St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1944-06-30
Rev. B. n. Moore
Clarifies Position
on the WANDS
St. Paul, Minnesota,
June %, 1914.

NAAAAAlS JOuL 4CHuSSL W give a
statement to your paper for pub
licatiOn regarding certain state
ments made by me during the proc
ess of my sermon at St. James
A.M.E. church at the II a. m. serv-
ice Sunday, June %, 1 am sending
same to you.
My text on that morning was
found in End Corinthians 1914 for
my subject was spiritual Beach
head" and during the sermon I
made mention of the Wand's Or
ganizatiOn in the illustrative mat
tiers. Information from reliable
sources came to me that the group
of ladies had formed an Organiza-
ton, national in scope, and that the
group had taken part in certain
activities which were inimicaI to the
general good and democratic
principles of our local community,
namely:
First, that they were cOoperat-
ing in the policy of giving blood to
the segregated blood bank, which
is the national policy of the Ameri-
can Red Cross; Secondly, that the
organization had plans in mind or
on foot to build a club house, one
of which its activities would be to
set aside quarters (recreational in
nature) in which our men and wOm-
en- in the armed forces wOnld be
segregated, in other words, to set
up a segregated U.S.O.
I pointed out that on the two
aforementioned projects, active
leaders of the Twin Cities had felt
that the people these communities
would not be in favor, for they
set up a pattern thoroughly South
ern in its implications and prac-
tees and that any organization of
our own people, as fine and as
well meaning as the efforts may
seem on the surface, would event
ually play into the hands of those
designing the separation of Ne
groes in all spheres of our ma
tional life, and become a tool of
such group.
pointed out that we had
worked through many of our fine
organizations, Negro and white,
who are seeking equality for all
people. Thus for a group of our
own to uphold segregation by the
aforementioned sponsorship, the
cause of all concerned would seem
a mOckery and tend to nullify our
efforts.
am against segregation in any
form. Our church was founded on
the principle of equality under God
and for that reason 1 had to speak
out against Separation wherever
it's ugly head was lifted. However,
I have the right to speak from my
own pulpit to my congregation. I
regret 1 had to say it to some of
the very fine members and friends
of my own church who were mis-
led. What I did was to instruct
and it had no personal offense con-
nected with it. There are many
fine projects which this organiza-
ton can sponsor, but no project
ought to have the slightest shadow
of segregation in it.
The principle is that we want no
form of segregation in our Twin
Cities, it matters not who spOn-
sOrs it. To make what l said
personal affrOnt, only beclOuds the
issue and does not get us any
where. am not against the
Wands, or individuals in the group,
I am against segregation.
Jim Crowism is used success
fully in the south and in many of
the northern cities, we ought to do
everything to prevent further use
of it in Minnesota.
The great service we could do
for our loved ones in the armed
forces is to fight that they may be
first class and not second class
citizens when they return.
have two sons, nine nephews,
neice and ffty-four boys from st.
James, who feel that fighting for
an all out democracy is the great
est service we could do for them
on the home front.
Very truly yours,
B. N. MOORE,
Pastor St. James A. M. E. Church,