University of
' Littery
TheTruth Unbridled
Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Office at Durham, North Carolina, under Act of March 3, 1818.
FOR 28 YEARS THE OUTSTANDING WEEKLY OF THE CAROLINAS
VOLUME 29—NUMBER 21
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, SATURDAY, MAY 26th, 1951
PRICE: TEN CENTS
UNC Trustees Take Over NCC ?
Funerals Held For Four Drowning Victims
Joyous Outing Of Henderson
Students Ends In Tragedy
Henderson — Funeral services
for the four students of Hender
sonn Institute who drowned near
Louisburg last Thursday were
held Saturday and Sunday in
the churches of which they were
members.
The students, two boys and
two girls, three of whom were
members of the Senior Class and
one of the Junior Class, were
also members of the Crown and
Scepter Club of their school. A
bout 60 of the club had been
taken on an all day outing by
faculty advisers.
The students had enjoyed a
most delightful day at the Lake
view Mill Pond and were prepar
ing to return to their home a
bout 2:30 p. m. The pond is lo
cated in Franklin County about
10 miles east of Henderson.
At the time of the tragedy
seven students were riding in a
four-passenger boat when one of
them playfully started rocking
it.
Suddenly the boat overturned
throwing all of its occupants into
the water. Another boat was hur
riedly taken to the rescue by
two other boys and the two girls
Almeta Ilivia Williams, 18 and
Elizabeth Lee, 18, were pulled
into it and ordered to sit down.
However, overcome with excite
ment they became frantic and
the boat capsized, again throw
ing them and their two would-be
rescuers into the water. The two
boys, who attempted the rescue,
swam to shore, but the two boys,
Oliver Randolph Cheatham, 20,
and James Alston, 20, were
drowned.
Efforts on the part of police
and firemen to revive the vie
tims were of no avail.
All of the bodies were recov
ered wkithin an hour after the
tragedy.
The funeral of Cheatham, was
held Saturday at Red Bud Bap
tist Church on. the Oxford Road;!
that of Miss Williams at St.
James Baptist Church on the Ox
ford Road; Miss Lee at Shiloh
Baptist Church, Henderson and
Alston at Concord Baptist
Church in Franklin Count.
Commissioner
_Rev. E. T. Browne, pastor of
Mount Vernon Baptist Church
who has been appointed to the
Recreation Commission of the
City of Durham.
Man Dies While
Police Escort
Him To Jail
Raleigh—George Stratley of
1902% South Person Street, died
Monday en route to City Court
with a police escort. He was suf
fering with tuberculosis and lo
cal officials sought to have him
treated for the disease.
Officers who arrested him said
he was in bed when they arrived
at his home and that he got up
and dressed and they helped him
inti a police car. They said that
Stratley knew about the charge
and “wanted to go” to court to
get treatment.
According to the officers,
Stratley appeared to have a
“spasm” just as the car reached
the intersection of Blount and
Lenoir Streets at about 9:20 a. m.
An ambulance was called and
he was taken to St. Agnes Hos
pital when he was pronounced
dead on arrival.
Masons To Donate $20,000 For
NAACP Research Department
DENVER, COLORADO
* A research department, esti
mated to cost $20,000 a year,
will be provided for the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored PPeople by Prince
Hall Masons of America.
The decision was announced
here at the close of a three-day
Conference of Grand Masters
representing thirty-nine states
in which Prince Hall Grand
Lodges operate. Principal speak
( er at the meeting was Thurgood
Marshall, special counsel for the
N A. A. C. P.
Amos T. Hall, Grand Master
of Oklahoma who was reelected
as President of the Conference
of Grand Masters, announced the
action of the Grand Masters in
the following stateinent:
“Continued progress by the,
Negro Race is being blocked by
a false sense of security. There
are too many Negroes who seem
to feel that we have won enough
victories over discrimination and
segregation and that it is time
to take a rest. This state of mind
will lead to disaster, because it
will give our enemies a chance
to regroup.
“The Conference of Grand
Masters of Prince Hall Masons
of America has decided to pro
vide $20,000 a year to finance
a research department for the
National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People
It is only a fraction of what the
t Association needs for its work,
but we hope that it will give
impetus to the fight which must
go on relentlessly until all racial
goals have been fully secured.”
Other speakers at the Con
ference were Charles Bynum,
Director of Interracial Activities
Of the National Foundation for
Infantile Paralysis; Lemuel Fos
ter, Negro consultant with the
Savings Bonds Division of tho
U. S. Treasury Department, and
W. H. Mitchell, Negro field
worker for the International
Committee of the Young Men’s
Christian Association,
Durham Woman
Honored By N. C.
