EDITORIAL FEATURE “The Negro Press is one of the largest and most important elements in Negro business economy today and its continu ing growth is one of the great success stories of modern history. Begun 139 years ago, in March 1827, upon the founding of “Freedom’s journal”, the Negro Press has continued to grow”, Frank L. Stanley, publisher of the Lou isville Defender and president of the Na tional Newspaper Publishers Associa tion, stated in announcing National Ne gro Newspaper Week, March 13-19. Negro Newspaper Week was inaugu rated twenty-seven years ago to further explain the role of Negro oriented news papers in American life. Negro newspapers have successfully withstood three formidable competitors during the past century—the white press, radio and television. It was often pre dicted that each would be the doom of Negro papers. Instead, the Negro press has consistently emerged stronger, with greater vitality and with more readers, more advertisers and rendering greater service to the public than ever before. Second only to Negro-owned insur ance companies, newspaper publishing ranks high among Negro business a chievement. Like its counterparts in the great American press, Negro newspapers, last year hit all-time highs in circula tion thus contributing to the increased consumption of newsprint which was the highest ever. Newspaper employment generally since 1947 has grown three and one-half times faster than all manufacturing and journalism school enrollment nationally is at its highest point since 1948—indi cating a solid faith in the future of news papers on the part of young people. In keeping with the growth of other media, Negro nrwspapers have made increasing investments in new' plants, new equip ment and improved services. Many of them, as has this newspaper, have swung to the new method of printing—Offset which required disposing of hot-metal U. S. AG. DEPT. . . . ASSIGNMENT MERCY By Mrs Preston W. Edsall Last November, CBS presented a powerful documentary film of the Ne groes of the Mississippi Delta who have long been out of work (decreased cotton acreage, automation, their hopeless strike for better wages) and have made a set tlement of huts and ragged tents. Who could forget tlu repeated and poignant shot of the little girl sitting off by herself and playing a tune on her recorder, with the small cooking-fire and the wind blown shelters in the background? In February. CBS showed a newsreel of those same dispossessed people at tepting to take refuge from the bitter weather in the deactivated Greenville Air Force Base. Their eviction was done hu manely. but they still had only their cold huts to return to. The New York Times carried the story February 6th, and one of the men was quoted as saying. “Don’t seem like nobody cares about us.” This was too much for a local Demo crat and a plain citizen to endure! In quiry was made of Secretary of Agri culture Freeman if the Department of Agriculture, with the enormous store of surplus foods at its hand, had begun the expected food assistance to the ditressed in Mississippi. A prompt reply came back, giving the following facts: Starting in December, the Depart ment of Agriculture began a food dis tribution program to 20.000 needy per Did you know that Garrett A Mor gan, a Negro, invented the Morgan in haler, a special gas mask ustfti in rescue operations? Did you know that Thomas Jefferson, third President, (1801-1809) was ad rnittedto the bar in 1767. Did you know that the Souix or Da kota Indians comprise seven North A merican tribes of Siouan linguistic stock, the largest and most important being the Teton Indians? Did you know that women created the cigar band. Back in old Spain, senoritas and senoras wrapped a slip of paper a round their smokes to keep from soiling their fingers? Manufacturers took up the practice, and cigars have been banded ever since. Did you know' that Alfred E. Smith. Presidential candidate in 1928, was de feated because of his Catholicism, op position to prohibition, and his affilia tion with New York’s Tammany Hall. Did you know that Mark Twain, whilc visiting friends, permitted his cigar ashes to be collected and placed in a jar which he then autographed: “These are posi tively my ashes? S. L. Clemens.” Did you know the Yale University li brary has a collection of the books and papers of the late James Weldon John son, a Negro novelist, poet, and civil rights advocate? Did you know that 16 percent of the troops in Vietnam from the U. S. is Ne gro and that 50 percent of the Negro troops in the Vietnam War re-enlist to 20 percent of the white troops? ? & if? m s ■ it* ill 8 AII U <*% H scgift jHu^jiJ | IS wi S llw veJ' type of printing facilities. Unlike many businesses, newspapers receive no grants, no government subsi dies and must be self-supporting. Every newspaper is built on solvency because economic independence is essential to the preservation of a free press in an op en and free society. This is especially true of the Negro press which because of its leadership in the fight for full civil rights has, on occasion suffered reprisals from prejudiced advertisers. But in line with improved