Equal Rights League Delegation Sees the President, p. 1
Dublin Core
Title
Equal Rights League Delegation Sees the President, p. 1
Description
“Washington, D.C., July 9
The National Equal Rights League and the United Colored American Committee Friday noon, had an audience at the White House at which time they presented the race’s sesquicentennial of the Declaration of Independence petition, against Federal employe[sic] segregation, at the middle of American Independence Week. Twenty persons composed the delelgation[sic]. The audience conducted by Maurice W. Spenser, treasurer of the league, who introduced the delegates, explicitly stating their purpose. After introducing the delegates he prepared Wm. Monroe Trotter, of Boston, secretary of the N.E.R.L., who thesented[sic] the petition to the President. He placed on the table a big pile of petitions with 25,000 signatures from 40 states. Specifying one from Maine, and four from California, saying they proved universal geographical opposition to federal segregation. He also presented one from the 372nd Batallion[sic], Massachusetts National Guards which Mr. Coolidge authorized when governor. Mr. Mr. Trotter read the petition and declared segregation to be inequality of rights and asking for its removal for the race which shed the first blood for independence. He then asked the President to lead the day in having the United States make the 150th anniversary of American Independence the beginning of a new American epoch for the abolishment of color caste, proscriptions, segregation and public ostracism, by himself removing segregation of the colored clerks of Washington. He said this example by the government had given great impetus to every form of segregation and unless the President would abolish it now disaster was inevitable. Finally he urged abolition was a fair return for over 150 years of fighting, dying and sacrificing and in just appreciation of a perfect record of loyalty with ever a traitor. Rev. Thos. S. Harten, national organizer, urged the President to live up to the traditions of Massachusetts, which he believed he would. The President replied to the spokesmen in a calm, friendly manner, that some segregation had been removed and he would continue to remove more gradually until it was all removed. The delegation was as follows; James L. McNeil, Henry P. Slaughter, Rev. W. H. Jernagin, President National Race Congress; Rev. J. U. King, Bishop I. N. Ross, Rev. Chas. Stewart, Thos. A. Johnson, N.A. Murray, for Alpha Phi Alpha, Prof. Kelly Miller, Thos. Walker, N. S. Pinkett, Secretary Washington Br., N. A. A. A. C. P., Rev. W. D. Isaac, Prof. J. T. Brown, Geo. A. Parker, Secretary National Race Congress, Rev. W. H. Rozier, J. A. Jackson, J. E. Scott, for Kappa Alpha Psi, Ralph D. Matthews and Emory B. Smith. The N. A. A. A. C. P., Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Cappa Psi, National Baptist S. S. Association, National B. Y. P.U., National Association, National B. Y. P. U., National Association Colored Womens Clubs, and the Race Congress co-operated in this effort.”
The National Equal Rights League and the United Colored American Committee Friday noon, had an audience at the White House at which time they presented the race’s sesquicentennial of the Declaration of Independence petition, against Federal employe[sic] segregation, at the middle of American Independence Week. Twenty persons composed the delelgation[sic]. The audience conducted by Maurice W. Spenser, treasurer of the league, who introduced the delegates, explicitly stating their purpose. After introducing the delegates he prepared Wm. Monroe Trotter, of Boston, secretary of the N.E.R.L., who thesented[sic] the petition to the President. He placed on the table a big pile of petitions with 25,000 signatures from 40 states. Specifying one from Maine, and four from California, saying they proved universal geographical opposition to federal segregation. He also presented one from the 372nd Batallion[sic], Massachusetts National Guards which Mr. Coolidge authorized when governor. Mr. Mr. Trotter read the petition and declared segregation to be inequality of rights and asking for its removal for the race which shed the first blood for independence. He then asked the President to lead the day in having the United States make the 150th anniversary of American Independence the beginning of a new American epoch for the abolishment of color caste, proscriptions, segregation and public ostracism, by himself removing segregation of the colored clerks of Washington. He said this example by the government had given great impetus to every form of segregation and unless the President would abolish it now disaster was inevitable. Finally he urged abolition was a fair return for over 150 years of fighting, dying and sacrificing and in just appreciation of a perfect record of loyalty with ever a traitor. Rev. Thos. S. Harten, national organizer, urged the President to live up to the traditions of Massachusetts, which he believed he would. The President replied to the spokesmen in a calm, friendly manner, that some segregation had been removed and he would continue to remove more gradually until it was all removed. The delegation was as follows; James L. McNeil, Henry P. Slaughter, Rev. W. H. Jernagin, President National Race Congress; Rev. J. U. King, Bishop I. N. Ross, Rev. Chas. Stewart, Thos. A. Johnson, N.A. Murray, for Alpha Phi Alpha, Prof. Kelly Miller, Thos. Walker, N. S. Pinkett, Secretary Washington Br., N. A. A. A. C. P., Rev. W. D. Isaac, Prof. J. T. Brown, Geo. A. Parker, Secretary National Race Congress, Rev. W. H. Rozier, J. A. Jackson, J. E. Scott, for Kappa Alpha Psi, Ralph D. Matthews and Emory B. Smith. The N. A. A. A. C. P., Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Cappa Psi, National Baptist S. S. Association, National B. Y. P.U., National Association, National B. Y. P. U., National Association Colored Womens Clubs, and the Race Congress co-operated in this effort.”
Creator
N/A
Publisher
Negro Star
Date
1926-7-9
Collection
Citation
N/A, “Equal Rights League Delegation Sees the President, p. 1,” African American Fourth of July, accessed April 29, 2024, https://africanamerican4th.omeka.net/items/show/318.