Employment
mmmmm.-- mm % mmssam
Mrs. Bessie Shearer Gilmer,
prominent business woman, re
ligious and civic leader of Dur
ham, was signally honored here
last week when she was pre
sented a Certificate of Award by
the Employment Security Corn
fission of North Carolina.
Making the presentation on
behalf of the State was Phillip
R. Bunn, area supervisor of the
Commission, and Ernest C. Mc
Cracken, director, Employment
Service Division.
The award which bears the
seal of the State reads: The Em
ployment Seccrity Commission
of North Carolina expresses its
sincere appreciation for the
Loyal Service rendered by Mrs.
Bessie Shearer Gilmer in testi
mony whereof we are privileged
at the time of retirement to be
stow this Certificate of Award.
Only two other such awards
have been given in North Caro
lina and they went to office
managers, Mrs. J. B. Spillman,
(Please turn to Page Ten)
(
]
1
Over 150 Walk Out When
N. Carolina Solon Insults Race
i
1
Last Rites Held For Drowning Victims
Pictured above are the four
Henderson Institute students
who were drowned near Louis
burg last Thursday in the Lake
view Mill Pond while on an
outing. The students lost their
lives when the boat in which
they were riding capsized. Read
ing from left to right are: James
Alston, Miss Almeta O. Williams
Miss Elizabeth Lee and Oliver
Randolph Cheatham.
Boycott Launched In Nations
Capital Against Store For
Refusing Lunch Service
Washington
A boycott was begun in Wash '
ington last week to persuade the
capital’s biggest department
store to practice what it preach
es on racial segregation.
While selling to both Negroes
and whites, the Hecht Company
draws the line at its basement
lunch counter by refusing to
serve Negro shoppers.
In a full page ad in the Wash
ington Post during Brotherhood
Week in February, the Hecht
Company quoted a statement by
Brotherhood Week chairman Er
ic Johnston which read:
“We talk about bridges of
brotherhood around the world
in answer to the Communist pre
tensions, and that’s splendid vis
ion. But brotherhood begins on
a man-to-man basis at home . . .
Without that footing it is idle
talk and an empty vision.
“We can’t afford to blind our
selves to the disturbing and un
dermining racial and religious
antagonisms in America. They
will defeat our good intentions
for a world brotherhood until
we cast them out and live asi
brothers in our states, communi -
ties, and neighborhoods.”
Apparently this was only idle
talk from the Hecht Company.
ivirs. mary ^nurcn rerren,
chairman of the Coodinating
Committee for the Enforcement
of the District of Columbia Anti
Discrimination Laws, led an in
terracial delegaticp'ach met
several times with .Carry Sch
wartz, personnel director, asking
that the company put into effect
its belief in brotherhood at its
own lunch counter.
Director Schwartz admitted
that the lunch counter practices
Jim Crow, but added that the
brotherhood advertisement was
“just public relations.” A
“soulless corporation” he said
could be interested only in
making money. He promised
further investigation, but in mid
April, he cut off the talks, and
the store’s general manager en
dorsed his stand.
A boycott was organized by
the committee, and during this
month it is sending speakers
to organizations and 49 churches
and has mailed 4,500 pledge
cards which promise not to buy
at Hecht’s until the Jim Crow
(Please turn to Page Ten)
Grand Jury indicts Burlington
Man Charged With Rape
Graham
An Alamance County Grand
Jury found a true bill here
Wednesday in the charges
brought against a white man for
raping a young Negro woman at
Burlington on the night of
March 20.
In a telephone conversation
with Solicitor W. H. Murdock
Thursday morning, a represent
ative of "the Carolina Times was
informed that Eugene Reid, the
man charged with the crime will
be tried for rape at the August
term of Alamance Superior
Court.
The crime, which has stirred
Negro citizens of Burlington and
the entire county is said to have
been one of the most wanton
ever committed in this section.
Last Sunday a mass meeting
was held at the Jordan-Sellars
School with approximately 500
persons in attendance, including
Police Chief D. D. Matthews
and Sheriff Hallie Moore, both
of whom had been invited.
Other officers present were
Deputy Frank Warren, and Bur
lington Negro officers Andraw
Chambers and Earl Berry.
Principal speaker for the oc
casion was Nathaniel Bond of
Durham, representative of the
Youth Council of the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People.
Miss Mildred Wagstaff, highly
respected young woman and
Shaw University sophomore,
victim of the crime, was raped
by Reid at gun point while she
was baby sitting at Reid’s home.
