St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-02-12


heard by a crowd that filled the
lower auditorium of the church.
Speakers on the program includ-
ed Carolyn Smith, Central high
senior, Rev. NJ. ]. Hendrieth, pas
tor Of Wayman AME church; Rev.
Martin Luther Simmons, pastor,
ST. Peter AME church and Mrs.
Erma Claridy Craven of the Trav-
elers Aid Society.
Miss Smith gave a paper on the
life of James Weldon Johnson, who
composed Lift Every Voice and
Sing" which was for years re-
ferred to as the Negro National
Anthem"
Following her paper the audi
ence sang Lift Every Voice and
Sing.
Hendrieth spoke on The Ne
gro's Contribution to American
Culture; Simmons on 1.-THE Negro
Preacher and Church." and Mrs.
Craven" The Negro Family AS a
Special Institution"
Rev. Hendrieth cited some ex-
amples Of outstanding inventions
by individual Negroes including
Benjamin Banneker, who made the
first clock used in the North
American continent. He brought a
number of books from the Sumner
Branch Library on the life and
history of the Negro, which were
displayed.
Rev. Simmons accused cultured
Negro intellectuals of leaving the
Negro church which he said had
been the bulwark of early Negro
progress.
He also described some of the
problems which face the Negro
preacher in his effort to serve his
flock.
The Negro preacher, he said
has to be financier, business man
ager, social worker, peace-maker
and janitor of his church"
Rev. Simmons said that many
people complain about the length
of the morning worship in many
Negro churches. He agreed serv-
ices were often too long, but
countered by asserting that the
failure of members of many con-
gregations to attend to the bus
mess Of the church during week
days, made it necessary for a con-
siderable amount Of church bus
mess to be conducted on Sunday
mornings, therefore prolonging the
services
The church, he said, Is the real
hope Of the people Of all races and
It should be supported"
Erna Craven, social worker
described the tremendous respon-
abihty that the Negro woman and
mother had labored under during
slavery and since. She told Of the
severe handicaps under which Ne
gro family Is reared even today.
After the brief formal speeches
and papers the meeting was div
ided into four groups where dis
cussions were held and conclusions
developed for presentation to the
entire meeting.
Discussion leaders were Thomas
jackson, Milton Henry, Celestia
Fraction and Dorothy NJ Ellison.
Resource persons were Clifford
Fucker, Edgerton Tucker, Erma
Craven, Ashby Gasltins, Arlef Nor
ris, John C. Ballard, Luther
Prince, Jr., Rev. Marlin J. Hen
drieth, Cecil E. Newman and Rev.
Martin Luther Simmons.
Scribes for the workshops were:
Constance Bowman, Joyce Jack
son, Christine Durham and Eunyce
Lewis.
Musical numbers included a
piano number The Hungarian
Rhapsody No. 2" by Liszt and by
Mildred smalls, Climbing Jacobs
Ladder" by AME Youth Choirs
directed by Lucille Ray.
Conclusions Of the various work.
shops were presented to the meet
ing on the four questions discus
sed, which were:
1. Cultural Pluralism teaches
that all Races and Ethnic Groups
have contributed to our American
Culture; therefore, we should drop
the bad things in our culture, hold
on to the good and share them with
others. What are some bad traits
we should drop? What should we
cherish and share with others?
2. The Negro shouts for equal
ity with the white man, but as
his educational and cultural level
rise his responsibility also in
creases. How can we become
more responsible citizens?