Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1943-12-24


Race Relations
The improvement of interracial
relationships in Minneapolis has
been one of the major detectives of
the Minneapolis Urban League. For
the past eight years the Leagues
Interracial Committee has been the
only group in Minneapolis conduct
ing a year-round program in this
field. A Speakers Bureau repre-
senting directors, members and
others interested in the program
have addressed more than a thou
sand groups during this period
reaching a total of $4,000 people.
Among these groups have been ser
vice clubs, adult and young peoples
religious groups, women's clubs,
Hy-Y clubs, trade unions, parent
teacher organizations, junior and
senior high school students and uni
versity and college groups.
Noted Speakers Brought Here
In addition to activities on the
part of these local speakers the
League has been instrumental in
urging other agencies and institu-
tons to include Negro speakers in
their regular programs. At the
suggestion Of the League, DR.. W.
E. Dubois and other Negro speakers
were invited to address the Univer-
sity of Minnesota Convocation. The
Minneapolis Board of Education ar
ranged for DR.. George E. Haynes,
Executive Secretary, Federal Coun-
Gil of Churches to address a series
of forums conducted in Minneapolis
schools. The Minneapolis Church
Federation brought Reverend W. o.
Darlington to the city as member
of the Christian Missions Team in
1910. Also the League has brought
to the city many noted speakers to
address its annual meetings and
other gatherings. Listed among
this group are DR.. F. D. Patterson,
President, Tuskegee Institute; Les
ter B. Granger, Executive Secre-
tary, National Urban League; T.
Arnold Hill, former Director, In
dustrial Relations Department, Ma
tional Urban League; Judge Will
liam H. HASTE, former Civilian Aide
to the Secretary of War; A. l. Fos-
ter, Executive Secretary, Chicago
Urban League.
In cooperation with other groups
the League has been the chief spon-
sor of the Annual Race Relations
Week Program. Those agencies
and groups which have participated
regularly in this endeavor have been
the Minneapolis Church Federation
Y. w. C. A., Phyllis Wheatley
House, NAACP, Council of Negro
Organizations, Women's Interna-
tional League for Peace and Free
dom, Minneapolis Public Library
Y. NJ. c. A. Urban League Auxil-
larry, Minneapolis Council of Church
Women, Minnesota Jewish Council
Round Table of Christians and Jews
and individual Negro churches and
trade unions. The daily press and
various radio stations have been
liberal in giving time and space tc
this program and other activities
with which the League is concerned
Social Welfare
In the area of social welfare the
Urban League has rendered a va,
ried service to the community. Both
public and private agencies have
utilized the services of the League
and have sought the advice anc
counsel of the Executive Secretary
on difficult matters relating to ser.
vices to Negro clients. The League
has served as a clearinghouse fol
agencies and individuals.
During the depression era the
League was instrumental in secur,
ing for Negroes a fair share of the
jobs made available by government
works projects. Negroes were vel
distributed on professional, skilled
and unskilled jobs under the C. W
A., E. R. A. and W. P. A. The
League discovered that securing
employment opportunities for Ne,
groes on these programs required
the same technique of approach as
to private industry. The program
administrators, supervisors an
foremen were found to be as pref.
udiced and reluctant to accept Ne.
gro workers as most individual EN-.
ployers. However, as a result Of
the work of the League Negroes
were employed as skilled workers
on construction projects, writers
power machine operators, stenog,
raphers, clerks and a variety Of
other positions. The placement o.
a quartette on the music project
sponsored by the Minneapolis BOARD
Of Park Commissioners established
the foundation for the organization
of the Twin Cities Jubilee Singers
which became one of the most pop.
ular singing groups in the North.
west.
The League led the fight against
all Negro boys enrolled for CCC
camps being sent into segregated
camps in the south. Also the League
organized and directed two impor.
tant research projects, one of which
originated with the Advisor on Ne,
gro Affairs, Department of the In,
terror and the other with the United