Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-06-28
to what 4?

~ w IoI
In answering the question "Impor-
tant to whom or to what?" it Is i'm
possible for me wholly to assume
detached attitude. What I say, there
fore, must of necessity be colored py
my personal opinion.
While doing my best to remain a
disinterested judge throughout these
proceedings, must remember,-and
SO must you.-that the most impair
tiaI judges are frequently influenced
by the sum of their experiences. So
called best judges are those who in
cline somewhat toward moulding the
letter of the law to their personal
reactions to the case in hand.
Thus arises the question of inevi-
liability. For it is inevitable that my
final. selection of the thirteen most
important Negroes in the United
States will be influenced by my per-
sonal- Judgment. Important to whom
or to What?" finds answer, then, in
the assertion that each is important
I'D to the Negroes of this country, and
CD to the country itself ACCORDING as
his desirs bility or worth to the Ne
groes and the country is estimated
by me.
NV first list of important American
Negroes contained fifty-three names,
forty of which had to be elinfi-
mated. Here is the list. as only casual
reflection suggested the names to me:
1. Robert S. Abbott; 2. Claude A.
Barnett: 8. Joseph D. Bibb 4. Mary
Mcleod Bethune: 5. Jesse Binga; e.
William Stanley Braithwaite; Z. Ros-
coe C. Bruce: 8. Harry T. Burleigh;
9. Elmer A. Carter: 10. George w.
Carver; II. Charles w. Chestnut;
II. Countee Cullen; Is. William N.
De Berry; IA. Oscar DePrieSt; 10.
William E. B. Du Bots; 16. E. Frank
lin Frazier; II. Meta Warrick Fuller;
18. Roland Hayes; 10, Maud Quincy
Hare: 20. Solomon Harper; q. Geo.
w. HAYNES; 90 William H. Hinton,
MD; %. Albion w. Holsey; "a. Lang
Ston Hughes: IS. Charles S. Johnson,
&c. James w. Johnson: o. Mordecal
w. johnson; % Gilbert H. Jones; ~.
Ernest E. Just: 30. Rienzi B. Lemus;
81. Alain Locke; 80. Annie M. T. Ma
lone; 33. Kelly Miller "a. Robert K.
Motion; S5. Carl Murphy: SO. Anthony
Overton; ST. Julian D. Rainey: 81. A.
Philip Randolph: 80. j, A. Rogers;
40. Augusta Savage; Al. Arthur A.
Schomburg; AZ. George S. Schuyler;
A. James E. Shepard: "a. Henry ..
Tanner; As. Robert l.. Vann; 46. Mag
gle L. Walker; AZ. William A: war
field, MD; 48. Charles H. Wesley:
Q
White: 81. Carter G.. WoodSon; 81:
Monroe N. Work: SO. P. Bernard
Young
There are undoubtedly more than
thirteen persons of consequence IN
that list of fifty-three. AS matter OF
fact, each of them is OF more or less
consequence, in one way and another.
How Justly to reduce the number 10
thirteen is the task now before me.
Let us see. then.
Robert S. Abbott is an important
man: any one who controlled paper
like the Chicago Defender would be
important: but his influence on Ne
gro life,-potential and actual lnf1u-
ence,-is not great enough to war
rant his inclusion. Nor is the IN
fiuence of Claude A. Barnett, director
of the Associated Negro Press. Inc
Associated Negro Press is an orgam-
zation of potential power IN the land,
but this potential power will have TO
be resolved into actual power before
the director of that organization may
be said to possess a position OF I'M
usual Importance.
Joseph D. Bibb, editor of the Chi
cago Whip, has recently shown him
self to be more than merely common
scold. His fight for Negro employ
ment in Chicago marks him as a
man who has sense of social re-
sponsibility. with the moral courage
to exemplify it. But the Whip is a
local paper of local influence; thus,
ifs editors Importance is circum-
scribed. moreover, it should not be
forgotten by those who applaud
Mr.. Bib1's campaign that William
Kelley of the New York Amsterdam
News originated the idea that the
Chicago man now capitalizes.
Mary Mcleod Bethune. as head OF
Tho naUfOno -C0OtpNon COlloOiatA Ins