THE CAriOLIN A TIMES
M^SJlTURDAT, JUNI I. 1HS
DUtHAM. N, C.
THEY DEMAND HIS GRIP BE REMOVED NOW, MR. PRESIDENT
Reflections of tlie Florida Highway Tragedy
It didn’t make the front paj;e in the daily
press nor did it raise the editorial ire of its
front offices; the bijf bell did not toll and
the flags did not fiv at half Ina^t. The 27
XegToes. Including Cchildren, nine men and
five women all haf^st workers, who lost
their lives when the hus hauling them side-
swiped a truck and ))lunged into the murky
waters of a 20-foot deep canal near Uelle
Glade. Florida, is another black leaf torn
from the tragic cha]>ter of Xegro life in the
deep South. Another incident that did make
the front )>age of the daily press though was
the brutal heating and .'•tnniping of a jiros-
strate Xegro sit-in last Tuesday by a fonncr
Jackson. Mississippi policeman, while officers
of the law and other whites looked on with
jubilant approval.
W'I’en you read of the cheaimess of Xegro
life in Mississippi aniong harve.'it and
nngrant workers tiie indignities they sufuT
anl the rigors they undergo to eke out an
exi.stence in this so-cailel land of the free
and home of the brave and the richest nation
in the world, you will marvel that there has
not risen from among them one of their own
or outside of their ranks a leader with vision
and courage entmgh to demand a better lot
for this humble segment of American society.
The Missis'*ippi incJdeut anil the F’'lorila trag
edy constitute a true image of what it costs
to he a Xegro in the deep South. It can be
repeated again and again in other area:^. as
well as in Jackson. Mississippi aild oil the
Fluridi) highwj^y:
When one, because of his race, is forced
to be housed in the inferior basement quar
ters &{ a segregated hospital; when he tnust
furnish the brown an dthe stamina for the
uiost menial tasks at wages that dp tiot pro
vide enough money for even the hare neces
sities of life, he can be killed much quicker
and much easier on a highway. Or when
one's small children are forced to travel even
as far as 80 miles a day in a school bus to
get an education’ you will he able to under
stand just .some of the reasons for the des
peration stand Xegroes are now taking in
demonstrations against segreyation.
For one hundred years Negroes have tole-
ated conditions like those mentioned above
with faith and hope that time would bring
them around to the point where they would
be treated as nthers in this country. Instead
of improving, their status remains the same
with no indication that it will impove at any
time in the near future. In short, both the
faith and hope that his white brothers will
ever be willing to accept him as an equal,
have about gone.
The sickening stomping of a bleeding and
pro.strate Xegro at Jackson, Mississippi and
the Florida highway accident that brought
over 400 relatives to the latter scene, moaning
and crying, are graphic pictures of the deep,
deep wounds suffered? by black Americans
These stark tragedies of the humble despised
and rejected Xegio, the screams of the 13
drowning children who probably neve had
knrnvn life ati others of' their ages, will !)e
added tp other awful memories of the rare.
The cup is running over, titue is running
out anf the I3lack_ ^^usl^r^s «’ait just around
the corner. That ‘ is why there is a deep
churning of desperation reflected in the
racial demons'rations now going on in the
South and other parts of the nation. .Action
from the White House instead of words is
needed now. “He that hath ears to hear,
let him hear,’’
Educational Statesmansiiip at N. C. College
The stand taken by President Alfonso Elder
of X. C.' College at last week’s meeting
of white and Xegro leaders here when it
was suggested that he exercise his authority
as head of XCC to force its students to re
main on the campus to prevent them from
taking part in anti-segregation demonstra
tions, is refreshing indeed. It sets an exam
ple of educational statesmanship and leader
ship which we ^ope tyiH he folloi^ved^ by o^her
heads of S.>rfro educational in.^it»4tions.. in
cluding our ^Jul)lic schools principals.
