University of W c
iibrarv
H' THE TRUTH UNBRIDLED"*
Entered as Second Claes Matter at the Post Office at Durham, North Carolina, under Aet of March 3, 1879.
FOR 28 YEARS THE OUTSTANDING NEGRO WEEKLY OF THE CAROLINAS
VOLUME 29—NUMBER 6
DURHAM, N. C., SATURDAY, FEB. 10th, 1951
PRICE: TEN CENTS
A
~ K K w n * yr * w yr * * ^ * Hr * Hr
Marshall To Korea In Defense Of Convicted Negro Soldiers
\
Parents, Four Children
Burned To Death Near
Chapel Hill Sunday
i
Succumbs
Dr. James A. Valentine, who
for tnirteen years pastored
St. Joseph A. M. E. Church
of Durham, died at his home
in Philadelphia Monday morn
ing, February 5 at six o’clock.
Dr. Valentine had been in
ailing health for about the
last three years.
Final rites were held for the
well-known minister on Thurs
day, February 8, from Jones’
Tabernacle A. M. E. Church
in Philadelphia.
Air Force Officer
Asked To Resign
.New York — Protesting the
demand of the united States
Air Foi'ces for the resignation
of Captain Charles A. Hill, Jr.,
of Detroit, from the reserve
force on the question of loyalty,
Walter White, executive secre
tary of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People, has wired Thomas K.
Finletter, Secretary of the Air
Force, urging “immediate ex
oneration of Capt. Hill.”
The young office, a thrice- dec
orated veteran of World War
II, was asked to resign on the
basis of his alleged political
views, activities and associations
of his father and sister. He was
given the opportunity of re
signing or facing a service hear
ing. He chose to present his case
at a hearing scheduled for Self
ridge Field, Michigan.
In his wire to Secretary Fin
letter, Mr. White said : ‘ ‘ The
National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
is shocked to learn of the de
mand of the Air Force for the
resignation of Capt. Charles A.
Hill, Jr., of Detroit, on the ir
relevant basis of the alleged
activities of his father, the Rev.
Charles A. Hill.”
As reported in the press, the
wire continued, “ there is no
indication of any disloyal act on
the part of Capt. Hill. In essence
he is accused of associating with
and aiding his own father in
an election campaign. His meri
torious service in World War
II in itself refutes a.nd exposes
the flimsy character of the
charges against him. This sum
mary action seems to be another
phase of what appears to be a
concerted effort to discredit Ne
gro servicemen. We urge im
mediate exoneration of Capt.
Hill.”
Meanwhile, in Washington,
Clarence Mitchell, director of
the NAACP Washington Bur
eau, was informed by James P.
Goode, deputy assistant secre
tary of the Air Force, that Capt.
Hill may appeal to Washington
if he is not exonerated by the
Selfridge Field hearing. The
Air Force declined to state
specific charges “in the interest
of not violating Capt. Hill’s
privacy.”
The Association has offered
its full support to Capt. Hill in
his efforts to refute the charges
questioning his loyalty. NAACP
branches throughout the coun
try are being asked to send pro
tests to Secretary Finletter and
to take other independent action
in his behalf.
Bodies Of Children
Couldn’t Be Found
Four children and the par
ents of the Blacknell family of
Durham County perished in an
early morning blaze Sunday
which destroyed their two-story
log cabin home near the Dur
ham-Orange County line on
Highway 54.
Mr. and Mrs. Blacknell,, 36
and 30 years old, respectively,
and their four children, Betty
Lou, 5; Leroy, 4; Maggie, 3, and
Fransene, 2 were burned beyond
recognition, according to Cor
oner R. A. Harton of Durham.
What was recovered of the re
mains was buried Tuesday in
one casket. Funeral services were
conducted from St. Joseph’s C.
M. E. Church in Chapel Hill,
with the Revemd D. W. Roston,
officiating.
