The Colorado statesman., 1921-12-10
Annual Address of
the President of the
Denver COIOred
Civic Association

- activities of another year. To-
Humboldt Street.
night we have met to render unto you
an accounting of our stewardship for
the past year and to elect officers for
the ensuing year. The success. pres
tige and power of our organization To
be OF service to our race and commu-
nifty depends largely upon your wise
action here tonight.
II you choose to elect men to posi-
tions for the mere honor OF filling an
office or being on a board and never
attending a meeting or never giving
any time or service whatever, then we
may as well scrap our charter here
tonight. The need for such an organi-
zation as the Denver Colored Civic
Association has been clearly shown
during the past year, and as time goes
ON its power and usefulness Will be-
come more evident. We are proud TO
say 10 you tonight that the Denver
Colored Civic Association has become
full fledged, recognized, and estab-
lished institution, not only among our
own group but by the best and most
influential white citizens and organi-
cations of our city.
We have completely silenced our
most bitter critics and convinced many
of the doubling Thomases that the
Denver Colored Civic Association Is,
after all, a real live organization with
an aim and IL purpose and ability to
function. As president of this great
Organization / have not quailcd to do
my full duty at all times, regardless
of criticism by the ne'er-do-wells and
curbstone hammer brokers. Never be-
fore in all the years of our long resi-
i hn.a
greater need for such an organization
as the Denver COlored Civic Associa-
ton. In the light of self-preservation,
the elevation and civic progress and
unity of our people, every intelligent,
self-respecting taxpayer and citizen
should enroll his name with us ana
become a useful citizen.
While we have perhaps more than
100 members, there is no reason why
we should not have 500 good, active
members. The Denver COlored Civic
Association is not a will-O- -the-wisp. 1t
| is REAL, and composed, in the main,
of real men who have fixed principles
and who stand for something in our
community
Like all other organizations we have
q regular roster of "stay-at-home'
members who find it convenient TO
think of wife and home only on the
first Wednesday of each month. We
hope TO devise some plan of interest
that will attract these men and drag
them out of their lethargy and make
them useful. We need men, and more
men! Let others be led adrift by
phantom organizations if they choose,
but we must have one organization in
Denver that we can call our own and
is In touch with the best thought and
brains of our white brother who is
directing the business and other activi-
ties of our progressive and beautl1ul
city.
Instead of creating a mere epheme-
raj political machine, which only IN
vites bitter strife and personal Jeal-
ousies as well as lasting enmities, we
have striven to build up purely civic
organization, bereft of all political dec
orations or designations, democratic in
its scope, with the sole purpose of ele-
waiting our civic, economic and indus
trial condition.
/ At the inception of this organization
YOU were told of our aims. Whether
or not we have attained that end, we
call to YOUR memory the brilliant and
spontaneous welcome extended to us
as an affiliated body by the Denver
Civic and Commercial Association on
October 2Sth, at the Chamber of Com
merce Think of it, men! For the
first time, not only in the history OF
our city but in the history of our coun-
try, has any white Chamber OF Com
merce accepted like body of colored
citizens as an affiliated member ana
given them their seal of approval by
an open and official welcome.
What have we done worth while in
the last twelve months? First. we be-
gan the year with our regular annual
Lincoln-Douglass memorial banquet
which exceIled all other previous
events of a like nature by our folk in
Denver. This year we fully expect to
excel last years banquet in many
ways. We paid 500 to the Denver
Civic and Commercial Association Tor
our fee of application. At joint mass
meeting with the local branch of the
N A. A. c. p we raised nearly S3oo'
which was equally divided for the Deh-
eft of the Pueblo flood sufferers anu
the Tulsa riot victims. Upon the oc-
casion of the bombing of Mr.. Chap-
mans home last July we made NlSor-
Gus protest against such outlawry anu
anarchy to the Governor, Mayor ana
District Attorney, and called mass
meeting of our people ana invited thesc
Officials to be present. we regret 10
say that in that case the civil author,
ties seem to have gone to sleep ana
hence nothing was ever done. AS 10
the subsequent bombing on November
Is, we have been more active ana are
now engaged in effective plans to ap-
prehend the criminals.
We have paid $75 on our 500 pledge
to the Presbyterian Hospital. we nave
donated to charity and, above all nave
used our best endeavors to cooperate
with all worthy race organizations tor
the betterment and uplift of our peo-
pie. With having accomplished thls
much we feel proud and predict great