Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-04-22
How Group Was Formed:
Minneapolis Urb0n
League IAonors LIS
Post Presidents

NA~AS rs OV1A anniversary
this year, and local Leagues
throughout the country are ovserv-
ing Founders Day during the month
Of April.
In Minneapolis the first meeting
Of citizens to discuss forming an
Urban League was held Septem-
Der 20, 1924 at the First Unitarian
church. The chairman of this meet
ing was Raymond Cannon, attorney
and civic leader, who recently
moved to Los Angeles, Calf.
Present at this meeting were
Professor Ross L. Finley, Assist
ant Professor of Educational Soc
iology, University of Minnesota;
DR.. Alfred, e. Koenig, Executive
Secretary, Minneapolis Council of
Americanization; Professor Edwin
L. Clarke, Assistant Professor,
Sociology, University of Mime
sofa; Rev. John Samuels, Pastor,
Como Congregational Church; DR..
Samuel G. Blythe, Executive Sec
rotary, Minneapolis Council of
Churches; Rev. H. c. Parsons,
Pastor, Bethesda Baptist Church;
Rabbi Albert G. Minda, Temple
Israel Synagogue; Otto Bradley,
Executive Secretary, Council of
Social Agencies; ]. s. Lincoln, Sec
rotary, Committee on Public Sol
icitations, Civic and Commerce AS
ISOLATION; Judge Edward F. Waite,
District Court; Miss Gratia Coun-
tryman, Librarian, Minneapolis
Public Library; Miss Adelaide
Rudd, Librarian, Sumner Branch;
Mrs. Lulu Maxwell, Family Wei
fare Association; Pearl Salsberry,
Assistant General Secretary, Fam
lily Welfare Association; Augusta
Starr, Librarian, Thirty sixth
Street Branch; Mrs. Robbins Gil
man, Executive Secretary, Wom-
ems Cooperative Alliance; Rather
inc Hattendorf, Associate Secre-
tary, Women's Cooperative ALI
ance; Mrs Rheua Schroedel, Direc-
tor, Social Hygiene, Women's Co
Alliance; DR.. Max Seham,
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics,
University Of Minnesota; Mrs. Ed
win Clarke, Gale P. Hilyer, Glesner
Fowler; Louis Vale; Mrs. Charles
M. Force, and George DeVaughn.
Mr.. Cannon addressed the group
in reference to the Urban League,
stating that the Frederick Doug
lass Club had been interested in
the promotion of the work of the
Urban League but now felt the
need Of the cooperation of other
groups.
Professor Clarke explained the
principles and policies of the Ur-
ban League, which he said briefly
meant, mot Aims but Opportmi-
ty." He spoke of the following
points as functions that the League
had promoted in different places:
Travellers Aid, Visiting Nurses and
Employment. He emphasized in
terracial cooperation as being the
most valuable promotional aspect.
Under this title he stressed the
conduct, character and citizenship.
Research was mentioned as one of
the important functions Of the
Urban League.
The consensus Of this meeting
was that an Urban League was
needed in Minneapolis and that
the chairman appoint committee
to study and explore procedure for
establishing an Urban League in
the Minneapolis community.
Mr.. Cannon's committee COM
posed of Edwin L. Clarke, Tai
mage B. Carey, Glesner Fowler
Mrs. Robbins Gilman, Gale p
Hilyer, DR.. Alfred e. Koenig, Mrs
Lulu Maxwell and Louis Vale
reported to the group at a meet
ing held at the Manufacturer
Club on November 10, 1924. The
recommendations that:
IA branch of the National
Urban League known as the Min
neapoIis Urban League should be
organized in the city.
2-That an interim committee
of fifteen should be appointed to
work out a plan of organization
which would include a Constitu-
ton, Bylaws, minimum budget
and plans for financing and nom-
nations Of directors, and this COM
mittee should confer with the tenn
porary Interracial Committee OF
the Minneapolis Council OF
Churches to insure coordination
and cooperation between the pro-
grams Of the two groups.
Chairman Cannon appointed the
following committee of fifteen:
Frank ]. Bruno, Chairman, Otto
F. Bradley, w. Gertrude Brown
Raymond Cannon, Edwin L. Clark,
e. c. Gale, Jasper Gibbs, Gale
Hilyer, Mrs. Robbins Gilman, David
p. Jones, ST., Joseph r. Kingman
Alfred z. Koenig, Brown s. Smith
Rev. John Samuels, Harriet Vance
and Judge Edward F. Waite.
Frank ]. Bruno, Chairman, re-
ported at a meeting held at the
Andrus Building April ~, 1925