Arkansas State press. [volume] (Little Rock, Ark.) 1941-1959, 1949-05-20

DIsUNrTY STILL REIGNs AMONG NEGROES IN
PINE BLUFF AND WHEREVER THEY LIVE-But
we must make this observation here in connection
with the prosecution of two drives which are being
conducted in Pine Bluff for field house for Town
send Park and a library building. 1T is MY OPIN-
ION that the interest which is spurred in the library
campaign, although noteworthy and in some respects
praise worthy is part of the compensatory reaction
of many who have failed in their duties leaders
in the Pine Bluff community. Let's get it down to
earth where the poor unettered people, most of
whom buy the STATE PRESS, can understand! On
the Negro Park Commission persons who are in
leadership positions who are bitterly opposed by
persons who are in leadership positions in the Ii
brary fund drive The efforts of the library leaders
are spurred on because something will be done by
the park leaders and neither leader group wants
to be left without any accomplishment. We are not
discouraged, however, for in Little Rock Negro
leaders are in worse shape. We obtain
ISOLATION from their plight, but the whole intent of
this observation is to suggest the accomplishment of
the item in the Platform for Negroes in Pine Bluff
for I949' namely "A STRONG CITIZENS ASSO-
CITATION FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENT Or
THESE OBJECTIVES
WHILE ADVOCATING THE POLICY OF NE
GROES DOING SOMETHING FOR THEMSELVES,
we do not venture beyond the established methods
by which small group of sincere people in this
community have shown that these things can be
brought to pass by using the courts! Two lawsuits
would give the municipal government lightning
like Jolt which would aeeentuate the success of the
projects, and should not feel that this is too
radical, for Negroes have waited for library for
too many years and voted for the bond issue which
brought about the erection of the stone structure
on Pine Bluffs fashionable West Fifth avenue A
lawsuit would help in obtaining a field house for
Negroes in Townsend Park as Negroes will remem-
Der that the spoils of the WPA and ROOSEVELT
ADMINISTRATION consisted of log cabin tavern
which God Or man decreed should be destroyed by
fire All in all there is tendency the part of
Negroes in Pine Bluff to fight against another
for position and to the general detriment of the
group When the NAACP was the talk of the town,
and for that matter still is but just few thousand
members shy of the fever-pitched era all criticism
was directed by the vested leaders against Harold
Flowers who incidentally has survived the opposi-
ton in Pine Bluff but had to give in to the vested
leaders of the state However, the action of NAACP
brought the Uncle Toms and Never-done thing
but-tak leaders out of hiding and today they move
forward feebly toward trying to do something be-
fore DEATH TAKES ITS APPOINTMENT If you
consider this caustic comment upon the plight Of
Negro leadership, you are advised by this your
Frances Sampson to GIVE ALL YOU CAN TO THE
SUCCESS OF BOTH DRIVES but we do not desire
that you be lulled to SLEEP BY THE WOLVES
IN SHEEP CLQTHINGl
DOWN AT STAMPS the ether day, sat for hours
and listened to my Mother talk about the projects
in which she is so sincerely interested for Stamps
Among them was the cemetery CResfu Gardens1 in
which ! now claim piece of ground as soon as
have paid for Lot Four in Block Sixteen which in
cidcntaly is next to Lot One which she owns and If
the terrific pace is maintained done during the
last five months she will have the privilege Of being
buried alongside me rather than me along side her!
So, I've got piece of ground where there viii not
likely be any controversy over the title But, what
l was about to get down to saying was the NEGRO
FUNERAL IT IS THE BIGGEST FARCE GENER-
ALLY ACCEPTED AS A COMMEMORATE PRO
JECT It commands the interest of friend and enemy
from near or fart Down at Camden last Monday
buried DR.. J. A. Clark, longtime physician and
leader in the Camden community People came from
miles away for the funeral and listened to the too
long eulogy delivered by the Right Reverend Bsh-
op j, Fl, Clayborn, who declared him to be