The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-12-30
Chronicle Reviews 5th Wartime Year

fCsatinued from Page ~
OF r. T. Stevenson and his famil,
TO occupy their new home at 81
Arden Park. This ended q l5-monii
legal battle. The State Suprem'
Court. in handing down the verdict
declared that the signers OF TIT
restrictive covenant could not ado
their intentions 10 the already ex
listing record.
The month Of January broush
back memories Of the June 1884,
race riots when the Detroit police
department reinSiated Patrolmer
Jesse Stewart and Willie NJ. VII
liams who had been discharged
from the force because Of charge!
OF dereLc,ion OF duty.
Race Relations
In the field of race relationships
Detroit officials got of 10 an early
start in 1914. when Atty. Cec!i Row
letie. Walter Hardin. OF the JAW
Clio and Atty. Edward Simmons
were named Ia the Mayors Inter
Racial committee in the frs; month
OF the year.
The remainder OF the first month
Of the year can well be summed
up in the following headlines.
Digs ArraiEned
Senator Charles c Digs pieads
rot guilty before Judge Leland '"
Cars legislative grand jury.
Mrs. Roosevelt visited Detroit
spoke al mammoth mass meeting
o. Ebenezer AME church.
DR.. James W. Ames, prominent
physician. died Jan. 81. 1914.
goth Sets Record
War news broke onto the front
page in February when word was
received that the famed 99th pur-
suit squadron in Italy had made
q record by shooting down IL Man
planes in two days.
The national scene took the head
Ines a few day later when repre-
sentatives Of the Negro Publishers
Association visited the White House
10 present their war views 10 Pres!-
dent Roosevelt,
Willow Run Attacked
The ever present housing blight
An Detroit came 10 the forefront in
February when the NAACP hied
SUIT 10 open the Willow Run proJect
10 Negro occupancy. thus beginning
a fight that was 10 continue until
midsummer before Negroes moved
in.
All Detroit sweIled with pride in
February when 1t Thomas Ma
lone Jr.. OF So Chandler street, was
reported as the first member OF the
Doth Pursuit Squadron to receive
the Purple Heart. 1t. Malone was
wounded in action in Sicily.
Selfridge Shoulders
Hard on the heels Of the news
about Ii. Malone. a series OF dim
culties began at Selfridge Field.
where the 332nd Pursuit Squadron,
the 577th Bomber Group and re-
placements for the o0th Pursuit
Squadron were training. Charges
OF housing and recreational dis.
elimination and financial irregu-
larities threw the spotlight on this
post. which, at the time was the
only air base other than TuskeRee
Army Air Field, where Negro air
personnel were being trained.
Negro Detroit was grieved when
DR.. Sherman w. Jenkins died on
Feb. 20. in Jackson. Mich. at his
birthday party,
Negro Combat Troops
A long wished for desire OF Ne
gro America came TO pass In this
second month OF 1914 when news
was received that the oath lnfan-
try had gone into combat against
the Japs in the South PACING.
In March. Detroit's leading Ne
gro woman. Mrs. Beulah Whitby.
who had just completed term OF
outstanding service at the Alfred
Street Welfare District. moved on
20 serve Detroit further when she
was appointed assistant director OF
the Mayors Inter-racial Commits
sion and was added 10 the stan OF
Wayne university as an instructor
in intercultural relations. II was
announced that her duties at Wayne
T., would begin in September.
Digs Held For Trial
Michigan's legislative troubles
continued when the testimony OF
Major Charles Heemans caused
Senator Charles c. Diggs TO be
held for trial
The Detroit race riots made the
news again in March when Aaron
Fox was convicted Of the riot STAY
ing OF DR.. Joseph DeHoratiis.
Geraldine Bledsoe to Washington
Young Detroit came in for It's
share Of the headlines in the windy
month when Geraldine Bledsoe
daughter OF Atty. and Mrs. Harold
Bledsoe. attended an inter-racial
conference in Washington. spon-
sored by the Childrens Bureau OF
the Commission on Children in
Wartime.
Detroit shared the pride Of Negro
America when Graham E Martin
ot this city was among the frs,
Negro navy ensigns in us. naval
history This announcement by the
Navy Department was easily the
top national news Of the month oil
March.
The month closed with the nam
ing OF Harold Thompson by Mayor
Jeffries as director OF the Mayors
lnter-racial Commission.
Texas Primary Case
The decision Of the Supreme
Court declaring that Texas could
not legally prohibit Negroes from
voting in the Democratic primaries
was a milestone of Negro progress.
in the South and without a doubt
the top national story OF the year
il was the opering gun in the fgh'
for the full political emancipation
Of the southern Negro.
Housing for Negroes received ,
major setback in Detroit when tn,
City Housing Commission an
nounced that il would not chang,
the jim-crow pattern OF housing a,
enuncisted by the mayor ard tho
Common Council. This refusal came
IN the face OF protests from out.
standing religious, civic and labor
organizations.
Chinese Discrimination
Jim-crowism continued in il.