STATION Y
FOR DEFENSE

Mrs. James Theldon Johnson,
Five Acres,
Fale Heiress
7th Ave at 1255
Great Barrington. Mass.
New England

175 West 137 Street
New York, New York
February 10, 1942

Mrs. Alice T. McLean, President
American Women's Voluntary Services, Inc.
40 East 41 Street
New York, New York

My dear Mrs. McLean:

Since our interview Friday, I have reviewed my entire relationship
with the American Women's Voluntary Services. The philosophy of any
movement is always of primary importance to me. The carbon copies of
letters which I sent your office and the memory of our many conversa-
tions leave me with the belief that in all my contacts I have endeav-
ored to emphasize the importance of geographical unites with cross sec-
tion representation and active participation of all groups in policy
making and program building.

The geographical unit plan which I submitted and which had been ef-
fective in a complicated urban situation was rejected, I believe with-
out adequate study. Instead, a segregated unit has been set up to serve
the section, loosely called Harlem, but in reality is the 12th and 16th
Fire Battalion area--which begins at 51st Street and East River to 150th
Street and Harlem River--from East River on the East to Hudson River on
the West.

The Friday conference brought forth another disconcerting revela-
tion. I was thrilled to know that Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune and Mrs. James
Weldon Johnson were serving on your National Sponsoring Committee. Their
names have significance to White and Negro America. Imagine my dismay
when they report they have at no time been called to attend a Sponsors
Meeting. I was even more distressed to hear from you that there had
been no meeting of the National Sponsoring Committee.

I do not believe that as an American citizen concerned with true
democratic participation that I would be true to my basic philosophy if
I remained with an organization which has from my point of view violated
basic concepts and I therefore tender my resignation as Administrative
Assistant in the Division of Program & Extension of the American Women's
Voluntary Services, Inc.

February 17, 1942

Mrs. John Hope
175 West 137th Street
New York City

Dear Mrs. Hope:

I am sorry that you went away with any type
of misunderstanding from the meeting which we hope had
clarified our united front, and had stressed the importance
of that united front's not being broken because of a mis-
understanding on the part of even one individual.

The statements made in your letter do not
seem to jobe with what came out of the meeting either, so I
am taking the liberty, with great hopes that it may help in
our future cooperation, of trying to clarify in the following
way at least the misunderstanding brought out in your letter.

The National Sponsoring Committee you mention
no longer exists under our new charter adopted last spring,
and the Sponsoring Committee which did exist prior to that time
held no meetings as it was composed of over one hundred women
who were used primarily in an advisory capacity. However,
Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune and Mrs. James Weldon Johnson are,
in addition to being members of the Sponsoring Committee,
Honorary Members of the A.W.V.S.

I do appreciate the interest you have shown
in our organization and our work and regret exceedingly that
you choose to terminate your association with our Program
and Extension Department.

Copies of this letter are going to Mrs. Bethune,
Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Hill. I do not have the addresses of
Mrs. Craft, Mrs. Watson and Walter White, but enclose several
extra copies for you to send them should you care to do so.

February 19, 1942

Dear Mrs. McLean:

The American Women's Voluntary Services for twelve months
has consistently evaded adopting the legitimate standards of organiza-
tion that would include the American Negro as a full participant
and builder of a Civilian Defense organization that would serve the world,
on behalf of women, as a rounded, honest and earnest example of a true
democracy at work, reaching out gloriously towards a new horizon -- united
in purpose.

Critics and skeptics know that "token representation" to hide
discrimination puts further doubts into the minds of 13,000,000 American
American citizens, and this truth makes us know that this brand of democracy
cannot win the war. Insistently, wise and courageous leadership
must oppose the forces that would make America a laughing stock before
the world.

Mrs. Mary Steele Ross, first Executive Director, recognized
that the criticism leveled at your organization (then 10,000 -- potentially)
about the treatment of Negroes, Catholics and Jews would have
to be met before the second Institute was held at 7 East 51st Street last
spring. I accepted her invitation to discuss ways to comprehend, clarify
and meet by direct action these criticisms, and to aid in developing a
forthright approach towards understanding the plight of minority groups.
I felt that you, Mrs. McLean, together with Miss L. Morse, Mrs. Ross, Mrs.
Numa Adams, Mrs. T. A. Hill and myself, were agreed during the progress of
the Institute that necessarily colored Americans would have to have, without
compromise or equivocation, full representation and participation on
the Board of Directors, and throughout the National office, as an exam-

-2-

ple to be set for the rest of the country.

