Arkansas State press., 1952-06-20
Lest They Be Forgotten 49,
BY Julius ]. Adams
Page Four

With the death last week of Wendell p Dabney venerable
editor OF the Cincinnati Unon attention is called
the fact that the men best prepared to leave literary legacy
mat would enghen and inspire the younger generation
rapidly passing from the scene.
Last October article appeared under Straight Ahead"
which nterentaly called upon Mr. Dabney
posery of his experiences and observations the
past six decades We mentioned at the time
were dying very fast Since the article appeared several of
those We had in mind at the time the written have
died. taking with them much knowledge and information of
valuable historical importance Any of them might have
told great story Robert Bob" Church. veteran COP po
tica leader j. Finley Wilson, Exalted Ruler of Eks;
Luclus Harper executive editor of the Chicago Defender
and one of the besinormed newspaper the country
and now Mr.. Dabney
Part the original Straight Ahead" article read as fol-
lows:
One of the few Old Guard journalists who did
advance the of the the days when struggle
was really rough is the venerable Wendell Phillips Dabney
sage of Cincinnati and editor of the Union of that city,
There were Others Nicholas Ches of the Topeka Plain
Dealer Robert Abbott the Chicago Defender Fred Moore
New York Age; William Monroe Trotter Boston Guardian;
Robert L. Vann, Pittsburgh Courier c. Simmons A.
N Fields, and number of others.
All these men, now dead knew the troubles of the race,
shared them and worked to improve the Negroes plight More
over all of them plunged deep politics. the poll
teal history Of the Negro first hand during the early years
this century and knew from hearsay and books the
teenh.
unfortunately, though not one of them has left very
much in writing that could guide inspire the youth today
True enough student trained in research dig
files of the newspapers edited by these newspapers for
which they wrote and up with interesting material
But it seriously doubtful if the story any could
have told could be peced together quite they might have
told it.
NOR nave we anything from the leading politicians
e day who might have told interesting sories-for example
Edward H. Wright Oscar DePrest Anderson of
Chcago Ferdinand O. Norton and Charles Anderson of
York; Walter H. Cohen of Louisiana; BENJAMIN Davis and
Henry Lincoln Johnson of Atlanta William H. Lewis the
elder of Boston, Not of them left although all were
urged at time another by their friends tell their story
I'VE haven't heard directly from Mr. Dabney for some
time now but sincerely hope his health fine that
will remain perced high his editorial stool for many years
to come dashing off his fascinating Gossip Reflections for
all OF us to enjoy However, hope he has given
thought to writing book about his Life With such
long and colorfu journalism government and
with the Army, well in civic community affairs Mr.
Dabney would be able to tell powerful story-and should
be told Negroes whose lives have such that they have
been provided with the material good stories that ought
to be passed the future generations just refuse to write
Let hope that of the remaining "old timers" leave
legacy