Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1953-09-04

H.
mer policy king wha had wisely
saved his earning and invested
them In q legitimate business:
and the fourth at bridge was an
attractive. unmarried m del
whose total income fom modelling
IN q year would not have paid
for one Of the tiny skins In her
blue mink stole. All four had ar
rived In Cadillacs.
A cynical Newspaper woman
standing nearby remarked bitter
Iy: There 10 Negro society In
microcpsm. One was born into Il,
one married into II, one bought
her way and the other charmed
her way in. Negro society IL really
q phony."
The woman who had made the
remark was understandAbly bit
ter. As a child she had learned to
respect people In the social whirl
a. "the best people" AZ q teen
ager she had been an avid reader
Of the society pages Of her local
papers and she had dreamed Of
the day when she would win q
place In society. She had finally
made II when she grew into wo-
manhood.
But a. q journalist she had
learned 20 much about the inside
Of so-caIled society. that all her
young idealism and illusions had
been rldely shattered. She had
discovered that her society idols
all had feet OF clay.
Economic Changes Bring Society
OverhanlAng
There are many young debu-
tantes a. well a. veteran sociaites
who have been stricken by similar
disillusion about Negro society In
recent years. The younger set,
VINO approach the society world
with trepidation and awe, soon
learn that they far overestimated
the importance Of belonging 10
the social set and discover that
there are far more important
things In the world. The oIdtimers
attend todays social events and
tsk-tsk a. they observe the 60
ings-on of the nOuveau richie who
have successfully crashed Society's
gates.
The facts about Negro society
today are that 10 h coming apart
at the seams and h IN the midst
Of . Widespread OverhAalAnG ~ q
result Of the Tremendous changes
I'm Negro Afe In the last several
decadea. Social aFbsteFs win admit
privately that they have tossed In
tire sponge - far ~ Determining
who's who I'm the colOred social
register.
Whereas once family a. well A.
color lines ruled the roost In such
social centers a. Washington, At
Ianta, Boston and Charleston, the
vast economic upheavAl Of the
war and postwar years has turned
the social picture topsy-turvy. As
incomes have scared In Negro
communities. a. new wealthy
have hit the road in their shiny
fishtaIIs. Societys once-rigid
standards have fallen and just
about anyone with money rates a.
q socialite.
A one women's editor recently
defined the NEW Negro society. 70
might Be- called = group Of PeOPSe
WHOSE only bond h . profound dIs-
Hke for each other and q profound
respect for money, clothes and
po~ItioD-If they have H. which
few of them d."
SOuts' BeFate TIE Tns'
Jousting d they do for social
position, IL II little wonder that
there ID much enmity and jealousy
among social leaders. Not only In
the newer social set arousing the
dislike Of the older generation
VINO resent them a. interiopers,
but the freshman society crowd
Ia eIbowing many Of their own
number IN their ambition 10 reach
the social zenith Usually the cry
OF Negro society 10 . phony and
isn't what Il used 70 BE-" h .
pgaintive cry from the outs"
against those who are The ina"
But some Of the bitterness Of
yesterdays social leaders against
the Newcomers 10 not entirely I'M
justified. In the scramble for 80
Getty position. there are many
dubious elements trying 70
squeeze their way In BoolnaIsrs
and POLICEMEN, call girls and dice
girls are often mixing with the
best ao-eaIled black blnebloods"
at many society affairs The prae-
tics Of proclaiminE dsbutAntss has
dsgsnerated into . farce In many
oummunitbea In one Southern
city this past year. . big debo-
tMnts ban WAS heId AT which any
high school graduate was sligibls.
~ she graduated and - found
sp0nsors OF these > Tires fen By
ths wayAide. two because Of preg-
nancy. ....
In trying 10 tnprs~s society.
ouna oS the n~syess Ftehs cis-
fCuufinued on page 81