The Crisis, Vol. 20, No. 4, August 1920, cover and pages 179 and 195.

National – Association – for – the – Advancement – of – Colored – People

Duluth

A Splendid example of branch activity and cooperation with the National Office is given in the part played by the St. Paul and Minneapolis Branches of the N.A.A.C.P. in investigating the recent lynchings at Duluth, Minn.
On June 16 the press of the country reported the lynching of three Negroes at Duluth, Minnesota, by a mob - of 6,000 persons, who overpowered the police and firemen, took possession of police headquarters and seized the Negroes along with three others who were released after a mock trial was held. All were being held in connection with an attack said to have been made upon a white girl.
The National Headquarters of the N.A.A.C.P. immediately wired its St. Paul and Minneapolis Branches asking that an investigation be made as to the facts in the case. Governor J. A. Burnquist of Minnesota is President of the St. Paul Branch, and a direct appeal for the apprehension and punishment of the lynchers was made to him as Governor of the State.
Each of the branches sent investigators to the scene of the lynching and full reports have been rendered to the. National Office. Among other things, one of the investigators was able to secure affidavits from fourteen other colored men who were being held in jail on the same charge for which the three were lynched. This investigator says, "It is not certain that any of the Negroes lynched or those now under arrest are guilty of the crime charged.” It is not even certain that the girl was assaulted." Of the fourteen Negroes being held he says, "Each and every one of then protests his innocence. None of them knew any of the men lynched. None of them saw the crime committed, if one was committed. These men are extremely ignorant and I do not believe they, could tell a lie so consistently that I could not catch them in it."
The reports from both branches show that there was great negligence on the part of police officials. They report that early in the afternoon of the date of the lynching the police department was notified by a responsible party that a mob bent on lynching the Negroes was forming, and that the Commissioner of Safety made no substantial effort to prevent the lynching. The report says: "For two hours or more immediately preceding the lynching, trucks loaded with ruffians ran up and down the main streets past the Central station with ropes dragging behind the trucks. The ruffians who occupied the trucks would stop and make speeches, telling the crowds that the girl was dying, that they were going up to the police station and hang the Negroes and that they invited the crowds to join them. In the trucks they had ropes, hammers, steel saws to cut the bars and large timbers to jam their way to the prisoners. In the meantime the Commissioner was at the station giving strict orders that under no circumstances were the police to use firearms for fear blood would be shed."
Not only did the Minneapolis Branch investigate the facts leading up to the lynching, but while on the ground the President of the Branch, who himself made the investigation, assisted in the organization. of the Duluth Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
A recent communication from Governor Burnquist gives the encouraging information that twelve persons have been indicted and arrested on first degree murder charges on account of alleged participation in the lynchings The grand jury has not yet completed its investigation. The Governor assures the Association that the State departments are cooperating in every way possible.

The Hill Extradition Case

Robert L. Hill, alleged president of the Progressive Farmers and Household Union of America, the organization charged with inciting the Arkansas riots of October, 1919, has been released on bond. Mr. Hugh T. Fisher, the attorney who, together with Messrs. Elisha Scott, James

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THE HORIZON

Four teachers of Howard University have been granted sabbatical leave. during 1920-21:--Professor Charles H. Wesley of the Department of History has been awarded an Austin Teacher's Scholarship in Harvard University and will. study for a Ph.D.; Professor Martha MacLear of the School of Education will study at Columbia University, being registered for the degree of Ph.D.; Professor Thomas W. Turner, Acting Dean of the School of Education and Professor of Applied Biology, will continue research in Vegetable Physiology at Cornell University; Professor George W. Hines, Assistant Professor in the School of Commerce and Finance, will attend the University of Washington, at Seattle.
Edwina Kruse has resigned her position as principal of the colored Howard High School, Wilmington, Del., and will be succeeded by Ray Wooten. Miss Kruse was made principal emeritus of the school.
Congress appropriated for Howard University during 1919-1920, $121,937; for 1920-21 the sum has been raised to $243,000. With student fees added, the budget totals $366,000.
Mrs. Coralie Franklin Cook has been reappointed to the Board of Education at Washington, D.C. Mrs. Cook is colored and the only member to serve 3 consecutive terms.

INDUSTRY

The People's Building and Loan Association, conducted by Negroes at Hampton, Va., has declared a 7 per cent dividend.
Beresford Gale, fiscal agent of the colored Hotel Dale Company. of Philadelphia, sold $100,000 of the company's stock in 100 days.
A cooperative investment company has been formed by Negroes in Middlesex County Va., to engage in real estate, farm buying and merchandising. William M. Rich,, cashier of the Brown Savings and Banking Company at Norfolk, is the leader.
The 21st annual statement of the colored North Carolina Mutual Life insurance company records: total income, $1,662,527; assets, $774,936, with $300,000 invested in Liberty Bonds; it has $26,634,649 worth of insurance in force.
James Miller, a Negro 31 years of age, has been elected oven two white opponents as a member of the House of Representatives of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company at Akron Ohio, where. 25,000 persons, mostly white, are employed.
A, syndicate of 36 Negroes in Atlanta, Ga., has paid $120,000 and purchased the unsold stock of the Great Southern Fire Insurance Company. Mr. W.C. Thomas was elected president and the Rev. I.A. Townsley, secretary.
The United Community Stores have been opened by Negroes in Philadelphia, Pa., as a chain grocery and meat business capitalized at $100,000. Connected with the concern are Dr. W.H. Moses, the Rev. J.M. Moses, E.T. Atwell, R.R. Wright, Jr., Benjamin F. Ammons, John. W. Goiens and Miss L.M. Wright .
At Norfolk; Va., 3,138 out of 4,938 pupils in 8 colored schools have deposited since last February through the stamp saving system $7,827 and drawn out $1,367, leaving a balance of $6,459. Less than one-half of the white pupils are thrifters, in comparison with three-fourths of the colored children.
At Wilmington, Del., colored girl elevator operators have replaced men at the Du Pont Building, a 16-story structure covering a square, and at the Ford Building; 5 theatres are employing colored girls as ushers.

THE GHETTO

The Board of Education at Crisfield, Somerset County, Md., has approved the following appropriation: $85,100 salaries for white teachers, $14,000 for colored; $1,500 for white supervisor, $760 for colored; white school building $7,000, colored. $4,600. There are only 1,200 more white school children
than colored. W.H. Dashiel is superintendent.

CRIME

The following lynchings have taken ace since our last record:

Duluth, Minn., June 16, Isaac McGhee, Elmer Jackson, Nate Green; accused of attack on white girl.
Rincon, Ga., June 21, Philip Gaithers, shot; murder.
Enterprise, Miss., July 5, .J.F. Spencer; fighting.
Paris, Tex., July 6, Irving and Herman Arthur, burned; murder.
Durham, N.C., July. 10, Ed Roach; attack on a white girl.

SOCIAL PROGRESS
At the tenth annual session of the South Carolina Federation of Colored Women's Clubs, held in Camden, S.C., $11,577 was raised for education, charity and other purposes during the fiscal year.

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