The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-04-04
Young Girl Model Draws Color Line in
Chicago Art School
SHE Wins MUCH PRAISE
Refuses to Pose Before Glass In
Which Negro Man is Included
Hereafter Negroes to be Barred
Makes Epoch in Practices OF Art
Schools in Chicago.

Hereafter negroes will be barred
admission to the art classes in Chi
cago. The climax to the question: was
brought about last week in Chicago
through the following incident re-
lated by the Chicago Tribune:
A beautiful girl model standing on
a raised dais before Boutwocd's LIE
class of man students raised her
hands to her throat and was about
to fling away the long kimono that
draped her figure from the nape OF
her softly curved neck to her bare
feet.
AS she did 80 her eyes took in the
men of the class. one by one. At last
they rested on Thomas Downs, ne
gro. Then suddenly the hands which
had been fumbling with the cords at
her throat paused. A deep flush
spread over the face of the girl. Turn
ing to one cf the men students in the
first room she said in half whisper:
"I'll not pose so long as that
that-black man is In the room. You
must get him to leave If stay"
Downs was on his feet in an In
slant. This was the first time in the
history of the life classes at the Art
Institute that the color line had ever
been drawn. A half dozen other stu
dents stood up when Down did. They
looked at Downs and Downs looked
at them eNpectantly. Then with
muttered protest Downs walked SLOW
ly to and out of the door.
An instant later the kimono had
been tossed away and the work Of
the life class was on. :
That was all there was to 1t eX-
ceut the congratulations and ap-
plause that came to Miss Blanha-
that is the name Of the model--aftcr
the class was over; but it marks the
beginning of a new order Of things
in the life classes at the Art 1nsti-
tute. From now on no negroes will
be admitted to- the classes in which
girls pose.
There has for long time been an
undercurrent of protest both among
the students and the models against
compelling beautiful young girls to
pose before negroes. This feeling
never found voice until yesterday:
The models were afraid to speak for
fear of losing their positions, the t'tfi
students remained silent in dread Of
being ridiculed for prudery, and the
men said nothing because 1t did not
seem thing for man to talk about.
Miss Bianha's action solved the sit
uation. She did what every one
seemed to want to have done ana
what no one seemed willing to do.
Miss Blanha-her first name is
Mamie-lives at 812 Southwestern
avenue. She had been chosen to pose
for the class because OF the exquis-
iteness of her figure, which is said to
be almost Grecian in its classicalness.
Yesterday was her first appearance
before Boutwell's class.
1.-THE other girls had told me what
I was to expect when I posed before
this Glass;" said Miss Blanha, "and
how they dreaded to do 1t. l made
up my mind that some one would
have to take a decisive stand in tho
matter, and as have personally such
a great aversion TO colored men that
it would have been almost impossible
for me to force myself to pose before
one of them, / determined to bring
on crisis of some sort. am glad
that matters have turned out a.s they
have. With the exception Of the ne
gro student l guess every one Is sat-
isfied."
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