The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1941-09-04
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~ NORTH CALLAHAN

Impelled by oddly picturesque
glimpses of a colorful section of Man.
haitian, ] spent a recent afternoon
ambling through the swarming streets
of Harlem. There are few parts of
New York so famed among our cur
ious people, yet none about which so
little is actually known. Books, mo-
vies and magazines describe it as a
land of hotcha with sizzling night
clubs and colored Utter bugs who
dance from morn till night. Occasion
ally there is mention Of Father Di-
vine and his abony heaven. Once,
Fortune Magazine characterized Har-
lem as a big slice of black misery
created by avaricious landlords who
sap the life of downtrodden colored
folks.
/ found Harlem to be none of
these. Beginning with its main street.
Lenox Avenue, so famous in song and
fable, ! made my way uptown with
frequent sallies into out-of -the-way al
legs to see if was missing anything.
Harlem begins where Central Park
ends, or has some one said, "where
African nature left Off" A mere
glance at the place reminds one of
being in any ordinary Midwestern
town. But this is soon dispelled by the
sight of dozens of pickanninies who
at this time of year play dizzily in
he streets with balls, kites or even
small stones they often whizz at pas
sers-by. On this broad and sunny
two-lane street sign on one of the
shop-fronts caught my eye. 1t said,
Arthur Brisbane, Undertaken" In
fact as went along, many great
names presented themselves on store
windows and now | doubt if there is
Il famous name in modern history who
is not represented by colored name
lake in Harlem especially Abra-
ham Lincoln.
Ice cream vies with watermelons
for favorite food. Little wagons pro-
elled by dusky gentlemen of per-
suasive ways ply in and out of side
streets to stem the ceaseless appeti-
les. On corner l noticed a little
ooy buying a vanilla cone. He took
the ice cream and started licking
it, his big eyes turning heavenward
and his white teeth digging hungrily
INTO the cold, delicious goodness. But
the sharp words, 'Wheah's 70 nickel,
boy?' from the vendor brought his
ecstatic repast to an abrupt end. The
pickaL. Ny dug into his tiny, sagging
britches and brought forth the coin,
only to resume his blissful licking
with disdainful gaze at the vendor.
No monetary matter could distrub
this empyreal feast
In > barber shop window, a placard
announced mass meeting to be held
III protest against a recent shooting
scrape of colored soldiers at Fort
Bragg, N. C. and refusal of officers
at Camp Upton, N. Y. to sh;l.e hands"
with colored soldiers. Next door a big
sign extolled Farmer Johns Geor-
ga Watermelons" with big slices of
tins dclicacy as decorations. Another
WIN ~ advertised 'love potions ma
gic herbs and miracle medicines" for
those in need of such elixirs. Across
the street, a crowd had gathered a.
round a soap-box speaker so | edged
INTO the group to hear VIVA; Us go
ing on. The colored orator was ex-
netting his listeners to form a demo-
cracy OF their own. l was reminded of
Emperor Jones'"
l counted IL churches in one block
on Lenox Avenue. Some are in
stores, others in EMBELLISHMENTS. all
with exalted names such as "Sapc-
;uary of.the TRANSFERRING Flower"
etc. Going to church is a principal
industry Of Harlem. Most ornate
and imposing is the Dig brick mission
winch carries the name of Father
blvlne. From its shiny doors, | watch
eo well-dressed individuals, many in
SOHO white, come and go in apparent
reverence. Inside one door were
pamphlets one of which | ventured
10 OBTAIN. In 1t were full copies of
tne speeches of Father Divine de-
hvered at meetings all held after
midnight Various advertisements
were inserted, each beginning with
with the words, Peace! Thank You
rather and then going on to ad-
Vertise groceries, hardware or drv
eieanlng. The single white man /
1ound there during all the afternoon
told me the people of Harlem ar..
napier than they have ever been
before. Asked why, he replied "Be-
cause they are nearly ali ON r,l;ef
ano now don't have to bother about
work. 0"'