davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
BY ALBERT DEUTSCH
Reprinted from PM

There's strange and terrible
tale coming up from Alabama. II
tells of a young mother. wife OF
L. S. soldier. who allegedly was
waylaid, on her way home from
church. kidnapped and RAPED by
six members Of another race while
her soldier husband. home on fur
Tough. awaited her return. II the
skin color Of the characters in this
rustic tragedy were reversed,
southern chivalry would have been
outraged beyond measure Self
styled protectors Of pure woman
hood would have fastened TO form
necktie parties wiihou; waiting for
the rape charges 70 be proved.
II happens. however. that the
woman in the story is Negro: the
alleged rapists white So nothing
happens. Southern chivalry is un-
stirred. A Gordon ssnitsire Of cold
indifference and stony silence Is
bull; around the rape case OF Able
vile. now three months old.
Here's how the story goes:
On Sunday night Sept 3. Mrs
Recy Taylor. %. Of Abbeville. Ala.
was on her way home from church
accompanied BY Mrs. Fannie Dan.
ielS. 81. and West Daniels Is. when
a car containing six white men
pulled up alongside them on a
lonely road. One Of the men or
dered Mrs. Taylor 10 get into the
car
According 10 Mrs Tsylor's story,
nirtols were brsndished when she
~tfused. and she was forced into
he car. Then. she charges. the car
was driven 10 a deserted spot about
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
BY CONSTANCE CURTIS
(Reprinted from The Amsterdam News)

q OMETIMES YOU begin to wonder
- whether the things you fight for live
up to the ideals you have about them.
Susan b. Anthony perhaps had her doubts
when she labored so hard and long for the
right for women TO vote, and perhaps even
Queen Victoria, ruler par excellence and
lady Of nation had an occasional qualm
about her sex.
All this questioning started last week
when | spent an entire day with only my
conscience and radio-especially the latter.
1t wasn't rewardng experience but ii
certainly set ideas going that should never
have entered my head. Before the day
was over / felt like traitor to my sex,
because / had begun to seriously doubt
their intelligence-the whole lot of them
Promptly at BIS, innocently turned the
switch OF the radio and from then until late in
the afternoon my day was spoiled. Only q grin
and bear 1t stubborness made me hold on tooth
and claw until that time OF day-but did IT,
For an hour, the bright and CHEEKY little men
who make their living waking people up from
deep and dreamless sleep have charge Of the air
waves They chortle insanely, while YOU stand
wavering before the mirror, trying TO forget the
dark brown taste in your mouth. They sound as
though they had been up and about the business
Of the day for hours and you begin to wish that
their business had taken them elsewhere.
Anything, however. which you may think Of
them, fades TO insignifcance at ten o'clock when
MY True Story" and Valiant Lady" herald the
beginning of the American dilemma" The lives
Of the people who live for brief space each day
on these programs evidently Of interest 10
large segment Of the housewives Of this nation.
They follow with breathess attention the phe.
nomenal ups and downs Of Bachelors Chill.
dren," Young Doctor Malone" Young Wilder
Brown" "Portia Faces Life" Just Plain Bill"
Joyce Jordan, NJ D. and a host Of others
What is it in these programs which arc so un-
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
BY ROY WILKINS

Negro does want 10 be treated a. q human bsins
and as a citizen. And such treatment is the least
we can decently afford him. 1t is time for us to
give him that and quit hiding behind fancied
fear of breakdown of social segregation"
These are brave words to come from a white
editors pen in dark Georgia. They say the Ne
gro ought to vote, get justice In the courts equal
pay, equitable education, housing, and health
facilities. The editorial almost reads like a
pamphlet Of the N.A.ACP- except for the view
on segregation.
There is nothing revolutionary in southern
white people saying Negroes should have better
schools and health. That has been fashionable
among southern liberals for years. But to de-
clare that Negroes should vote and receive equal
pay for work is something new and represents
how far the southern progressives have moved
in the past five years. In fact, judging from
the hullabaloo raised last April over the Su-
preme courts opinion in the Texas primary case,
1t may be said to represent how far they have
moved in nine months.
Now. one swallow does not make a summer
nor one editorial new order. But when we
add this editorial to Governor Ellis Arnalls sup
port OF Henry A. Wallace in Chicago last sum-
mer after Wallace's speech for Roosevelt, with
Georgia's delegation staying solidly with their
governor, glimmers of light and hope appear
And to this add the Times Dispatch fight against
the Virginia poll tax and its advocacy of re-
pealing Jim crow car laws; and the plea for the
Dallas News for the South to revise its treat
ment OF the Negro so the latter will not veto
southern candidates with White House ambi-
tons, and a pattern begins to emerge.
We shall see what we shall see The Dixie
die-hards are still there and still powerful
Whole masses of southern whites are still preju-
diced and hate-rdden and ignorant But II
begins to look as though some basic barriers
are going to be cracked
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16

