Evening star., 1923-11-07
RACIAL PROTEST
/ HALTED BY POLICE
J. White Residents of Rlpdmingr
dale Order CoIored Fam
lilies From Homes,

More than 500 white property hoio-
ers in the Bloomingdale section OF
the city and many living along North
canitof street above Florida avenue
gathered at 1st and U streets north
west last night, marched on the
homes of three colored residents OK
the neighborhood and demanded that
they vacate their property. Assist
ance was. offered by the white prop
erty holders to the colored owners IN
finding purchasers for their prop
erty.
AS the group of white residents OF
the neighborhood moved from mouse
to house reserves of the eighth pre-
srrived and requested leaders of the
throng to disperse. This was oone
after they had handed an ultimatum
to two colored residents OF the nelgn-
berhood Those mo notified me- nsacs Were and md " "
street, a professor at Howard Oni-
'verstiy, and Lawrence Prince. Pull
man porter. living at 22O5 Flagier
place. 49,,
ultimatum to the residents OF the
house at 143 L street, occupied by
William f. Clark, but as woman
came to the door in response to
set off his fiashlight and the woman
closed the door before the ultlmatum
could be handed In.
Origin OF Protest.
The move of the white residents of
the neighborhood was the result OF a
resolution passed at meeting of the
North Washington Citizens Associa-
ton, meeting at the United Brethren
Church last Monday night, proposed
by Henry Gilligan and passed by the
association urging all white residents
of the neighborhood to Join in pro-
test against colored persons purchas-
ing property and residing in that sec
tion of the city. Mr.. Gilligan, Robert
M Yost, president of the association;
Guy w. Numbers. secretary, and sew
eral other leaders in the civic organ
fzation led the march on the homes
of the colored residents last night.
The movement was carried out peace
ably and without resort to threats or
admonitions. The colored residents
read the "ultimatum' handed them,
but made no comment.
Text of the "Ultimatum."
The "ultimatum'' reads as follows:
These men and women here are
property holders of Bloomingdale and
they want you to know they resent
to the limit your purchase of the
property in this section and par
ticularly your moving into the prop
erty. You may not have known
that you were buying property in
a white neighborhood. but whether
or not you knew this, you did buy,
and we want you to know that we
expect you to vacate these premises.
We will help you to find purchaser
for the property and will cooperate
with you in any and every way pos
sible if you will indicate to US that
YOU will do the wise and courageous
thing-move out. We know the
leaders of your own race agree with
this proposition"
Leaders Act Individually.
Leaders of the group of white
property holders made 1t plain that
their undertaking was an individual
one, without the backing of the
North Washington Citizens Associa-
ton, although the, entire matter has
been discussed at association meet
ings. Mr.. Gilligan is chairman of
the housing committee of the asso-
citation and has, for the past several
months, been busy getting signatures
of white property holders that they
will not sell to colored buyers.
Mr.. Gilligan's Statement.
Mr.. Gilligan today said:
I'VE want 1t distinctly understood
that the property holders of Bloom
ingdale are not unfriendly to the col
ored people. but we also want 1t un-
derstood that we resent both the sale
by white people and the purchase by
colored people of property in our
section. Our people are home-loving,
church going and substantial citi-
zens. who have in most cases invested
all we have in our property. and we
simply cannot and will not sit quietly
by while all We have is threatened.
Il am glad to say that. with two or
three notable exceptions. the real
estate men of the District have shown
a commendable spirit Of cooperation.
We are hopeful the three families re-
ferred to will give us the opportunity
to take their property off their hands.
and we are a unit, / believe, in the
determination to save Bloomingdale
to the white peODle"