .selection, the be
lief was expressed that the
trustees may simply have post
poned their problem rather than
finding a siRition to it in
Wednesday’s action. It was
point^ out that Dr. Gibbs is
only one or two years from the
mandatory retirement age for
North Carolina public school
o&icieis, aiid that A&T trustees
, Be faced wlttf- >another'
tor a#pwi8idwtf-WftWn e
few years.
Even if Dr. Gibbs elects to
remain on the job, it was point
ed out that there will have to
(Continued on Page Eight)
Fund To Send Calhoun
To.Olympic Trial Forms
A fund to send Lee Calhoun,
currently rated as the nation's
best young hurdler, to the
Olympic try-outs in June has
been formed.
A special committee compos
ed of townspeople and officials
of North Carolina College have
set themselves to the task of
collecting $1,200, the amount Es
timated to give the NCC speed
ster a crack at making the team
which will represent the U. S.
ADLAI COULD
GET 'RIGHTS'
BILLS PASSED
BERKELEY, Calif.
Ir presidential candidate Ad-
lal Stevenson chose to, he could
insure passage of civil rights
legislation by the present ses
sion of Congress, an NAACP
political expert asserted here
last week.
Clarence Mitchell, director of
the NAACP Washington Bu
reau, described the "chief road
block" to federal civil rights
legislation as "the abject sur
render of some of the liberals
in Congress.” Most of these libe
rals, he pointed out, support the
Stevenson candidacy.
The Association spokesman
called 'for a "real two party
system in Americt^’ built in
part by laws guarding the right
to the ballot with adequate pro
tection for all voters.
He noted that Rep. John Bell
Williams of the Fourth District
of Mississippi won in an Sec
tion where only 19,164 votes
were cast, although the WllU-
ama’ district has a population
of more than 400,000. Almost
haU of these residents are Ne
groes, Mitchell said, who are
barred from the poUs by fraud.
Intimidation and violence.
Mitchell spoke on Feb. 11.
in World games at Australia.
Charles A. Ray, director of
the N. C. College news bureau
and head of the special fund
raising committee, said that
several organizations and in
terested persons in the Durham
area have expreaaM willingness
to contribute to such a fund.
\Ray said the $1,200 figure
was an estimate of the cost of
hotel, travel and living expenses
for the hurdles ace, who must
spend at least n month in Cali
fornia in June if he Is to qualify
for the U. S. team.
Ray was quick to point out, in
the face of the dramatic Wes
Santee-AAU row, that all of
the money collected would be
used only for expenses of the
track star in making the trip
to California and staying to
compete in the meets.
Although Calhoun has enjoy
ed a perfect, undefeated indoor
season, there are quite a few
barriers the timber topper must
clear before he can don the
stars and stripes of Uncle
Sam’s cindermen. And, in order
that he might have a fair
chance at making tha U. S.
team,"" his coach, L. T. Walker,
feels that Calhoun must spend
a month in California where the
Olympic eliminations them
selves will occupy the space of
three weeks.
Competitors for the Olympic
try-outs will be selected from'
finalists J first, second and
third place finishers) in the
NCAA and AAU championships
this June. Both events will be
held in Califortiia. The NCAA
event .will be staged at the Uni
versity of California at Berke
ley June 15 and 16 and the AAU
meet at Bakersfield on June 22
and 23.
If Calhoun fails to place in
the NCAA event, he can still
qualify for the Olympic trials
by placing in the AAU meet.
The Olympic try-outs will be
held at Los Angeles June 29
(Continued on Page Eight)
The late Dr. Thomas H. Qitewer, cot down by bullets
last Saturday, is shown in this picture (right) taken during
the 1954 election campaign looldng over reigstration books
with Primus King, plaintiff in the new famous Primus King
case which obtained tfaie right to vote for Negroes in Georgia.
Dr. Brewer was the key-^gure in the court victory.
OVBiUMM CHURCH, YAKD
ATRlIBHHtMIUTANTMEMC
PUlmore Hall, bandmaater ^t Hillside High School, was
honored by the school and former students at a program at
the school auditorium last Friday. Shown ia the above pfe-
ture are Mrs. T. B. Speigner, mtatoass ceremoniea for the
affair, and Mr. and Mrs. HaU seated. -For nore det^ls, see
page eight.
COLUMBUa^T Ga.
' An estimated 2,500 j^rsons
attended funeral services for
Dr. Thomas H. Brewer, venera
ted civil rights champion, who
was shot down here last Satur
day night.
The services were conducted
at the First African Baptist
Church. Loudespeakers piped
the services to approximately
1500 persons who crowded out
side the church on the lawn.
J5r. Brewer, known widely
and loved profoundly in the
state and region for his militant
fight against racial injustice,
was shot to death by store
owner Luclo Flowers who
emptied his seven-shot pistol
into Dr. Brewer.
Tiie victim w^is 71 years old,
a leading member of the NAACP
for several years, generally cre
dited with leading the fight
which gave Negroes the right
to vote in Georgia and a high
echelon official In the state Re
publican party.
