The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1916-02-12
EQUAL RIGHTS LEAGUES
ADDRESS TO THE COUNTRY.
National Organization Holds Eighth
Annual Meeting In Philadelphia.

The eighth annual meeting Of the
National Equal Rights league, held for
three days in Philadelphia. closed on
Wednesday evening, Dec. 10, with an
exercise commemorative Of the adop-
tion Of the thirteenth amendment to
the United States constitution. There
were many men and women Of ma
tional prominence In attendance, and
much public interest was manifested
In the work Of the organization.
The address to the country Is in part
% follows:
It Is on the flftietn anniversary Of
the Anal and constitutional abolition of
chattel slavery in the United States of
America that we, American citizens Of
color, assemble In Philadelphia, the
state Of the great reconstruction states
man, Thaddeus Stevens, who carried
the thirteenth amendment through our
national house Of representatives.
After a half century Of freedom. dur
Ing which the colored American has
achieved remarkable educational, reli-
gious and business progress and DEM
onstrated the highest human possibil.
tiles, the National Equal Rights league
In eighth annual meeting assembled
finds that Americans of African de-
scent are still denied in many sections
Of the land their legal rights:
By law the right to vote on the same
terms as others, native and natural
tied; by practice the right to enter
places Of public accommodation and
resort; by law the right to use pub
lie facilities without the indignity Of
racial discrimination; by law the right
10 reside, even in their own property,
adjacent to their fellow citizens: by
action Of the federal government the
right to work beside and to use tho
necessary health accessories with other
employees Of the federal government
In some government buildings at tho
national capital; by practice the right
Of trial by court and jury when acA
cused Of crime. Therefore we issue
this cali to action to the prescribed
and oppressed and to all others who
believe in liberty, equality Of rights
and human brotherhood.
Colored Americans, begin the second
half century Of legal freedom by COM
bining to organize, agitate and vote,
where permitted, for the preservation
Of that freedom, that enjoyment Of
Identical civil and political rights with
others, that exemption from CALLING dis
examinations In the public life, which
were bought at the price of billions Of
treasure and Of the health and lives Of
millions of white and colored patriots.
Let us here resolve that under God
We shall use our voices, our pens. our
patronage, our votes, our money and
every resource that God has put in our
power for the abolition of segregation,
Acknowledgement and lynching on the
color line, undismayed that a president
rules In the White House unwilling, de-
spite his prediction pledge. to rise
above the narrow provincial color
prejudice of section. Let us face the
forces of prejudice and, spurning the
brfbe ever offered for voluntary segre-
cation, honor the deeds Of the abOli-
tionists and refuse to sell our. birth
right for a mess Of pottage.
To our fellow Americans Of every
race We appeal for an equal chance
and fair play. Friends of the republic,
save free institutions, save the fruits
Of the civil war, save the fair name of
our common country now besmirched
by worse prescription than In any CIV
ilized land. Demand necessarily that
race and color discrimination shall
cease and there shall not In the boast
ed land Of the free be q reversion to q
caste of color, now reaching even into
the national government.
The officers Of the league for 1915
are the following named persons:
President, Rev. Byron Gunner, New
York; recording secretary, DR.. J. L.
johnson, Ohio; assistant recording Sec
rotary, Maurice w. Spencer, Delaware;
corresponding secretary, william Mon
roe Trotter. Massachusetts,; treasurer,
Thomas Walker, District of Columbia;
financial secretary, DR.. william A. Sin
clair, Pennsylvania; national organizer,
Rev. r. G. Ransom, New York; assist
ant organizer, Rev. ]. Il. Churchman,
New Jersey; chaplain, Rev. q. George
Biddle, Connecticut; vice presidents.
Rev. M. w. Thornton. Massachusetts;
william d. Brigham. Massachusetts,;