Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1951-10-06
The Spirit of BTW Lives
In The NNBL

Washington, D. C. = The Ma
tional Negro Business League is
but one of the many organizations
originated or fostered by the Tus-
kegee schoolmaster, Booker T.
Washington - now this organiza-
ton has crossed the half-century
mark.
With the hope that national or
ganization of business people
would "tend to improve the Negro
as business factor" Washington
issued a nationwide call for con-
ference which was held at Boston,
August 1924, 1900 Business per-
sons from thirty states responded
to the call and the National Negro
Business League was formed.
From the inception of the NNBL
until 1915, Washington was it's
president. Upon his death, Col. J.
c. Napier of Nashville, the Lea
CUES vice president, assumed lead
ership. A former Register of the
Treasury and a founder of the
Penny Savings Bank at Nashville,
Napier heads a list of business
notables who headed the League
down through the years.
Only Napier's immediate success
sor, Major R. R. Motion, who fol-
lowed Washington as president of
Tuskegee, earned his keeps from
endeavors other than business.
Motion became president of the
League in 1921 remaining in that
position until 1880. Up to 1913 in
order, c. c. Spaulding, j E. Walk
er, Roscoe Dungee and g. G. Gas
ton headed the League.
In 1913 at Atlantic City, the
membership of the League elected
as its 9Th president, Horace Sud
duth, a native of Covington, Ken
lucky, who as a boy moved across
the state-line into Cincinnati. There
for forty years he has engaged in
real estate. For thirty years he
has been president of the Indus
trial Savings and Loan Company.
In assuming the leadership of
the League, President Sudduth de-
clared: at is my desire as Presi-
dent of the National Negro Bust
ness League to make the League
such an asset to the economic life
of the race as its illustr;ous found
er, Booker T. Washington, intend
ed it to be-" And over the two year
period of his administration, the
Cincinnati businessman and hotel
operator (The Manse Hotel) has
moved towards that aim.
Under the leadership of Mr..
Sudduth, the 1948 convention of
the League set in action a pro-
gram to establish a national head
quarters and to engage a head
quarters staff and regional per-
sonnet to promote local and state
affiliations to the national body.
In July of this year, the Washing
ton office of the League was OPEN
ed and some regional work has
been begun.
AS a result of the work of the
League, there are more than 200
local business leagues located
throughout the Nation. The League
may rightfully take the credit for
having inspired countless numbers
of Negroes to enter business ca
reers, while it can be considered
the mother organization of several
special interest groups which came
as its off-springs.
Among these may be listed The
National Bankers Association, the
organization of Negro bankers;
The National Real Estate Brokers
Association; The American Build
ing and Loan Association, and The
National Housewives League
which will hold its 18th annual
convention in conjunction with
NNBL in Washington, October 10
IL. These meetings will be held at
the U. S. Department of Com
merce.
Negro business has moved a
long. long way since Booker 7.
Washington called the initial con-
ference of Negro business men and
women in 1900. Although the great
educator and organizer would find
it difficult to believe the progress
made in the area of Negro bust
ness since 1915, he would see that
his spirit still lives in the NNBL.