The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1913-12-20
NO COLOR LINE
In the Jean Martin Brown Receiving
Home, ST. Anthony Park.

In the Jean Martin Brown Receiving
Home, ST. Anthony Park.
A short time ago the Mems Union
League sent notices to the several
societies and churches, asking for a
donation to aid in refurnishing the
room in the Jean Martin Brown Re.
ceiving Home which was originally
furnished by the Afro-Americans of
Minnesota at cost of several hun
dreds of dollars. Something like
$4,000 will be needed.
Some one started rumOr that the
color line is drawn in the institution
and this had tendency to stop the
donations. But such is not the case,
it was inserted in the deed when Mr..
Joseph Elsinger gave the ground to
the Association, that there were to be
no determinations or distinctions on
account of color.
The following letter from the super
intendent will settle that phase of the
case as well as settle the cause for the
rumor to start.
Office of The ChiIdren's Home Society
Of Minnesota.
st. Paul, MINI, Dec. Is, 1913.
DIR. V. D. Turner, ~ e. 7th St,
My Dear DR.. Turner: In regard to
the Ericsson baby, I am very much
grieved that there should have been
any misunderstanding with regard to
the reason why it was not taken into
this Home
In order that all our friends may
understand the facts in the case | am
writing you this letter. Baby Ericsson
was brought to us January 28th by the
mothers sister, she representing that
she would like to keep the baby, but
inasmuch as the father of the child was
a colored man and the mother a white
woman, her husband objected and de-
clared he would not have it in the
home
Inasmuch as the mother had gone
to her home in Wisconsin, for the
sake of peace in the family, we took
the child in until the mother could
be written to and return the assign
ment blank which we sent her to
transfer the child to the society. In
due time the mother returned but said
to us that she wanted to keep the
child and wished us to board it. 1
told her that our rule was that we
could not take any baby so young as
that to board as we did not in any
case, no matter what the color.
1t then occurred to me that the
Home for colored aged people and
children on Randolph street might be
able to take it in, / called them up on
the phone and received what ap-
peared to be very cheerful consent
to take it and care for it, and that
is the disposition of the case so far as
we are concerned; / have heard moth
ing from it since.
But / wish to say that in no case
have we ever Disseminated against
any child because of it's color or ma
tionality. During my superindtend-
ency, now about five years, we have
had colored child in the home for
greater part of the time. The last
one was placed last summer in a very
desirable home in Minneapolis. We
would not consider it Christian work,
nor would we expect to have the sup
port Of fairminded people If we drew
the color line; in fact, my personal
sympathies have always been very
warm toward the colored people. I
have spoken in their churches many
times in both cities and / might say
that my mother took into her home a
colored girl about seven years old as
her own daughter and kept her until
she was married. This will give you
an idea of how / feel personally on
the subject. The history of the So
ciety has continuously from the first
been kindly toward the colored people
of st. Paul, who so generously fur.
nished a room in the building and are
now purposing certain improvements
and repairs.
Please use this letter in any way
to relieve any impression that may
have gone around that we had no
goom for the little Ericsson baby in
question as the above facts will show
that our action was altogether honor.
able in the matter and what we
thought was for the best interests of
the child
Respectfully yours,
S. w. DICKINSON,
Superintendent.
As a matter of fact, no children are
received in the Home except for adop-
ton, none are received as boarders
and None under three months Of age.
IT Is hoped the people will respond
when called upon to aid in refurnish-
Ing the room In the Home Of which we
al may be Justly proud Editor
81 "a &