The Colorado statesman., 1924-01-19
COMING NEGRO SANHEDRIN''
EVOKES INCREASING INTEREST
DIR. Abram Simon Sends Approving Letter
Organization of Negro College
Men to Send Ten Delegates

Washington, d. c., Jan. 16, 1924
An interesting and thoughtful reflec-
ton on the coming All Race Confer
ence, or NEGRO Sanhedrin," to be held
in Chicago, ILL.,, on Feb. u, 1924, is
noted in a letter recently received by
Dean Kelly Miller, chairman of the
committee of arrangements, from DIR.
Abram Simon, president of the Cen
tral conference of American Rabbis,
and former president of the Board of
Education of the District of Columbia.
The letter sent by DIR. Simon follows:
"Your pamphlet on The Negro San
hedrin' is a sane, vigorous and ring
ing appeal to the best in your race.
The plan presents an excellent oppor-
tunity for dynamic unity and spiritual
self-expression. Your Sanhedrln need
not be handicapped by the traditions
that clustered about the Napoleonic
Sanhedrin. Remember, please, that
the Jews in their scattered Cardibears
held to n vast body of doctrine, civil
practices and Rabbinic legislation that
were hangovers from the days of their
independence before the destruction of
the Jewish state by Rome.
Because of the disparity between
century long practice and the entrance
into the rights of French citizenship a
new reading of the relation of Jewish
traditions and French citizenship be-
came a necessity. Hence, the wisdom
of Napoleon's convocation of the San
hedrin, which however was shortlived.
The Sanhedrin was preceded by
Convention of Notables which used
the Sanhedrin as a vehicle for inter-
preting the Jews newer understand
ing of Emancipation. You are unham-
pered by the traditions of an ancient
legislation You can begin afresh. The
various national civic organizations
can create q congress of Negro nota- |
bles whose scholarship, leadership, and |
civic qualities will command the re- I
spect of all. Such congress Impress
es me as adequate to the needs, II
properly organized, without the neces-
sity of fashioning a Sanhedrin which
resembles too much of a Supreme
Court and will likely justify the pre-
pudice of an imperium in imperio.
"At any rate, 1 welcome the call for |
Negro moral self-assertion and unified |
dignity. l shall watch the growth of
this awakening race consciousness and |
soul-culture with keenest interest"
NEGRO COLLEGE FRATERNITIEs |
TO TAKE PART
In addition to this evidence of the |
increasing interest being manifested in |
the movement, Dean Miller has re-
ceived word from a number of Import
ant organizations throughout the coun-
try signifying their intention of send
ing ten delegates each to the confer
ence. Among the various organiza-
tions sending such notification is the |
Alpha Phi fraternity, the first and old |
est Greek Letter society organized by |
Negro college men. According to a
statement by Dean Miller, the sending |
of delegates to the conference on the |
part of this fraternity is highly sig |
nificant in that it indicates that the |
Negro college youth is awake to the !
RESPONSIBILITIES which he must shoul- |
der in helping to bring about proper
recognition of his race in world af-
fairs.
"The Committee of Arrangements"