Miss Wagstaff was spending the
holidays at home and was work
ing in the place of her sister,
Mrs. Mamie Day who was regu
larly employed at the home.
Efforts on the part of relatives
of Miss Wagstaff to secure a
warrant for the arrest of Reid at
the time the crime was commit
ted met with no avail at Burling
ton Police Headquarters and the.
Sheriffs office.
A warrant was finally secured
from Justice of the Peace R. E.
Harden who found probable
cause after which Reid was ar
rested.
In reply to criticism hurled at
the Burlington Police Depart
ment by the Carolina Times, for
neglect of duty in the matter,
Police Chief Matthews made the
following statement:
“I would like everyone to un
derstand that the case was not
under the jurisdiction of the lo
cal department,” said Matthews.
The girl came to our police stat
ion and asked to take a warrant
against Reid, but she was re
ferred to Justice of Peace Bob
Harden. Neither this department
nor Sheriff Moore’s department
had anything to do with the case
itself. I understand that Harden
heard the case, found probable
cause and referred it to Superi
or Court.”
The Burlington Daily Times
News had previously refused to
print a word about the rape but
carried a half-column story with
a three-column head in its issue
(Please turn to Page Ten)
Cong. Cooley ;
On Rampage I
In Washington <c
Washington ^
Two jokes, told by Rep.
Harold D. Cooley of North Car- 1
olina, were enough to cause 150 ^
persons to leave Washington t
Monument Grounds here Tues- I
day. I
The occasion was during the '
granting of 97 honor awards to
Agriculture workers.
Apparently floundering about ,
for a lack of something appropri
ate to say for such an auspicious '
event, Cooley fell back on jokes
in which he used the terra
“nigger” several times.
When the North Carolina Con
gressman, who was recently
convicted for speeding in his
own home county of Nash, used
the term the first time immedi
ately 150 persons left the gather
ing as a protest. When he told
a second joke and used the term
others left. Although most of
those leaving were Negroes,
there were several white persons
in the group.
When advised of his insult
ing remarks, Cooley said if he
used the term he did not feel re
quired to apologize.
“My record of friendship to
Negroes is known,’ ’he stated,
“I certainly meant no disrespect,
I don’t care if 1 did say it, either
inadvertantly or intentionally,
(Please turn to Page Ten)
Funeral Held
Mrs. Daisy D. Bruce, who died
in Cleveland Ohio, Friday May
18 at the home of her daughter,
Mrs. Blannie Fortes. She had
been in Cleveland since January
31, of this year.
Editorially Speaking
Dr. Elder Must Take A Stand
Well, you just can’t beat white folks. At a stormy meet
ing in Raleigh last April 4, the 100 man board of trustees of
the UNC resolved by a vote of 65-15 to admit all qualified Ne
groes to professional and graduate areas not offered in Ne
gro institutions. This was just as it should be, for such a
resolution guaranteed for all of the citizens of this State the
opportunity to pursue advanced graduate study at one of the
great centers of learning in the South.
With such a resolution North Carolina again gained a
measure of status among other States of the South where
Negroes are permitted to enroll in State universities for
graduate study.
Just as Negroes were beginning to think that the UNC
trustees had passed their resolution in good faith the State
is aflame with rumors that pressure is being brought to bear
on the administration at NCC to offer a Ph. D. program.
(Please turn to Page Two)
Faculty Members And Citizens
Express Disgust At Action
Va. Refuses
To Give Up
Accused Man
Richmond, Va. — Willie Winn
^6-year-old Negro man, who is
:harged with a 1906 murder by
forth Carolina authorities, won
lis tight this week against extra
ction when Governor John S.
lattle of Virginia refused Gover
lor Scott’s request.
Five persons, who were wit
lesses, failed to identify Winn as
ames Perry, the man wanted in
he case.
Attorney J. J. Williams, Jr.,
Vinn’s council, brought before
he witnesses, another man in an
ffort to test the reliability of
heir memories. Four of the five
witnesses said the decoy was the
lan sought. The other witness
id not identify Winn as Perry.
Winn has repeatedly denied
lat he is James Perry, the man,
harged by North Carolina with
atally shooting a white farmer,
aldy Perry, in Franklin County,
i. C., in 1906. He told authori
ies that he had never lived in
forth Carolina, nor had he ever
leen in Franklin County; that he
vas in Pennsylvania from 1905
907.
Two physicians reported that
Yin suffers from a heart disease
md it was noted in the report to
he Governor that “an extradi
ion at his present age and infrim
londition would probably induce
iurther physical deterioration.”
