The St. Paul echo., 1927-02-19
jim CROW POLICY
UPHELD BY NEGRO
THEATER WORKERS
Members Address Open Letter
to Public COndemning
Publicity of Event.
Ignore Negro Business
COlOred Citizens Establish Boy
colt and Theater's Receipts
Are Cut.
Coast News Bureau)

L
Los Angeles, Calf, Feb. 1S.-ln
an attempt to justify the Jim Crow
policy adopted by their white employ
er, Arthur Hockwald, four colored
members, Freita B. Shaw, Margaret
Jackson, Tom Cross and Thomas Har-
ris of the "Struttin' Sam From Ala
bam'" musical comedy, in an open
letter published in a well known
journal added insult to injury when,
instead of Offering an apology in be-
half of their employer to the colored
citizens of So. California, they at
tempted to justify his damnable at
tempt to establish segregation pol
icy for colored shows when playing
Los Angeles theaters.
A Matter of Record.
Claiming "unere mas at no time
been any of the so-called Jim Crow
ism of which your article accuses
MIR. Hockwald," they add that "as
matter of fact, Mr.. Hockwald in
sists in his contracts with all house
managers that Negroes be sold seats
anywhere in the house, if they are
willing to pay the price"
In the Nov. 10 issue of the Califor-
mia Eagle" edited by Jas. B. Bass,
one of the vice-presidents of the Ma
tional Negro Business League ap-
peared the following article: "Ma-
jestic 'Jim-Crow Theatre Adds Insult
to Injury-Not satisfied with segre-
eating the colored patrons of the the
atre the Majestic Theatre manage
ment is now trying to ignore Negro
business by attempting to avoid pay
ment for displayed ads they placed
in the colored papers at the opening
of the show 1t is reported that this
will develop into triple lawsuit If
not paid"
In a personal interview today with
Harry Levette, theatrical manager of
the Eagle" he stated that accounts
above referred to have not as yet
been paid.
In a signed statement. Buddy
Brown, a member of the show and
the one party who interested Arthur
Hockwald and his backer, DR.. Fer
nand, in the idea of an all-colored
musical show, states in part: Il
know that the people of my race
were seated in a Jim-Crow section,
because I, myself, protested against
the practice. Personally, I do not
believe that Mr.. Hockwald, himself,
was responsible for the seating ar
rangement. Mr.. Hearne, who was
the representative of Michel Corper,
was house manager and responsible
for the seating conditions"
Denies Cut.
Quoting again from the published
letter-"Your paper refers to cut
of our stay in Los Angeles. Let me
inform you that our show played
eight weeks in that city to packed
houses" According to records the
show started Oct. II and closed Nov.
20, cutting short the announced in
tention of a ten weeks engagement.
According to the copyright reports
of gross receipts Variety" stated
that "Struttin' Sam" got $4,000 gross
the second week, and the fourth
week took something like $6,700."
The fifth week was much lower as
the boycott established by the ma
jority of the colored citizens of Los
Angeles was telling and the white
trade to which they had previously
catered to was deserting them.
House Policy.
While the original article did not
directly accuse Mr.. Hockwald but
stated that the party directly respon-
sible was Mr.. Hearn, nevertheless,
as owner Of the show and knowing
the Negro as Mr.. Hockwald should
know him through his years Of asso-
Citations in operating the Georgia
Minstrels, the colored people feel
that he is responsible and desire to
make it known that they are abso-
lutely opposed to all segregation
movements in the West and particu-
larly SO in theatrical showings Of all
colored offerings.