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THE FEDERATION JOURNAL
Spring—1963
THE FEDERATION JOURNAL
“Lifting As We Climb”
Issued by
The N. C. Federation of Negro
Woman’s Club
Editor; Mrs. Fannie T. Newsome,
Rich Square
Editorial
1863 — 1963
PROCLAMATION ANNIVERSARY
January 1963 began a year of
celeb ration for Negroes which
marks our “ONE-HUNDRED-
Years-of-Freedom.”
We take pride in the greatness of
America
To which the people of many
Races have contributed
We are Proud of our Racial Her
itages
For the part played by Our Race
in making Our Race Great
Wo take Pride in our Individual
Achievements.
‘"Through many toils and snares,
we have come these 100 years.
God has brought us from a
mighty long way. He will lead
us on.
“God of our weary years, God of
our silent tears.
Thou who has brought us thus-far
on the way.
Thou who has by Thy might, led
us unto the light.
Keep us forever in Thy path we
pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places
Dear God, where we met Thee.
Lest our hearts, drunk with the
wine of the world, we forgot
Thee.
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
may we forever stand.
True to our Gk)d, true to our Native
Land.”
Toward the end of the 17th Cen
tury, Negro women began to take
more active part in civic as weU
as social affairs.
During the 1890’s Colored women
organized a number of clubs,
among them the National Associa
tion of Colored Women in 1896.
Mrs. Mary Church Terrell was its
first president. Its publication, the
Woman’s Era, and its conventions
discussed many subjects related
specifically to the Negro.
Among Documents listed in many
Negro History Books you will find
“Resolutions of the National As
sociation of Colored Women, July
16, 1904.”
It is taken from the fourth Con
vention of this organization held at
St. Paul’s Church, St. Louis, Mis
souri.
These resolutions speak of the
barbarous taking of human life,
discrimination, suffrage, etc. We
might do well to re-read this docu
ment and gain new courage to con
tinue the fight they so nobly began.
This Centennial Year is a good
year to STUDY ABOUT THE NE
GRO. One hundred years after the
issuance of the Emancipation Proc
lamation by President Lincoln the
average American Negro knows
little about the history of his race.
It is surprising how few people
know the sources of this informa
tion. We hope you find them in
libraries both public and school.
Here in our state The Richard B.
Harrison Public Library in Ra
leigh make a specialty on collec
tions of Negro Books. The N. C.
State Library of Inter-Library Loan
Books on Negroes is stored there.
Early History of the Negro in
America — Prof. W. S. Creecy’s
Message for Rich Square Book
Club Negro History Week.
The first Negro came to Ameri
ca with Columbus in 1492. Colum
bus came with Three ships, the Ni
na, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.
The Nina was the baby boat and
the Santa Maria was the largest.
This large boat was piloted by a
Negro. The Negro was here a year
before the Pilgrim fathers.
In 1619 a Dutch sea Captain
came to this country and brought
a load of Negroes which he sold
for slaves and indentured servants.
Many of those who came at this
period were either slaves or in
dentured servants who hoped to
work and pay for their trip across
the sea. The slave trade became
big business and flourished until
the 19th Century. Finally the North
and South began to look at this
situation out of different eyes. Fi
nally the North and South began
to look at this situation out of dif
ferent eyes. Slave labor was less
profitable in the North. The idea
arose that it was unfair for one to
cram something down one man’s
throat that he himself would not
want to swallow.
“Slavery,” wrote Jefferson, de
stroys the basic humanity of the
master and the Amor Patria of the
slave. Except on the outside it
made a more degraded thing of
the master than it did of the slave.
To deprive another of all the
things he wants for himself, and
have all the things he want for
himself, as far as possible, at the
expense of another who is not so
much as allowed to share in his
own production. They are the
slaves who remain manacled day
by day, and year by year, to a
calloused and absolute disregard of
all the rights of such of their fel-
lowmen as can be subjected.
George Washington stated in his
will, that after the death of his
wife, aU his slaves should be set
free.
