The San Francisco call., 1899-06-20
A MASTER OF
MUSIC SOUGHT
To LEAD THEM
COlOred People Want
an Academy.
A CALIFORNIAN PROPOSITION
ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING AT
ZION A. M. E. CHURCH.
Idea Conceived by David Lubin, Who
Will Visit Eastern Cities to
Urge the Cause of the
Negro.
"A CALIFORNIAN PROPOSITION
ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING AT
ZION A. M. E. CHURCH.

Last night initial steps were taken by
representative colOred citizens of San
| Francisco toward securing for their race
a National Academy of Music to be To-
Gated at Washington, D. c., or near the
center of the negro population of Amer
lea. A meeting was held at the Starr
King African Methodist Episcopal Zion
| Church, at which a committee was ap-
pointed to map out the plans of procedure
and entrust them to a prominent Sacra-
mento and San Francisco business man,
who will visit the East and promulgate
the idea there.
To California belongs the credit of the
origin of the movement David Lubin of
the firm of Weinstock & Lubin conceived
the thought of the betterment of the So
cial condition of the black man and men
toned it to prominent colored citizens.
The enthusiastic, wel-attended meeting
last night was the result
The gathering was presided over by
Rev F. T. Cottman. Mr.. Lubin was in
troduced and delivered the principal ad-
dress of the evening He stated that a
race to secure recognition must find it's
leader whom the world will hear of and
speak of. That leader must have fame,
and fame in music more quickly touches
the heart strings of the world than does
renown in any other calling.
Get full of fire and zeal in this city"
to other cities and get them to indorse
and assist in the movement. Then you
will receive. aid at every hand. All the
leading Christian associations in the land
will put a shoulder to the wheel and see
the project through. You will enlist the
sympathies of wealthy and Influential
people. who will be happy to aid the black
man in rising to the plane of his more
favored white brother.
when your cause has been heard
through the land rear temple for the
| cd Of ar Lei him
be renowned. his music will be heard ali
over the world and praises be sung TO his
name. Then will the colored race come
to be recognized as factor in CIVILIZATION
and its nobility established. The history
of your race did not begin al the time of
its emancipation, and it will not begin
until something of this sort is eStdDnSneQ
and bears fruit.
81 conceived the idea in 1893. when the
question was put to me, How can the
colored race be bettered? 1t was a hard
question to answer, but find It's solution
in the proposition we are here to discuss
tonight"
I After the speaker had concluded a paper
which was in part as follows was read:
There was a time when our sensibilites were
dormant buried in the inmost recesses of our
hearts due to the condition beyond our con-
the awakening generated feeling of pain, in
tense and penetrating, almost as unbearable as
that of past indignities. But the freedom we
! possess is like borrowed favor, and the cred
/ itors clamoring at our doors, exclaiming,
! Where is return
The time has now arrived when an at
! tempt must be made in the direction of
the higher evolution of our race, and the
purpose of this attempt should be stead
! fast in the ratio of our ambition
The sphere of our action in the domain
/ is limitless and in order for its better
accomplishment a limit should be set
for a beginning, and that beginning
should harmonize most closely with our
present natural aptitudes, and there is
no other sphere in which our development
in its initial stage is as likely to bring
a bout concrete results than through the
avenue of music.
/ Let there be a concentrated action on
/ the part of the colored race Of this ma
tion to establish in the city of Washing
! ton a national academy of music Let
other organizations be effected through
! out the length and breadth of our land for
/ this purpose. Let our people be taught
/ to contribute and to work for this insti-
/ tuition Let us ask aid and cooperation
! of all throughout the land who may be
kindly disposed to aid us in our upward
struggle. And if this work is rightly di-
| reCted we may expect to see 1t realized
and when that shall have been done a
nucleus will have been established whence
we can hopefully expect would arise mas
! ters in music, whose genius would shed a
luster of glory over our race forever. and
! thereby repay a portion OF the debt To
civilization. Achievements in one dtrec-
| ton would encourage attempts IN other
spheres and this uplifting tendency would
continue without end.
Rev W. B. Anderson moved that the
| movement be indorsed in the following
| words:
Mr. Chairman 1 move that the proposition
as set forth in the paper just read be approved
bv this assembly a matter of vital import
| ance II the colored race. And l further move
! that in view of its Importance that a COM
| mittee of nine be appointed by the chair for the
I purpose of organizing in this section In the in
! terest of this proposition and for the further
/ purpose of corresponding with the various sec
! tions of the United States. all to the end that
| proper organization be effected to further the
object in view and for the purpose of material
| izing the proposition set forth.
A number of prominent colored people
| then expressed their sentiments, among
! whom were Mrs. Pauline Brown, ]. Lin
! coin Derrick and Rev. J. II. Kelley. Mrs
! Brown said:
am glad that this idea is Californian one
and that the people of this State seem willing
to help us. 1t is all so direct and blessed much
| in contrast to the treatment our race has re-
ceived in other sections of the country.
heartily endorse the movement 1t will be OF
| the greatest benefit to race.
The following committee was appointed
by the chair: Rev. E. T. Cottman, Rev
w B. Anderson, Rev. J. H. Kelley, Rev
j. L. Allen, Rev T. Brown, Mrs. Pauline
! Brown, John Derrick, j. S. Francis and
| Mrs Anna Hughes.
David Lubin was named as representa-
| tive to go East. with full power to carry
| ont the purposes of the meeting.