davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15
MAYORS COLOR line COMMITTEE PART

creed and, he added many Of the sons Of
recent immigrants have given the best proof Of
complete assimilation Everything possible
should be done. his letter states, TO avoid any
thing marrne our national game"
Il has long been said baseball owners them
selves are the ones most responsible for keeping
alive the "unwrltten law" barring Negroes from
organized ball; the late Judge Lands laid the
blame in their laps
Now. with the appointment OF two such own
ers-Macphail and Ricksy-ihs Mayor has Given
his committee the FDR twist much like the late
Champ did by appointing Senator Vandenberq 10
the San Francisco Conference. In fine: maybe
they aren't all for II. but iherell sure enough
be some open action finally taken because they
are now in the ball game.
Dan W Dodson, executive director Of the
Mayors Unity Committee. was specific IN his
plea to the Mayor for such an appointment Mr.
DodSon, who admits the committee is an out.
growth Of the Ives Quinn nti-discriminaton
law, pointed out that while at this point every
ono seems interested. nothing is being done"
(shout the existence OF the color lino)
hickey ! know. has some definite opinions
en- the Negro in organized baseball and in fact
was even accused of lodging the issue several
months ago when he helped form a new NEGRO
league. the United States Negro Baseball LEAGUE
There are now two other Major Negro Leagues
the National and the American. composed OF
six teams East and West respectively.
Larry MacPhail has told me repeatedly that
barring Negroes from organized baseball make
the definition Of Democracy farcical: he has
pointed out there is much talking Cover 10 be
done but that has generally been the extent Of
the whole thing
This past Spring two Negro players did se,
tryouts. with much fanfare and bad press al
Bear Mountain and said at the time the method
used wass ill-tmed II not downright high
handed
However, with a committee such as the one
now named Set-up and Spotlighted so 10 speak
IN spite OF all previous ducking something NAV
nnally come 10 pass IN chasing the blacklist blot
OF al from our so-calcd great American game
WcEc watching. icllaS-and We wan, helm
NOT ocIt' AS they say every year when the Pres
ident throws out the first ni,ch. "pi.v p.i,i.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15
(Reprinisd irsm the New York POST
The headline reads:
STUDY OF COLOR LINE TO BE MADE
BY MAYORS GROUP

BY MAYORS GROUP
Now any Of YOU have been with me in this
space since PM first rolled back there IN 20 arc
delightfully."- surprised 10 hear something finally
is TO be done about basebalrS "unWllttcn law
the very same one Judge Lands once exclaimed
doesn't exist.
But the fact the headline quote is from Page
One, the New York Times. Aug - should make
II even stronger in the minds OF men who feel
the color Of mans skin or his crcdo should
make no difference in his right 20 llvc and
prosper under Democracy, eirca l945 l. S A.
II seems to me Mayor La Guarda in naming
. committee Of 10 to make a thorough study of
the question Of racial discrimination or. as he
terms il, "the color line in organized baseball
and submit specific recommendations directly
10 the proper officials Of the National and Amcri-
can Baseball leagues. has acted very wisely
like the word specific. not that il can't be
kicked around but because il puts the cnus. SO
30 speak, on the members asked by the mayor TO
make their findings.
The men asked to serve have been taken from
baseball. the sports world. the bench. the coll
lege halls and the welfare department and from
the ranks Of the Negro himself.
Here it is and III have more to say later:
Larry MacPhail, president OF the Yankees:
Branch Hickey, president OF the Dodgers: Jere-
mah 7. MahonCy. CN-Suprcmc Court Justice:
Daniel + Higgins Board OF Educaton Edward
La2anSky. expressing justice, Appellate Divi-
sion, Brooklyn, DR.. John II. Johnson, Department
Of Welfare Arthur Daley, sports columnist the
New York Times Charles s. Golden Supreme
Court Justice Queens: Prof Robert NJ Hair
Columbia University and Bill Robinson tap
dancer.
This committee was formed al request Of the
Mayors Committee Unity Of which Charles
T. Hughes Jr, is chairman. Unity Committee
was named several years ago as means OF pro-
noting better inter-racial relations
The Mayor in asking these poa % serve said
baseball is enjoyed and played by all persons.
from childhood on. regardless of race color or
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15

