Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-08-17
SATURDAY AUGUST II, 1918
o, THE SHAME OF IT!
(Cleveland, o., Gazettel


The press bureau Of colorline
Luna park Slipped cog" by send
ing notice to the local daily papers,
too early, last Saturday. 1t evident
ly intended its notice to appear in
Monday mornings daily paper, and
not earlier, because it announced
that, owing to "the bursting of the
huge intake pipe in the bathing pool,
Sunday evening, moro than million
gallons Of water wero pumped out
Of Lake Luna's bathing pool" I'M
fortunately for the park manage
ment, the announcement appeared in
the early edition Of Sundays Leader
which was being offered for sale on
the streets rs carly as o'clock. Sat
urday evening. This, Of Course. an
nounced the bursting Of the huge in
tako pipe 81 Luna park moro than
twenlv-iour hours before it is alleged
20 lave taken place, and was there
ing Of the pool to Negroes either I'M
familiar with the color-line Luna
park conditions, or so thoroughly
surcharged with "jim-crowism" and
q desire to make little money out
Of their poor Woodworking brothers
and sisters that they did not care,
meant absolutely nothing to the lat
tor, apparently. o! the shame of it
all! 1t is just such precedents as
this that cause prcjudiccd whites in
tho community to multiply color
lines drawn against our people. Why
the self and racc-respcCting and man
ly Afro-Americans Of this communi-
ty do not rise in their might and deal
with that mcrcenary and "jim-crow"
promoting Cleveland Association of
Colored Men is Il mystery to The
Gazette, to say the least. Some OF
it's mombers arc also among those
who have boosted" the rents OF
certain properties in this city occu-
pied by our people to such Il high
figure that at least some Of the ten
ants Of said properties arc said to
be forced to conduct illegal and even
immoral places in order to assist in
raising money to pay tho high rental
charges, SO we arc informed by at
least one OF said tenants. Mondays
affair at color-linc Luna Park, in
spite Of the fact that the bathing
pool was closed to Negroes, as usual,
and the unfair accustomed treatment
Of those who attend it WAS very
much in evidence, ncttcd the Clcvc-
land Association of Colored Men an
insignificantly small amount Of mon
ey as compared with the hundreds
and possibly thousands Of dollars
made by tho park management and
its concessionarics. This is the case.
every year, and yet the pastors OF
our local churches sit supincly by
and see hundreds OF the members OF
their congregations insulted, mis-
treated and mulCtcd Of much Of their
hard-carnings without 4 word OF pro
test that the financial interests OF Il
park that bars Negroes from its bath
ing pool, dance hall and rollcrSliat-
ing rink nearly every day in the year
may be materially "boostcd." But
once, since these alleged cmancipa
ton celebrations at color-line Luna
park have been held, did our local
Minister'S Alliance attempt to do its
clear duty and that was when Dr..
Sissle (deccascd) was pastor Of Cory
NJ. Il. church, some years ago.
There it held Il public mass meeting,
denounced the alleged emancipation
celebration at colOr-linc Luna park
and called upon our people OF this
community to refrain from attend
ing it. The meeting was a success
and had splendid effect, even II q
number OF members Of the Cleveland
Association OF Colored Men did file
into tho church, late in the evening,
and undertake to break up the meet
ing The speakers at Mondays af-
fair were: Former Governor Frank
b. Willis and Congressman Henry l.
Emerson. Attorney Wilbur King, Of
Columbus, who was announced as a
speaker, failed to materialiZe. His
place was taken by Rev. G. G. Fish
back, pastor Of Shiloh Baptist
church, who was the only one OF our
local ministers who apparently had
the temerity to attend the affair.
He drew laugh from the audience,
during his speech, when he said he
was proud to belong to a race which
produced such men as Paul Lawrence
Dunbar and Councilman Tom Elem
ing. Some OF the members of "Shi-
loh" are criticizing Fishback severe
ly for attending the disgraceful af-
fair. If our ministers show so little
self and race-respect and real man
hood, what can be expected from
many Of the members Of the churches
they preside over. Lord, have
mercy!