Dr. Elder’s action in refusing to pressurize
the-stinlents at NCC info halting the recent
demonstrations in Durham, we trust, is the
beginning of an end to the old southern ]iat-
tern of handcuffing a Negro educator with
aa n rnllege president, public
school printy>al or a lesser, po.st. .As a result,
the role ibf a majority of Negro school heads
The Mayor's Efforts Worthy of Comniendation
Efforts on the l«rt of Durham's ^layor
Wense Grabarek to get at the bottom of the
race problem in this city is worthy of com
mendation. Jt furnishes the ty])e oj leader-
sdip that should be followed by other public
offi-^ials. Tjie Vquick action dnd energetic
leadership fiintisived by Mayor Grabarek has
been *he ftf^t«Tmung the ^row-
It I! ^ -
demn and criticize the demonstrations will
take time out to delve into the causes they
will discover that the demands being made
\ by Negroes are justifiable and are no more
than others would make unler similar cir
cumstances. That is what Mayor Grabarek
has done, and those of IWith races in Durham
The Useless Attack on the NAACP
Frantic attempt of organizations and indi
viduals of the deep South to tack a red label
on the National .Association for the \dvance-
ment of Colored People, by charging that the
ranks of the N.XACP have been infiltrated
with communists or other subversive grou])S,
is about the most ridiculous joke we liave
heard of within the past 25 years. It will make
no impression ujKtn resjKmsible ))ersous of
either race all of whom are aware of the un
questionable record of the N.V.'\CP.
It might not be a bad idea to infoi*m its ene-
IlfCjji^ClMS
PliMiiM OTVTF Satiirdajr at Dnrbam, N. C.
kr PvbUfbcn, Inc.
14. E AI»TIN. PoMiabcr
MapteM MMU aad 6U-8»U
t»emi Clam ffMtag* Paid at Qtnrl^aai, N. C.
nancupnoN batbi
tiiV par fmr (pIm lie tax ia N. C.) aajrwbere is
lh« V. 1.. m4 Olwie «ii to lervieemen Overieaf;
■i MtiN* IM9 (Plae le ealce tax 1b N. C.);
9U$ pm mr. ftetf* eepr Ue-
MMM OMm iMMad at 4M a. PMtfCNir ft.
mies that every Negro who has an ounce of
self respect is either a member of the NAACP
or a staunch supporter of its program, at least
morally if not financially. Those who are
not members of the organization would be
ashamed to admit their non membership in
the presence of respectable citizens of cither
race,' even though in some instances discre
tion might warrant them keeping their mouths
shut.
Until the Negroes in this country rise up
en masse and replace the NA.-\CP with some
other organization as tdeir official sjiokesman
in the matter of civil rights, its enemies are
throwing away their time, money and energy
attacking the organization. The recent at
tacks on it ought to be good for several thous
and more XA.A.CP ,membershi])s as well as in-
crea.sed moral supjwrt of the organization.
Here in Duham where the goal in the j>res-
ent N.AACP membership drive is 5.000 it is
our hope that the recent attack on the or
ganization will be the means of helping to
achieve that end. We uri^e our ministers,
teacher! and others in positlions of leadership
to not only join the NAACP but use their in
fluence in encourage otheri to join^
SOUTHERN
PRESSURE
groups^
IGNORANCE
M
SriKlTUAL INSIGHT
We Find True Freedom Only In
j Being a Servant of Jesus Christ
and teachers has, generally speaking, been
that of a cowad or sycophant,
A college, alwve all educational Institutions,
should be a place where otir young people are
taught to think for themselves. This can
not be achieved if they are goin.g to be regi
mented on and off the campus to the extent
that they practically become robots. Like
wise, a college president who allows himself
to become merely a puppet cannot set an ex
ample of leadership or even citizenship before
his students.
We commend Dr. Rider for the stand he
took, although it comes on the e.ve of his
retirement as president of NCC. He has set
a fine example for his successor, and it is our
ho])e that the NCC Trustee Board will use
-in -sele€4iftg a SHCceitsor who is-
capable of following in his footsteps.
should be grateful for his type' of leadership.
As it now stands the mayor, the various
committees, sub-committees and interesed ci
tizens are working overtime to bring about
a solution to the problem that will be satis
factory to all concerned. In an effort to co
operate witii th'e'^ayor and .aU those who
are endeavoring to get a better understanding
JltS^rn*itf of the Negro’s plight we are
urgin'glll citutens of Durham to use restraint
in their actions and words.
■Again, we commend Mayor Grabarek for
his timeless efforts and trust that he will
have the cooperation ot every citizen in Dur
ham who wishes to see this city a better
place for all its people regardless of race,
creed or color.
A SERVAOT OF JE^US
"A iar«'aiit of Christ
called to be an apoitl* , .
Roman 1:3 t i
Spiritually, we fin'dTfue frM
dom in being a servant of
Jesus Christ. One is safe in li
terally being a slave of Jesus
Christ. Every other form of
slavery is shameful. However,
he who becomes a slave or a
servant of Christ will find the
truest and the highest form ol
freedom. The idea of being- a
servant of Christ carries the
meaning of full, unconditional
surrender. Thus to give you^
self fully to Christ is to find
the highest possible fulfill
ment for this ife of a human
being in a world like this. Th4
true servant, in Christ, flndtl'
_fu!fillmen_^ and freedom. So
what we all so ardently long
for can be found in Christ, the
Savior.