duty from the outbreak of the war, first on the
Eastern seaboard Of the United States, and later
IN Italy. In Italy it had been split up and va
rious parts were guarding air-fields. becoming
known as air base security battalions.
Suddenly, the parts of this, regiment were
ordered together and with ONLY TWO WEEKS
of preparation were ordered into the front line
to hold sector that had been held by an entire
diviSi n. Til two-week period, says my in
dormant. was barely long enough for the men
10 be properly outfitted to say nothing of being
trained for combat. Bear in mind that this
regiment had had no actual combat training to
enable II to take front line position against
veteran German troops They were spread thin,
so thin that German patrol could easily punch
through their lines. Their Negro colonel was
In the hospital at the time his men were sud
denly ordered TO duty and he is reported to
have protested vigorously against the assign
ment, saying il was not fair to his men to place
this duty upon them without training.
So the Germans. finding not only green troops
before them, but very few troops, punched ahead
infltrated behind the American lines spread
panic, and drove our men back dozen miles
u was several days before the regular 92nd
men could be thrown back into the breach but
when they got under way they recovered all
the lost ground, reported in the daily papers
here January 2
IL this Is the true story. then the men of the
S<ho nave Ilght 10 be boiling mad. My in
tormant said Il saw big strong men crying in
frustrated rage when they read what Gibson
had released to the newspapers II was like
putting sand lot team in Yankee uniforms and
then saying the Yankees got shellacked." Again.
II this story is true it means that someone higher
up was determined to bring discredt on Negroes
as fighting men. This green regiment was de.
Hocrately gwen an impossible task TO show them
up and reflect on the race. In this war all
the lu-lltSu and dirty 6phtinp u,as M, ,,sol -
the enemy: the colored boys caught plenty of
II
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15

President Roosevelt. His idea is TO build Uni
VerSity OF international Relations in Washing
ton where men and women OF all lands will
come 10 study freely the facts and problems Of
WORLD freedom and Of world peace"
Several Negro groups have talked with
Happy" Chandler. car OF organized baseball.
about permitting Negroes 10 play in the major
leagues. Chandler who halls from Kentucky
talks like liberal but nothing ever seems 10
happen
Edgar WhlSkers" Brown is irving to steal
some Of the NAACP'S thunder The NAACP
Is seeking to free the fifty seamen convicted Of
mutny on the West Coast Now "Whiskers" is
flooding the biz cities with petitions asking
citizens To sign and formally request the Presi.
dent 10 free the Negro seamen.
Governor Arnall Of Georgia has his eve on
national leadership in the Democratic party His
public relations men are flooding newspaper
offices, Negro and white, with build-up stories
about his great vote-appeal 10 all kinds of peo-
pie He would like 10 be candidate for vice
president on the ticket with Truman in i948 He
feels he can keep the liberal and reactionarv
wings OF the Democratic party working together
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15

an interview gwen to American correspondents
IN Rome last March IA by Truman K Gibson Ir..
civilian aide to the Secretary of War.
This officer did not serve with the 92nd out
with unit OF combat engineers. so that no can
not be accused of defending himself. ali dough
every man in the 92nd has that right. His story
is that the 92n Division DID NOT run away and
was not knocked out, losing ten or twelve miles
OF valuable territory in the closing days Of last
December. The 92nd did not run because the
92nd WAS NOT IN THE FRONT LINE AT THAT
TIME
All three regiments Of the regular 92nd Divi-
sion were taken out OF the sector. he relates
One regiment was sent to another sector. miles
away. One regiment withdrawn To- a rest
camp for recuperation. One regiment was held
ir reserve, behind the front line
Into the front line. designed to be held by
triangular -t3-rcGlmcnO division was sent ONE
regiment Of colored soldiers whose designation
was simply that they were attached 10" the
s2nd This regiment was all-Negro. from col
onel 10 the last private. II had been doing guard
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15
:l:l3s2I 1|!f1!]l LOUIS ,||,||

PRANK STANLEY of Louisville who was re-
Gently elected president Of the Negro News
paper Publishers association was slapped last
week by Jackson, Mississippi daily newspaper
Frank told some white neWSmcn that all the
pages OF the daIeS ought TO be open 10 Negro
news. including the society pages. The Jackson
Daily News snapped back, Il, is Negro writer's
OF the Stanley type who are making The race
problem one Of the utmost gravity
Harlcmites are hot under tlc collar abou; tho
arcs, of photographer who was walking the
streets early one dawn mndnE MS own husl.
ness The cops thought he Wa> white and put
him IN the can Harlem wccklicS claim the DO.
lice are trying 10 keep whites out OF Harlem
THIS IS denied by the police officials OF New
York
Negro newspapermen Will fly down 10 Goldman
ned N Kentucky next week as guests Of the
War department They will inspect the install
lauons and see what Colonel B o Davis Jr is
dong about the problems of the 477th Bomber
group.
Maurice F.. Bennett Jr Of Norfolk Va is try
ing TO Get a memorial established IN honor OF
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15

