The broad ax., 1921-06-11

II
of our mothers and fathers back in
the days of slavery. l am not in
clined to say any "cuss" words, or
unkind words about anyone. / am
shocked, disgusted, Inundated. vexed,
moody. deSpondent and almost every
thing else a human being can be, and
am sure that you are also, and
ask you to join me in prayer to God
for a change of conditions. Surely
God will hear our prayers. We have
suffered, and yet / saw in the good
book where he will not permit US to
suffer more than we can bear, or
something like that
As I-sit down to take my pen in
hand to write you few lines, / am
reminded of the thousands of men,
women and children homeless today
just few miles from this place, in
a land OF civilization, in the land that
sings:
"Star Spangled banner, long may it
wave, Over the land of the free and
the home of the brave" / wonder
what in the hen feathers that means
ito the hoodlums of Tulsa, who burn
ed every Negro church, every home
in reach, every place of business car
ried on by Negroes, as a plaything,
| ,.d s1al- 6,,-,-, re. - l..
at will and pleasure. Where was the
Star Spangled Banner when FIRE was
set to homes of American citizens,
when homes were fired into, killing
inmates? What will our President
say or do in this matterl What will
our Republican Congress do now?
You have read accounts of the mob
violence in Tulsa, and of race riot,
and the Lord only knows what else
it has been called 1t was the slaugh-
ter of human beings, the destruction
of property, and if / knew anything
else to say / would say it 1 want to
give it as / have been able to gather
it, for / could not get into the town
myself. l was on my way there, but
could not reach it.
1t seems that a white woman was
elevator conductor or something like
that. She lifted the people up and
down in a building, and a man of my
race entered it, and accidentally
knocked against her foot, and she is
said to have uttered some cuss words
at him and he spoke back, and she
made the cry that he had insulted
her. That was all that was necessary
to warm up the white people. He
was arrested, placed in jail, and it was
said that there would be a lynching
party that night Negro men said,
There amt gwyn to be no lynching
in this town"
Black men got together. j am told
that the Sheriff and police told them
to go and protect their homes and
they would take care of the prisoner.
They seemingly were afraid to trust
them, and they said they would help
to take care of him. They got their
smoke wagons, and went to the jail.
Went through the streets in cars with
their guns, for they were brave men.
/ don't know who started the shoot
ing, but shooting was started that
night, and the white folks ran. While
my people were shooting away their
powder, white folks were getting
ready. All night long We were shoot
ing, and white folks were getting
ready. They were organizing, and
just as soon as the soldiers got to
town, then they commenced their
devilment. They lined up colored
men, marched them into the armory,
police stations. Shot in houses, and
started to FIRE, until there was not left
one house in the territory known as
Little Africa" They would riddle
every house, command the occupants
to come out, and if they were women
and children they were unmolested,
but carried to places of safety, and
the house burned.
The soldiers were glad to be called
out, for they went into Negro stores,
helped themselves to what they want
ed, and then fred the building 1t
was really hell on earth. AS 1 write
to you am shedding tears, for there
is nothing else left for me to do. I
am really too sick to think damn or
even say It, hence mine is Lord
have mercy"
talked with Mrs. L. s. Brown, of
Tulsa, whose husband is a prominent
man in this section of the country.
She was at home alone. When It was
raining bullets, she went to bed in the
bath tub, believing that bullets could
not penetrate a bath tub. for it was
bullet proof. She remained there all
night long talking to God, and the
next morning she left the bath room,
went to the dining room and stretched
out on the floor. All the windows
were destroyed. great holes in the
house, dresses hanging up in the dress
closets were torn into threads by the
bullets, things destroyed in her home,
- .L.,,4s GCon1e or,t Az last a /