The Omaha guide., 1955-10-28
NAAP Drive A Success


The meeting that was held at Zion Baptist Church by the local
branch of the NAACP was a huge success. AS I was going into the
door 1 met Mr.. Arthur B. McCaw, member of the board of directors
Of the NAAcP, he said to me, We've got them hanging on the
!rafters."
When I got to the door the doorman said, I'm sorry but its inn
possible to admit even one more, we are crowded to a full capacity"
l showed him my reporters card, he said " Pardon me, come on
When | got to the press table in front Of the rosrum I found
the WOWTV Cameraman and in a few minutes the Secretary of the
local branch came in with a few friends whom I did not know. Next
Bill White came in, also seated at the Press table was Charles Wash
ington. By this time the audience had become a little restless and
nervous, and had begun to applaud for action, this happened about
three times before the distinguished guest and her escorts came out
busy Mr.. Bill White came to the Press table and asked me if 1 had
seen the World Herald Reporter, he had to find the reporter for he
didn't want to start the meeting until he came. In about ten min
utes, Mr. Davis came back with the World Herald reporter, by this
time the Secretary of the NAACP local branch said to the reporter,
"Oh you are here at last, come right around here I've been saving
this seat for you all evening"
In a few minutes the distinguished guest and her escorts came out
and took their places on the rostrum, applauses were deep and loud
It was a standing ovation of appreciation and sympathy extended to
the distinguished guest Hrs. Mamie E. Bradley
Mrs. Bradley arrived by plane at HAS AM. Monday. She was
met at the air port by a group Of distinguished citizens and a group
of television and newspaper reporters and photographers. She was
escorted to the radio station where she was interviewed by a radio
announcer. Where she answered promptly and fully all questions ask
ed by the announcer without a break in her voice.
Now back to the meeting, Professor Eugene Skinner, principal
of Long School, was the chairman of the program committee. After
two o three selections by different choTs, Mr.. Skinner presented
Rev. z. W. Williams for the invocation. Following this Mr.. Skinner
presented Mrs Mildred Brown, Editor and Publisher of the Omaha
Star, and announced she would introduce the speaker of the evening.
After a few well chosen remarks Mrs. Brown introduced Mrs. Mamie
E. Bradley to the audience. Again the audience went wild as Mrs.
Bradley took her position at the altar and began telling the story
of the murder of her son in Mississippi and the trial that she had
to attend to identify her only child. To me, she is second only to
Mrs. Mary Mcleod Bethune.
She told the terrible story Of the lynching of her fourteen year
old baby. who was lynched in Money, Mississippi, in full detail from
the first telephone call she received. l believe she spoke forty seven
minutes without breaking the tone of her voice or shedding a tear.
Mrs. Bradley said 'the hoodlums of Mississippi brutaly beat
holes in his head with a blunt instrument and also knocked his jaw
from one side out the other, knocked his teeth down his throat
pulled his tongue out by the roots, shot him in the temple and then
tied a gin wheel to his neck and threw him in the river - She told
her son back home for burial. after the bodv arrived in chicaso Fl #
IV in state at III church III h was a rnonnhor md Iouo1 Gun
day School attendant, three days and three nights. One hundred
and fifty thousand people drfted by the remains in line for the
above three days and nights. Mrs. Bradley said the thing that held
her together was praying and faith in God, she said she prayed and
cried everyday for three long weeks before she could pull herself
together.
In conclusion, she said she hoped her son had not died in vain.
She was now hoping that his death would bring about somehow,
someway, a new day for all the American people and would teach
Christian way of broherly love and understanding sc that the
American public of all nationaities could live in peace, and harmony
and respect for each other as we all should regardless of color, creed
or servitude, as we were all children of the Almighty, the Creator
of Heaven and Earth, because in the beginning this worlds population
was started. according to the Christian teaching, in the Garden of
Plenty by our Creator and we should learn to live in peace with
each other.
At this point, the President Of the local branch Of the NAACP,
Rev. Streeter, pastor of Cleave Temple Church, took his place at the
altar. He added flame to fire in his remarks to the audience, de-
handing them to stand up and be counted and take their places as
American citizens. Doctor Streeter also said he didn't want a single
person to leave that audience before contributing something to the
defense fund so that we could back up the fighting forces of the
NAACP to bring about a full emancipation, not only for the Negro
but, all American citizens fer full citizenship of America by 1863.
The church auditorium is supposed to hold about LOO people
and it was packed to its capacity. There just wasn't any standing
room and when the World Herald reporter came in he said there was
such a large crowd outside begging for entrance that it looked as
though he would never be able to get through the crowd and this
was the reason for his being late.
Before the tables could be arranged for the collection the crowd
was moving forward to the front to contribute their bit. There was
$1,17232 laid on the table. When this reporter was going out he
met many, many more people who didn't even hear the talk, with
money in their hands, trying to get in to contribute their bit to the
cause of the Christ Way of Living, together in this America.
The amount with what they had raised the previous Sunday made
a total of about s1,78o46.