The children were sleeping
on the second, uoor ot Ute siruc
cure and tne parents on the hist
noor. JDurnum bounty .Deputy
emeriti <J. F. Fugleman <uiu
.Deputy K R. Tniey, iirst oi
xicers to reach the sue, surmised
tnat tne lire started irom a tin
not-biasted stove in the room oc
cupied by the parents.
A fifth child, V letor, 3, es
caped the tragedy and possible
death because he was spending
the nignt with relatives wno
uved nearby.
Durham County firemen who
began a search oi the smoulder
ing ashes upon their arrival,
were only able to find remains
of the bodies of the parents.
Coroner Harton said that the
bodies of the four children were
probably completely burned. He
added that since it was such a
cold night, the parents had ap
parently banked a big fire for
the night and the excess heat
ignited the wall.
Persons living nearby were
awakened by the sounds of
crackling fire and rushed out
to help put out the fire, only to
be met by what seemed like a
roaring barn-fire, as the frame
dwelling place collapsed before
them.
Raleigh Doctor
Beaten, Robbed
In Office
Raleigh—Dr. W. B. Pettiford,
a physician who has practiced
here for several years, was at
tacked by an intruder in his
office after closing time Satur
day night who escaped with his
wallet containing $135.
The assailant, described by
Dr. Pettiford as wearing a light
gabardine coat and dark suit,
walked into his office at 510
South Person Street shortly af
ter 8 P. M., and without warn
ing struck him several times.
When Detectives Fred W. Pol
lard and John Smith were call
ed by telephone about 8:15,
they found the elderely doctor
lying on the sofa in the recep
tion room.
The victim put up resistence,
but his heart condition and age
didn’t permit him to handle the
intruder, whom he says he saw
sprawled out on the back seat
of his car a few minutes before.
At that time the doctor ordered
him out, and the intruder gave
the explanation that he thought
it was his brother’s car. Later
the unidentified man followed
the doctor into his office and at
tacked and robbed him, knowing
that the week-end is the time
that the physician makes many
of his collection.
The doctor declared that he
cut open the intruder’s lip with
a blow to the mouth, but was
halted when the thief pulled his
knife and escaped. The robber
being sought is futher described
as having worn a grey felt hat,
5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing
about 165 pounds.
Remains Of Inferno That Claimed Six
!'v- -
The remains of the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Blacknell
that was destroyed by an ear
ly morning fire Sunday. Both
parents and four children
burned to death when heat
from a tin hot-blast stove
ignited the wall. Only parts of
the parents were found and it
is thought that the bodies of
the children were completely
destroyed.
McGhee Death Due March 8;
Lawyers’ Lives Threatened
f
New York — With the execu
tion of WTillie McGhee, Miss
issippi Negro, scheduled to be
set for March 8th, Mississippi
lewspapers have begun to threat
en his lawyers and other de
fenders trying to save the rape
frame-up victim’s life, the Civil
Rights Congress has revealed.
The Jackson Daily News has
published three editorials re
cently openly calling for vio
lence against counsel for McGee,
and attacking the editor of the
Jackson Advocate, leading Ne
gro newspaper in that state, the
CRC report.
“If Aubrey Grossman . . .
attorney for the Civil Rights
Congress, again comes to Miss
issippi on McGee’s behalf,”
wrote the editor of the Daily
News, “he will do so at his
own risk. There are times
when patience is not a virtue
and when tolerance can nei
ther be asked or expected.
This would be one of them.”
The same editorial went on,
“From now on, any lousy
conscienceless lawyer who
who seeks to defeat the ends
of justice in the Willie McGee
case should be branded as a
public enemy and treated as
such.”
A second editorial, written in
the same vein, used the war in
Korea “as one of several ex
cellent reasons why there must
be no interference with the or
derly administration of justice
in the Willie McGee case.”