An aura of doubt iias de
scended over many reported
incidents connected with the
shooting and many questions
concerning the , tradegy have
gone unanswered. -
Police were quick to discount
the fact that Dr. Brewer’s con
nection with NAACP had anyJ
thing to do with the shooting
Most press reports filed with
the major wire services have
created the impression that the
doctor and Flowers were at
odds for quite some time.
Police reports say that Dr
Brewer went to Flowers’ store
around seven o’clock Saturdq>
evening to discuss the forcible
arrest of a Negro, Sylvester
Henderson, in !ront of Flowers'
A and B store. Accon’ing to re
ports. Dr. Brewer did n^t Uke
the fact that police beat Hender
son into submission in making
the arrest.
District solicitor John H.
Land said that Dr. Brewer en
tered Flowers’ office located at
the rear of the store, set down
his physicians’ hag and reached
toward a pocket. It was at this
point that Flowers emotied his
seven shot Ipistol into Dr. Brew
er.
Later, police say that a small
pistol was discovered in one of
Dr. Brewer’s trouaer pockets
After the shooting, Ilowert
was hustled away to a Ptienix
City, Ala. hospital and later to
Jury Finds
Group's Action
Kot Just
■ MONTGOMERY, Ala.
A grand jury Monday Indict-
:d 115 persons involved in the
joycott by Negroes of the city
i>uses.
The jury then proceeded to
lecture the boycotters, declaring
that violence would result if
race relations did not improve.
In issuing the Indictments,
the jury invoked an Alabama
which prohibits boycotting
without “a just cause or legal
rxcuse.”
Negroes of the city have
iwaged an 11 week boycott of
the buMs in protest to a seatitig
rrangement which requires
them to give up their seats on
1 bus to white passengers.
Last week, the grand jury
charged Attorney Fred Gray,
'acting legal counsel for the boy
cotting organization, with “im-
'awfus practice,” stating that he
filed a suit against city and bus
company officials without the
consent of one of the five plain
tiff whose name appears in the
complaint.
If convicted, Atty Gray would
in allr likelihood be disban;ed.
According to state law, names
of the defendants in the indict- "* Columbus hos|»it«l where po
lice said he was suffering from
shock and under the doctor’s
care.
(Continued on Page Si^t)
Wmstcn-Saleni
Charges QAA
Act Was Biased
A last ditch ^ort by Winston
Salem Teachers college officials
to have the tournament ban lif
ted from its front-line substi
tute, Harry Rogers, to permit
him to partidpate in the con
ference tourney met with fail
ure here late thit week.
Winston-Salem president. Dr.
F. L. Atkins and coach. Clarence
Gaines conferred wtth tourna
ment officials on the eve of the
CIAA event here Wednesday
in the hope of obtaining a re
versal of the conference’s exe-
JUtive committee twrring Rocers
“fe. % oumey play.
They warn toid, bammm, hgr
the committee that it kad mm
authority to McMisldv Ike mttr
ter and leistred
CIAA’s executive
appeal.
With the
iuled to get
iay, it appeared
jalem would at
4'ound play minus
Kogfrs.
in-Salem
with bias in Its
clared that the coaomittee acted
only on the basis of the Fayette
ville report of the incident,
which it described as exaggera
ted.
The decision to ban Rogers
from toumammt play and take
a victory away from Winston-
Salem stemmed from Fayette
ville's protest of the gaaaa^ a
losely fought scn^
Ki in an abortive 1
flayers of ttw
Fd3(|tteville charged WtnetoB
talem with ‘inciting a rkitloiiaf*
situaticm and causing it to loaa
he game which would have
gained the Broncos a notch in
he conference toumamsnt.
Fayetteville asked that it ,he
given the game by iorleiture.
According to the Fayetteville
version of the incident, Bogers,
who was on the beiMh at tlie
time of the flare-up, left tiw
Rams' botch to take a poke at
Ronald Evans, Fayetteville cv-
tain, when the latter committed
a foul on the Rams’ James Se»-
50ms. A technical foul was call
ed on Rogers and he was banish
ed from the game. At this point,
the Fayetteville verakn tom,
other WSTC playen sod qpaela*
(Continued on Bsge Kigbt)
ynd de
ments
against
and specific charges
them must be kept
(Continued on Page Xight)
Lt Sara Tansar, sob of Mrs.
M. P. Tmw of Dorhaai, was
among asesnbors of the Stm-
teglc Air Ceiwand at Travis
Air Force haao iaatwod o«
the natkts wide Wide, Wide
Worid tdeviriae program lw
Sunday. TW pcograa paid
triWtaio SACa IMh au^««»-
■ary. Twr»a» waa tmm ky
video viewoi* la • hrtafti^
siaa wiOk aa apmrtiM
Lt TunMr r—etvad his Air
Wmn fnMiiaaiaa la Fab^
im aad kla wim» h liriy
IVU. Ho b tnlMd aa • M-
vlfa« f aiariaB baasbiirdtat.
{Ba la peeeeelUr aarfipat «•
Itho Itmii al Tnvla.