My first unwillingness to serve as "window dressing" on any board was express to Mrs. Ross, Miss L. Morse and Mrs. Gleische the first day of meeting in conference. The constant breakdown of your Advisory, Sponsors, Policy-Planning and other committees made me know that though Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune wrote you that she stood ready to serve on call, neither of us has ever been part of the further development of the organization. The AWVS, now thousands strong, has reduced the Negro to a fragmentary representation of 1,000, more or less. Colored people in other parts of the country are still unapproached, though their patriotic curiosity has been quickened towards becoming a living force by the article of Mrs. Bessye Bearden syndicated to the 250 weekly papers of the Associated Negro Press. During our recent conference Mrs. Bearden mentioned her article and Mrs. Bethune summarized our discussion to date. But up to this moment we have not received any personal expression or notification from the Secretary or yourself, that our actions or suggestions have been recognized, considered, or endorsed.

In contrast to the AWVS procedure, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, through her towering strength and human understanding, is assisting towards making the Office of Civilian Defense a strong, realistic and democratically organized force under federal jurisdiction, with various officials of the Negro group ably filling their important assignments.

In the light of this record of the AWVS on the important question of the participation of the Negro in its program, I do, hereby, tender my resignation as a member of the Sponsors Committee, withdrawing all interest in an organization that had the first great opportunity to assist American womanhood toward progressive thinking on democracy, as against the doctrine of the appeasers and the frustrative forces now aid-

-3-

ing in the destruction of civilization.

Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick maintains, "Man's faith is always
the limit of his blessings; he never attains more than he believes in."

Mrs. Alice T. McLean, President
The American Women's Voluntary Services
1 East 57th Street
New York City

February 19, 1942

Dear Mrs. McLean:

The American Women's Voluntary Services for twelve months
has consistently evaded adopting the legitimate standards of
organization that would include the American Negro as a full
participant and builder of a Civilian Defense organization that would
serve the world, on behalf of women, as a rounded, honest and earnest
example of a true democracy at work, reaching out gloriously towards
a new horizon -- united in purpose.

Critics and skeptics know that "token representation" to
hide discrimination puts further doubts into the minds of 13,000,000
American citizens, and this truth makes us know that this brand of
democracy cannot win the war. Insistently wise and courageous
leadership must oppose the forces that would make America a laughing
stock before the world.

-2-

have to be met before the second Institute was held at 7 East 51st Street last spring. I accepted her invitation to discuss ways to comprehend, clarify and meet by direct action these criticisms and to aid in developing a forthright approach towards understanding the plight of minority groups. I felt that you, Mrs. McLean, together with Miss L. Morse, Mrs. Ross, Mrs. Numa Adams, Mrs. T. A. Hill and myself, were agreed during the progress of the Institute that necessarily colored Americans would have to have, without compromise or equivocation, full representation and participation on the Board of Directors, and throughout the National office, as an example to be set for the rest of the country.

My first unwillingness to serve as "window dressing" on any board (or "what have you") was expressed to Mrs. Ross, Miss L. Morse and Mrs. Gleische the first day of meeting in conference. The constant breakdown of your Advisory, Sponsors, Policy-Planning and other committees made me know that though Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune wrote you that she stood ready to serve on call, neither of us has ever been part of the further development of the organization. The AWVS, now thousands strong, has reduced the Negro to a fragmentary

-3-

withdrawing all interest in an organization that had the first
great opportunity to assist American womanhood toward progressive
thinking on democracy, as against the doctrine of the appeasers
and the frustrative forces now aiding in the destruction of
civilization.

February 19, 1942

Dear Mrs. McLean:

Critics and skeptics know that "token representation" to hide
discrimination puts further doubts into the minds of 13,000,000 American
citizens, and this truth makes us know that this brand of de-
mocracy cannot win the war. Insistently, wise and courageous leader-
ship must oppose the forces that would make America a laughing stock be-
fore the world.

