North Carolina Newspapers

Univ of iJ G Library The Truth i ) !lass Matter at the Post Office at Durham, North Carolina, under Act of March 3, 1879. FOR 28 YEARS THE OUTSTANDING NEGRO WEEKLY OF THE CAROLINA3 VOLUME 29—NUMBER 5 DURHAM, N. C., SATURDAY, FEB. 3rd, 1951 PRICE: TEN CENTS Beaten By Fifty Mobhists : - Mrs. Evergreen Flowers, who was beaten by a band of 50 “brave and courageous” white men at her home near Chadbourn on the night of January 18 while her husband escaped out the back door. Mrs. Flowers was unable to identify any of the men but it is believed that they were members of the Ku Klux Klan. Judge Hayes Rules Discrimination In Durham Schools A Middle District Federal Court judge ruled here last week what every observing citizen in Durham has known for years. Discrimination in facilities for whites and Negroes exist in this city. Negro citizens are not attorned equality of opportun ity according to the provisions of the State's Constitution, and in violation on the fourteenth amendment of the U. S. Con stitution. _ Federal Judge Johnson J. Hayes, who the News and Ob server describes as one of the ■State’s most conservative jud ges, handed down the decision in favor of Carolyn Blue and 80 other Durham plaintiffs. Point 9 in the judge’s find ings of fact highlight the situa tion that for many Durham citizens simply underlines what was “common but unacceptable knowledge.” Judge Hayes said: “Educational opportunity is not accorded to Negro children in the City of Durham School District in that: “A. The school buildings for Negro pupils are unequal to those furnished white children. “B. The inadequacy of build ings results in the overcrowding of Negro children and a heavier load of pupils per teacher. “C. The facilities for Music, Art, and Library are unequal.” State Not Responsible Action against the btate ox North Carolina was dismissed by the Court. Included among State Board of Education offi cials named in the action was Dr. Harold T. Trigg, president of St. Augustine 's College, who is the board’s first and only Negro member. Judge Hayes’ surprise and unprecedented action has caused widespread speculation on the meaning of his ruling in this State and throughout the South Local school officials and their lawyers as well as lawyers for the plaintiffs have consistently declined to comment on the ease. A TIMES’ survey of down town opinion points strongly to a belief in ‘ ‘ pigheaded and stub born leadership on the Board of Education.” A highly placed Durham white citizen with close contacts on the Durham City Board of Education said a “split existed in the board on whether to heed Negroes’ suggestion or to make arbitrary decisions regardless of Negroes’ attitude.” According to this source, a strong “anti Negro attitude has long existed with a key members of the board.” Basil M. Watkins, vet eran board chairman and Dur ham lawyer, has been identified , by one well informed white ob server “as undoubtedly the source of much of the trouble here.” Reviewing the circumstances *«. leading up to the filing of the complaint by M. Hugh Thomp son, J. H. Wheeler and others in the name of Car ohm J. Blue and others, another white in formant said the Durham school officials “allowed the suit to (Please turn to Page Eight) Boycott Forces Ellington To Cancel Concert iiichmond, Va. — Because the iiienmonu cnapter of tue Na tional Association for tUe Ad vancement of Colored f’eople tlireatened to boycott his sened uied concert here last Sunday night, fluke Ellington noted hand leader cancelled the en gagement. __ Ellington stated that he decid ed not to come to llichmond be cause the boycott hurt his “pride.” The famous composer, band leader and pianist was a member of the NAACB. He recently played a benefit for the organization in New York at which a sum of more than $14, 000 was realized, less the ex penses. , J _ A concert held here by Miss Marian Anderson recently was also boycotted by the local NAACP on January 18 with only 1,100 spectators showing up. The auditorium has a seat ing capacity of 4,300. Although he cancelled the en gagement Ellington inquired as to why the local branch waits un til artists have made commit ments to start its boycott. NCC Students May Ban^ Local J C Theatres A source close to the situa tion informed the CAROLINA TIMES here Tuesday that stu dent leaders at North Caro lina College are seriously con sidering calling a boycott on all local Jim Crow theaters in Durham. The question is expected to be brought before the next meeting of the Council on Thursday, February 8th, at which time a defenite decision is expected to be made. The CAROLINA TIMES was also informed that along with the anticipated stand against further attendance at segregated theaters, the stu dents will discuss the prob ability of picketing them. Said one student, “While the segregated theaters in Dur ham probably can run inde finitely without our financial support I do not see why we should continue to pay them to insult us while our boys are fighting and dying on foreign battlefields to uphold democracy. Even the people who are engaged in war a gainst our country would be admitted on an equal basis and I canot see why loyal Ne gro American citizens have got to be asked to go around to a side or hack door.” White Citizens Of Whiteville Pushing Case Against Man Who Attacked Negro Woman Micumu.u.u.