even boy who had been born in
the United States and had returned
TO live in his fathers homeland OF
Albania. Our boys all live to-
eether. they 20 TO school together.
they play together.
In 1910 We doubled the capaciy
OF Boys Town which now makes
!, possible for US 10 care for $50
boys. ranging in age from twelve
10 eighteen. Az this time four
apartment buildings were con-
Structed along with a central din
ing hall. The apartment buildings
were built as homelike as is hu-
manly possible. There are Ave
apartments in each building.
Twenty boys reside N each apart
ment according to the boys school
age
Our program az Boys Town is
very simple We strive 70 give the
Boys 4 good education. both aca-
oemicallv and from a trade stand
point Our school system s ac.
credited by the State Of Nebraska
After school hours we Try TO
have comprehensive program
which VIII DC OF in;eres, 10 all Of
the boys i is our belief that we
must keep 8 BOY busy We nave
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15

connection with the plot, ana
merely RECALLED Anna" with her
tales Of eX-customers. whose amor
Gus approaches had ranged in in
tenSl,y from those Of an inhibited
salesman 20 those of an amateur
wrestler. Although ! had the pat
tern OF Blanches Ultimate dimen-
slonS, Alice Chi.dress. being from
81, Louis, wished 20 see the COM
pleted picture on paper.
Similarly. people used TO scout
the possibility Of Frederick
. Meals being an experimental
chemist, so apparently congeni,ally
does he project the moronic quail
ties OF the arch-schemer Frank.
they were convinced that explo-
slons and polsons would result
were ne entrusted 20 mix the
simplest compounds.
O'Neal First Class as Hero
As a matter Of fact. in the orig
nal version, which Abram Hill
submitted 10 me, Fred was scned.
uled to play the hero. Rudolf. noA
played oy Earle LYMAN. a resi-.
dent Of Jamaica. l. /. who wit
messed his firs; Broadway play in
l9i3. These seemingly incongruous
statements are explained by III.
fact that. in that version of Anna
Lucasta, Rudolf was a gorilla in
human form who courted Anna
with $500 in a bandanna handker-
chief.
Before embarking on the voy-
age of Anna" I stipulated with
Abe Hill that Rudolf be CHANGED
to an intelligent. sensitive college
graduate. My suggestion was in
dorsed by Abe and the author, and
graciously by Fred O'Neal, who
admitted that the metamorphosis
would miscast him as Rudolf. al
though there was. at the moment.
no one in the Group who could ex-
actly fulfill the requirements.
The problem then became the
re-caSting OF O'Neal. In the YER
sion of the play then current tn.
parts Of Stanley the brother ana
Frank the brother-in-law we're
quite brutal and almost indis-
tinguishable. SO Abe Hill and |
put our heads together and OBJ
tanned the authors permission TO
characterize Frank as an amateur
fascist and Stanley as vague par
Tor pink, with the result that John
Proctor, young Intellectual newly
arrived from Kent State Univer.
sity, Ohio, was recruited for Stan,
ley the Dope. and Frank developed
into the classic charlstan.. with
which Fred O'Neal won awards
and Warren Coleman added to his
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15
MARRIAGE
LICENSES

Marriage applications issued by
Wayne County Clerk during the
period of August %. to September
/.
George A. Keith. .; Queen e.
Wells. %
Ralph NJ. Bush, %; Irene Davis.
20
James McBryde. IS: Pinkie
Hutchings, So
Herbert williamson, 20; lola
Carroll, is.
William Patterson, la; Liala
Banister. Is.
Lindsay E. Johnson. IS: Theresa
l. Folsom. 20.
William Elliott. is, Matte Rob-
inSon. 70.
Robert Boone. q; Mildred Nc
Afee.
Raymond B crsyton. %. Juan,ta
E Hatcher. %;
John H. Gsddis. 81; Lille NJ.
Council. %.
Ernest Moore, 81; Marion White.
80
John D. Norman. 80; Eleanor An
derson. 40.
Arthur A. Coates, IS; Mary L
Walker. l9.
David F. Wilson. %, Edna J.
TAYLOR. 20.
Harry Terry, 50; Eunice Ander-
son. "a.
Luther Boone, 81; Pearl Butler.
80
James Pratt, "a. Virginia Hinton.
81
James F Brown. %; Wayne z.
Barnes. 10.
Loving. IS.
Edward Taylor. 20; Ethel Ford.
l.
John Scott. 81. Ruby p Black. q.
James Lyons. 30. Ida g White.
Junious Brewton. 43: Victoria
Parker. 30
, Nathaniel Dans. %; s.rnie.
HsvkinS, "a
Frank Owens, 80; LsrmuHeen
Malvern. So
Charles o. Cobb. 30; Lorine
White. 81.
Charlie Massey, 81; Carrie Al.
len. IS.
Amos Tillmsn Jr.. 81; Dorothy
Wyrick. 10.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15