Mrs. Mary Steele Ross, first Executive Director, recognized
that the criticism leveled at your organization (then 10,000 -- poten-
tially) about the treatment of Negroes, Catholics and Jews would have
to be met before the second Institute was held at 7 East 51st Street last
spring. I accepted her invitation to discuss ways to comprehend, clarify
and meet by direct action these criticisms, and to aid in developing a
forthright approach towards understanding the plight of minority groups.
I felt that you, Mrs. McLean, together with Miss L. Morse, Mrs. Ross, Mrs.
Numa Adams, Mrs. T. A. Hill and myself, were agreed during the progress of
the Institute that necessarily colored Americans would have to have, with-
out compromise or equivocation, full representation and participation on
the Board of Directors, and throughout the National office, as an exam-

-2-

February 19, 1942

Dear Mrs. McLean:

-2-

-2-

board was expressed to Mrs. Ross, Miss L. Morse and Mrs. Gleische the first day of meeting in conference. The constant breakdown of your advisory, Sponsors, Policy-Planning and other committees made me know that though Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune wrote you that she stood ready to serve on call, neither of us has ever been part of the further development of the organization. The AWVS, now thousands strong, has reduced the Negro to a fragmentary representation of 1,000, more or less. Colored people in other parts of the country are still unapproached, though their patriotic curiosity has been quickened towards becoming a living force by the article of Mrs. Bessye Bearden syndicated to the 250 weekly papers of the Associated Negro Press. During our recent conference Mrs. Bearden mentioned her article and Mrs. Bethune summarized our discussion to date. But up to this moment we have not received any personal expression or notification from the Secretary or yourself, that our actions or suggestions have been recognized, considered, or endorsed.

In the light of this record of the AWVS on the important question of the participation of the Negro in its program, I do, hereby, tender my resignation as a member of the Sponsors Committee, withdrawing all interest in an organization that had the first great opportunity to assist American womanhood toward progressive thinking on democracy, as against the doctrine of the appeasers and the frustrative forces now aiding in the destruction of civilization

February 19, 1942

Dear Mrs. McLean:

The American Women's Voluntary Services for twelve months
has consistently evaded adopting the legitimate standards of orga-
nization that would include the American Negro as a full participant
and builder of a Civilian Defense organization that would serve the
world, on behalf of women, as a rounded, honest and earnest example of
a true democracy at work, reaching out gloriously towards a new hori-
zon -- united in purpose.

Critics and skeptics know that "token representation" to
hide discrimination puts further doubts into the minds of 13,000,000
American citizens, and this truth makes us know that this brand of
democracy cannot win the war. Insistently, wise and courageous lead-
ership must oppose the forces that would make America a laughing stock
before the world.

Mrs. Mary Steele Ross, first Executive Director, recognized
that the criticism leveled at your organization (then 10,000 -- po-
tentially) about the treatment of Negroes, Catholics and Jews would
have to be met before the second Institute was held at 7 East 51st
Street last spring. I accepted her invitation to discuss ways to com-
prehend, clarify and meet by direct action these criticisms, and to
aid in developing a forthright approach towards understanding the
plight of minority groups. I felt that you, Mrs. McLean, together
with Miss L. Morse, Mrs. Ross, Mrs. Numa Adams, Mrs. T. A. Hill, and
myself, were agreed during the progress of the Institute that neces-
sarily colored Americans would have to have without compromise or
equivocation, full representation and participation on the Board of

-2-

My first unwillingness to serve as "window dressing" on any board was expressed to Mrs. Ross, Miss L. Morse, and Mrs. Gleische the first day of meeting in conference. The constant breakdown of your Advisory, Sponsors, Policy-Planning, and other committees made me know that though Mrs. Mary McLeod Bethune wrote you that she stood ready to serve on call, neither of us has ever been part of the further development of the organization. The AWVS, now thousands strong, has reduced the Negro to a fragmentary representation of 1,000 more or less. Colored people in other parts of the country are still unapproached, though their patriotic curiosity has been quickened towards becoming a living force by the article of Mrs. Bessye Bearden syndicated to the 250 weekly papers of the Associated Negro Press. During our recent conference Mrs. Bearden mentioned her article and Mrs. Bethune summarized our discussion to date. But up to this moment we have not received any personal expression or notification from the Secretary or yourself, that our actions or suggestions have been recognized, considered, or endorsed.

In the light of this record of the AWVS on the important question of the participation of the Negro in its program, I do, here-

AMERICAN WOMEN'S VOLUNTARY SERVICES, Inc.

181 MADISON AVENUE
NEW YORK, N. Y.

GRAND CENTRAL

Mrs. James Weldon Johnson

Five Acres

Great Barrington, Mass.

