St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1958-04-04
Negro In Minnesota History;
Progress: Posi-
& Future
BY Jean Guilmant

HtHJAd A@pAAoNteNNSH AASaa' 80
Infamous black migration" lawi
OF the early 1905; from all Of
these have come the heritage Of
Minnesota's Negro citizenry.
Has there been progress? Have
we advanced much beyond the a4.
mitted bigotry Of one hundred
years ago? These are questions re-
curing analysis at any level OF
time but they demand greater at
tention at birthday and annivers-
airy celebrations.
From whence we came and what
we have achieved Today, April
Ia, 1858, L. Howard Bennett,
Negro, sits at the bar Of Mime
sofa justice: 100 years ago, his
forebears we're denied the right
10 vote in Minnesota.
Today Myrrhene Allen and
many other Negroes teach the
descendants Of Minnesota pioneers
in our public schools: 100 years
ago, Minneapolis dailies we're say
ing that ian unnecessary odor
was being raised in Chatfield" be-
cause Negro lad was attending
school there.
Today, John Culver Negro,
chairs the Ramsey County Re-
publican Civil Rights committee:
In 1892, the Republican party Of
Minnesota abrogated It's equal
rights policy when II permitted
/ the name OF Frederick MCGEE to
be stricken from its roster Of
Presidential electors
These are contrasts in human
perspective. They represent a large
measure Of progress from the mar
row and confined view Of the
Negroes ability.
There are parallels too. The
Freedman's Bureau sought en-
ployment and sometimes housing
for the Negro in the ls65-iS75 de-
cade The Urban League does the
same today, and FEPC exists
10 educate job-bias out Of our
states employers,
The National Afro-American
Council, NA-AC, convened at st.
James AME Church. St. Paul.
in 1890: It's counterpart, the
NAACP, recently installed it's
new president at the same church
in 1858.
The Minnesota Civil Rights
committee met In 1899: It's
counterpart, the Governors Com
mission ON Human Rights still
finds reason 20 exist,
II would appear that theological
progress, those ideas so warmly
expressed by every man claiming
patriotic affinity to an ideal
democracy. far exceeds the actual
practice Of democracy Why else
should a singular need for such
social agencies Of 100 years ago
grow irto a multiplicity Of sim.
liar agencies for our day?
History Is Repetitivc
In 1897, when st, Paul Motors
was selling brand new" used
Oldsmobiles for the sum OF 527
dollars, the famous or Infamous
corner of Sixth Av. n. and Lyn-
dale fell to progress as Olson High
way was begun and Sumner Field
Housing project was started to
allay the fears Of the panicking
minorties displaced by the pro,
ieCt
Twenty years later, the one
ycar-old brand new used" Odds
mobile costs as much ass the new
est model The old Sixth Az. N.
and Lyndale corner tOlson High
wayl has again fallen to progress,
And open Occupancy" legisla-
ton is being studied TO allay the
fears OF the social agencies rep
rescnttng the not-so-paniclSy min
critics who win again be dis
placed,
II is interesting to note that
only the value OF the Oldsmobile
and who worries about the modern
inequiJies' have changed.
Nineteen forty-one ushered in
an era Of complex contradictories.
Life Magazine photographer, Cor
don Parks, was learning photo
Craphy on money earned by lead
ing a dance band in the Twin
Cities and Chicago, and auto risk
insurance was being touted at 200
percent Of par 10 the Negro.
The Twin Cities dailes were un.
der attack by Father Keefe OF st.
Peter Claver and Rev. G. r. Il.
Nelson OF Camphor Methodist be-
cause OF their persistent use OF
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