Fugative slave laws were passed
to protect this evil. The Missouri
Compromise was accepted. John
Calhoun defended slavery as a
Executive Board
Meeting Held
The March 2nd meeting in Dur
ham, as guest of local Clubs there,
was most satisfactory. A great deal
was covered in the way of business
which covered:—
1. Annual Convention at States
ville, May 3rd and 4th.
Theme: — “A Challenge for
Change.”
2. Communications from Nation
al Association President and
problem there.
3. Report of Committees on: —
Constitution being revised.
Effland Property being sold.
Scholarships being applied
for.
Nomination of officers for
1963-1965.
4. Our Newest Project — “Birth
day Gifts for State Institute
Students” — ’The’'“project is
moving nicely under leader
ship of Miss W. Laws and
the four district presidents.
5. The naming of committee
leaders for 1963 Convention in
Statesville:—
Auditoring - Miss W. Crosson
and Mrs. M. Leitao
Resolutions - Mrs. Hattie
Hughes and Miss Rosebud
Aggrey
Budget - Mrs. Saterwhite
and Mrs. L. Bost
Time and Place - Mrs. T.
Henley and Mrs. Massey
Delegates will be added t o
these at Convention
Positive Good.
The United States then was
twenty-three states large for the
North and thirteen in the South.
Men like Garrison, Lovejoy and
others were beginning to stir the
issue.
Negroes like Nat Turner, Dred
Scott, Harriet Tubman, Isabella
who later changed her name to
Sourjourn Truth began fighting the
issue.
After Buchannon took the Oath
of office the Quartet from Boston
cut loose, Wendell Phillips, Tho-
reau, Parker and Emerson. These
boys really were felt as they at
tacked the issue.
1859-10-16 John Brown with eight
een men began his part. He made
the war that made us free. Less
than two years after John Brown
was executed the Northern Arm
ies were marching and singing as
they marched, John Brown’s body
lies a mouldering in the clay, his
soul is marching on.
Forty years in the wilderness
was enough to prepare Israel for
Nationhood. Four score and seven
years this nation was able to stand
a Civil War.
The American Negro is two years
removed from the Centennial of
the Emancipation Proclamation.
Religious
Emphasis
The resurrection story is brought
to us
Anew each spring
With the leafing of the trees.
But better still
It is revealed to us
Through the lowly caterpillar.
That crawling worm.
Despised by all.
And prey to every bird of flight.
Grabbles in the dust and dirt
Until his time has come
To mumify himself
Inside a self-spun sheet.
Securely wound around him like
A sealed and isolated tomb.
And then the Lord of life.
With gentle touch.
Breaks the chrysalis
And, lo, out of the seemingly
forsaken tomb
A butterfly comes forth.
Proclaiming, as he lifts his
Brilliant wings to reach the bil
lowy clouds.
That Jesus Christ, the Lord of
life
And victor of the grave, is stiU
The source of light and life—
The power to resurrect the dead
From quiet tomb
And grant eternal life.
It is Easter time once more —
that season of the year which, to
the Christian, brings the mingled
feeling of sorrow and gladness.
Yes, it is Easter once more —
that season of the year when Chris
tians seek closer communion with
the risen Lord. But in order to
do this we must, first of all, seek
the Lord in such places as we
know He will be.
’The Easter lilies remind us of the
life of Jesus — their stateliness:
their spotlessness; the beauty they
give to the world wherever they
are found.
As we enjoy their beauty this
Easter season let us remember our
Lord whose resurrection from the
tomb transformed a saddened
world to a hopeful and joyous one.
And let us ask ourselves these
questions as we prepare our hearts
for closer communion with the
risen Lord: —
Where do 1 seek Christ?
When do I seek Christ?
How do I seek Christ?
Why do I seek Christ?
This is a good time to plan and
prepare to enter the second Cen
tennial of freedom.
Goals for the second Centennial:
1. Education (preparedness)
2. The Ballot (Power)
3. Economic Security
4. Nationalism and international
ism