—me u. o. r ourm Cn-cuit Court declared invalid Here last Saturday a regulation ol tiie Atiantic coast Cine tuat required tue segregation of J\e gro and wiute passengers. me Couft said tne regulation ‘ ‘ uniawtuliy burdens inter state conunerce,’' and is con trary to tnat section of the Con stitution of the United States -which empowers Congress only to regulate interstate Commerce. The A. C. Li. regulation "adds to the burden upon the traffic by increasing confusion and dis comfort of the passengers,” stated Judge Morris A. Soper of Baltimore. The rule ‘‘must be declared invalid.” J udge Soper called attention to the fact that the rule is not enforced all over the road of the A. Cv h. It is noi applied in pullman, dining cars and in coaches between Richmond and Washington. Officials of the company had no comment to make concern ing the decision, but indicated it would be appealed. The ruling of the Circuit Court overrode a decision of a U. S. District Court here re cently which declared the rule to be a reasonable regulation. The action was brought by W. C. Chance, principal of the Parmele Institute at Parmele, North Carolina. Chance was ejected from a Southbound A. C. L. train in Emporia, Virginia on June 25, 1948 while travel ing from Philadelphia to Rocky Mount, N. C. Rejects Pleas For #,Martinsville 7" Richmond — Desperate and frantic efforts to save the lives of seven condemned Negroes of Martinsville appeared to be a losing battle here Wednesday when a second U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge refused, after a hearing at Charlotts ville, to hold up the execution by issuing a certificate of prob able cause for an appeal. The governor told the com mittee of seven representing some 40 persons that talks of. pardon was ‘‘ a waste of breath. ’ ’ The men are charged with (Please turn to Page Eight) Mrs. Margaret Blue, Durham citizen, in whose name the re cent equalization school suit was brought. Mrs. Blue is the mother of five children and expressed herself as being very proud that Judge Hayes rendered the decision in fav or of the plantiffs. The case is recorded and will be known as the Blue Case. Honored Mrs. Nell Baldwin, Durham resident and former teacher in the Durham Public School system, who has been recom mended for inclusion in the 1951-52 edition of “Who’s Who in American Educa tion.” Mrs. Baldwin is at present supervisor of schools in Wayne County. Prior to ac cepting her present position she was a member of the fac culty of Livingstone College at Salisbury. Spaulding Lauds "Y" Program In Greensboro Greensboro — At the twelfth anniversary celebration of the Hayes-Taylor YMCA last Sun day, January 28th, Dr. C. C. Spaulding, president of the North Carolina Mutual Life In surance Company, Durham, praised the organization for its part in building character a mong Negro youths. In his speech, Mr. Spaulding stated that- this country is now undergoing “its greatest dilem ma,” and “when misunder standings are understood, we are going t' have > gre.-t America.” LL stand Dr. Spaulding then urged out college graduates not to expect something for nothing. He stated that “the latch is on the inside of the door to opportun ity. If my race and America are to overcome their difficulties, it must- be done in our own souls. ’ ’ Presiding over the program was J. A. Tarpley, principal of Dudley High School. Dr. j Spaulding was introduced by] N. L. Gregg, district manager!; of the N. C. Mutual Vice Chairman R. C. W. Perry, assistant to the comptroller of the North Carolina Mutual Life Insur ance Company has been ap pointed Vice Chairman of the Heart Fund raising campaign in Durham. The Campaign will be sponsored by the Dur ham-Orange County Heart As sociation, as part of a nation wide campaign to raise funds for treatment and research on heart disease. Perry states that the funds obtained from the Nation Wide Campaign will be used in a three way program of research, education and com munity cardiac service. Two Small Children Die In Fire Roanoke Rapids—Two small children were the victims of a fire which swept through their small frame house in the Hem rico community, about 13 miles northwest, of here, com pletely destroying it. They were Katie Owens, 4, and Al phonso Owens, one-year-old; the children of an employee of the Halifax paper plant