The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1903-02-28

great axiom, "To labor for man 10
cause he is man. is mans noblest
work." In these noble words are com
pretended the purpose, aim and OBJ
iect of the Afro-American Council.
The uplift and development of the
Afro-American people is it's central
thought and it's cherished hope. To
do this it must have the cordial and
cheerful support and encouragement
of every manly Afro-American who
has faith in the power and efficacy OF
numbers and intelligent organization,
and who has pride in his race and the
courage ito do all that does become
man" to give it character, respecta-
bility, influence and standing among
the native and alien races in this
countrywide are combining their
forces industrially and politically to
the prejudice of all Afro-Americans
who strive to rise superior to their
condition and to assert their rights as
men and citizens. The battle Of the
race is to be fought with skill, cour''
age and intelligence, and persistently
waged until every man having equal
rights, whether he be black or whether
he be white, shall be an uncrOMned
king in Republic of SovereTgns.
T. Thomas. Fortune, editor of thu
New York Age, was the first to. sug'
gest the AfroAmerican League, an or"
ganization in the interest of the race
This he advocated for several years
with the result that a number of local
leagues were formed, In 1890 a ma
tIoual convention was called and in re-
Spouse to this call representative men
of the race from all parts of the eOuz
try met in Chicago in February of thai
year, and as the result of their DELHI
erations the National Afro-Americau
League was born. Mr.: Fortune was
elected temporary chairman, and in
his opening address set forth the rea-
sons which justified the organization
as follows:
Cd The universal suppression Of
our ballot in the South, and co0se-
quent taxation without representa-
tion,'' since the cities, counties and
States, where we have undisputGd pre-
ponderating majoritTes of the voting
population, we have in the main no
representation, and therefore no voice
i'm making and enforcing the laws un-
der which we live,
(2) The universal and lamentable
reign of lynch and mob law, of which
we are made the victims, especially in
the South, which is all the more az
gravating because all the machinery
of the law making and law enforcing
power is in the hands OF those who
resort to- such outrageous, heinors and;
murderous violations of the law.
60 The unequal distribution of
school funds collected from all tax
payers alike, and to- the equal and I'M
divided benefits of which all are alike
entitled.
(4) The odious and demoralizing
penitentiary systems of the South,
with its chain-gangs, convict leases
and indiscriminate mixing of males
and females.
90 The almost universal TYRANNY Of
common carrier corporations in the
South-raflroad, steamboat and others
In which the common rights OF Afro
American men and women are out
ragged and denied by the nrinions OF
these corporations. acting under OK
plicit orders, in most cases, as we'll as
by common passengers, who take the
matter into their own hands as often
as they please, and are i'm no instance
pursued and punished by the lawful
authorities.
CO.. The discrimination practiced BY
those who conduct places of public ac.
commodation, and are granted H.
cense for this purpose, such as keep
ers of. inns and hotels; and conduc-
tors of theatres and kindred places IT