Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1907-01-04
GREAT EMANCIPATION cELE-5
DRATIoN.


N. e. church, last Tuesday. In the
afternoon the Council was very ably.
addressed by Mr.. 8. l. Terry OF
Boone, iowa, upon, Lincoln and the
Emancipation Proclamation. At the
close OF the exercises the executive
committee of the State 'Afro-Amert-
can Council elected Mr.. ]. Clifford
Williams secretary of their committee
and provisions were made for meet
ing to be held July 4, 1907, at Des
Moines that shall be statewide in Its
scope, the details Of which will be
published later. The audience at the
afternoon session felt that it was we'll
repaid for their attendance, but It
was at the evening session, that a
programme was carried out, that per-
haps, marks the zenith of Negro cul-
.ture, and literary attainment in Iowa.
Prof. Geo. I. Holt was to have sung
q solo, and inasmuch as Prof. Hollis
fame as a singer Is national In Its
scope, the audience missed a musical
treat, because OF the omission OF that
part of the programme. The next
number on the programme was one
that was unique, and vet, perhaps,
prophetic Of the heights to which the
Iowa Negroes shall reach In literary
aaeompl, shment. Mr.. ] Clifford VIII
liams, one of our young Negroes, read
an original. poem, entitled, "Emanci-
patton Day" poem that was written
especial for this occasion. There
have been recitals OF Negro poetry.
written by Negro authors of othNr
states, by Negroes, uron various oc-
casions, but never before has a Negro
st,cd before such an audience, as Mr..
Williams did last Tuesday evening
and render such a splendid delivery
II his own composition. Mr.. Williams
plainly demonstrated the fact that he
has poetical ability His poem Will
appear in full next week.
3 Following Mr.. Williams, came the
principal speaker of the evening, Prof.
M. j.. Gillian OF Buxton, Supt. Of the
publis schools of Buxton, Iowa, the on
" Negro superintendent in the state
cf Iowa. The subject Of Prof. Gilliams
address was; True Negro Pride. 1t
would ha- g been te,e fcial to every
Ne gro in Des Moines to have heard
Prof. Gillian ami yet, 1t would have
been imposs BILE for them to have done
50 l1st Tusday evening for the church
was crowded from the pulpit to the
outer doors. II the Negroes OF Iowa
hare felt in the past that Iowa had no
NEGROES to hold up as an epitome OF
Negro oratory 1t can now dtsenthrall
itself Of such a delusion. Prof. Gil
| am delivered an a1dre-s that shall
stand as a monument OF oratory IN
the annals Of the Iowa State Afro
American Council. Mr.. E. A.. Nye,
editor Of the Daily News was present.,
and followed Prof. Gillian. He said
that It had been his pleasure and op-
pcrtunity to listen to the oratory OF
such men OF our race as Du Bots,
Pooker T. Washington and Fred Doug
las, but neversin his life had he heard
such mas ser'y oratorical appeal,
coupled with bristling historical facts.
Mr.. Nye paid a glowing tribute to
the SO, d.ers, "black and white" Of 61-
G5. He said that when the Negro
race could furnish man who could
deliver an address such as Prof. Gil
liam had just delivered, the Anglo
Saxon may well tremble with appre-
hension as to his continued suprem-
aey. Rev. o. A. Johnson sang solo.
that was enjoyed by the audience very
much. Attorney 8. Joe Brown made
a few very brief remarks, telling of
the efforts put forth by himself In
helping TO bring about national cele-
bration upon the part Of all Negroes
On January 1st. Miss Addie Wilkinson.
read we'll prepared paper on the
Negro problem which was much appre-
niated by the audience. Miss Delza
sGcggins sang a solo that was heartily
,lpplauded. The exercises closed with
i direct appeal by Mr.. R. N. Hyde to
the Negro OF Des Moines, to protect
their sons and daughters from the
nc is that are spread to ensnare Them
He also made an appeal for the hard
working Negro women of our race,
who have 50 nobly sacrificed their
lives and pleasures for the youth of
the race. He said that the white race
kept Its white tramps, gamblers and
thieves where they belonged, !. g., to
themselves, and that we as a race;
must, "for our mutual protection,
keep sucn persons from mingling un-
challeng ged, with our respectable boys
and girls and In cur best social CIR
cle,. Bsned ediction was offered by Rev.
Henry McCravens. III
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