Minneapolis spokesman., 1959-11-13

ALMOST ABOUT EVERYTHING
BY william u. Cratic
(FOr Percy VlIIa)
Editors Note: MIR. Cratic, q
social welfare worker, active IN
many civic activities served for
seven years ~ president Of the
Minneapolis NAACP and chair
man Of the Region 9 NAACP.
He Is n member Of the State
FEPC COuhmlsslon
Filling In as guest columnist for
Perry villa Is q pleasant but diff
ficult honor. / could write reams
about the unselfish service Percy
has given to this community, but
others have described his deeds
much better than l could.
The recent appointment Of Leon
ard Carter as Regional Secretary
for NAACP win crafty Adhe
Few. Douglas Hail, Curtis Chivers
and all Of US who have been hoping
over the years that the National
Office could give us more help
and guidance.
II Is a tribute to the st. Paul
Branch and to Leonard's leader
ship. We shall look forward with
pleasure to the 1850 National Con-
vention in st. Paul as the host
branch.
Those who have worked with the
Minneapolis Branch and Minnesota
State Conference Of NAACP over
the years win remember most of
the incidents and personalities
mention here.
Remember Irving and Ruth
Blumberg? I bade Irving goodbye
on the steps of the Minneapolis
Courthouse in January, 194S after
we had successfully protested in
the County Attorneys office
against discrimination practiced by
a local restaurant. Irving died a
few days later. Ruth carried on
the NAACP work until 1852 when
she left for California.
Beatrice and james Perlman,
Irving's sister and brother-in-law,
were also active in those days.
Beatrice worked with Mildred
Moore and Mae Marshall on the
entertainment and finance COM
mittees. James was our Branch
Treasurer. Mildred Moore is stin
giving yeoman service and was
our last years membership chair
man. Mildred, with Wendell Jones,
a past President, Harold Combs.
Clarence Smith, Beulah Jones, and
the late Allie B. Glenn were our
membership stalwarts.
Ruth Andberg came in from
Anoka to Branch meetings for a
year before anyone spoke to her.
She was later a Branch Secretary.
Picked up a story the other day
which could very well be true. A
Negro entering a church in q
southern city was accosted by a
church official. He explained that
he was the new janitor Of the
church. The official admonished
him thusly, can right, you go in
and clean the church but don't let
me catch you praying in there!"
1t was a thrill to be a part Of a
conference In the Pentagon in 1851
with Jonas Schwartz, Sidney Lor-
Der, Genevieve Steefel Charles
(Ned) Spring, Senator Hubert H.
Humphrey, Clarence Mitchell, and
the late Walter White, with top
Army officials. We believe that
our protest against Army segrega-
ton had a great deal to do with
the final integration in the Army
which came about shortly after
our conference.
! 1t was also amusing to stop in
a hotel which refused to house
Negroes and to eat In restaurants
which refused to serve Negroes in
Washington, d. c. years before
those practices were discontinued
lin our nations Capitol.
We were all excited at the pas
sage Of FEPC legislation in Mime
sofa in 1855 after ten years of
campaigning. Rev. Denzil A. Carty
led the 1855 campaign, aided by
many groups and individuals.
/
A Northside group Of working
mothers and housewives, led by
Nellie s. Johnson and Annacele
johnson, gave a series Of parties
and contributed 800. .#a
Samuel Goldman, Minneapolis
Social Worker, was probably the
most active Legionnaire at the re-
cent Legion convention In Mime
apolis In urging a firm stand
against the bias clause In the con-
stitution Of the 40 and 8.
I was awakened by telephone at