The true Servant of. phris^
finds life fulfilled in terms oi
its richness and beauty. Sery-
anthood or Christ, then, should
be a .loyouB experience. Paul
willingly gave up the fame.
riches and glories of the world
to become a sacrificial Servant
of Christ'the SaVipr. He could
truthfully say for Chri.st’s sake
I surrendered all. He gave up
all to become a Servant ol
Christ. He gave up all without
regrets. Y«s, he who gives up
all for Christ will find all —
the Servant pf Christ ^nda all
that Is noblest. Life is empty
without a satisfying fulfilment.
And this fulfilnnent foimd at
its best by one who becomes a
Servant of Christ. Countless
numljers who have becorne lov
ing Servants of Christ bear wit
ne.s! to this truth.
Slavery for Christ means
freedom. In Christ we become
slave.i so that we may ascend
to the lofty, sublime h^'ights
pf true, ^''eedorn. In QhrlsJ we
eive up all and we find all that
is best. We all must choose, no
one can escape. We are either
flaves of Christ or sin. Sin’s
slavery ends in unhappiness,
t“ar^. misery and death. Sin is
dpath for it isolates from God.
Christ, on the other hand, is
true freedom for he heals the
Jackie
Babinsq^,
J^c/ JACK/£^ /ZOSf/^SOA/
SOUTHERN NIGHTMARE
A few days back, the wire
services carried a state^ient re
portedly made by Jess^ CW«fens,
who won lasting fame, a^ an
Olympic star and ^ h o s e
achievements were resented by
Adolph Hitler. Jesse wan quo
ted as saying he didn’t' see
what good Floyd Pattersffln'and
I could achieve by maklij^^ipur
trip to Birmingham »P'''the
height of the • racial tilDuble
brought about by ^epnm^tra-
tions of the Negro peqj^i He
was future quoted as gitating
he had “never allowed himself”
to become involved in such
situations.
I was more than surprised
that Jesse Owens could allow
himself to be so quoted. I
think it was perfectly clear to
most people that Floyd and 1
went to Birmingham because
we were invited there by Dr.
Maftis Luther King. We both
felt that if Dr. King and those
heroic marching kids could
make the kind of sacrifices they
made, the least that we in the
North can do is to express our
gratitude. Floyd and I wanted
to let Dr. King and his follow
ers know that we are on their
side. We feel that any time the
President pf SCLC or any of
the other civil right leaders in
the South think we c6n help,
we owe It to ourselves and to
thfm to do all we possibly can.
We have been criticised hv
luroa. Yat na matter who mji
what, it does not change our
determination to do things and
say the things we believe.
While it may not please others
for us to take certain stands,
we are willing to face any of
our critics so long as we are
doing what we feel is right.
We could understand the
New York Daily News writing
an editorial agreeing with the
Alabama editor who told Pre
sident Kennedy that things
would be fine in Birmingham
if "outside agitators” like
Patterson, Dr. King and I stay
ed away. The Daily News, in
our opinion, has taken con.«i-
stent stands against the best in
terests of minority people.
But we couldn’t understand
' this kind of attitude expressed
b.v one of our great athletes
who ran into the same kind of
bigotry in Berlin which I* alive
in Birmingham.
We wired Jesse In Chicago
to ask If it was true that he
had allowed himself to be used
to express throughts which
could help the enemies o f
racial progress and true demo
cracy. Jesse explained that he
had not intended to knock what
Flovd and I had done. He ad
mitted to n sincere fear that
our trip might have inflamed
the situation. I told Jesse that
I hoped he realized how
valuable it is to the segrega-
. tloniata to 4m aMa. to quote a
highly reipactad Negro who
breach restores us to true fel
lowship with GOD THE CREA
TOR. The slaves of Christ, in
God, will find true freedom.
The Servant of Christ re
ceive the matchless spiritual
gifts of peace, joy, love and
life eternal. The Servant of
Christ escapes the conflict of
sin to find the matchless peace
of God. Christ offers a way of
escape from our 'W'orld of con
flict. And the Servant of Christ
finds ah inexpressible joy
through the spiritual operation
in the sinful .soul called salva
tion. So ChijigJtji^ jndeed the joy
of our salvation. Christ gives a
joy the world cannot give.
