The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1954-10-30

tContlnued from bdeb WSSAi
Mr.. Trotter worked in the
Mass. Racial Protective Asso-
citation, In the National Poll
tical League for the 18th
Amendment (l903), was a
founder and secretary OF the
Boston Suffrage League Clo03l
a funder. secretary and then
president of the New England
Suffrage League (l304-19l3l, a
founder, secretary and preSi-
dent OF the Boston Literary
Society tl9ls-19lg, a charter
member. of the N. A. A. c. P.
1910, "a founder and always
the executive secretary Of the
National Equal Rights League
1888 J.
With q newspaper organ and
with racial organizations, he
has labored day and night,
never on subsidy or salary,
10 battle the white South and
all other like enemies of full
freedom and equality Of rights
and opportunity, and for res
pect and fellowship publicly
with all other Americans. HI
opposition to movements Oh
customs Of his own race which
help on the white mans pro-
gram showed his real sim
cerity, costing him opposition
and enemies among the race
for whose real benefit he
has gwen everything for the
last quarter-century.
All members of his own race
in Boston whose eyes and
hearts are open have seen
Trotter. once man of pro-
perty, give all his earnings,
give up his lucrative real
estate business, sell his houses,
give up even his home with
his late devoted wife, who did
really, If not giving up her
life, tor small rented quarters,
give up, with her, social life
md pleasure, even undergoing
AaYere personal privations,
and discomforts and the hulni-
liation OF getting into debt so
deeply he must ask his race
for contributions. They have
seen him nights, trarnpIng the
streets, holding meetings, at
tending conventions, and day
time hustling with Guardians,
appearing before Boards of
Directors, School Principals,
Harvard overseers, Mayors,
Governors, Committees Of
Congress, Presidents of the
U. S., constantly for rs years.
Has he ever taltered? Has
he ever considered his own
personal affairs or personal
pecunisry interests? Has he
ever trimmed. or compromised.
or fiinched, or betrayed the
race? Has. he ever lodged the
issue refused to fight, run
away from the battle, con-
doned ~ neglected? Has he
ever switched, ever changed
for a price, played the race
false, sought iob2
Then why not contribute to
make up the losses he has
gone into debt for in behalf
OF freedom and equality and
public respect for each and
all Of US he enters the 25th
year OF such service? Can our
oppressed race afford o uepre-
ciate such a servitor? Does he
ask anything except the
means whereby he may con-
tlnue the same sort of service
with propaganda and organiza-
ton? =,
The Committee on the Trot-
ter Quarter-Century Of Race
Defense at his SIND birth an
niyersary hardly need remind
the race of the following:
a. Went to jail for a month
for his convictions and Ia
stand BY a conrade in an in
tra-race. fight, and to oppose
conservative" race leadership
b. Was a leader in a 12-day
battle before a National Re-
publican convention in pro-
test against the Brownsville
discharge.
e. Effectively refuted and
challenged a Southern Demo-
cratic President in the White
House against Federal Segre-
cation.
d. Led Colored people in
storming the Boston Theatre
when the Birth Of a Nation"
was being shown; was arrest
ed and tried.
e. was a prime-mover OF a
Liberty Congress in Washing
ton, D. O., DUNG the World
War though the Army Head
quarters at Boston tried To
deter him.
I. Took his life in his hands,
after Working up an all-race
convention which elected
delegates for World Demo-
eracy and the Peace Confer