The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-10-27
CAPT. AL
|SP TLIG n T

The OARS attempted 20 hans
Their case Of barring Haze, Scott
SWING pianist turned C'a,>ltai oo
the prevailing oJGan n ,Hc DS.
tY,, Of Columbia To dC'ctw G0
whether there is-s0y basi, ior ,hcu
action SURVEY oil loca. customs
matters II race was Iudc-flkCU
Loews Capitol II the only
downtown theatre which has
vaudeville Carter Barron. east
ern division manager Of loews
theatres Washing ton. Baltimore.
Richmond Norfolk and some
smaller towns saws the Capitol
has no poiicN respecting the use
of colored arti>t>---it tries Ia give
Its patrons What they want
III RING - vtt7rr- Nj
Barron as .uJitr-Cf - 'aC OrFt'u.
sCr,t - inc greatest sC,s Iu .ta4Gc-
vile PLAYED there Duke Ellington
CAB Galloway Bill Robinson anG.
tNc Nils B-o'hc5, sTouc o'hcry
= n recent wears none hos nSfn
booked 70 there
WsfneJ B.u;fo., FT7c -,hcair,
r, lor-cr has STAKE sCoNs P.'.nr
&c days .>hCu = CID = also yl5,cl
tA' better cnlorcd a.l>
Tho \ tDus. theatre j. 'hf ONLY
lo-.um,'c rlaNNa~c ir IS s1rI-
tar NJ show plal1u- 200 cu-aGC.
r oc' ~. ihc National has Ctcr had
o. replace s cc,arcd actor IN the
cas-: with - white ono n burnt
cork hCgds>, az any POLICY 10 tNcct
o., that theatre.
All-colOrcd shows and MIXED
casts have played the National
No season ever passes without
Colorcd actor sppcarine there In
role in some show.
COIORED ircatrCCocrs however
sre barred from all downtown tho
sirCS ~ Washington. except the
Ca!Cty r. b.rlc.quc house Jimmy
Lake the owner ~ the GaNctN.
t'loWS ,o.oved patrons 20 occupy
gallery seats IN ms theatre.
-coloycd shows usually refuse
q 0,a, the National unless there j.
. definite understand M that dur
ins their engagements there VIII
ho 10 discrimination or segregation
on account of race The Ho' Nj
kado. with B..l Robinson was the
las all-cololed show 10 play there
without the bars against colorcd
attendance beng dropped
When the late Richard Harrison
was starring as de LaWd Greco
Pastures" played the National No
Colored theatregoer II his OF her
racial identity could be detected
was allowed 10 attend any regular
performance A special benefit per-
Torrance was arranged for sun
Gay night for colored people Vic
Dalv Hes nov with the War Man
power Commission IN casual
drugstore conversation remarked
in Jest that II would ne a fine thin2
II Harrison were kidnapped and
his appearances AZ the Nauoua,
stopped Days jest was trans
formed into rumOr and given
credcnce by a daily paper DurinS
the remainder ~ his two-week en-
gacement Harrison was given a
body Guard
Todd Duncan and the other
members Of the cast OF "Porgy and .
Ress." the Gershwin folk opera. T
came 10 the National with the deh- |
mite understanding that there
would be no race discrimination
or segregation during their engage
nent. Colorcd patrons attended
every performance and sat Wher-
ever they pleased. When Ethel
Waters was co-starred with Bea-
tr.ce Lille in As Thousands I
Cheer" and in another show the
reXt year. the bars were COM
plctely dropped
The no -discrimina ton practice
was continued one week during
the engagement Of an. aiI.white
show. The Washinston Post, then
not so liberal under the owner
shin Of New Mclean. ran col
umus and columns Of letters. for
and against the changed policy.
Advanced sales of tickets were
made to colored theatregOers for
n second all-white show. hut
after the second performance the
tickets were taken up when pre-
scented and the price Of admis-
sion refunded.
AT CONSTITUTION Hall itself, .
eolored music lovers NAV attend ,
concerts and operas Subtle efforts /
arc made 10 seat them IN one or .
two section But oStcnsibly there .
Is no segregation because moi /
enough colored persons attend 10
lcnd color 10 the audience.