Evening journal., 1910-01-12
BLACK DOLLS
WIN ON POINTS
AppreCiating Their Color De-
bate Judges Decide Against
FOndIing Of White DOIIieS
DECISION FAILS, HOWEVER,
TO INFLUENCE SOME TOTS

Shall 1 change my color when / get to
heaven, and put wings on?' exclaimed
the Rev. J. T. Pennington in the course
Of debate in st. James A. T. NJ p.
Church last night on the question:
Resolved, That colored mothers should
buy coored doll babies for their little
girls" Rev. Pennington had tho afhrma-
tive side. which he argued eloquently.
Continuing. he said: mo. The Bible says
we shall know our friends in Heaven and
some Of them don't hardly recognize me
now when I get my best clothes on No,
1 shall be black in eternity because the
good God made me So The question of
Importance before this gathering is
Shall we recognize tho color Of our ma
tionality? To plunge into the subject at
once, we mothers should teach our chill
dren to appreciate our color"
Here the speaker held up exhibit A, a
little black doll. The audience in St
James Church applauded delightedly. and
the affirmative side was continued
People say. black dolls are painted
with red lips black faces, white eye-balls,
but isn't that similar to our country's
banner red. white and bluer' asked Mr..
Pennington. Besides real white babies
aren't always pretty-they haven't got
any hair just like a bald-headed eagle
The white man ignores the black do you
see portraits Of colored people I'm white
houses? But in black homes we have the
portraits of all the white people from the
jail-keeper up. When Herod wanted to
kill the little baby Christ. where did God
send Him? To the Phinstines? To Baby
lon? No, to Ethiopia. and the colored peo-
pie took care of Him. II was Simon. an
Ethiop. who helped carry the cross. Why
even the sun was blackened on Calvary.
No. we shall teach our girls to respect
their color. not make them think It is un-
desirable"
Here the Rev Cooper called time. just
as the Rev. Pennington said he was get
ting into the subject.
The negative, represented by George
Benson. then took the floor. He said the
question didn't interfere with teaching;
1t was whether colored mothers should &c
down town and buy black dolls. He said
he would feel insulted II his women venl
TO a store and were offered black dolls bs
the merchant-and goodness knows they
made them black enough. The race was
kept In bondage 800 years by the whites
Then God had compassion. and put it into
the heart of a white man TO free them
They were told TO go-but without learn
ing. shelter or food. They were to make
the colored race respected and honored,
but how? They could not look back to
Africa. The best thing they could do was
TO initiate the white race in their highest
standards and morals. In AZ years the
Ethiop with God on his side had become
a nation with institutions and professions,
and in all things co-equal with the white
men, but they could not have done Il
without help from the people who had en-
slaved them. Shall we give our children
black babies, have them look at them and
say, 'Im Just black, and I amt never
going to be nothing, it isn't any use any
how"
Strengthen Arguments.
In their second speeches both sides en-
phasized previous points. The time was
limited to ten minutes apiece. Pastor PEN
nington said that was Just long enough
to get him started. while Mr.. Benson said
he could finish the argument in five min
utes.
It had been urgently desired to have the
mothers do the judging. but they showed
unwillingness. Finally, Perry Smith. Mrs.
Mary Shovel. and William Tilson took
places on the bench Mrs Shovel retreat
ed. but was again brought before the
august body"
The Rev. Pennington began a sur-re-
buttal, Hearing us under the present
circumstances. 1 hope you judges have
come TO a conclusion" Here Mr. Benson
objected, saying he had nothing further
to say 10 the judges for his side. "Well.
then. have got nothing to say either. and
I'll take back what just said" remark
ed the affirmative. Brother Smith then
arose and said the affirmative had made
five points and the negative four. there
fore the colored babies won
Applause was evenly divided between
the two speakers. Some little girls in the
audience remarked audibly that they had
four or five white dolls apiece at home,
and they weren't going to buy no black
dolls for anybody. Anyway it was a good
debate.
A social followed. with refreshments.
Former Sheriff Martin M.
Former Sheriff James Martin. aFad