“In fact,” said the paper,
“it is the one supreme reason
why no personal safety can
be guaranteed to Aubrey
Grossman or any other lawyer
employed by the Civil Rights
Congress if he sets foot on
Mississippi soil and seeks to
continue the legal travesty
that has so sorely tried the
patience of our people for
more than five years.”
In releasing the excerpts from
the editorials, William L. Pat
terson, CRC national secretary,
declared, “Not content with
murdering the seven innocent
Martinsville Negroes, the lynch
ers are so intent on killing still
another innocent Negro that
they are threatening to do vio
lence to his lawyers.
“All pretenses by American
government to be defending
democracy abroad are lies.
The murder of the Martins
ville Martyrs and the plans
to execute an innocent Negro,
Willie McGee, and the Tren
ton Six, are incontestable
proof of American govern
ment’s official policy of rac
ism, at home and abroad.”
‘‘The destruction of the rights
of minority political parties is
being perpetrated by the gov
ernment to remove opposition to
its program of further legal
lvnchings. ’ ’
The Civil Rights Congress has
appealed for letters and wires
to Gov. Fielding Wright, Jack
son, Mississippi, urging he grant
a stay of execution and a full
pardon for the innocent Willie
McGee.
McGee is facing death for
alleged rape of a middle-aged
white woman in Laurel, Miss
issippi in November, 1945. The
woman never identified McGee,
and admitted m court that a
sick child was in bed with her,
that two other children and her
husband were in an adjoining
room, and that she gave no out
cry.
Four times in . the last five
years, national and world pro
tests have saved McGee from
death in the Mississippi electric
chair.
George Thomas
Held In Jail For
Killing Brother
New Bern — Pamlico Coun
ty's second killing in two
months occured near Oriental,
about 26 miles east of here,
when George Mac Thomas at
tacked his brother, Ben
Thomas, with an axe during
an argument over a radio.
According to Coroner Jack
Harris of Bayboro, death
came as a result of loss of
blood from the severance of a
main artery leading to the
heart.
George Thomas told authori
ties investigating the death
that he was defending himself
from his brother who pulled a
knife on him. Thomas is be
ing held in the county jail at
Bayboro on a charge of mur
der.
Dies Here
I -am
Last rites for James Brodie
Alston were held at White Rock
Baptist Church, Monday, Feb
ruary 5 at 2:30 P. M. The Rev
erend Miles Mark Fisher, pas
tor officiated.
Mr. Alston took ill Wednes
day at his home, 512 Price
Street, when he complained of
having a pain in his stomach
and died the next day at 4:30
p. m.
Mr. Alston was born in Wake
County, the son of the late Lew
is and Fannie Dunn Alston. He
was brought here when a very
small child and lived here when
a very small child and lived
here the remaining paid of his
life.
He was a member of the She
pard Bible Class of White Rock
and attended church there re
gularly. He was also a member
of Doric Masonic Lodge No. 28
of Durham.
One son, Harvey Alston, by a
former marriage survives, in
addition to his wife, Mrs. Susie
Littlejohn Alston, to whom he
was married in 1946.
Three brothers and four sis
ters also survive. The brothers
are: Zee, Otis and Moses Alston,
all of Brooklyn, New York. The
sisters are: Mrs. Alice Ligon,
Mrs. Alvin Martin and Mrs.
Mrs. Lovey Dunstan of Raleigh
and Mrs. Ella Rich of Wake
Forest.
Active Pallbearers were mem
bers of Doric Lodge. Floral
bearers were members of Dis
trict No. 8 of White Rock Bap
tist Church.
Klan Threatens
NAACP Meeting
On Bias; Ignored
Aiken, S. C. — Defying Ku
Ivlux Klan threats, several hun
dred citizens crowded the
Friendship Baptist Church here
to hear Clarence Mitchell, di
rector of the Washington Bur
eau of the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People, and South Carolina of
ficials of the NAACP, report on
efforts to get full and fair em
ployment on the H-bomb pro
ject being devloped near this
city.