the streamlined setting Benny plays
in at the movie palaces but which
looks a lot more comfortable and
lived-in. At home. the celebrated
clarinetist, coatless and wearing q
tan sleeveless sweater. seemed like
an easygoing fellow in an easy
going household.
Because of transportation prob
lens and departure OF musicians
into military service. and because
Il thought I'd sort OF take it easy
for a while" Goodman dissolved
his famous band last year, after
finishing the film Sweet and Low
down.
He continued his quintet, long
a feature OF the band. however.
and Il is this group which Good
man will lead in The Seven Lively
Arts. lis present memb ers are. be-
sides Goodman. Teddy Wilson.
pianist; Red Norvo, vibraharpist:
Sid Weiss, bassist, and Morey Field.
drummer.
Since 1885 the quintet has been
composed Of both white and Negro
players. and Goodman. we recalled,
was the first major band-,eader 10
mingle Negro and white musicians.
What had moved him 10 take this
step, we asked?
I'm trying to play good music
first Of ALL" he said, land I'm not
trying TO solve any problems. No
musician Is any good TO me unless
he's . good musician. That's why
the band was formed the way II
was. II . man walked up to you
and said. The Jews are OK with
me- wouldn't you be suspicious Of
him for the impulse that made him
say 1t: It's the same way with .
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16

jaxx hand. Ysu vvssk Win q man
because he's geed man-thats an.
Honestly, I'm net . ds-geeder. Tn
just . Musician
In The Seven Lively Arts. the
Goodman Quintet closes the frst
act with program of Swing clas-
sizes" Goodman has SOLO spot in
the second act in which he's going
to play bona fide classic, weber's
Concertina for Clarinet.
Does he And Il difIicuff making
the transition from swing to CLASH
cal music
Goodman says ne does.
The thing that appeals to the
audience when you play clarinet
with a swing band Is the ease with
which you do it." he says. The
same thing Is essentially what ap-
pesls to an audience at a serious
concert This ease. this relaxation
for The player, Is what is important
IN playing either kind Of music.
That's the difYiculty for me. The
relaxation I know in jazz comes
harder in serious music"
Goodman taught at he Juilliard
School Of Music last year, where his
subject was The Clarinet in Swing
and the Classics" This year he in
tends 10 become a patron OF the
arts by offering an annual prize for
the best jazz composition for clari-
net in conjunction with the JUL
lard school.
Goodman Is not lecturing al JUL
lard now but his memory fingers
on. Dean George A. Wedge. while
or recent out-ot-town trip. gave
a soldier hiich-hiker a lift During
the conversation Wedge mentioned
that he was dean of the Juilliard
School Of Music. Az first the soldier
had difficulty placing the name bu,
finally recognition broke across his
perplexed face. e.
"Oh yes" he said. That's where
Benny Goodman teaches
Seymour Peck
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16

clared against the bugaboo of social equality"
and for treatment of Negroes "as human beings
and as citizens" After very plain speaking in
which talk of social equality" is called a sub
stitute for thinking the Georgia daily says
'The Negro does want :. his right to the
privileges of citizenship which we deny him
he is entitled to participate in his government
by voting. So long as we deny it, directly or
by devious subterfuge, we are treating him un-
justly and we know it,
THE facilities we afford the Negro for edu-
cation are disgracefully inadequate and inequit-
able. Frequently we deny the Negro impartial
justice in the courts. The theoretical presump-
ton OF innocence too often becomes an actual
presumption of guilt il the defendants skin hap
pens to be black. And there is no such thing as
equality of economic opportunity . he gets
less than a white man, even for manual labor,
merely because of the color of his cuticle a.. The
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16