Great stress has been laid on
the fact that every member OF the
Group had daytime job and could
rehearse only from 10 II on
weekdays and on Sundays from
? 10 Z My impression is that these
are normal conditions for any
amateur dramatic society.
At first / was hyy.ersenSitive TO
what seemed like freak exploita-
ton of the private affairs Of some
fine. sensitive actors. l resented
the filters which always greeted
the information that, from am.
until 5 pm, Alice Childress was
tinter of photographs. until 1
realized that people visualized her
as Blanche in Anna Lucasta." she
of the Rum-Colas and fallen
arches. and were unable to asso-
ciate the cretinous belle with .
palette and brush, so authentic Is
the portrayal.
A Month Of Persuasion
Il took me from March IA until
Apri. IS. 1914. 10 persuade the
gentle. rather shy Mrs. Childress
. play Blanche True. at that
tine the character had no earthly
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15

IN our after school program. hobby
lc,i-S. both Intra-mural and inter-
scholastic, hobby and craft activ-
ties, along with our cultural actil
IIeS IN choir and band
Since the founding Of Boys Town
We have always found IT advantag-
eos and helpful 10 the boys 10 en-
courage them 10 do certain
amount Of work daily in addition
10 thor Schoo! activities but al the
same time give them ample time
for play Our boys work IN the
shops on the lawns. in our Victory
garden and on the farm They take
care Of their own apartments.
school building, gymnasium ana
other facilities.
Teaching Americanism Is a num-
her one aim. This Is accomplished
through sef-government pro-
gram. Boys Town citizens, since
the early days OF the home. have
always had their own seif-govern-
ment program, whereby the boys
actually govern themselves with
adult guidance and direction.
Boys Town graduates will be
found working in all walks Of life.
They are what we call successful
men. Our graduate Is perhaps the
average young man who has . good
job. is buying his home and has a
nice little family. He Is the young
man in his community who Is TAX
ing An active part in his commu-
nity's Affairs and is proud Of the
fact that he is former Boys Town
lad. More than 800 Of cur former
boys are serving in Uncle Sans
armed forces during World War II.
Thirty-four of our former boys
have paid the supreme sacrifice.
Bows Town has often been called
a miniature democracy Perhaps
me reason for this is that Boys
Town is city of little men where
they have their own Se,t-govern-
men; program where boys. regard
less OF race. creed or color are
gwen the opportunity OF those
things which. prior 10 coming here
they we're deprived Of. but what Is
rlGh;fully theirs.
Boys Towns philosophy is based
on the belief that every boy de-
serves encouragement guidance
direction love and care. We strive
20 give boys positive care.
Years ago ! made the statement
THERE is NO SUCH THING AS
4 BAD BOY. After more than 80
years of work IN the interest OF
youth. I am ARMY convinced that
4 a BOY Is given the proper oppor-
'unity he viii prove my statement
true Not one OF these boys has
ever let me down-boyS Of every
race. creed or color.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15

