Richmond planet., 1929-01-12

THE CITIZENS VOICE T--C0NSERVATVE
RESOLUTIONS ADoPTED--DR REID PREStDES.

A meeting Of colored cltlZenS Nae
held at the True Reformers Hall
Tuesday night, pursuant to call 10
take action concerning the proposed
segregation ordinance separating
the races tn residential neighbor-
hoods which ordinance would dls-
turb the ffendly relationship ne
tween the white and colored people
here. "a
DR.. Leon A. Reid presided and
I b. Deans acted as secretary.
Among the speakers were DR.. W.
T Johnson. DR.. W. l.. Ransome
Rev. J. E. Fountain B. H Bever
" r J. Faulk DR.. Walter Brown
and BENJAMIN S. Cumber. The com
mittee named to draft statement
10 the public with appropriate reso
lutiors consisted of James 0. West
chairman; NJ A Norre1, secretary
DIR J. NJ. G. Ramsey, DR.. w. H.
Hughes, ]. F.. Bankett, R. o.
Scott Mrs. Mary V. Binga and Mrs
Margaret R. Johnson.
The proposed ordinance restricts
living conditions in the city TO the
majority of either race residing on
any one block The original paper
&c proposed by Alderman Woody
prescribed retroactive clause. La
ter the committee in discussing the
paper expressed the belief this clause
might prove unconstitutional After
nrolonqed discussion before sub
committee of the Committee on Or
dinances embracing Aldermen
Charles w. Moss Councilnien James
HI Britton and Carleton E. Jewett,
report was framed suggesting the
entire matter be placed in the hands
OF a commission of citizens and
Councilmen. This body was to have
returned a plan upon which Councn
might proceed.
When this report was submitted
to the full committee that body
under Leadership of Councilman R.
p. Iiggan, refused to accept 1t and
further consideration OF the ordin
ance was agreed upon. This will be
had next Monday night with the
probability the committee may make
its report to the Board of Aldermen
the following night.
Representatives from this mass
meetine will appear before this com
mittee Monday night and protest
aglainst the measure. A committee
was also appointed to attend the
mass meeting at Hood Temple A.
NJ. f. Zion Church Sunday after
noon in order to insure United
front against the ordinance. The
following resolutions were then
adopted:
The Negro Citizens of Richmond
Virginia through their representa-
tives in mass meeting assembled in
the True Reformers Hall on Tues
day January Sth, 1929. respectfully
issue the following statement setting
forth their position on the Segrega-
tiOn introduced in the Board Of Al
dermen by Alderman Henry w
Woody and now being considered
bv the legislative branches of the
city government:
The Negroes of Richmond, Yir-
gin'a have through their tolerance,
through their refusal 10 counten-
ance any act calculated to disturb
the friendly relations existing be-
tween the races in Richmond and
through their cooperation with
every effort to promote the best
interests of Richmond have earned
the reputat on Of beins peaceful.
useful and law abiding citizens.
They have never been militant or
assertive, even under the most eX-
treme provocation. They have suf-
fered wrongs and injustices at the
hands of the administrators of the
government of r chmond with only
an occas onal protest, hoping that
the consci ence of Richmond would
finally awake and that right and
justice would unseat race prejudice
and intolerance. They have believed
the assurances of the white people
of Richmond that they were the
friends of the Negro and have wa ted
patiently for some concrete evidence
of this friendship. They have hesi-
tated to join National movements
designed to resist oppressive anti
Negro legislation, feeling that Rich
mond's problem could be better
solved by ti7ens of Richmond. This
narrative attests the faith fhe Ne
groes had in their white neighbors.
The white people Of Winston