Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-12-01
THE RIGHT
TO MEMBERSHIP,
FROM FIRST PAGE

=
alton Of Coiored Women's Cubs.
NsvER HEsIrArED TO Aooxpr.
Believing the women of the club
movement represented the most ad-
vsneed and liberal thought OF she
country, we have never hesitated co
confer with or accept association with
what are spoken Of as "women's
clubs" In distinction to "Oolcred
Women's Clubs" we held ourselves
., d the WON, of America represent
ed by the Federation az above petty
prejudice. We became q member of
the Massachusetts, State Federation.
and no Stub in that body had q deeper
pride in IL and the women it re presents
than we. Our association with Mas
sschusetts Club Women had been such
that the possibility of color discrimi.
sstion had been lost sight of-our DEL
egatss had been resolved ~ meetings
receptions and conventions with that
courtesy invariably extended by ladies
toward all with whom they ceme In
sontscs, nothing less was ex Jeeted,
certainly nothing less was received.
INVITED TO JOIN.
With this explanation IL can be read
lily understood that when invited TO
join the General Federation, the Wo-
mans Era Club sccepsed the homer In
al sincerity - free from auy thought
of forcing an issue ss was doubtless the
true rxtender Of the invitation, Mrs.
Anna d. West, State Chairman OF Cor.
respondence for Massachusetts,.
The elu3 went through the prescrib-
Id form In making its application for
membership into the General Fedora
SioD; a sopy Of its Constitution was
torw. led TO Mrs. Lowe (no mention
ie msde OF color in the constitution
bus work for our race, the eli alton
our people" ETC.. is epekt a of with
application for admission into the Fed.
ecatioa. A reply was Immediately re-
ceived from Mrs. Lowe in which she
said -
LETTER FROM THE PREsIDESr.
(Offioe of the President of the Gen.
ersl Federation OF Women's Olubs.
ATLANTA, GA April 30, 1870
Dear NJ adam President:-
hope that you have by this time
received your certificate OF member
ship ia the General Federation.
1t is with great pride that I write to
extepd to your club, my congrstula.
tioDs, aud &C the same time 20 assn re
| them of my desire 20 be helpful to
them in any way possible.
There is great work for rs all to do
| women everywhere iced the practical
training, in large sense, which the
Federation gives, and the Federation
| needs the cooperation of every club
TO strengthen il TO do the work which
life to day requires Of such an organ.
~ alton.
Extend to your club greetings from
one, and tell them to call upon me for
| they san spare for encouraging and
ssre ngthening the union Of our work
Believe me,
Frsterpal,y yours,
REBecoA d. LOWE.
ACTION RArIFrnp.
The dues were forwarded. q receipt
| aud q certificate of membership was
\ received and a ratification of the action
of the president, Mrs. Lowe, was re
ceived b. Mrs. West, dated May IA
1900, 80 follows: AZ 4
ut gives me great plsasurs to inform
you that the application of the Wo-
mans Era Club fer m mbarship in she
General Federation has been accepted
by the TX Acutive Comm itsee. Con-
gratulsting you on the succe ss ~ your
| work. l am, sincerely yours, NJ Lne
VI. kendrick Corresponding Secretary
General Federation.
Acting upon this situation the Wom-
ans Era Club at once began Co consid.
er the question OF sending q delegate
to milwaukee,, with pressing financial
obligations it was O question whether
! me club could afford TO be represented.
Howe YER the view that membership in
The Federation was an honor which
brought obligations as we'll as oppor-
-unIties, that the CLUB could not aft lrd
so mss opPort mites of exchange of
hcught with liberal-minded women
prevailed. and it was voted to send to
the Biennial the president. Mrs. Ruffin,
who had been nls) elected a deleg ate
by the Massschus. it's State Federation
and an alternate from the N. E W.
Press Association.
NO REASON TO EXPECT rRouBLE.
From this it can be I'm ierstood shat
IeIther the Club or Mrs. Ruffio had
reason to anticipate Any antagonism;
as matter OF fact the possibility OF
color Discrimination had not been
thought OF until few days before the
30 appear. which was set down as "sen.
salional."
Upon arriving at Milwaukee Mrs.
KUHN was forced into q humiliating
and embarrassing position for which
save the newspaper articles, she was
wholly imp epsred. The Mass. dele.
cation was immediately nosi6ed that
the Board had met AMI would not re-
ceive an application for membership of
the Woman's Era Club.
Mrs. Ruffin was informed that abe
could not enter the con .ention repre-
senting "oolored G ub" but would be
received as delegate from q white
club" and to enforce this ruling I'D at
empt was made TO snatch from her
b . q the badge which had been 10
willingly handed her on the passing of |
her cred ntIals.
MRS. RUFFIS's DraNIFIKD STAND.
This unexpected and Unprecedented
action forced Mrs. Ruffia TO take the
only stand compatible with her idea of |
'ignity and honoi-sIs refused to 10.
n ore the this osecra tion nj thu r;ohe,I