February 19, 1942

Dear Mrs. McLean:

Critics and skeptics know that "token representation" to hide
discrimination puts further doubts into the minds of 13,000,000 American
citizens, and this truth makes us know that this brand of democracy cannot
win the war. Insistently, wise and courageous leadership must oppose the
forces that would make America a laughing stock before the world.

Mrs. Mary Steele Ross, first Executive Director, recognized
that the criticism leveled at your organization (then 10,000 -- poten-
tially) about the treatment of Negroes, Catholics and Jews would have
to be met before the second Institute was held at 7 East 51st Street
last spring. I accepted her invitation to discuss ways to comprehend,
clarify and meet by direct action these criticisms, and to aid in develop-
ing a forthright approach towards understanding the plight of minority
groups. I felt that you, Mrs. McLean, together with Miss L. Morse, Mrs.
Ross, Mrs. Numa Adams, Mrs. T. A. Hill and myself, were agreed during
the progress of the Institute that necessarily colored Americans would
have to have, without compromise or equivocation, full representation
and participation on the Board of Directors, and throughout the National
office, as an example to be set for the rest of the country.

-2-

NATIONAL OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
ARTHUR B. SPINGARN

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
DR. LOUIS T. WRIGHT

ACTING CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
HON. CHARLES E. TONEY

VICE-PRESIDENTS
MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE
NANNIE H. BURROUGHS
GODFREY LOWELL CABOT
HON. ARTHUR CAPPER
DR. WALTER GRAY CRUMP
BISHOP JOHN A. GREGG
REV. JOHN HAYNES HOLMES
MANLEY O. HUDSON
HON. IRA W. JAYNE
HON. CAROLINE O'DAY
REV. A. CLAYTON POWELL
OSWALD GARRISON VILLARD
WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE

TREASURER
MARY WHITE OVINGTON

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Atlanta Dr. N. C. McPherson
Eugene M. Martin
Carl Murphy
Baltimore Dr. E. W. Taggart
Birmingham, Ala. Dr. John B. Hall
Boston Dr. John B. Hall
Charleston, W. Va. T. G. Nutter
Chicago Earl B. Dickerson
Bishop W. J. Walls
Cleveland Hon. Harry E. Davis
L. Pearl Mitchell
Des Moines, Ia. S. Joe Brown
Detroit Louis C. Blount
Falls Village, Conn. Dr. William Allan Neilson
Ithaca, N. Y. Major Robert E. Treman
Los Angeles Thomas L. Griffith, Jr.
Newark, N. J. Grace B. Henderson
New York Lillian A. Alexander
Dr. Allan Knight Chalmers
Marion Cuthbert
Hubert I. Deiany
Douglas P. Ralston
Lewis S. Gannett
John Hammond
Rev. John Haynes Holmes
Dr. William Lloyd Imes
Hon. Herbert H. Lehman
Dr. O. Clay Maxwell
Mary White Ovington
Hon. Charles Faletti
A. Philip K Randolph
Rev. James H. Robinson
Col. Theodore Koosevelt
Amy E. Spingarn
Arthur B. Spingarn
Hon. Charles E. Toney
Dr. Elizabeth Yates Webb
Dr. Louis I. Wright

Oklahoma City Roscoe Dunjee
Peekskill, N. Y. Alfred Baker Lewis
Philadelphia Isadore Martin
Pittsburgh, Pa. Homer S. Brown
Richmond, Va. Dr. John M. Tinsley
St. Louis Sidney R. Redmond
Topeka, Kans. Hon. Arthur Capper
Washington William H. Hostie
Dr. Charles H. Thompson
Frances Harriet Williams

