Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1940-04-12

L. o. Smith, attorney and chair
man of the legal redress commit
tee of the Minneapolis branch of
the N. A. A. C. P, on Thursday,
a day before the scheduled first
showing. Miss Smith protested to
acting Mayor Marvin Kline, 9Th
Ward alderman, who as president
of the city council has been pre-
siding over the city in Mayor
Leach's absence in Houston, Texas.
Kline took under advisement Miss
Smiths protest.
On the same day the Minneap-
oils Civil Rights Committee through
Henry Murray, executive vice
president, called upon all liberal
organizations in Minneapolis to
protest against the film. A meet
ing called by the Civil Rights
group met Thursday night and sent
kilograms both to Leach, who was
in Kansas City en- route south, and
the acting mayor.
B. F. Peery, postal employee and
member of the Twin City Herald
staff, ascertained from the Fifth
District Legion office that the play
was not being sponsored by the
Minneapolis American Legion. Lat
er Mr.. Peery interviewed Irving
Gilman, manager of the theatre,
and a prevue of the film was ar
ranged for 11:30 P. NJ. Thursday
night.
Attending the prevue were Miss
Smith of the N. A. A. C. P, R. A.
Skinner, attorney and member of
the N. "A c. P. board; Henry
Murray, of the Civil Rights Com
mittee, Milford Sutherland, secre-
tary of the Civil Rights Commit
tee, Mrs. Sutherland, Mr.. and Mrs.
Clarence Smith, Mrs. Emm a
Thompson and Miss Andrea Skin
ner, B. F. Peery of the Herald,
and Mrs. De Velma Newman of the
Spokesman and Recorder newspa-
pers.
At the close of the showing the
verdict of all present, except those
connected with the theatre, said
that it was the most poisonous ap-
peal to race prejudice against the
Negro that any of them had ever
witnessed.
During Thursday the Civil
Rights Committee received assur-
ances from the Miscellaneous
Workers No. 665, Walters Union
GA, the Hennepin County CLIO and
the Minnesota State CLIO and the
Urban League that those organiza-
tions would lodge protests against
the showing of the film.
Citizens Ask Mayor Take Action
Lewis Ewing, we'll known Min
neapolitan, suggested to several
citizens that a group be on hand
at the mayors office Friday morn
ing to voice protests against the
showing. Cecil E. Newman, edi-
tor of the Spokesman and Record
er newspapers, was elected to head
the delegation.
Friday morning at 10 a. m. the
mayors office was crowded with
the committee which came to ask
the acting mayor to close the film
as Mayors Nye and Kmze had done
before him. Cecil Newman intro
duced Miss Smith, Henry Murray,
Mrs. J. H. Green of the Women's
Christian Temperance Union, R. j.
Kelly, business agent of Miscel-
laneous Workers Union No. 665,
DR.. w. Donald Brown of the Min
neapolis Business and Professional
Association, Mrs. M. Sutherland
and Rev. C. F. Stewart, president
of the N. A. A. C. P. of Mime
apolis. All protested the showing
and urged the mayor to stop the
film. Others who made brief
statements were B. F. Peery, Mrs.
De Velma Newman, Miss Allie B.
Glenn and Lewis Ewing. Mrs. Ger
trude Boldly was a member of the
delegation.
City Attorney Richard Wiggin
was in attendance to advise the
acting mayor as to his preroga-
tives. After the talks and the
questions of the acting mayor who
admitted that he had seen the pic