New-York tribune., 1901-07-20
COLORED WOMEN'.S WORK.
WHAT THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION is
DOING TO UPLIFT THE RACE RE-
COUNTED AT THE BIENNIAL
MEETING IN BUFFALO.
. AM
III II


The recent convention of the National Assoca-
tion of colored Women held at Buffalo was charac-
terized by marked earnestness and singleness Of
purpose in both speakers and members Many well
known women were present, and the discussions
were confined almost wholly to questions of vital
Importance to the colored race. Mrs. Mary Church
Terrell, of Washington, president of the associa-
tion retired after term of five years and is sue
ceeded by Mrs Silone Yates. of Missouri, who was
formerly the treasurer. Mrs. Terrell is a graduate
of Oberlin where she took the degrees of A. B. and
a. NJ, and afterward studied abroad. She was
the first woman in the United States TO be ap-
pointed a school board, and served on the Wash
ington board for five years. Five years ago, when
the two associations Of colored women were united
Mrs Terrell elected the first president of the
National Association. In her biennial address,
which of the chief features of the meet
ings. Mrs Terrell said: 1T is often asked what are
we trying to do? Well, for thing. are trying
to implant in the colored people of this country
strong desire to help themselves. But upon none
does duty call more loudly for active service and
cheerful sacrifice than upon the negro of
this country from the very nature of the case The
denser the ignorance and the greater the degrada-
tion of the masses of people, the harder should
the more favored portions strive TO illumine the
minds and improve the morals of those whom 1t is
In their power to uplift"
/ In touching upon the subject of lynching Mrs.
Terrell expressed the opinion that vast amount of
good might be done if the of her petit
OA
which the practice is of most frequent occurrence
to throw around the negro criminal the protection
of law.
One of the most interesting reports read was
that of Miss Cornelia Bowen. of Waugh, Ala, who
has been called the Booker T. Washington of negro
women At her home she has established large
school in which many negroes have been educated
who would otherwise have remained ignorant, and
several homes for neglected children as well as
various industrial classes and clubs are likewise
aaf1'g Hllr
of its members that they shall give trying to
take the kink out of their hair and shall give up
spending their Saturday afternoons loungng about
the market place in the finest Of their fnery She
has taught them reverence for the house OF God
and is trying to teach them the purity of woman
hood.
CONVICT LEASE SYSTEM.
Mrs Frederick Douglass. white woman. who
was as is well known, the second wife of the
famous negro orator. touched in her address upon
abuses Of convict lease system In the South
Her information has been obtained from Official
sources after patient investigation. In Alabama.
since the burning of the penitentiary many years
ago. convicts leased for a term OF years to
coal companies. 1.-The death rate among the con-
victs so rented out labor is forty-one in one
hundred said Mrs. Dougless. "Only three have
survived eight years sentence; not one has sur
vived years sentence. warden assured me
tnat the prisons were filthy, swarming with ver-
min; that the food was scanty; there was no medi-
cal attention, and an insufficient water supply.
Hardened criminals and young offenders are herded
together Unfortunately and until lately no ef-
tort had been made to separate the women from
the Children born in the camp remain there
and spend their innocent lives In hopeless slavery.
the virtual property Of the lessees. The demand
for prisoners Is greater than the supply, and inno-
cent men are thrown into the chain gang on small
pretext there to remain In all probability until
they die of abuse and insufficient nourishment."
ihe speaker went to say that prisoners in
Georgia worked Sundays. and II is
whipped to death shot notice is taken of II.
In closing she remarked: Il never knew of
matched In the South" and II hold the North
sponsble for what goes in the South
Among the already tangible results OF the work
of clubs of colored women, mention made of
the sanitarium at New-Orleans, with training
school for nurses where colored girls learn to care
accommodated with private rooms. which they
could get nowhere else in the city. In Memphis
ground has been broken for old folks home
Numerous kindergartens and mothers meetings
have been established, and much social settlement
work done by club members.
Mr. and Mrs. Booker T. Washington present
and former was prevailed upon to speak
briefly Among others present were Mrs. Anna
Snrague only daughter OF Frederick Douglass.
Mrs J. G. Napier, daughter of John NJ. Langston
press and minister to Hayu: and Mrs Josephine
Tr,lce dean of Tlskegee Institute and mother OF
the young orator, Roscoe Conkiing Bruce.
The convention closed with resolutions piedeing
aid TO the kindergarten movement. and register
ing a protest against lynching. silver loving cup
was presented to the retiring president 1t was
also decided that the biennial convention
would held IN st. Louis.