Apparently the Trustees ox the
University of North Carolina
have taken over the operation
and development of N.C. College
at Durham. This was the con
sensus of opinion expressed here
this week by numerous persons
interrogated on the subject fol
lowing the announcement that
the UNC trustees had taken
action to expand the N. C. Col
lege graduate school to offer
doctorate degrees.
Although a majority of alumni
and leading citizens approached
on the subject appeared disgust
ed at the plan, several expressed
themselves as being angered at
what they term the latest move
of State officials to purchase a
segregated educational system at
a cheap price.
Action of the UNC trustees
follows the filing of five more
applications by Negroes for ad
mission to the University at
Chapel Hill.
Although for obvious reasons
their names cannot be mentioned
several members of the N. C.
College faculty definitely stated
that before they would be a
party to such an outrageous
scheme they would resign from
their position on the faculty.
Plans of the UNC trustees
call for the expenditure of a
measly sum of from S75,000 to
$100,000 the amount per year
the UNC trustees estimate it
would take to raise all depart
ments of the graduate school to
the doctorate status.
It is also estimated from • 12
to 18 more instructors would be
needed at NCC, if and when the
doctorate degrees are offered.
Funds for such would be ob
tained from the Contingency and
Emergency fund of the State.
According to R. M. Gantt of
Durham, chairman of the NCC
trustee board, action o n the
proposal of the UNC trustees
(Please turn to Page Ten)
Phaon Goldman, left, of Howard University, Washington, D. C., and
Miss Frances E. Watson, of Lincoln University, Jefferson City, Mo., are
among a considerable number of college students who have received
$25 awards for “Happy-Go-Lucky” jingles selected for possible use in
Lucky Strike college newspaper advertising. Both are seniors. Miss
Watson is a Journalism major and editor of the university paper. She
will join a newspaper staff next summer. Goldman has received a num
ber of scholastic awards and is vice-president of his class.
Suit Against Public School
Segregation Starts Monday
New York, May •—National attention began focusing this
week on the opening of a new phase of the legal attack on segre
gated education by the National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People, as perparations progressed for the trial of the
suit seeking admissions of Negro elementary and high school stu
dents of Clarendon County, South Carolina, to the county’s “white”
schools.
The precendent-shattering suit
is scheduled to be heard in Char
leston beginning May 28, before
a three-judge federal court con
sisting of Senior Circuit Judge
John J. Parker and Federal Dis
trict Judge J. Waites Waring and
George B. Timmerman. Origin
ally scheduled to be argued in
federal district court before
Judge Waring, the suit was shift
ed to a three judge court when
it became apparent that it. in
volved a frontal attack against
the segregated school system.
Federal law requires that cases
attacking a state statute or order
of a state agency as unconstitu
tional be heard before a court
composed of three judges, includ
ing at least one justice of the
Court of Appeals.
The NAACP brief, filed on be
lalf of sixty-seven Negro school
children and their parents, sets
lorth the glaring inoequalities
vithin the school system. As in
;he cases attacking segregation
>n the graduate and professional
evels, the NAACP is expected to
jroduce as expert witnesses lead
ers in anthropology, education,
ind allied fields, to testify as to
;he discrimination imposed on
Sfegro students.
NAACP attorneys represent
ng the Negro parents and tax
payers of Clarendon County are
Harold R. Boulware of Columbia
3. C., and Special Counsel Thur
jood Marshall and Assistant
Special Counsel Robert L. Car
ter of the national office.
Funeral Held
Here For Mrs.
Daisy D. Bruce
Funeral services were held
Wednesday May 23, from White
Rock Baptist Church here for
Mrs. Daisy David Bruce, pioneer
Durham resident and longtime
member of White Rock Church.
Rev. Miles Mark Fisher deliv
ered the eulogy.
Mrs. Bruce died Friday, May
18 at the home of Mrs. Blonnie
Fortes, her daughter in Cleve
land, Ohio, following an illness
of several months. She had spent
the latter part of her life at her
residence, 507 Linwood Avenue
in Durham.
Born in Durham May 15, 1878,
Mrs. Bruce was educated at tthe
old Whitted School. In 1893 she
was married to the late William
B. Bruce." Ten children were
born to this union.
The children who survive, in
addition to Mrs. Fortes are: Mrs.
Anna Bell Belton, New York
City; Mrs. Norma Keene and El
wood Bruce of Cleveland, Ohio.
Other survivors are: three grand
children, James Belton, Joanna
Fortes, and Walter Keene of
Cleveland, Ohio; three sons-in
law, Mrs. Laura Bruce of Dur
ham. Interment was in Beech
wood Cemetery.