Bill Robinson, Clarence Muse and
various jazz musicians.
3. That other groups such as
Orientals, Mexicans and South Eu-
ropeans are sometimes presented
unfavorably, but no religious or
racial minority is so consistently
"slandered" as the Negro.
e. That films have improved
somewhat during the present war.
5. That when an attempt is made
to improve the treatment of the
Negro on the screen, the improve
ment usually takes place within
the limitations Of an all-Negro film.
6. That these limitations on the
Negro are also important as limi-
tations on the DEVELOPMENT Of the
movie as an art form and as an
organ Of democratic culture.
The testimony Is virtually unani-
nous from those who. are aware
OF the treatment Of the Negro by
the movie that such portrayal is
inaccurate and unfair. Directly and
indirectly 1t establishes associations
and drives deeper into the public
mind the stereotyped conception OF
the Negro. BY building I'D this I'M
favorable conception, the movies
operate to thwart the advancement
OF the Negro. to humiliate him. to
weaken his drive for equality and
70 spread indifference. contempt
and hatred for him and his cause
This great agency for the COM
munication of ideas and informa-
ton. therefore, functions as a pow
ertul instrument for maintaining
the racial subordinatioN of the Ne
gro people.
II all this Is true, II goes without
saying that any real program Of
correcting the mistreatment Of the
Negro by the movie industry must
include basic changes In the social
order Of which the movies are .
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16

the local authorities 10 arrest and
bring 10 justice her attackers, FIVE
OF whom she was able to name.
The sheriff arrested one OF The men
and quickly released him; the
grand jury has questioned Mrs.
Taylor and others. But neither the
sheriff's Office nor the grand jury
has taken any action TO avenge this
filthy crime.
shift your mind 10 q scene in
Gainesville, Fla, just a short time
before Mrs. Taylor became the vic
tim OF these hoodlums in Alabama.
In the Gainesville case three young
men were arrested for allegedly
raping woman who also happened
TO be married to a soldier. These
young men were given 80 minutes
in the Gainesville court, sentenced
to death with no evidence being
presented except confession"
which the youth maintained had
been exacted by beating. In spite
OF nationwide appeals for a fair
tria. the three young men in
Florida were speedily put 10 death
in the electric chair.
And what explains the elaring
contrast between the process OF
justice" in the case OF the actual
rape case in Alabama and the al
legged, and evidently trumped I'D
case, in Florida? just one very
simple difference. Mrs Taylor Of
Aboeville. Ala, is Negro woman:
her sssai.ants are white men. The
Florida woman. whose name has
never been revealed. is white and
her alleged attackers were Negro.
Americans can no longer tolerate
such nauSeating examples of
oigotry, ignorance, injustice. The
white supremacists OF towns like
Abbeville and Gainesville are made
OF the same stuff as the Nazis.
Can we expend the life blood Of
the nation in ex;erm!nating the
Nazis while permitting freedom TO
the white supremacy gang within
our borders? An example must be
made Of the case OF Mrs Taylor.
From ali over he nation there
should be a demand .or immediate
action 10 bring these white rap.s;s
10 trial and 10 assure that the trial
is conducted fairly and withou;
prejCdice.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
IT'S Different WHEN.

mile outside Abbeviile, where
she was stripped Of her clothing
and raped by each Of the six men.
Mrs. Taylor says she was blind
folded. driven away, and dumped,
naked. on a dark Abbeville street.
Several OF the alleged rapists
were later identified and named.
Mrs. Taylor pressed charges against
them On October 8 the local Grand
Jury met. listened 10 the testimony
OF Mrs. Daniels and her son, and
forthwith dismissed the case.
While the truth OF Mrs. Taylcr's
charges cannot be gagged at this
distance with the paucity Of Evil
dence az hand. her case r. we'll
nigh unique In the deep South.
Fear OF reprisal and a sense Of
futility regarding 'white-man's
justice" is mighty strong deter
rent against Negro women prefer
ring charges against white rspists.
The double standard IN ne
cases b not confined 70 Ne Ssu<A.
Witness the blaring kssAllnsa Ne
chilled terror. here In New Ysrk 8
while back when . white eiri ~
allesedly raped BY Negrs bsys -
Harlem. while . esDeurvsnt easo C
Negro girl raped ~ three wh11o
men-all % when were sueno-
quently csnvieted-get sesat necbee
In one o. two mstrspslitsn ael1oQs.
There are number OF citipGno.
white and Negro. who refuss - LEI
the case Of Mrs. Rscy Tayieg 6ie.
A Committee for Equal Justice 10
Recy Taylor headed by Assembly
man Hulsn Jack OF New York. ~
been organized with headquarters
a. III !. 18Th street. New Yerh
! City.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
Says Labor Needs
Voice In Peace,
Post War Plans

