The Tribune. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1951-19??, 1953-08-22

THERE is MORE JIM CROWISM in America Of
eieVeh O'CLOCK on Sunday morning than at any other
t!me' clergyman charged at recent church conven
ton in Cleveland.
now after covering considerable portion of the
country TO investigate the charge know lust what he
meant we Americans have fought race discrimination
In sports In labor unions in education-and have scored
great victories But one place where we can't soon +
put the idea of human brotherhood is ironically
in church
If Jim Crows gaunt specter eventually is to be
oVeh from the temple, young members of churches
must do it, for they the with the strength and
the desire for fair play And make no mistake-the
Ight mas already begun But progress is pathetcaIv
slow.
Jim Crowism is hitting us and hurting us-with
a Sunday punch.
In Minneapolis, two Negro children came to cburcb
and were admitted to Sunday school Nothing was said
until they were leaving Then deacon of the church
drew them aside and said I don't think you'd better
come back any more. This really isn't your church. YOU
know"
In Portsmouth, Ohio, a Negro woman prominent in
CIVIC aI1alrs was invited to speak at white church
Two weeks before the event was to take place it was
called off The minister of the church hatingy expain
ed that some of his people, objected and two women
had threatened to quit the church if Negro came to
speak The occasion for which the speech been plan
ned Brotherhood Week!
In Detroit, at large downtown church a vounq
girl member took friend of hers, Negro gir to
Friday night church movie They stopped at the
DOOR The Negro girl handed fifty cents and told
Please take this and go to other movie"
In Indianapolis group of Negro boys asked if they
could use the gymnasium of neighborhood church for
basketball practice. They were told no. the gym was
unsafe The gym was not unsafe, however, when white
boys asked and were granted the favor.
That is the pattern with of course the exception of
lew churches here and there which blazing new
trail by opening their doors to all people. 1t is pat
Tern whose devious design shows every section of
our country Segregation not problem of the deem
South only In 1948 survey of six denominations en-
bracng 1900 churches revealed that only 48 per cent
included Negroes current survey of three denomna-
lions embracing 1887 churches shows that per cent
include either Negroes other racial minority
AS for the Negroes themselves estimated that less
than cent find themselves in churches where they
worship side by side with their white brothers.
Facing up to these facts, DR.. Liston Pope Dean of
the Divinity School of Yale University told gathering
OF churchmen Religious organizations have Jagged far
behind other of society," they segregated
than industry commerce. education politics and sports
" The churches still have lot of housekeeping to do
before they cali themselves democratic to say moth
ing of Christian"
BY sheer weight of numbers, the problem is pri-
marily Protestant 1913 study estimated that
100000 Negroes belonged to Christian church. ap
proxmately 100000 of them Proestants and 100000
Roman Catholics.
Even So Catholic prelates have occasionally pin
pointed Jim Crowsm in ther flocks Recently Arch
bishop Joseph Francis Rummel of New Orleans called
his people to make segregation disappear our
Catholic church life" He told them that there still per-
ssts in churches the practice of expecting the
colored to occupy certain section of and to wait
at the end of the line for Holy Communion Such prac
tees the Archbishop called Unworthy of true spiritual
understanding of our Catholic faith"
What happens when pastor and few of his loyal
in the Reverend Julian Keiser and his Warren
Avenue Congregational Church in Chicago After the
furry of opposition which accompanied the opening of
it's doors to Negroes spirit pervaded this church
It seemed to right in through these open DOORS"
Keiser said to
"Just what do you mean" I asked.
"Peope feel relieved that they practicing