Christ, furthur, gives a rare joy
the world cannot take away.
Christ uniteif us with a God of
love with power to. redc'jm aad
«^’-ich life. And finally, the
!'*'X/ant of Christ, shares in
Christ’s victory over death.
He who would find true free
dom must find it in the redeem
ing love of God as revealed-In
Christ crucified and risen son
of God.
takes this kind of stand. What
Floyd and I did was not very
much to do — especially wl»en .
you think of the real heroism
of a Dick Gregory and an ^1
Hibbler, who truly let ‘the
Southern Negro know he doe*
not stand alone.
Both Floyd and I are happy
that we went to see Dr. King
and to speak at masS rallies. 11
was one of the most moving ex
periences of our lives. Dr. King
made us feel very humble in
his attitude and statements that
we had brought a little in
spiration and encouragement to
kids who braved the night
sticks, the police dogs — and
now — dismissal from school to
help all of us.
We must keep these young
sters aware — and especially
we who have been fortunate
like Floyd, Jesse and myself
— that no Negro has it made,
regardless of his fame, position
or money — until the most un
derprivileged Negro enjoys his
rights as a free man.
LANGSTON
HUGHES
Ml
REV. HAROLD ROL^NO
POOR LITTUS CHILD
“A man died the other day
before he become a father,”
Mid Simple. “His wife Is pre
gnant and their baby wllPbe
born In (larlem without a papa.
But they was married. Wilbur’s
child will have a name. I have
knowed many children in my
time horned without names,
mama was not married,' and
papa was God knows where.
Maybe it is better papa be
dead.”
“That is an artificial con
ception,” I said. “No' child
'should have to suffer because
of the status of parents. Any
tKHd born •' into this world
should be born a full citizen,
marriage license or not before
hand.” V
“I agree,” said pimple, “the
baby should not responsi-
bl“ for what papa | and mams
did or did not do. But the wa”
it is now. many a girl has been
sent away from home because
8*1“ was having a child and she
had not been able to get the
man to get a >U,^ense to have it
Marry a ybting boy has lied and
£aid, ‘I didn’t touch that girl,
when he knows dog-gone well
he did. Many a boy has come
squalling into this world wiih-
out benefit of a church wed
ding, or any other kind whatso
ever, with no name but hi?
mama’s name. Papa is God
know*'where. Anyhow, Wilbur
died the other day — just a
few wJ'iks beHore his-child
was due to be borned. His wi
dow were prostrated. They sav
she leaned over the coffin and
screa'med; ‘JiTnboy, Why did you
90 — and me and you about to
have this child? Jimboy, why
did you leave me?’
“Jimboy just laid there in the
casket cool and did not answer.
Jimboy had done gone and left
his wife and child. God had
taken Jimboy. Now. there is
amny things in this life that is
hard to understand. One is, why
would Ood take a mao awav
before .lili c^ild Is boi-p? 1 do'
not know, do you?”
“No, I do not know,” I .snid
“Rsnecially if it is a colored
-child.” declared Simnle,, ''such
a thing should not happen. A
colored child has got a hard
row to ho'*. A colored child
born behind the eight-ball, in
?ny case, parents married or
A ewiored ehiW inw
phan of, the storm. To tell the
truth It do not make mu'"*! dif
ference if- a colored child is
horn ■ in or ou of a marriage
license. He I*. stHl black.,’’
“To make things legal," 1
said, “it better to ba born in
wed lock - you know, property
rights and such — also pro
priety.”
“Most colored folks hai got
no property to amount to any
thing lo give a riiild, no how,”
said Simple. “A child, if he is
colored, is lucky to inherit any
thing at all.”
“Then such a child should at
least have o name,” I said.
“Franklin D. Roosevelt Jones
is a fin" name,” declared Sim
ple, “or Abraham Lincoln
Brown, or Mohammed X. Jen
kins.”
“Providing your 'child ii t
Muslim,” I salf “Motiammed
X. i.s not a Chrisfian.”
“Neither is he a J»w,” said
Simple, “so he must be a son-
of-a-gim! All babies born with-
oiVt fath'frs could be named
Mohammed X., then they could
soeak th“ir minds without be
ing afraid of nobody. Mr. X.
speaks his mind.”
“Does he speak your 'mind?”
I asked.
“Wiion h“ does not speak
out of his mind,’ said Staple,.