racial conditions and the extension of rights to American Negroes, the Negro press, likewise has added many new advertisers and readers and thus is in a better financial position to day than at any point in its history. In citing the value of the Negro press to American democracy and more par ticularly to its readers, Stanley observes that “no real important interracial pro gress has been wrought without their ac tive participation and assistance and no significant progress of the future is go ing to be made without the leadership and full support of the Negro press.” “From its inception,” Stanley says, the Negro press has been the freest of all segments of the American press be cause it has not only advocated freedom for Negroes but crusades in behalf of all people. “Thus Negro newspapers”, Stan ley continues, “Are true partners in free dom with their readers”. “The Negro press is the greatest pre server of the American freedoms, that there is: its owners and publishers are usually too dedicated to be bought and unlike other editors, they are not only concerned but personally involved e nough to roll up their sleeves and join the fray. Truly the Negro press represents the most real journalistic freedom left in the world today. It wields an accumerlated power and is one of the most moving for ces in the struggle for freedom of the Negro people,” sons in Washington County (Green ville). The food includes a wide variety of items, such as nonfat dry milk, can ned beef, margarine, cereals, peas and others. Representatives of the Depart ment have been in Mississippi for some time assisting in the distribution and aid ing needy families to obtan their certifi cations for help. This is part of a six-month (w'hich may be extended) demonstration project called Operation Help designed to bring food to a total of 600,000-800,000 poor people in Mississippi. The Office of Ec onomic Opportunity is helping the State Department of Welfare to increase the distribution of food supplied by Agri culture, so that 5 1-2 million pounds of food are being supplied in all the counties of Mississippi except those six already participating in the Food Stamp Plan. Operation Help has also hired 242 people (99 Negroes. 1 Indian, 142 white persons) to do clerical work in the wel fare offices and to help in the distribu tion routine. All responsible citizens realize that the giving of free food to American citizens who havt for centuries been kept poor in all possible ways is indeed a saddening substitute for overdue justice. Still, giv en the circumstances of today and the need, the Department of Agriculture is doing its duty vigorously, carefully and justly and should be given credit for it. Did you know that the common cold would he more easily controlled should we cover our noses and mouths when a sneeze is apparent, that we should not sit in a draft or become careless about our dress, avoid crowds and that we should be certain our children get ten hours sleep? Did you know that there are many books of the Bible (such as Matthew, Mark. Luke, John, Corinthians, Psalms Romans, Hebrews, Timothy, etc.) which may serve well in periods, of stress caus ed by the many complexities of life? FROM VIETNAM TO RALEIGH The following was shared with this newspaper by a friend. In turn it is being passed on to our readers: Extracts from a letter (19 February 1966) from Specialist 5 Manuel H. Croc kett, Jr., serving in Vietnam since No vember 1, 1965: "Nothing ha s really changed over here It’s as hot as ever. We returned from a mission last Wednesday. There wasn't much activity during this one. I've changed jobs since then. I'm now working iri the Com pany's office as the clerk That means I won’t be going on any more missions. In away I'm glad and then again 1 feel as though I’ve let my buddies down. I’ll miss the fun and excitement we have when we go on a problem, too. I guess a lot of people would think I was a little "off" feeling this way, but that’s me.” TWO MEN MU BOX RE OAS WATTS RIOTS START ANEW Over 700 Juveniles involved LOS ANGELES, Calif. - More than 700 Negroes, mostly teen agers and persons La their ear ly twenties, riots Tuesday in the South Los Angeles area known as Watts, which was ruined last August by a racial uprising. Two persons were fatally In jured late Tuesday, a Mexican truck driver and a Negro by stander. National Guard of ficials were alerted to the scene some three hours later. Police officers said rioters were looting, shooting, stabbing and throwing bricks and bottles. Some 25 persons were treated at a hospital for knife and gun shot wounds. According to first reports, eight persons had been arrested. This latest incident was trig gered when a Negro youth, re (See OVER 700. P ?\ mm mSf ' TWrintMMXiNt rillti nmiHiTMulu mil ■■■ - *. * * * v ■ * DEATH IN THE "TItEET AT WATTS - Los Angeles: Police officers with ">( gun, (background), stands guard as ambulance attendant- .rrive to pick up the body of Joe Craw ford, 33, a Negro md one of two men killed late Tuesday night during a riot Watts uoa. Police said Crawford was hit by an unknown sniper at an intersection where a Negro crowd had gat hi a ,