The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1954-04-24
BOSTON
BAKED
BY MABE KOUNTZE

Ahe administration of JUS
tlee is the firmest pillar of
government"
George Washington
AMERICAN PATRIOTS do
not all carry rifles. Many brave
men have carried Paul Revere
warnings and fought at Bum
ker Hills in everyday civilian
life. The ramparts of freedom
nave been constantly manned
by minority peoples of every,
race and creed. And in this
neVer-ending daily defense of
freedom and democracy. the
COlOred American is the ma
tlOn's top fighter. Where others
nave grown careless and relaxed.
Tan YankS remain alert.
WILLIAM PICKENS 10, one
Of the truly great freedom cru
Saders, was recently buried at
sea off the coast of South
America. Although Pickens was
retired employe of the U. S.
Treasury Department, a former
college dean, a teacher, author
and orator, he was best known
as a dynamic leader of the
NAACP for 20 years. 1t is said
that Pickens was given con-
ServatiVe job to keep him quiet.
True or not, Pickens was a
powerful force.
THE TEACHER who taught
Latin, German and Greek at
four colleges and was a 1904
Phi Beta Kappa graduate of
Yale, was born in South Caro-
lima whose unreconStructed re-
bel, Gov. Byrnes, is still fight
ing the Civil War. Better edu-
Gated than ByrneS, Pickens &C
tually deserved the Congress
sional, Cabinet and UN posts
far more than any Dixiecrat
of ignorant prejudice. Pickens
gave most of his life for de-
mocracy. not Ku Klux Khan
teachings.
A CRUSADER who wrote
abraham Lincoln Man &
Statesman, Erred Douglass
"The Spirit of Emancipation,
and vengeance of Cod. DIR.
Pickens was enrOute home
from a vacation cruise of the
West Indies over a route travel
ed by oppressed ancestors 500
years ago. And as a symbolic
tribute to so many of those
early Africans buried at sea,
DR.. Pickens joined them in fl
nal rest. A symbol for profound
thought.
EDGAR BROWN, Chicago
crusader buried the same week
as DR.. PickenS was certainly
one of the most active com
mon-man" equal rights agita-
tors since Boston's Monroe
Trotter. Brown, Sc, was, like
Trotter, a newspaper editor,
lecturer, lobbyist, and much
Travelled aggressive and militant
figure of the American politi-
cal scene for quarter of CEN
fury. His life was amazing. His
energy and talents seemed be-
yond belief.
KING TENNIS player and
four times champion of the
American Tennis Association,
Ed Brown was also a founder
of the tan National Lawn Ten
mis- Association. He fought
sports jim crow. In politics he
worked for and served both
parties. He ran for city, state
and federal Office. To assure
himself a lobby bloc at Wash
ington, Borwn organized the
National Colored Council. From
his Office at D. C. Brown battled
the Dixiecrats daily,
THE CHICAGO fighter with
the slim figure and prominent
gOatee, was never elected to
Congress, but even as a lobby
ist he draw national headlines
more often than Congressman
Mitchell or Dawson. He rivalled
Adam Powell. Brown was in the
forefront in the crusaders to
eliminate Jim crow in jobs,
housing, Armed Forces, the
Capital, travel, etc. He helped
remove civil service color bans
and aided in other worker bene-
fits.
TWO MEN bon miles apart;
Pickens in Anderson County
South Carolina, Brown, in San
dovil. Illinois Two colored mo-
theirs, north and south, nursed
baby sons born with mission
in life. AS men, both PickenS
and Brown knew what it was
to fight discrimination. And
during their life they knew what
it was to be classified as being
only 40 percent Americans"
But In spite Of the Bilbos and
McCarthy's, these men are
among Uncle Sans best.