The Atomic Energy Com
mission and DuPont officials had
earner assured an NAACP com
mittee tnat employment wouiu
oe oiiered witnout uisermuna
tion, mr. Mitchell reported. He
no Led, nowever, tnat Negroes
nad not-been included in tne
nitial hirings and urged colored
citizens to me applications for
employment immediately.
The meeting, held on J anuary
20, followed a conference in
Augusta, <ia., with ABC officials.
Participating in this conference
were Mr. Mitchell, J. M. Hinton,
Conference of NAACP branch
president of the ISouth Carolina
2S; Eugene Montgomery, execu
tive secretary of the Bouth
Carolina Coniernce; J. C. Arte
mus, a member of the executive
committee of the South Caro
lina Federation of Labor; H. J.
Hardy, a soil conservation ex
pert; William Wilburn; Dr. G.
C. Johnson and R. A. Brooks.
It is estimated, Mr. Mitchell
said, that some 2,500 Negroes
will be forced to move from the
bomb site area, which is located,
in Aiken and Barnwell counties.
The NAACP is giving special
attention to their problems
through the South Carolina
Conference and the Washington
Bureau.
Walter White Urges
Negro Appointed Judge
Of Army Appeals Court
Guest Minister
Dr. Kenneth Clarke, Profes
sor of New Testament Lang
uage and Literature at Duke
University, who will be the
guest minister at the morning
service at White Rock Baptist
Church on Sunday morning.
Dr.C. H. Brown
Speaks To
Women's Club
In a meeting of the execu
tive board and officials of the
North Carolina Federation of
Women’s Clubs, held here
Saturday, February 3 in the
Jade Room of the Do-Nut
Shop, Dr. Charlotte Hawkins
Brown, founder and honorary
president of the organization
declared that ‘ ‘ practically
every movement in the State
that has to do with betterment
of women and children has
had its beginning in the mind
of Negro women, backed up
by the North Carolina Federa
tion of Women’s Clubs.”
Dr. Brown, who is also found
er and president of Palmer
Memorial Institute at Sedalia,
stated further that, “the first
interracial working group for
the good of all children was
initiated by the women’s or
ganization which was rec
ognized by Mrs. W. T. Bickett,
wife of the late Governor
Brickett of this* State. Mrs.
(Please turn to Page Eight)
New Farmers To Compete In
Shop Contest For This Month
Greensboro—The North Caro
lina Association of New Farm
ers of America, the organization
of Negro farm boys receiving
systematic instruction in agricul
ture in 113 Public High Schools
of the state, announced plans
for holding the state wide farm
Mechanic Contest for its mem
bers during the month of Feb
ruary. The contest will be con
ducted on a federation basis, and
is expected to draw boys from
each of the 113 schools in the
state.
The contest will have as its
purpose to give the farm boys
of the state a better appreciation
for the identification, use, and
care of tools used on the farm.
The contest will be conducted
at the following vocational agri
culture departments throughout
the state on the dates listed be
low :
February 5
The “Dudley Federation” at
the Graham High School. Prof
essor I. C. Hartifield is the
teacher of agriculture and Prof
essor Dow Spaulding is the prin
cipal of the school.
February 6
The “Beverly Federation” at
the Deep Creek High School
near Wadesboro. Professor W.
A. Morgan is the teacher of
Agriculture ar' George Wil
liams is th principal of the
school.
February 7
The “Atkins Federation” at
the Green Bethel High School.
Professor W. D. White is the
teacher of Agriculuture and Mr.
Herbert Gidney is the principal
of the school.
February 8
The “Jrrice Federation” at
the JDavie County Training
School.. Professor A. L. Scales
is the teacher of Agncuiiure
and ft. W. Johnson is the prin
cipal of the school.
February 12
The “Berry O’Kelly Federa
tion” at the J. E. Shepard liign
School at Zebulon. Professor J.
T. Locke is the teacher of agri
culture and Professor G. L.
Crews is the principal.
