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
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*. * *
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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 , <i. (UPI PHOTO)
30 Arrested In Hertford
To Get Trials By Jury
HERTFORD - Thirty civil
rights demonstrators arrestee!
in this Perquimans County town
since last week have request
ed jury trials instead of the
expected sessions in Record
er’s Court here and have been
released from jail under bonds
of SSO each, as the racial ac
tivity was confined to the court
room and the conference table.
They will be tried during the
term of a court beginning April
11 in superior court on charg
es of violating a marching per
mit ordinance.
Twenty one students were
among those posting bond. They
had allegedly staged a four
hour march from Hertford to
ARRESTED IN HERTFORD MARCH - A North tiftna
Highway patrolman, night stick in hand, ushers a minister
off to the paddy wagon in Hertford last Wednesday night.
Some thirty arrests were made by police after the group
was told they could not march without a perm it. After the first
march, bottles, rocks, and bricks started flying. The police
used tear gas and fire hoses to break up Hie marchers. No
serious injuries were reported. (IJPI PHOTO).
RALE Hr H VMETIM REPORTS
Rape 2 Days Later
THE COROLINIAN
VOL. 25, NO. 17
SHAW U. STUDENT REPORTS
THREAT IN RALEIGH GRILL
Edonton as a prelude to a mass
march threatened for Friday
if demands for hiring are not
(See JURY TRIALS, P. 2)
Temperatures for the next five
days, Thursday through Monday,
will average three to seven de
grees above normal Normal nigh
and low temperatures for the pe
riod will be (ill and lit! degrees.
Milder temperatures are expected
to prevail through the period, but,
it will turn a little cooler over
the weekend. Precipitation is ex
pected to total three-fourths of an
inch or more, occurring as scat
tered showers and thundershow
ers during the latter part of the
period.
North Carolina s Leading Weekly
RALEIGH, N, C.. SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 1966
Says While
Mm Drew
A Pistol
BY CHARLES R. JONES
A 22-year-old student at Shaw
University reported a tale of
near horror Saturday night
as he sought service in a W.
Martin Street grill.
Charles Carroll Gray, Jr.,
of 115 North Hall on the campus
informed Officers N. S. Lockey
and C. R. Stinson at 11:49 p.
m., that he and a companion,
William Levander Moses, of
135 North Hall, entered Grif
fin’s Grill, 225 W. Martin St.
at 11:25 p. m. Saturday.
Gray said they ordered two
beers and he (Gray) asked the
bartender if he could drink his
beer inside the establishment.
The man behind the counter
(See SHAW STUDENT, P. ?)
3 Negroes
Seek NC
Judgeships
Fayetteville attorney Arthur
L. Lane filed Tuesday at the
State Board of Elections to lie
come District Court Judge of
the 12th Judicial District, a
new court position created by
N. C. State Legislature under
its court reform program. Two
other Negroes filed later in the
day for other judgeships.
ATTORNEY LANE
Alex Brock, executive secre
tary of the State Board of E
lections acknowledged in a let
ter dated March 15 the re
ceipt of I ane’s notice of can
didacy lev the Democratic no
mination in the 1966 Primary
for the pc sit ion and acknowledg
ed the payment of the filing fee
of $l5O for the office.
There are four judgeships op
(Ste 3 NEGROES, P 2)
Afraid To
Tell Parents
Os Assault
Miss Pearley Mae Hunter, of
555 E. Davie St., reported to
Officers L. L. Randolph and
E. D. Whitley at 3:45 p. m.
Monday, that she was raped
Saturday night, and did not re
port It because she was afraid
her parents would find out.
The incident allegedly took
place in the 500 block of E.
Davie St., about 11:30 p. m.,
Saturday, Miss Hunter told the
officers.
She said an unknown Negro
male grabbl'd her, threw her to
the ground and raped her. She
said she didn’t want her parents
to know of this, so she did not
report it at that time.
The complainant further stat
ed that she could identify her
assailant if she saw him again.
Miss Hunter was admitted to
(See QHtl. AFRAID, P. 2)
FINAL RITES HELD FOR LOCAL PHARMACIST - PalD
bearers are showai bearing the remains of Dr. J. Thomas
Hamlin, well-known pharmacist, down the steps of First
Baptist Church Sunday afternoon. Dr. Hamlin is shown in
the inset. (See story).
J. Thomas Hamlin, local
Pharmacist, Given Rites
One of this citys most re
spected citizens died in the
Veterans Hospital in Durham
last Thursday.
Funeral services were con
ducted at the First Baptist
Church here Sunday at 1 p. m.
for Dr. James Thomas Hamlin,
of 125 E. South Street. The
Rev. Charles W. Ward, pastor,
officiated and burial followed in
LBJ Commends Negro Press
(EDITOR'S NOTE: President Lyndon Baines Johnson, in
recognition of the 139th anniversary of the Negro press this
week (March 13-19), wrote the following letter to members
of this segment of the Fourth Estate last Saturday):
(Letter - 2 cols, wide - follows)
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
March 12, .1966
Once again the National Newspaper Publishers
Association sponsors the observance of Negro
Newspaper Week, March 13-19.
And once again our nation pauses to salute the
enduring contributions of the Negro press to
the annals of American journalism.
Americans everywhere acknowledge the vital and
constructive role which Negro newspapers have
played in the life of this nation. And I gladly
join with them in this well-earned tribute.
X want to commend the editors, publishers, staff
members and readers of our Negro publications
for their devoted service to the national goal
of an alert, well-informed citizenry.
May this week mark a rededication to those prin
ciples which have earned for the Negro papers
our nation's gratitude.
And may America continue to benefit from the sus
tained success and enhanced quality of your news
coverage.
CRIME BEAT
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because this is National Negro News
paper Week, and because the President of the United States
has written a letter to the press in relation to this event,
The Crime Beat is relinquishing its long-held page 1 position
in order that we may carry the letter in its entirety. See pages
2 and 3 for The Crime Beat.
PRICE 15 CENTS
the National Cemeiery Monday
at 11:30 a. m.
Hamlin was born in Peters
burg, Va., one of the five chil
dren of the late Thomas and
Sarah Byrd Hamlin. He was
a graudate of the Peabody High
School in his native city.
He was the last surviving
member of the Class of 1911 of
(See DR. HAMLIN, p. 2)