Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-08-03
At THE. NATION 8
METROPOLIS
(Allen's National News Bureau, 2 w
131st ST.

NEW YORK, July 29.-Tho Negro
Book for Negro Soldiers Movement,
| with headquarters at 1905 Seventh ave
nue. and which has been organized for
, the purpose of placing books written
| BY Negroes in the environments where
| Negro soldiers are stationed an
nounced at its Eastern headquarters
| here last week, that it has launched
Il national membership campaign for
! tho purpose Of securing members from
every section of the country and to
increase the scope Of its work and to
| bring the purpose Of the organization
! before every race loving man and
! woman of the country.
y committee of one hundred has
been formed for the purpose of direct
! ing the drive which will be launched
, in the various Negro churches throug'
! out the country and to bring before
| the young people of the race an OPP
por.unity where they can do II fine
patriotic service for the race and earn
/ prizes which will be of value.
! Henry Il. Downing who is the Or
ganiZer of the movement and the d.
rector of the drive told your CORES
! pondent last week that the association
, will give away $2,50200 in War Saw
ings Stamps as prizes and that every
worker would be given some prizes,
even If they only brought in one mem
, Der. He said that the campaign would
! he conducted in a thorough business
, like manner and that he has instruct
) ed tho committees who arc working
through the churches just how to pre-
, sent the matter in leaflets which have
; been published.
| The Association Is trying to raise
100000 with which to carry on the
! work, and the membership campaign
Is one of the methods set upon to
assist it in meeting this need. Tho
movement is one of the most worthy
undertakings that has ever been
launched to meet the peculiar needs
of the colored soldiers and already it
has been endorsed by the leading mon
and women of both races throughout
the country. Together with the en-
dOrScmcnt of prominent people the AS
ISOLATION has the hearty support of
The American Library Association
which is giving it all of the assistance
that 1t can render.
The Association was formed as the
result of an article written by Mr.
, Downing, calling attention to the
needs Of the colored soldiers, espec-
tally rs 1t related to reading, which
Is one of the most important parts of
the soldiers recreational life. He
urged that books written by colorcd
authors be distributed at the colorcd
environments and the idea readily met
with Il national response.
| Tho officers Of the Negro Book
Movement are: Mrs. Leila Walker
Robinson, who over since the war has
been active in war relief work and
who has taken keen interest in the
problem rs it relates Ia the Negro
soldiers, John j.. Nail, Jr., Il licutcn-
ant in the Fifteenth Infantry, Rev
j. w. Rankins, secretary OF Missions
OF the A. M. T.. Church, W. NJ. Webb
and Louis w. George, Who is one of
the most active workers in the move
ment.
! Mr.. Downing, the active director has
. mad large experience and is The au-
thor OF The American Cavalryman''
the plot Of which is laid in Liberia,
Africa, where he served in n diplomat
ic way for several years. Those who
arc interested in the movement are
urged 10 write to the HEADQUARTERS,
, where further information will be
given. The movement is Il creditablc
one and should be supported in a big
way by the race. throughout the coun-
try.
! HONIBAL MAJOR WRITES