“Suppose I was a baby born
without a father, 1 would he
mad enough to go back a n't!
ask wh“re I came from. I
would say, ‘How come and
why, I have no name? Which
arjd wherefore is my back
ground? Who papa-ed m*"? Ma.
ma, what is your story? Am
I or am I not what I is?’ Do
you know one thing, there If
a lot of girl babies in Harleni
the.s'? days ought to be named
Welfare,, and a lot of boy
babies should be named Re-
li“f, born as they is with no
visible means pf support. If
papa and mama is married, fu
ture babies could be named In
come Tax, Witholding Tax, or
Denend“nt. Suppose I had a girl
child and I n&med her Depen
dent Simple, lust think how
much more, ^elfare money I
could dedUct»Hh[f Welfare and
R“lief was twins, they would
take care of me and their
mother the re!t of their
lives. I reckon Wilbur’s wife
will have to go on w''lfar» now.
If the child has no living
father, at If'ast relief will give
it som" milk Wilbur did not
mean to die so vounc. Ru t
he--live- Ift
burg, I reckon his baby will
nnt starv». Peace lie iinfo Wil
bur! God rest his soul! B!ew
his Harlem child!”
Letter to tiie Editor
No one can correctly estimate
the influence The Demonstrators
have had (in the maioHty of Dur
ham’s Neijro citizens the past few
d6ys.. In this open letter to them
I.feel that my. vlsws. are liharcd
hv many residents of this city
who for »o long have been sec
ond cliiNs citizens, but fb-st class
tax payera,
'You have transmlttea an emo
tional ftmosphere to our com
munlty that will not be easily
forgotten or discouraged. For
years the Negro of this city has
been restricted in such areas as
recreation, job opportunities and
public eating places. Thank God
thought is being recognized and
rageous activities the future looks
brighter and equality is inevi
table. Yoiir separate level of
though is being recognized and
the interest that you have stirred
will imdouhtodly bring favorable
results.
Your intellectual and. peac^ul
anproach towards equaiit;- ’hS(
dampened the .spirits of local seg
regationists and hecklers and dis
couraged them in their role to
challenRc our purpose and direc
tion. You have truly made » sig
nificant contribution to, our
causc.
Your unyielding conviction
that all men are created equal
has been displayed and you have
won the hearts and co-op^ation
of many Durhamites of' both
Charles E. Utley
Durham, N. C.
Heroes of tiie
Emancipation
SAMUEL CORNISH
The mSovement for self-im
provement among free Negroes
during slavery was of major
importance in th/* long struggle
for freedom. There were
schools for free Negroes In
Boston, Philadelphia and New
York which provided training
for some of the most imnortant
Negro leaders in the antislavery
movement. One of the men edu
cated in Philadelnhla schools
was Samuel Cornish, who was
free-born in Delaware. The
year of Cornish’s birth Is not
known although it ii ballavad
to have been about 1790.
Cornish went to New York
from Philadelphia where he or
ganized the first Negro Pres
byterian congregation in 1822.
Later, he turned his talents
to journalism and in 1827, to
gether with John B. Russwurm,
founded this country’s first
Negro newspaper, FREEDOM’S
JOURNAL. Although Russ
wurm soon emigrated to
Africa, Cornish continued to
edit it and It^ successors with
fiery vigor and enthusiasm for
the next twenty years.
Cornish was one of the major
figures In Abolitionist Journal
ism. His FREEDOM’S JOURN
AL and other organs campaign
ed unrelentingly for full citi
zenship and equality of the Ne
gro. Comiih was a participant
In many different reform pro
grams; a trustee of the free
school* for ^egroes in New
York City, a very active mem
ber of the American Antl-
l^lavery Society and an ener-
fatlc promotar of higher aduca-
tion for persons of color. In
fact, Cornish was one ol the
first persons to approach the
race problem from an economic
point of view.
During this period of danger
and doubt, in toe early dayi of
the anti-slavery struggle, Ne
gro leaders like Purvis, Wright.
Forten and Cornish fought side
by side with such white Aboli
tionists as Garrison and Theo
dore D. Weld. They wrote and
published pamphlets and bool|s;
circulated petitions; organized
and attended conventions; and
made many speeches. At the
same time hundreds of unkown
Negroes helped run the undar-
ground railroad.
Cornish’s FREEDOM’S JOUR
NAL helped to give the Negro
es a sense of community. When
a grouD of prominent PhUad«1-
phia Negro leaders urged
groes to abandon uae of the
word “colored” arid instead use
the term “Oppressed Ame^'l-
cans,” Cornish retorted mtb-
Sea HEROES 6-A