here. Mrs. Owens, the mother, said that she had walked about 100 yards away from the house and looked back to see it in flames. She rushed back and tried to open the front door, only to find it locked. By the time she had summoned help, flames had enveloped the house, forcing back would-be rescurers. ' By the time firemen arriv ed from Roanoke Rapids, the house and all its contents were in ashes. Origin of the fire was undetermined, but the parents seemed to have thought an oil stove may have exploded. There are two other Owen children who were away from home at the time; one in school and the other visiting at the home of a neighbor. These deaths mark the third and fourth by fire in this sec tion of the state in the last two weeks. A. small girl and her younger brother were burned to death in Brinkley Community of Halifax Coun ty last week. LEAVES FOR CHICAGO The Reverend J. A. Cannon, Minister of the Covenant Presbyterian Church and College Minister of North Carolina College, left the city Wednesday for Chicago where he will attend a three-day day meeting of the National Council of Presbyterian Men. £rdtiosiialLf> SpeahitUf THE BOSS OF DURHAM HAS SPOKEN Old man John Sprunt Hill, 80-year-old tycoon, who controls or dictates the policy of about everything in Durham, with the ex ception of the B. C. Remedy Company and this newspaper, needs to be pitied rather than condemned for his vituperative utterances against the attempt of Negroes to enter the University of North Carolina. John Sprunt has about as much business out on the main avenue of the world’s affairs today as an oxcart or an old fashioned water closet with its bucket of corncobs in one corner and an old Sears-Roebuek catalog in the other. Mr. Hill, like the average human being who was born poor and suddenly finds himself possessed of a little of the world’s goods, is evidently so drunk with power that he cannot under stand what is going on around him beyond the realm of finance. He probably has never read the Declaration of Human Rights as set forth in the United Nation’s charter and probably could not bring himself around to believing that it included Negroes, if he did. Durnam s big boss does not even Know mat it isn t iasnion able any more to accuse Negroes of seeking social equality when opposing their fight for their rights. Someone should in form him that the latest thing is to call them communists. In spite of the many underpaid poor whites and Negroes who work on John Sprunt’s farms, in his businesses and home to make him rich, he has lived in Durham with a kind of halo around his head, protected by his Negro and white stooges who dance to his music merely to win his favor, get his endorsement on a note or touch him for a personal loan. This counterfeit admiration has caused the old man to develop an over abundance of self “esteam” which rose to the bursting point and just had to escape some where, when he learned that Negroes were seeking admittance to the University of North Carolina. Mr. Hill must know that it is getting late in his life, probably later than he thinks. He must know that his house has already been condemned and that in a short, short while he must move out. The wrecking crew is now knocking at his door. Wisdom would dictate that he start packing up and that he put some love, sympathy, faith and respect for human personality in his suit case without regard to race, color or creed. To be exposed to the teachings of Jesus Christ for more than 80 years and to absorb no more of the i*eal meaning of His truths than Mr. Hill gives evidence of, is not so much an indictment on this poor man as it is on the teachers and ministers of his race who have not had the courage to tell him that God Almighty (Please turn to Page Eight) White Taxi Driver Slaps School Teacher For Resenting Advances Dr. Bunche Hits Race Bias In N. Y. Address By L. E. AUSTIN New York — Approximately 1,500 persons from all parts of the United States gathered at a dinner held at the Hotel Com mondore here last Wednes day night to pay tribute to Dr. Ralph J. Bunche, 1950 Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Di rector of the United Nations Trusteeship Division, heard the distinguished UN official tell America that she must put her “interracial” house in order if she is to be the leading in fluence in the world for free dom. Dr. Bunche directed a sting ing attack at segregation in the armed forces now fighting in Korea and told his audience that “we cannot convert the vast masses of Asia and Africa to a democracy qualified by color.” The dinner was held under the auspices of the Legal De fense Fund of the National As sociation for the Advancement of Colored People and was sponsored by a committee of prominent persons of both races. Judge Robert P. Patterson, former Secretary of War and Judge of the United States Cir cuit