HAVANA, Cuba.--Speaking ibis
week before the 1900 deiesafes 10
the fourth National Congress Of
the Confederation of LSbor Of
Cuba (CTC). President willard s.
Townsend Of the CIO United
Transport Service Employees Of
America, told the Cuban workers
that labor must be gwen 4 voice
in the drafting Of peace and post
war plans.
Townsend. a member Of the Go
Latin American Affairs committee.
is representing the Go as ira
ternal delegate to the convention
Of the etc.
Sharing the convention spotlisht
with President Grau of Cuba, the
UTSEA.CIO leader urged that
workers from all the American re-
publics join to form 4 solid bloc,
and referred to the ADVANTAGE to
be derived by the working ReoplA
Of the hemisphere through Alch
action.
Townsend also spoke Of the sc
rifices that labor had made every.
where on behalf Of the war G6hrt:
sacrifices, he said. made without
guarantees that such rights az Ia
Dor would be restored after ne
war.
The American labor leader n.
viewed the agreements and resolu-
tons adopted at tina recent Go
convention in Chicago, and, n d.
livering to the Cuban worksrs Z
message Of good win from UA L.
Dor. he extended hearty consratu-
lations to the Cuban labor lesders
for their accomplishments.
In addition to Townsend. other
foreign Observers and fraternal
delegates are Arthur Horner. OF
the British Trade Union Congress:
Victor NJ. Bath, Of the COMMITTEES
Pro-Independence Of Puerto Rico,
and Alberto Sanchez, Of the Union
General de Trabajadores Of Spain.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
GENTIlES ONLY

or all the resort hotels In the
country. Governor Dewey chose the
Cloister at Sea Island Beach.
Georgia, for his post-campaign va
cation. A Nation reader informs
us that last summer the hotel had
prominently displayed on its regis
tration desk a sign which read.
Catering to . Gentle Clientele
Only" The New York Office Of the
hotel assures us that the sign Is
still there.-The Nation.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16

that Negro soldiers are being
beaten in Georgia. that Me-
groes were segregated at
Katherine Dunham's dance re-
cital in Louisville, and that
the ALL convention in New
Orleans pussyfooted, as usual.
on Jim crow jobs and a per-
manent FEPC.)
The Macon, Ga. News has
now Joined that list of south
ern daily papers which in
cludes the Richmond Times
Dispatch, the Dallas Morning
News, and the Louisville
Courier Journal, and has de-
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
Say Handicapped
Children In Need

Only very small proportion,
perhaps, less than 10 per cent OF
the Nations physically handicapped
children. are being reached through
services for their care developed
under the Social Security program
This statement was made today in
Washington by Katharine F. Len.
root. Chief of the Children's Blu.
reau. y S Department OF Labor
TO a subcommittee Of the House
Committee on Labor which Is in
vestigatinE aid 10 he physically
handicapped
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16

steaks. I like cabbage.
But IL seems rather foolish 10
continue to accept insults and other
evils when We have a choice OF
something better.
am trying TO say this: Why is II
that ten thousand ablc-bodied. in.
telligent Pullman employees will
continue 10 stand the downright in.
sultinq and s;;ttrying treatment
melted out to them by he American
Federation Of Labor when they
have another choice7
Why will these men. year after
year, sit by and see themselves and
their leaders kicked around at the
AL convention withou: gaining
one inch Of ground? The AFL
Leadership Is making . farce out Of
the annual plea for justice Of the
Pullman unions leader. A. Philip
Randolph. Year after year Mr.. Ran
dolph unfailinsly and undauntedly
introduces his resolution calling cor
action against discrimination In the
Federation. and wear after year he
Is told $50 what?"
These resolutions are mild
enough in themselves. They ask for
nothing really drastic They seek
merely TO have committee APP
pointed 10 investigate discrimina-
tion in ALL ranks 10 recommend
remedies. They seek merely 10
abolish jimcro auxiliaries. Yet. as
innocuous as they are. Mr.. Ran
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16

dolph and his vice president. Mr.
Milton Webster. are ignored As
though they are the little men who
aren't there Sometimes. william
Green gives them slight recognition
by rising 10 say that he is "agin"
discrimination. Sometimes. some
one recognizes Randolph and his
cause enough 10 take the floor and
cal him an agitator or something
Yes. once every year the Pullman
porters' leader disturbs briefly the
slumher OF the AFL and then is
heard no more-until the next
year.
Now. II the AFL were the only
labor federation 10 which Mr.. Ran
dolph could carry his ten thousand
trade unionists for inclusion In the
benefits Of organized labor. we
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
CHANGE

