Arizona sun., 1947-05-02
Negro Youth Recognize
Need For National Unity
Chairman, Los Angeles County
American Youth for Democracy
BY YVONNE SHEPHERD

American Youth for Democracy
Today young Negroes are Wit
ally conscious and concerned about
the problems facing them not only
as youth living under a capitalist
economy, but as members of a
minority group.
Day by day, as issues become
sharper and the problems more
acute, young Negroes are becom-
ing convinced that unity is the
only basis for effective resistance.
They favor aggressive, militant ac-
ton, organized unity, among Ne
gro youth, with young people of
other minority groups, with all
youth who hold dear the ideals of
peace, security and freedom.
A brief survey of activities
among Negro youth in the past
year indicates a real cognizance
of vital issues.
On an international scale, Negro
youth of Los Angeles protested the
British rule of Palestine and the
Fascist dictatorship if Franco
Spain. Nationally, they fought
for the retention of OPA, housing
through the Wagner -Ellender-T Taft
bill, the custer of Theodore Bilbo
from the u. S. Senate. Locally,
they fought for FEP; opposed re-
strictive covenants, demanded an
end to police brutality, over
crowded Schiols and inadequate
recreational facilities. They also
assisted in organizing the Los An
geles Youth Council, a body con-
sisting of 33 youth organizations
of all types, united on a city-wide
basis.
OF late, Negro fraternities and
sOrOritieS are taking q more active
role in the scheduling of speakers
on important economic, social and
political problems, in addition to
sponsoring fund raising affairs to
aid charity organizations, boys
summer camps and health projects.
Social clubs are collecting canned
food for needy families and raising
money for the interracial West
view hospital.
Church youth groups are step
ping toward by holding debates
and forums on major issues COW
ering all spheres of life. One de-
bate, soon to be sponsored by the
minority youth section of the
Church Federation, will deal with
the $500, ,OOO,0 600 loan proposed for
Greece and Turkey.
In the schools, youth on the
Eastside recently held a confer
ence. They voiced concern about
over-crowded schools, criticized the
contents of text books, stressed the
need for additional recreational IA
cilities; and demanded more voca-
tional training and job opportu-
mites.
The local National Association
for the Advancement OF COIOred
People Youth Council, recently re-
organized, has slated an aIIAday
conference next month in cooper
alton with the YMCA. Conference
delegates will discuss educational
opportunities, job opportunities ana
civil rights.
Leadership in the fight to end
iimcrow in baseball is the major
campaign of the John Kinloch club
of American Youth for Democracy,
located in the Central avenue dis
trict.
And lastly, drive which is win
ming the wide support of all Negro
youth is the Pilgrimage to Sacra-
mento April 27-28. At that time,
along with representative group
of Los Angeles youth, young Ne
groes joined a motor caravan TO
the state capital to press demands
for the passage of adequate legis-
lation to answer youths needs.
Thus, although there : is still
need for further unity among Ne
gro youth groups tfor instance
through the formation of an East
side Youth Council), one thing has
become increasingly apparent. And
it is this. Negro youth recognize
an identity of interest with youth
of other raciaf and religious
groups and the trend is toward
full cooperation and unity' on a
city-Wide basis.