NATIONAL LEGAL COMMITTEE

William H. Hostie, Washington, Chairman

**Atlanta**
A. I. Walden

**Berkeley, Calif.**
Walter A. Gordon
Irwin T. Dorch

**Boston**
T. G. Nutter

**Charleston, W. Va.**
Irvin C. Mollison

**Chicago**
Edward H. Morris

**Cincinnati**
Theodore M. Berry

**Cleveland**
William T. McKnight

**Erie, Pa.**
William F. Illig

**Jacksonville**
S. D. McGill

**Los Angeles**
Thomas L. Griffith, Jr.

**Louisville**
Charles W. Anderson

**Madison, Wis.**
Lloyd Garrison

**Muskogee, Okla.**
Charles A. Chandler

**Nashville, Tenn.**
Z. Alexander Looby

**New York**
Hubert T. Delany

**Philadelphia**
Morris L. Ernst

**Pittsburgh**
Arthur Garfield Hays

**Toledo, Ohio**
Benjamin Kaplan

**Washington**
Karl N. Llewellyn
James Marshall
Walter Mendelsohn

**Wilmington, Del.**
Charles H. Studin

**Francis Biddle**
Homer S. Brown

**Jesse S. Heslip**
Charles H. Houston

**Charles H. Houston**
Edward P. Lovett

**W. Robert Ming, Jr.**
W. Robert Ming, Jr.

**James N. Nabrit, Jr.**
Leon A. Ransom

**Stephen J. Spingarn**
Louis L. Redding

98

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE
ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE

69 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK

TELEPHONE: ALGONQUIN 4-3551

Official Organ: The Crisis

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

WALTER WHITE SECRETARY

ROY WILKINS
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
EDITOR, THE CRISIS

THURGOOD MARSHALL
SPECIAL COUNSEL

WILLIAM PICKENS (ON LEAVE)
DIRECTOR OF BRANCHES

DAISY E. LAMPKIN
FIELD SECRETARY

ELLA J. BAKER
E. FREDERIC MORROW
RANDALL L. TYUS

ASSISTANT FIELD SECRETARIES

CHARLOTTE B. CRUMP
PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION

MADISON S. JONES, JR.
YOUTH DIRECTOR

February 20, 1942

Dear Mrs. Johnson:

Mr. Wilkins made some changes in your draft and asked me to read it to you over the telephone, saying he would send the letter out tomorrow morning as you wish. However, I got no response when I telephoned this afternoon, and so am mailing this to you.

I am sure Mr. Wilkins will be in the office about ten o'clock in the morning, when you can talk with him if you wish.

Mrs. James Weldon Johnson
Hotel Theresa
2090 Seventh Avenue
New York City

R 33rd ANNUAL CONFERENCE, LOS ANGELES, CALIF., July 14-19, 1942

THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNION

In 1933 The Neighborhood Union of Atlanta, Georgia, celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary by honoring its founder and leader, Mrs. John Hope, who has been actively engaged in the work during the entire twenty-five years.

The significance of the work of this Organization, evaluated in the light of modern social work, challenges our present forms of community organization and suggests a very tangible plan for adequately meeting many of the problems that the changing social order has created.

The history of this Organization is rich in social significance, for it has recognized the whole gamut of social problems, and has dealt with them in a most intelligent way. The far-reaching results of this work during the past quarter of a century, carried on quietly in the heart of the South, indicates again that the best community work grows out of the community's real needs, and that enlightened communities come into being by community participation.

A brief summary of the work of Neighborhood Union, embracing the following listed subjects, will also indicate how the same general ideas can be translated into workable present-day community programs:

1. Leadership

2. Plan of Organization

3. Purpose

4. Program

5. Finance

6. Results Accomplished

-2-

## LEADERSHIP

Mrs. John Hope gave practically full time to the development of the Neighborhood Union. From the beginning she was able to enlist the service of all the outstanding people in the community, and gradually every family in the community (including the most humble ones) was actively co-operating in a program which was of direct benefit to every participant.

The marshalling together of the existing community resources, and the using of these resources to evolve the program have been highlights of the founder's leadership. The quality of the leadership of the founder and of those women who were immediately associated with her has consistently been of exceptionally high caliber, and has enabled the work to take its place in the front ranks of practical human uplift.

## PLAN OF ORGANIZATION

The plan of organization is in reality indicated in the name "The Neighborhood Union"; for the organization is a union of neighborhoods and a union of neighbors. The first neighborhood in the Union to be organized was the founder's own neighborhood. Mrs. Hope invited a few of her immediate neighbors to her home to discuss the possibility of a plan for general community betterment. These people were most enthusiastic, and they made a friendly visit to every home within a certain radius to interest the rest of the community, and incidentally to discover leaders. The idea was well received in the community, and shortly after the friendly visits were completed, the people who the visitors felt had leadership qualities were invited to a meeting in the founder's home. This group elected permanent officers, and Mrs. Hope became the first Neighborhood President. The neighborhood was then divided into permanent sections, and a Director was appointed for each section. The chief responsibility of the Director was to

-3-

know every family in his section, together with every community asset and every community liability. Where the section was large the Section Directors met once a month as a Board and made reports concerning conditions in their respective sections. The Section Director could at any time call a meeting of her block workers to formulate plans to handle any local situation.

