THE FEDERATION JOURNAL
"Listen to our Clarion Watchword—We are Lifting As We Climb"
Volume 18
FALL—19G2
Number 1
President's
Message
By MRS. E. M. SPELLMAN
Thank you, kind ladies of the
North Carolina Federation of Ne
gro Women’s Clubs for allowing me
to represent you at the recent 66th
anniversary of the National Associ
ation of Colored Women’s Clubs
held at Washington, D. C. My only
regret was that each of you could
not attend.
Further appreciation is deserved
by the clubs which responded to
the appeal for funds for the support
of the National and Southeastern
Associations namely; The Women’s
Club of Edenton, Les Vignt
Femmes of Beaufort; Junior Ma
trons, Matron’s Social Literary and
Art, Negro Women’s Community,
Woman’s and Neighborhood No I
Clubs of Elizabeth City; Banneker
Literary and Social Bridge and
sons Clubs of Kinston; Book,
Flower and Art Clubs of Rich
Square; Woman’s Business and
Fraternal Club of Weldon; Book
and Garden and Mary McCloud
Bethune Women’s clubs of Wilson;
Daughters of Dorcas, Junior Uto
pia and Utopia Clubs of Durham;
Woman’s Progressive Club of Ox
ford; Charlotte A. Percival Club
of Concord; Garden Club of Salis
bury; and Silver City Community
Club of Raeford. Contributions
from the above mentioned clubs
made 8 votes possible for our N. C.
Federation. There were many
states which had far more than
ours and a few which had less.
After all 8 has been our largest
number thus far and we have
hopes of surpassing that with the
support of a larger number of
clubs.
Appreciation is due the members
of the N. C. Federation who caught
the vision of participation in the
National program and attended the
meeting at Washington, namely;
Mesdames F. T. Newsome, M. N.
Leitao, Lucille Albright, Willie
Moultrie, Edith P. Johnson, Esther
D. Moore, Amy Foster, Sarah
Smith, Esther Davis, Alice Davis,
and Alberta Johnson; Misses Vir
ginia Johnson, Lolita Rogers, Ouida
Bell, Hilda Gillard, Cathy Johnson,
Corena Alston, Gwendolyn and
Linda Brown. Each participated
in the wonderful program whole
heartedly, serving wherever there
was an opportunity.
Surely you are interested in our
awards. We were justifiably proud
of winning first place for scrap
DOUGLAS HOME A MONUMENT — President Kennedy signing a bill making the home of Negro
leader Frederick Douglass, 1411 W St. SE., a national monument. Mr. Kennedy called Douglass
“an outstanding leader of the movement for abolition . . . and an articulate spokesman for racial
■equality.” Watching are Sen. Philip Hart (D-Mich.), House Speaker John McCormack^ Rosa Gragg,
president of the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, Rep. Charles C. Diggs (D-Mich.),
Mary E. C. Gregory, chairman of the Douglass Trustee Board, and Joseph Douglass, great-grandson
of the man honored.
books for the second year in suc
cession, thanks to the untiring ef
fort of our scrapbook chairman,
Mrs. F. T. Newsome, the commit
tee, and clubs or institutions which
responded to the call for materials.
Winning first place this year in
stead of second at the last meet
ing for statistical reports may be
credited to Mrs. M. N. Leitao, her
committee and to those clubs
which completed and returned the
forms which are sent annually to
summarize many of your club ac
tivities.
Only in one phase of the Na
tional program did our federation
fail to make a favorable shov/ing.
Our only entry in the Arts and
Craft Department was a three
piece suit made by the blind lady
who was so kind to attend our
annual meeting at Durham and ex
press per appreciation for our sup
port of the Braille Magazine. Her
entry received an award and cer
tainly it was due one. It should
be the hope of each of us that we
shall begin now in our individual
clubs to make use of our artistic
ability, have local displays, exhib
its at our district meetings and
certainly at our state meeting then
we can easily have work for dis
play at the National and South
eastern Associations.
To give complete coverage for
the meeting of the National with
its theme, “Dimensions In De
mocracy for Today’s Women and
Youth” would be impossible so I
shall only mention “highlights.”
After attending a meeting of the
Executive Council which began on
Saturday afternoon, July 28th and
went far into the night a pleasant
night’s rest was welcomed. Then
to awake on Sunday morning and
be able to attend services especial
ly planned for the ladies of the
National Association of Colored
Women’s Clubs at 19th Street Bap
tist Church, birthplace of the
NACWC and hear a message es
pecially for us on “Never Stop
Trying,” bringing to mind the pi
oneers in the organization, was
truly an inspiring experience, gave
spiritual rejuvenation and a won
derful beginning for the convention.
Despite inclement weather a
large number of ladies attended
the garden reception held at the
Douglas Home at Ancostia. Many
saw the place for the first time.
Pardon the diversion but 1 am sure
you rejoiced that the Douglas
property has been made a nation
al shrine and that many of our
clubs had responded to the call to
financially support the Douglas
project.
Business sessions began with the
usual official opening with Presi
dent Gragg and vice presidents
presiding, inspiring devotions, the
posting of colors etc. The seating
of delegates according to states
and the display of state banners
for each takes time but proves in
teresting always. Other sessions in
cluded reports of the national, re
gional and state presidents. We
were pleased that our Southeastern
president’s report and that of your
N. C. Federation president com
pared favorably with others.
Forceful and impressive speak
ers during the convention were nu
merous. Among them were Hon
orable Edith Greene, Judge Jua
nita Stout, Atty. Edith Sampson,
Dr. Zelma George, Atty. Jean Ca
pers and others. Our need of striv
ing to improve conditions among
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