Richmond planet., 1923-05-12
THE NATIONAL RACE
CONGRESS IN BIG
SESSION At CAPITAL

Washington, d. c., May Mrs. G.
Pelham. was elected executive secre
tarv of the National Race Congress
and will establish headquarters on
You Street, n. W., in Washington
wnere information regarding the Race
will be sent out and every interest of
the Negro from Washington as we'll
as ether parts of the country will be-
watched with the eye of an eagle.
one Of the most interesting sessions
in the history OF the Race Congress
was held here last week, and the legis
lst'on put thru will be far reaching
and helpful to the entire race. The
sessions were held in the Mt Carmel
Baptist Church. DR.. w. III. Jernagin
was reelected president and during
the next few months he will spend
sometime on the road, and will hold
conferences on racial matters. He will
visit, Arkansas Oklahoma and Texas.
An invitation was extended to Pres
ident Warren G. Harding to address
the Congress. He wrote the following
letter to President Jernagin:
My dear Mr.. Jernagin: Thank you
most heartily for your invitation and
for the opportunity which it presents
to me, to address the annual Race Con
gress at the beginning of May. am sof
ry il is not possible to accept. l hope
the congress will be fruitful of useful
contributions toward dealing with
the many problems which confront
the colOred race in this country. In
those problems as you know, / have
long taken a keen interest and l am
especially convinced that the great ser
vice to the coiored people will be rend
cred in the future. as indeed it has
been in the past, through the effective
organization and efforts of the color
ed people themselves. Their progress
in the last two generations has been
one of the wonders of civilizations al
vance, and there is every reason to
believe that its projection into the tu.
cult Of our race problems in the next
few decades"
"The man or woman who says that
the Negro is baby in civilization
should be examined by a specialists
for there is something wrong with his
head" declared the Rev. W. III. Jerna
gin. 1--WE are over fifty years from
slavery and are still babies. Not bit
of it.
I'VE are not seeking favors because
Of cur race or color. We are not ask
ing for any special legislation. We do
want justice, fair play protection uD
der the law and the free use of the
weapon placed in hands of Americans
with which to protect their rights and
that is the ballot. This is what the
National Race Congress stands for
and this is what we are contending
for. You are called together each year
to take under consideration the future
of our people in America. We are get
ting together for the purpose of being
in better position to protect ourselves.
We want to be represented in Congress
by members of our own race, and by
the help of God we are going to be"
I'VE believe that we have long since
paid the Republican party. for the part
il took in our emancipation, both prin
ciDal and interest, and then we took
some part too and in doing so we help
ed to save the Union. You can no long
er look in my face and tell how I am
going to vote. ! am Independent in
politics voting the republican ticket
wren the republicans are right and
have the right kind Of men.
I'VE have no Bolshevists or anar-
chists or traitors in our rank.
Every black face you see is one hun
dre1 per cent American. ready to
strike down any enemy who offers an
insult to our flag We are no longer
bird to the determinations which
tn IN a. hD,
ands of our men have died to hold to
Fether and protect against every foe
We have had. We have been true and
bore all without murmur, but with
the continuation of lynching; burn.
ings; shooting down our fellow be-
ings in cold blood, we cannot guaran
tee what will be the attitude Of our
young pepole in the future who belle y.,
In protecting themselves. The spirit,
of cringing cowardice which was bred
in us in slavery days is fast disappear
ing; and those of us who have imbibed
the free air and ideas Of America who
love the flag and have sacrificed for
its preservation cannot stand idly by
end see these ideals destroyed by the
desricable an dwickedness Of lawIes5
mcp."
The following officers were elected:
DR.. w. Fl. Jernagin president; DR.. J.
u. King vicepresident; DR.. G. e
somerville, recording secretary; Miss
ID. p. Harris, assistant secretary; Mr..
@. Pelham, executive secretary; DR.. C..
T. Welcher. treasurer; DR.. NJ. 4. Hun
ter National lecturer; j. G. Calvert,
Chaplain; Chas. Stewart, organizer
s..ss:.-~er-y,-. 20 --TA-Ax-