Arkansas State press., 1949-07-08

THE FOURTH OF JULY-lndependence Day Is
beginning to mean something in the thinking of
Negro Americans, in places where such thinking
will prevent the return of social political and
nomic enslavement The celebrations on this day
have in this section been observed for the most
part for white citizens. Negroes have for long
time regarded the Fourth of July as WHITE
MANS DAY! However. when celebrations take
place with the unusual interest such as was mani
tested here in Pine Bluff on the formal opening
day of Townsend park, the Fourth of July both
celebrations of great significance to the COM
munity Thousands of Negroes came in the rains to
witness the opening Of the swimming pool and the
staging of a beauty contest! This history making
event observed the Fourth of July will impress
upon the minds of Negroes the meaning of the
Fourth of July and the enjoyment Of the bene-
fits of citizenship II evident from the interest
that the people for long time wanted to enjoy
for too long time led them in the wrong di-
rection 1t was good that we had rains must
have the rains TO make the crops grow must
have the sunshine The rains here on the Fourth
of July make it plainly important that the people
will not want to get wet again! The park commits
sion should then proceed IMMEDIATELY TO
RAISE NECESSARY FUNDS TO CONSTRUCT A
FIELD HOUSE, Had there been field house at
Townsend park Monday it would have meant that
the beauty contest could have been staged there
without having had to hold the AFFAIR at Merrill
high school The people recognize the need and IN
my opinion have for long time been subject 10 be
influenced in that direction. The people now
proud Of their swimming pool The fathers and
mothers who anxious about where their
children are spending their leisure time have some
thing 10 act as a sedative 70 their minds We trust
that the interest manifested Monday will help the
leaders of this community in making plans for a
general participation on the part of the people N
the development Of a TOWNSEND PARK which
will assure the children Of today and the CITI-
ZENs OF TOMORROW an adequate place for SUI
pervised recreation in building strong bodies clean
hearts and clear thinking minds
The Negro Preachers and Their Churches are I'M
able to point to much toward helping make the
LOT Of their worshippers better during this life
These institutions have been affected by the
fear which for too long time has permeated The
souls and minds of black people The preacher has
never considered supervised recreation as a part
OF any Cnurcn program lOf ltS yOuln liCy nave
always found themselves trying to uphold out
NODDED manner of conduct which would prevent
dancing card playing and other harmful C?)
ationa activities and yet they have never given
any thought TO the building of Fairgrounds and
swimming pools and such other forms Of recreation
which did not contravene their church doctrines.
Even at the present time they not to be found
in leadership positions in the development OF
ational facilities for Negro children in Pine Bluff
However you must know the truth. you will find
them out working like mad few weeks ago TO
raise monies for the establishment OF a library Jim
crow library II you please al the time the
park commission conducting drive TO get
gradually seeing through the insncere effort of the
| preachers They finding out that the present
activities OF their churches are not meeting the
needs Of the living hours Probably the greatest
contribution the Negro church is making nowadays
/ is 10 keep firmly impressed upon the Negro THE
! DYING HOUR Pretty soon Negroes will learn
that DYING AMT ALL! They will soon find out
| that to get TO Heaven II they get there they
don't have to have grand and spectacular funerals
and that they don't have to get a steel vault TO
! protect them from the devil The preacher will soon
realize that II they are to maintain themselves with
a degree Of soCdrty they must become interested
in those programs which provide for group sccuri-
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