February 13
The “E. E. Smith Federa
tion” at the Upchurch High
School at Itaeford. Professor S.
L. Williams is the teacher of
agriculture and Professor A. S.
Gaston is the principal of the
school.
February 14
The “R. R. Taylor Federa
tion” at the Pender County
Training School at Rocky Point.
Professor S. C. Anderson is the
teacher of agriculture and Prof
essor J. T. Daniel is the prin
cipal.
February 15
The “Berry O’Kelly B Foun
dation” at the LaGrange High
School. Professor D. J. Williams
is the teacher agriculture and
Professor E. B. Frink is the
principal.
February 16
The “Cotton Merrick Federa
tion” at the Franklin County
Training School at Louisburg.
Professor S. M. Ruffin is the
teacher of agriculture and Prof
essor C. A. Harris is the prin
cipal of the school.
February 19
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New York—Following a con
ference with General of the
Army Douglas MacArthur,
Thurgood Marshall arranged to
leave Japan for Korea last week
end, the NAACP special counsel
reported to the national office
here Friday.
At the conclusion of his in
vestigations in Japan of the
courts martial of Negro GIs, Mr.
Marshall met in conference with
General MacArthur; Major Gen
eral Doyle 0. Hickey, chief of
staff; Inspector General Edwin
A. Zundel and the Judge Ad
vocate General for the area, Af
ter he reported on his findings,
clearance was given for his de
parture for Korea for further
investigations.
In Korea, Mr. Marshall will
go to the Eightn Army Head
quarters and tnence to the 2bth
Division Headquarters near tiie
front lines for conferences with
the men and officers of the 24th
Infantry (to which the convicted
GIs belonged), provided they
are not actually “engaged with
the enemy” at the time.
Before leaving Japan, Mr.
Marshall talked with ail of the
officers and enlisted men, in
cluding Lieutenant Leon Gil
bert, who have requested the as
sistance of the NAAGP. In ad
dition, he talked with two of
the men convicted in the Guam
case.
Meanwhile, Walter White,
NAACP executive secretary,
wired President Truman, urging
appointment of “a qualified Ne
gro civilian to the position of
judge of the Court of Military
Appeals pursuant to the power
vested in you by Public Law
506.”
Mr. White urged »sueh ap
pointment “in view of the dis
proportionate number of court
martial cases involving Negro
members of the armed forces in
World War II and in the pres
ent UN actions in Korea ....
SuCh an appointment, in our
view, would be clear evidence to
the world of your determination
to afford to all members of the
armed forces, regardless of race,
creed, equality of treatment.”
Dr. Seobrook
Appears Before
Budget Group
Raleigh — Two presidents of
state colleges this week
urged the joint appropriations
committee of the General As
sembly to set aside sufficient ad
ditional funds during the next
two years to raise the standard
of teacher instruction at their
institutions.
They were Dr. J. W. Sea
brook, president of Fayetteville
State Teachers’ College, who
asked for the allocation of
$785,250 for the construction of
an infirmary and health build
ing, an annex to the present
gymnasium, a central heating
plant and a laundry; and Dr.
S. D. Williams, president of
Elizabeth City State Teachers’
College, requesting $325,000 for
a new girls dormitory and $16,
600 to purchase land adjacent;
to the college for future expan
sion.
Both schools are seeking mem
bership in the American Asso
ciation of College and Universi
ties, and the leaders explained
that the aformention appropria
tions would make the improve
ments necessary to meet the
rigid standards of the associa
tion.
Dr. Seabrook told the commit
tee that several additions to the
faculty were necessary in order
that the general “standard of
teacher instruction be raised to
provided minimum facilities for
complete teacher education be
fore we can gain the recognition
we desire.” He said that due to
heavy load carried by the pres
ent instructors, individual aid
with student, problems was im
nossible. He pointed out that
Fayetteville State and Elizabeth
City were the only two Negro
colleges in North Carolina that
were not recognized bv the
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