IIOU the StdnO6TQ pOStC dramas,
mysteries and comedies: and. as
usual. you can judge the ultimate
value Of the move by what comes
out Of your loudSpeaker.
The fact that the agreement calls
for The American Negro Theater 10
put on these programs means only
that an organization competent
enough 10 have put on Anna Lu-
castA Will be acting them out. And
that's the way they want il. because
voices don't have racial distinction.
For the Negro il means q real
break at making legitimate liv-
ing in radio dramatics-neither in
the vaudeville caricature. tradition
nor as an exponent Of a problem"
but as well-trained member Of
the acting craft. He will be get
ting minimum ARA fees and that
means he must compete with the
crowded registry Of classy talent on
equal grounds This Is all TO the
good. because he will be getting q
Job on his ability and neither be-
cause Of nor In spite OF his color.
But /: means more than this sig.
ricant economic move for the Ne
gro Whether high minded or not
WNEW has served notice that lis
Facilities are open for broadcast.
Ng talent. which is, after all, whs,
- n business for You can't argue
With the kind Of common sense
hat proclains radio as primarily
q protector Of voices and sounds.
The Plays the Thing
4 further measure OF sound
judEnen: IS indicated in the wise
decision not 10 overcxplolt the
series as Negro venture. 10 re-
serve the American Negro Theatet
and cast credits for casual sign
1tf only incidental TO the perform
ancc Literally, the plays the thing
And one cannot too much stress
nat this move means. for the lis
,ener. simply an effort 10 provide
aish class entertainment by a
group Of skilled srtiSanS-and. FOR
the Negro. recognition OF his tall
ent and training on basis of
equality
Until now the only Negro reg
u.srly employed a. a radio actor,
Irrespective Of the color OF the
foir, ,s 'fu&a hernandez Who has
done a number or joos Tor CorSin.
And don't think that Negroes
Who play Negro roles IN such COM
mendaole social documents as New
World Adjoining can De considered
as being accepted IN the entertain
rent sector OF the radio business
With his voice as his instrument ne
should get his chance 70 qualify on
the same basis as everyone else
not confined 10 problem" or good
SIll' shows. Because IL is only his
voice that IS used. radio 10 the per-
fest medium for such an eye-open-
ing step. and The Army. Navy and
Baseball masnateS can well take
note that the only gauge used is
ability.
Just N ANNA LUCASTA was
acclaimed simply as good theater.
this will be no freak project. only
talented voices pcrtrsying charac-
ters for your entertainment. That
could he . real threat TO racial
ssrrierA EDWIN LEvN
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15
|sRQ{33&R] DIGEST =||||||'
WHAT | FOUND IN THE BASEMENT

laurels during Fred's absence from
the cast
And so the building and the
moulding OF the play proceeded
during those IL weeks of my
nightly Harlem visits. and those
strenuous Sundays al the YMCA.
On Tuesday. March IL. 1914.
when Hslda Simms walked into nv
initial conference with the Amer
lean Negro Theatre. I knew in
simultaneously that ! had to do the
play. crude and disjointed - Ii
then was; but my amaxement was
not that this girl of great beauty
and enhancing voice was secretary
to the president of Soviet film
company. The incredible circum-
stance, the inconceivable good for
tune was that-appsrently by ma
ture-Hilda Simms was a gifted.
poised and versatile actress.
With such prenatal gift as these
actors possess they can be przc-
tically anything they desire by day
at night they are just naturally
actors.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15

92nd DIVISION Tor It's fighting
in the difficult Italian theatre
OF the war. At least one pa
per, the Afro American. sees
the citation as a "vindication"
of the 92nd, emphasizing this
in its headline.
From another source, a Ne
gro officer who has just re-
turned from Italy, this column
has received story which. if
true, land il sounds like the
TRUTH completely vindicates
the 92nd Division of the smear
charges made against it by
Newsweek magazine and by
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15

homeless news boys.
Prior 10 this venture into a
home for boys. had worked fot
several years With men whose cir
cumstances were most fortunate
but after considerable study. ! con-
Guided that they had been home
less boys in their youth and. for
the most part, few wanted 20 De
saved from the way they were ac-
tually living.
Our first home was located at
Twenty-fifth and Dodge streets in
Omaha. Before many months
passed. the enrolment had in
creased 10 such an extent that il
was necessary for me 10 obtain
larger facilities We then moved
to an abandoned club on South
Thirteenth stree: in Omaha where
We remained until 1921 when |
purchased 4 l60-acre farm eleven
miles west Of Omaha on the Lin
coin Highway which later became
known the world over as Boys
Town.
When We f-st came 70 Overlook
Farm as y was then called. We
had jus, temporary frame barrack-
type buildings AS far as we we're
concerned and the boys were con-
cerned We had the fines; home ano
school n the country
IN 1922 sroup Of Omaha 5ISi-
neSSmen recognized ne scope Of
work We were attempting 10 ac-
coTpiiSh. They raised Sufficient
funds TO build the frs; pcrmanen;
brick building al Boys Town AT
tina; time ;hIS building housed a
school. chapc, library. doru5;orieS.
he dining room and kitchen. II
was. and l., grand and beautiful
building Today II houses our
Sradc and high Schoo. We call
Il our Omaha Building" because
The residents OF the City Of Omaha
contributed their money 20 MAKE
possible this wonderful facility.
Boys Town is a home and school.
II Is for the boy without q home.
the homeless. abandoned and neg
lccted boy. Race, creed or color Is
no barrier.
Since Boys Town was created.
we have had boys here from every
state in the country. We have had
boys from Canada. Hawaii and
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-09-15

Farmers Committee OF West Az
RIGA Included among the mem
bcrS Of the delegation is W. j.
Kwcsi Mould Of the Gold Coast.
and member OF the executive
council who was a visitor in the
United States last year and ad-
dressed the National Negro Bust
ness league.