Evening star., 1942-11-01
Negroes Are Urged
10 Make Full Use
OF Citizenship
BolIot Must Be Utilized
To Improve Stotus,
Dr.. Jackson Says

sh FsSVS SNANSSf
Dr.. Jackson Says
Appealing to Negroes to pay the
poll tax where required and to make
full use of privileges of citizenship,
Dr.. Luther Porter Jackson, history
professor at Virginia State College,
yesterday urged all members of the
race to go to the polls during Tues
days elections.
The head of the Negro Voters
League of Virginia spoke at the sec
ond day session of the annual meet
ing of the Association for the Study
of Negro Life and History at the
Phyllis Wheatley YWCA. 49,,
Negroes must make full use of the
ballot and other citizenship privileges
in order to improve the status of
their race, DR.. jackson told the dele
gates. He then listed three things
the Negro should do ito become full
hedged citizens" They are:
Appeal to the courts for the en-
forcement of the laws and provi-
sions of the Constitution which
guarantee him equality,
Work through the ballot and make
{ the most of other privileges he may
exercise.
Keep the worthwhile accomplish
ments by members of his race be-
fore the "bar OF public opinion"
DR.. Brown Speaks.
DR.. Thomas I. Brown, head of the
social science division of Miner
Teachers College, opened the dis
cussion by reviewing the question
Of whether the Negro is "a citizen
or subject of the United States. "
He concluded that there are some
serious qualifications to his status
as a citizen.
Mrs. Lucy Harth Smith of the
Booker T. Washington School, Lex
ington, KY. declared that history
shows the Negro has demonstrated
he is qualified to perform the duties
of citizenship, citing the record OF
Negro interest in health, education,
religion and community affairs. She
also pointed with pride to the way
Negroes have responded to defense
of the flag In all wars of the United
States.
Prof. Welfred Holmes of the VIM
ston-Salem IN. c. Teachers Col
lege, urged that Negroes face the
realities of modern existence with
a spirit of sacrifice.
Points to Others Struggles.
Miss Dorothy Height, secretary of
the Phyllis Wheatley Association
emphasized that American Negroes
must realize their struggle for enjoy
ment of the full rights of citizenship
Is not peculiar to their own race, and
show interest in bettering conditions
for all peoples throughout the world.
DR.. w. Montague Cobb, professor
of Anatomy at the Howard Univer-
sity School of Medicine, urged that
the Negro race develop more highly
trained lawyers able to hold their
own in court with the best legal
experts. T..
At an earlier session, members
unanimously reelected all oflcers
for the coming year. They included
Mrs. Mary Mcleod Bethune, director
of the National Youth Adminlstra' >
tons Office of Negro Affairs, as
president; Louis r. Mehlinger, an
attorney in the Justice Department,
secretary-treasurer. and DR.. Carter
G.. Woodson, director Of the asso-
citation.
Executive Council Members.
Renamed to the executive council
were the three officers and Charles
H. Wesley and Eugene A. Clark,
Washington; Roscoe Dunjee, Okla
homa City; John M. Candy, Peters,
burg, Va: Evarts B. Greene, New
York City; E. P. Southall, Talla-
hassee. Fla Joseph J. Rhoads,
Marshall, Tex; w. r. Banks,
Prairie View State College; Alex
ander l.. Jackson and Bishop R. A
Carter, Chicago: A. M. Schlesinger
Harvard University; A. A. Taylor
Fisk University; H. c. Trenholm
Alabama State College, and Mrs
Smith.
The meeting was to resume this
morning with a breakfast in honor
of Negro authors. Noted leaders OF
the race will participate this aft
ernoon at the Shiloh Baptist Church
in a forum on Democracy and the
Forgotten man.
Guests of honor at the breakfast
will be DR.. Eva B. Dykes, DR.. John
E. Washington. Dr. L. P. Jackson
Lorenzo j. Greene and J. Saunders
Redding Mrs. Mary Church Ter
rell, a Washington writer, will pre-
side.
The meeting will close tomorrow
with visit of delegates to Wash
ington schools.