Soon other neighborhoods were organized, until the work extended over the whole City and every Negro family was touched. The first neighborhood to be organized, however, became the model; and it soon had a building in which to house its ever increasing activities. Later it became necessary to divide the City into zones, and representatives from the various zones constituted the Board of Managers of the Neighborhood Union. The Neighborhood Union was incorporated in 1911.

The following simple diagram shows the Neighborhood organization.

ZONE

<table><thead><tr><th colspan="3">NEIGHBORHOOD</th><th colspan="8">NEIGHBORHOOD</th></tr><tr><th>Section</th><th>Section</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>BBB</td><td>BBB</td><td>BBB</td><td>BBB</td><td>B</td><td>B</td><td>B</td><td>B</td><td>B</td><td>B</td></tr><tr><td>111</td><td>111</td><td>111</td><td>111</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>000</td><td>000</td><td>000</td><td>000</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>000</td><td>000</td><td>000</td><td>000</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>kkk</td><td>kkk</td><td>kkk</td><td>kkk</td><td>k</td><td>k</td><td>k</td><td>k</td><td>k</td><td>k</td></tr></tbody></table>

The varied program of this Organization, which often embraced city-wide projects, was put into effect through a very simple but comprehensive organization, and here again participation was the dominant factor.

The graph below indicates the plan used for city-wide projects.

Executive Committee selected from Zone Chairman
---
Board of Managers (zone Chairman, Presidents of
: Neighborhoods, one lay member from each zone
:
:
:
Directors of Sections
:
:
Block Workers
:

PURPOSE

The purpose of The Neighborhood Union is summed up in three words: Co-
operation, Participation, and Prevention.

PROGRAM

The first step toward the formation of a program was a house-to-
house survey of the entire neighborhood. The result of this survey made
the group aware of the paramount needs of the community; and a health pro-
gram and an activities program were immediately launched.

Under the Health and Sanitation Program the following projects have
been developed:

A. Health

1. Establishment of an Adult Clinic

2. Establishment of a Well Baby Clinic

3. Establishment of a Vaccination Campaign

4. Establishment of a General Children's Clinic

5. Establishment of a Typhoid Inoculation

-5-

## A. Health (continued)

6. Establishment of a Dental Clinic

7. Establishment of Portable Clinics throughout the City

8. Simple Health Talks

9. Establishment of Classes in Home Hygiene and Care of the Sick

10. Establishment of Health Demonstrations in the Public Schools

11. Establishment of Health Demonstrations in the local Churches

12. Establishment of Health Baby Contests

## B. Sanitation

1. Neighborhood Clean Up Contests (homes, streets, under the houses)

2. City-wide Clean up Contests

3. Improvement of Toilet Facilities

4. Burn, Bury and Beautify Campaigns

5. Better sewerage, lights, and water facilities secured for slum sections, from the city.

## C. Activities

Soon the need for organized activities of a recreational nature for the children and adults became the concern of Neighborhood Union, and the following listed activities were established:

### 1. For Children and Young People

<table><tr><td>a. Needlework</td><td>f. Playground Activities</td></tr><tr><td>b. Dramatics</td><td>g. Girls Social Clubs</td></tr><tr><td>c. Basketry</td><td>h. Boys Social Clubs</td></tr><tr><td>d. Little Mother Club</td><td>i. Track Meets</td></tr><tr><td>e. Little Housekeepers Club</td><td>j. Choral Groups</td></tr></table>

-6-

## C. Activities (continued)

### 2. For Adults

<table><tr><td>a. Social Clubs</td><td>f. Budgeting</td></tr><tr><td>b. Concerts</td><td>g. Citizenship Classes</td></tr><tr><td>c. Sewing</td><td>h. Inter-racial Understanding</td></tr><tr><td>d. Lectures</td><td>i. Legal Aid</td></tr><tr><td>e. Domestic Science</td><td>j. Better Home Campaign</td></tr></table>

During the entire period the well being of every child was the concern of every worker, and every worker was constantly discovering and helping children with health and social problems.

