The Omaha guide., 1932-12-10
Control Board Informed No Colored
Employees In Institutions.
Spokesman Cite Special Severity Of
Negro Unemployment.
(From Lincoln Star)

any Of the state institutions, de-
clared a delegation Of colored peo-
.ple which called on the state board
tof control Friday morning to make
Ia plea that their people be given
some recognition. More than LOO
people are employed in the seven
teen hospitals, homes and penal in
stitutions under management of the
board Of control.
Members Of the board OF control
declared there had been no willful
discrimination against the negroes.
They said that the superintendent.
Of institutions had been permitted
to hire their own employees. They
also declared that they had no OBJ
jections to the employment Of col
ored people. and following the
meeting, several members of the
board said they believed the delega-
ton was justified in making its pre-
%sentation to the board.
Ask Social Justice.
Regardless of whether there is
discrimination or not" declared H.
]. Pinkett, Omaha attorney who was
one Of the spokesman Of the group,
"the fact is that there no negroes en-
ployed in any of the institutions.
I'VE r only pleading for social
justice for the negroes. We have
made u contribution to the cause
Of America. and want to continue to
do so, but we also want to participate
in the privileges and benefits.
'The board of controls policy Of
selecting an executive and leaving
him free to select his staff appears
to be sound. But that does not alter
the fact that there are no colored en-
ployes in any of the institutions which
we are taxed to help support"
Needed To Encourage Youth.
Pinkett said that recognition of ne
groes in appointments to responsible
positions was needed to encourage
the younger colored people. eve
need to be able to hold out to them
the possibilities Of advancement" he
declared. IF we cannot point to
negroes in positions Of responsibility
as examples to the boys and girls in
school, the problem of educating them
is much more difficult"
The delegation included Harry Le-
land Of Omaha, a state oil inspector
and president Of the Omaha Negro
Democratic club; Rev. o. J. Burck-
hardt. Omaha minister; c. j. Cole
man, commander Of the Negro legion
post at Omaha; NJ. T. Woods Of Lin
coin, head of the Urban league; Harry
Bradley. one of the custodians at the
capitol for many years; and Isaac 3.
Smith, mail carrier in the capitol
and the pastor Of a Negro congrega.
ton at Grand Island.
The delegation pointed out that
the University Of Nebraska does not
employ a single negro. They did not
call on the university or officials Of
other state departments. The dele.
cation did not request the employ.
ment Of any certain individuals OF
urge the hiring Of negroes at any
specific institution, but merely made
the plea for employment of n reason.
able number" Of colored people in the
institutions.
Members Of the delegation said
there was certain types Of work which
they believed negroes were able Il
do even better than whites at the in.
situations. They also pointed out
that there were negroes in various Of
the institutions and that members Of
their own ace might be able 10 han.
die their problems better than white
employees.
The unemployment problem Is Is.
pecislly severe among the negroes
Pinkett declared. They have tn,
same difficulty that every man has II
these days of finding a job and in ad
dition they have an added problem
because they r colored."
Negroes have been employed il
some Of the institutions at times il
the past and have proven capable
the delegation declared. A woman
employee at the Geneva industrial
home was one Of the outstanding
workers, it was said. She accepted