St. Paul recorder., 1952-03-28

IAuI.
White is one of the nations
most influential public figures and
was recently named by a national
magazine as one of the u most
important persons in the U. s.
The NAACP's record of past
performances of presidential and
congressional candidates deter
mines to a large extent how a
large percentage of Negroes will
vote.
The NAACP is non-partisian
and does not officially endorse any
political candidates or parties.
This is a long established policy
of the organization and their rea-
soning is that this policy protects
them from political exploitation
by any party or candidate.
II does, however, encourage its
membership to participate in poll
tics individually.
Urges Vote Drive
White recently sent a memoran-
dunn to all branch officers urging
the branches to launch a registra-
ton and voting drive and the
publicizing OF the records of the
political candidates.
The NAACP has a Legislative
program that includes the pas
sage of such legislation as FEPC.
anti-lynching law, anti-poll tax
bill support Of public housing
and etc.
At the last national convention
OF the NAACP. a political action
resolution was passed.
Part Of this resolution stated:
"The NAACP recognizes that
70 achieve the objectives Of full
democracy there must be free and
fun use OF the ballot by al citi-
Eens regardless Of race, creed,
color, ecOnmic status or other un.
Just restrictions. We realize that
in the days ahead, attainment Of
our legislative program will de-
pend largely upon the fullest par
ticipatiOn Of our membership In a
dynamic political action program
within the non-partisan policy Of
the association"
The murder of Harry T. Moore
and his wife, NAACP organizer,
in Minis, Fla, this past Christmas,
has stepped up the demand for
federal civil rights legislation.
It is expected that civil rights
is going TO play a major role in
both conventions this summer.
Whites background
In 1881, Walter White succeeded
James Weldon Johnson as the as
sociations executive secretary.
Since that time the NAACP has
grown from a membership Of 10,-
900 to over a half million, making
IT the largest civil rights group
in the nation.
White has investigated Il
lynchings and II race riots since
he first joined the staff of the
in 1918.
Il Author
He has written extensively on
mob violence in the United States
and the best known of these, The
Rope and the Faggot" and "A
Biography of Judge Lynch" are
as two of the best
studies on lynching that have beeD
made.
During World War II, White
served as a war correspondent for
the New York Post and wrote the
Rising Wind" a report on Negro
troops and segregation in the arm
ed forces in the European theatre
Of operations.
His autobiography, A Man
Called White" is an exciting story
Df his Investigations of lynchings
and race riots and other personal
he has had while
carrying out NAACP work.
White writes a syndicated col
Imn for the New York Herald Tri-
1une and eight other daily papers
and a weekly column for the Chi
ago Defender.
He has contributed or has been
he subject for articles that have
appeared frequently in the lead
ng magazines OF America.
Stories about him or by him
iave been in Time, Ebony, the
Iew Yorker. Readers Digest, Ne
yro Digest, Saturday Evening
Post, Golfers and Harper's Maga-
line.
Splngarn Medalist
In 1897 he Uas avarded the
Spingan Medal. presented an
lually to a Negro American for
distinguished service.
He was awarded the medal for
lis Investigations Of mob violence
n the us. and for his remark
Ible tact, skill and persuasive
less" in lobbying for a federal
Inti-lynch bill.