The Colorado statesman., 1921-02-19
MISS MARY WHITE
OVINGT0N CAPTI-
YATES DENVER
Noted Woman Guest OF
Honor at Brilliant Civic
Association Banquet, and
Thrills Great N. A. A. c.
P. Meeting.

CELDOM, indeed, has Denver had
guest come Ia the city ANA leave
deeper impression ON the hearts
of the entire people than did MISS
Mary White Ovington of New York,
whose stirring address at the COL
ORED CIVIC ASSOCIATION BAN
QUET In honor OF LINCOLN AND
DOUGLASS on Saturday night ana an
equally thrilling message on Sunday
night under the auspices of the y. y.
A. c. T.. served as history making
events. Miss Ovington could not have
come to Denver at II more opportune
time. The people were eager ana
ready to receive her. At the LINCOLN
DOUGLASS BANQUET on Saturday
night at Shorter Church, and which,
by the way, was one of the richest ana
most brilliant affairs ever held in the
city. Miss Ovington was accorded the
place of honor to the right of President
Thomas Campbell at the head OF the
table.
When she entered the banquet hall,
which was beautifully decorated with
palms, ferns and cut flowers and gaily
festooned with bunting and American
lluHS. IDt tllllTt HSStInuldE' hi''' ~
Il most remarkable greeting. President
Campbell, in appropriate and eloquent
Introductory remarks, paid glowing
tribute To the honor guest. The ad-
dress of Miss Ovington, which fol-
lowed, was revelation to the diners
and was often punctuated with pro
Ionged applause. She arose To eloquent
heights, when in telling of the Negro
in Art. she related how MIR. Gllplh
was today the reigning sensation IN Il
play that was now thrilling all New
York. and that his portrayal of II char
acter sketch in Drinkwater's "Abra-
ham Lincoln had stamped him the
real theatrical artist of the times.
She highly complimented the CIVIC
ASSOCIATION upon its public spirit
ed, progressive policy, also upon ITS
patriotic observance of the birthday OF
two noted American figures, LIN
coin AND DOUGLASS.
The meeting at shorter Sunday night
was under the auspices of the Denver
branch of the \. \. a. c. +.
BY Z 80 the church was jammed TO
the doors and again Denver extended
n ROYAL welcome tn one eminently wor-
thy. The services were opened by large
Shorter choir singing onward chris
tian Soldiers thus imparting spirit
of enthusiasm 30 everyone present. Up
on the platform, with Miss Orington,
were n number of prominent men ana
women of both races. n short service
was. conducted by Reverend W. H.
Thomas in conformity to the usual RUE
and then the meeting was turned over
to the Denver Branch n. A. a. c. l..
George w. Gross, who has been pres
ident of the branch ever since it was
founded. took up the duties of the
evening and introduced DIR. j. ii. l..
Westbrook, who read letters of regret
from Governor Shoup, Senator Nlchol-
son and Honorable Philip Van else,
that they could not he present. Then
i'm n well chosen and apt address, thar
was masterpiece of oratory seldom
if ever eQualled in Denver, Mr.. GROSS
introduced Miss OvingtOn, and for one
hour she held her hearers spelibouhd.
Often her remarks were punctuated
with prolonged applause. Ihen again.
breathleSS hush perNaded the mousse
when she told of the horrors of lynch
ing and the burning at the stake OF
helpless victims i'm the South. She Said
that on several occasions, holidays
were declared on special torture
days" and that even little children
would gleefully attend in anticipation
of the "fun" they were going to have.
Miss Ovington made it plain that the
Association has now become great
national power and was winning con
verts to its cause daily. She told OF
the large amount of work outlined by
the body and was emphatic in her ne
lief that the present greatness OF the
Association was largely due to II care
fully trained and well directed pub
Iicity department.
That Denver believes in the y. y. A
C =. and in Miss Ovington ana ner
great labors was evidenced by the m
stantaneous response to her appeal Tor
members. The sum of two hundred ana
fifty-three dollars (S253) was raised in
few minutes as against one hundred
and seventy dollars (Sl1O raised III
Kansas City, Missouri, with Negro
population five times greater imam
ours. The National Association plans
TO start a drive April oath for II quar-
ter of a million members
The evenings program closed WIN IL
beautifully rendered vocal solo by MIS-
Jessie Zackery.