= :
Right is right and wrong il wrong:
yet.
Who knows what change there1l
be
When goes the day and goes the
night,
And yesterday IL old;
When those that laugh begin 10 cry.
And those once sad are happy now:
When lovely flowers fade away,
And other flowers come and stay.
Good Is good and bad IL bad: yet
Change there'1l always Be
Until the day that man has met
The last Of mystery;
Until the day that all Is old.
And all there Is 70 tell il told,
And man TO man Is perfect whele.
Huston Henry Jr.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
TACTICS CHANGED

The young midshipman reported
TO his commanding officer of a bat
tleship for duty. The captain was
gruf and sized the youngster up
with anything but friendly air
Well" he said, Il suppose as
usual they have sent the fool
the family 10 sea"
"Oh. no" the midshipman quick
ly responded. They've changed al
that since your time. sir"
Butcher Workers
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
DISTINGUISHING TRAIT

II. NJ. WAGSTAFF. Of the Uni
versity Of North Carolina. reports
an intriguing incident that took
place in q local hospital last sum-
mer. A prominent publisher was
confined there for weeks, and was
served 50 faithfully by . Negro
orderly named Ben that he gave
him an unusually big tip the day
he rot cut Ben was overwhelmed
and felt he must pay . compliment
In turn. He gulped hard, and pro-
dueed . We 10 goin' 70 miss ysu
terribly round here. Mister walk
er. You sho' does take . good
enema-"-Saturdsy Review Of Lit
erature.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
part. But more Immediately and a.
rect1y such program would surely
need to consider:

part. But more Immediately and a.
rect1y such program would surely
need to consider:
!. The use Of non commercial
movies which treat the Negro fav-
orably. There are any number Of
worthwhile films which have been
produced or distributed by govern
ment agencies. labor unions. film
Libraries or other educational lin
sututions. The entertainment quail
ity OF this type OF. film is being
constantly improved Churches,
schools. libraries. clubs, YMCA's
and other organized groups could
make wide use OF these inexpensive
shows.
2. Production Of more and better
films by Negroes themselves.
Frankly. most Of the movies made
by Negro producers have been of
third-rate quality. Yet the success
of Oscar Micheaux with his melo-
dramas suggest what could be done
if those who know better would
help.
However, the main effort must
be concentrated on the commercial
film-Hollywood. The question has
been asked many times: why does
Hollywood treat the Negro so. As
the New York Age put il, when
will Hollywood producers have the
CUTS and moral courage to give q
true-to-life version Of Negro char
ecters when they are intimately
associated with white charactersf"
The first answer may be that most
of the Hollywood producers believe
that they are presenting the Negro
as he is" But beyond this super.
fetal naivete. II Is to be remem.
bered that the movie industry is q
money-making business. It has been
said that Hollywood will produce
anything that il can get away with
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
THOUGHTFUl BRIDE

A matron who struck up . Pull
man-car acquaintance with q war
bride en- route TO join her husband
noticed that the girl was crochet
ing tiny woollen bags. They're
to keep my husbands chest from
getting chilled" she said. Then.
as this didn't seem 10 clear the
matter up. she added, You know
little Sweaters so he won't have
to wear a chilly Identification tag
next TO his skin" The New
Yorker.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16
POWELL ON PULLMAN EMPLOYEES

could understand and believe that
his martyrdom Is not In vain. But
what Is the use of martyrdom when
u leads nowhere:
Why not threaten 10 march out
of the AFL. Mr. Randolph? Here is
one march that can be made NOW
March into the Gle.
II not. Their stage a first-clsss
fight in the ALL. Picket the next
convention. Picket ALL offices the
year round See il labor will cross
pickle, line and keep on jimcroir {
black workers.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-16

Second Lieutenant Milton T.
Marvin's report on his marriage 10
l9-year-old Iris June Schlitz read
something like. that old nursery
rhyme about Solomon Grundy. The
26-year-old Chicago officer told
Superior judge Joseph Sabbath
that she pvt him on; the first. made
him sleep on The floor the second,
sat UP all night the third night and
left him the fourth. The judge
annulled the marriage.
Peoples World