Court of Appeals was chairman of the sponsoring com mittee and presided at the din ner. Judge William H. Hastie, al so of the U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Ralph E. Samuel, president of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York were vice chairmen. Judge Patterson announced that although no money was go ing to be asked for at the dinner that a drive for $250,000 was be ing launched and that $30,000 of the amout had already been raised. (Please turn to Page Eight) Whiteville — Incensed over the brutal beating of a Negro woman at her home near here with sticks and a gun by a band of 50 “brave and courageous white men” and the recent slap ping1 of a Negro school teacher by a white taxi driver because she resented his advances, white' citizens here have become aroused to the extent that they have employed a lawyer to assist in the prosecution of the taxi driver. The teacher, Miss Edythe Spaulding, supervisor of senools at Tabor City and neice of C. C. Spaulding, prominent Dur ham business man, informed a representative of the CARO LINA TIMES that while she was standing at the bus station waiting for a friend to come in, a white man walked up to her and insisted that she get in a cab with him. When Miss Spaulding became indignant at the man, whose name she later discovered to be a local taxi driver, Eton Ward, he deliber ately slapped her. Arrested a short time after wards, a hearing in the" ease was (Please turn to Page Eight) To Obserye 164th Year Of Church The 161th celebration of the founding of the African Meth odist Episcopal Church by Richard Allen will be ut ed at Saint Joseph A. -M-. . E. Church on Sunday, February 11 with special morning and evening services. February 11 is also Women’s Day at St. Joseph and will mark the close of the current Building Fund rally. Reverend D. A. Johnston, pastor of St. Joseph will de liver the morning message. Dr. Helen G. Edmonds, pro fessor of history at North Carolina College will be the main speaker for the evening service. Mrs. LuSybil Taylor will also appear on the eve ning program along with sev eral other local persons. Explosion [Over Sanford School Principal Expected Sanford — An esplosion that is predicted will biow tne iiU off the Negro schools of San ford and rock Lee County is ex pected momentarily, a repre sentative of the CAKOLiNA TIMES was informed here Mon day. Center around which all of the trouble revolves is W. B. Wicker, principal of the Negro Lee County Training School. Wicker is charged by a group of patrons of the school with be ing unfit in every capacity to head the school. Hoping to avoid bringing de finite charges against the prin cipal, some of which they de clare will involve those of a seri ous nature, a coordinating com mittee addressed a letter to Mr. Wicker on January 12, request ing his resignation. A copy of the letter was presented to the Sanford Herald, local newspa per, but publication of same was refused. Also copies of the letter were, sent to J. J. Lentz, Superintendent of Lee County Schools, Board of Education and Lee County Commissioners. ine letter is as follows: Lee County Coordinating Committee Sanford, North Carolina January 15, 1951 Mr. W. B. Wicker, Principal Lee County Training School Dear Sir: We saw in the Sanford Her ald where Mrs. Ozora R. Wysing er has resigned as Supervisor of the Lee County Negro Schools. Apparently you aren’t interest ed in keening anybody in this community who will mix with the residents and do a good job at the same time. For the past 15 years, we as citizens have put up with your method and manner ox aomg things and we shan’t tolerate your tacues further. TnereXore, we as parents and citizens are asking you to kindly tender your resignation and keep the harmony in our race in tact. "We think that it is high time that Mr. Lentz, County super intendent, should know the tacts about the situation that exists in this community between you as principal and the multitude of patrons and parents through out Lee County. We are recom mending that Mr. Lentz look for a principal of Lee County Train ing School, as well as a Super visor of Negro Schools of Leo County. We are voicing the sentiment of more than 200 tax paying citizens and patrons of Lee County. Very truly yours M. S. Stewart, Chairman of Coordinating Committee, James Jackson, A. L. Thompson, Mrs. Viola Hadley, Robert Byrd. When contacted by the Times, Mr. Wicker stated that he did not wish to comment. BOY SCOUTS TO APPEAR ON RADIO R. Kelly Bryant, Durham Divisional Chairman, has ar ranged for four radio pro grams during Boy Scout week. Cubs, Scouts, Explorers and Scouters will take part on each program. The program schedule is as follows: Station WSSB, Feb. 6, 4 o’clock; Station WTIK, Feb. 7. 3:15 o’clock: Station WDFC, Feb. 10, 9:30 a. m.; Station WTIK, Feb. 10, 10:30 a. m.