## D. Relief (1908-1920)

For a number of years Neighborhood Union handled the entire relief problem. The method of self help used by the Organization was most interesting, and it solved many intricate relief problems in a most satisfactory way.

The motto of this Organization is: "And thy neighbor as thyself"; and it was this spirit that permeated the whole relief plan. For instance, the block worker would appoint a person in the block to collect food, and every person made a small contribution to the basket. Likewise, coal and clothing were contributed. If the problem was serious, it was called to the attention of the Neighborhood President, and people in other sections made contributions. This method of relief giving did away with all misrepresentation in regard to the actual need, because the actual need was known to the Section Director of the neighborhood. The sharing of the neighbor's burden carried out the Union's motto--"and thy neighbor as thyself".

## FINANCE

Although the bulk of the work was done by volunteers, it was soon obvious that paid leadership was necessary. The Union planned a number of projects which provided real entertainment for the community, and at the same time netted considerable sums of money. Here again the spirit of Cooperation and Participation was emphasized. Direct contributions from churches, organizations and individuals helped finance the program.

-7-

Later Neighborhood Union became a part of the Community Chest and had to curtail many of its activities because of the lack of an adequate budget.

## RESULTS ACCOMPLISHED

For a quarter of a century this one organization has handled every social problem that the human family and the neighborhood could present; and the spirit in which the work of the Organization was done, and the results accomplished are indeed real contributions in human understanding. Problems involving family relations, health, relief, recreation, community betterment, individual educational opportunities, and child welfare have been solved by invoking the corner-stones of the Organization--namely, Cooperation, Participation, and Prevention.

It will be seen from the foregoing pages that this organization of Negro women working in the far south in the interest of an underprivileged and exploited group, embodied the broad principles of cooperative self help as a means of raising their standard of living over a quarter of a century ago.

While the technique of economic cooperation was not so minutely developed as has been seen in European movements of that period the fundamental philosophy and principles were developed carefully to meet the specific needs of the community as they arose and in order of their importance.

From the cooperation point of view, perhaps one of the most serious mistakes which this organization has made was to join the Community Chest which gave it far too little capital to finance their work on a professional basis, at the same time robbed them of their independence and stripped them of their most useful functions and those which created and motivated the cooperative spirit which had knitted together the Negro families of Atlanta into a union of true neighbors.

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For better or for worse many of the social ills which motivated the
formation of the Neighborhood Union in 1908 which followed close after the
depression of 1907 are facing the Negro family in Atlanta today as it stands
after over a half decade of unprecedented economic depression, with its con-
sequent economic, social and spiritual degradation. Such circumstances re-
quire the tireless volunteer work of unselfish women inspired by the spirit
and principles which were set down in 1908 with a specific program, modern-
ized in detail and emphasis to meet in a fundamental way the problems of the
Negro family of today.

Perhaps one of the most deep seated problems of the urban Negro family
of today, particularly in the south, is the problem of an inadequate real in-
come; and because of the occupational nature of the masses of this group, i.e.,
domestic servants, cooks, female laundry workers and chauffeurs, as the real
income of the American people as a whole rises, their incomes will tend to
lag behind, giving them an even amount of purchasing power during the period
of general recovery when the most effective relief facilities of the present
time (Federal Relief) have been scrapped because of the general improvement
in employment and business activity, thus throwing the Negro breadwinner more
completely on his own resources without a compensating rise in his purchasing
power. In short, even assuming that the national problem of unemployment is
solved to a sufficient extent such that relief on a national scale can be dis-
continued without serious nation-wide harm, the problem of the under-employ-
ed and under-paid southern Negro, working in occupations that are excluded
from the Federal Social Security Measures and occupations in which effective
labor organization is most difficult of attainment irrespective of other ag-
gravating obstacles of a sectional nature, such as race prejudice and reaction-
ary social and economic ideals, will remain in bold relief on the southern front.

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Thus the problem of stretching each dollar to command more and more goods is of peculiar importance at this time. For this reason it may be desirable for this organization to include in its program at this time a more specific form of economic cooperation, i.e., the organization and development of buying clubs, as an initial step in the re-organization of its broad social program in order to be able to respond to the needs of the community as they arise under present economic and social conditions.

The above type of economic cooperation is suggested not only because of its immediate possibilities in increased real income to the Negro family, but because the tangible results which may be depended upon to create both interest and financial aid for the promotion of the broader social aims which have characterized the pre-Community Chest years of service.