St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1962-02-23

IN Minnesota history, by DR..
faculty of Manchester College a
Co., of Minneapolis, one of tt
nation.
The book was the result of sew
eral factors and examples of coop
Grafton between Minnesota Negroes
and whites.
1t originated in the Minnesota
Historical Society Committee for
the Study of the Negroes Role in
Minnesota History, chairmanned by
Cecil Newman, Minnesota news
paper publisher.
The committee was suggested
by John BengstOn, former Min
nesOta Historical Society staff
member and approved by Russell
w. Fridley director of the His
toricaI Society.
Research on the book was pro-
vided by a grant of $4,000 from
the Minnesota Statehood Centen-
NAL Commission. Appearing before
the commission to urge the grant
were Newman, Bengston, Richard
K. Fox, and Ernest Cooper.
Research was under the direc-
ton of Earl Spangler, the final
author of the book who was as
sisted by Louis P. Moore, a MEM
Der of the committee.
After the material was collected
Prof. Spangler made a large por-
ton of it a doctorial thesis for his
Phd Degree at the University of
Oklahoma.
Returning to Minnesota he was
asked to put the manuscript in
bookform after Lawrence Brings,
president of the T. S. Denison &
Co., was sold on the idea of pub
fishing the book for sale to the
public.
Mr.. Brings was enthusiastic and
considered that such a book would
be Of service in helping create a
fuller image of the Negro in the
states life.
After numer ous conferences
plans were arranged for the pub
fishing of the book. Carl T. Rowan,
one of the most distinguished auth
ors and journalists developed in
the state, and a member of the
staff of the Minneapolis TRIBUNE
was asked to write foreward. Be-
fore the book was published Rowan
had been appointed deputy assis-
tant secretary of state for Public
Affairs, by the Kennedy admins
tration, the highest post in the us,
State Department ever held by
American Negro.
Rowan, a graduate of Oberlin
College, famed us. school, received
his masters degree in journalism
from the University of Minnesota,
During his year at the University
of Minnesota he was a member OF
the staff of the Mime ap oils
SPOKESMAN and st. Paul RE-
CORDER. Before that he had been
correspondent for the Afro
American papers.
His work on the TRIBUNE,
his winning of a dozen Of more
of national awards for journals
tic excellence made him the best
known Minnesota newspaperman
nationally. He is in great demand
for addresses and lectures.
In writing the foreword to 1.-THE
Negro in Minnesota History" Row
an opined:
mot since the slavery debates
and the ensuing conflict Of a CEN
tury ago has the word NEGRO,
been at the center Of so much
national conflict. North and South
legislatures, ladies' circles are
caught up in discussions Of what
rights and privileges ought, OIL
ought not be extended the nations
citizens of color. All too otter
much of this discussion grows Out
of negative assertions and stats
tics about Negro crime" Negro
LEGITIMACY" Negro cultural lag
and so forth.
The arrogant assumption, on the
part of people of both good and IL
will, seems to be that the Negro
citizen is basically burden rather
than an asset, to community anc
that since he exists on the white
mans sufferance, he cannot, II
Justice demand certain liberties"
Rowan continued: Under these
circumstances, then it Is particul
arly fitting that someone should
assemble some facts about the role
of the Negro in the life and growth
of Minnesota. The record set fortt
here is an unpretentious, some
times poignant story of the strug'
gle of a tiny minority of human
beings to become first class pro-
ductive citizens in a society that
for so long considered them incap'
able of It,"
The book has had a brisk sale
and has been acclaimed as wor-
thy Of being In every Mime
sOtan's library. 1t Is finely bound
with 22O pages, containing foot
notes for reference material,
photography Of books on the
Negro and a index.
The book traces the Negro from
tba first known Negroes who ap