The Houston Informer (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 34, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 8, 1921 Page: 4 of 8
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1 as second-class matter May 28,1818, at the postoffice at Houston,
the Act of March 3, 1878.
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THE HOUSTQNINFORMER^SATURPAY, JAN. 8,1921
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F. RICHARDSON..........
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. Editor-Publisher
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.City Editor
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1. Democracy, both domestic and foreign.
2. Playgrounds for colored children.
8. Better educational facilities, both teachers
hysical properties, for colored youths.
THE INFORMER’S PLATFORM!
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4. Educated, consecrated ministry
5. Development of the Houston Ship Channel, thereby
making Houston the South’s premier city.
6. Co-operation between the white and colored races
on all matters of vital importance and less racial
animosity and antagonism.
7. Good streets, better drainage and sanitary toilets
* for entire urban population.
8. Federal investigation of, and Federal legislation to
suppress, lynching. „
9. Equality before the law for all men and equal rail-
road accommodations fqr all passengers.
19. Racial co-operation, teamwork, advancement, bet-
terment and solidarity. - /
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eigners (in the majority), is about the only street this side of
the Southern Pacific railroad tracks that is navigable, even dur-
ing an absence ol rain.
On the North Side some streets are a little better, but most of
these homes were formerly owned and occupied by white Citizens,
who have sold them to colored people and moved elsewhere.
These three wards possess in the neighborhood of 95 per cent
of Houston’s colored population and thousands of them are an-
nually contributing to the upkeep and maintenance of the city in
the shape of taxes.
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AMONG THE CHURi
YOb ARE WELCOME
Bebee Tabernacle C, 91. E.
REV. J. H. DOUGLAS, Pastor.
ton district, preached two able ser-
mons. The memDers and friends of
the church expressed themselves as
Sunday services at Bebee Taberna
cle were excellent, morning and night.
First, Second and Sixth Wards are in a little better shape than | Rev. w. Q. Hunter, P. E. of the Hous-
the aforementioned wards, but colored citizens comprise a small
part of their population; yet in First Ward colored citizens are
forced to eke out Sn existence amidst mud, water, slime and other I havings amoat enjoyable Xmas Mrs.
hfe-shorteners, just like their racial brothers in Third, Fourth and drews, was married to Mr. w. m.
Fifth Wnrriq Washington during the holidays. Pas-
. .. , ....... . , ... tor officiated. Mrs. J..H. Douglas en
Undoubtedly the city fathers think the colored citizens am- tertained at her residence, 917 Saul
phibious, for they do not seem concerned nor interested the least | ^^n,at’^nHZbtbe hUdavs^The
bit in the sections occupied by these loyal and tax-paying citizens.
Besides the deplorable and disgraceful conditions of the streets
in colored sections, electric lights are conspicuous by their ab-1 great success in the future
E. Long in the class rival,
school tots during the holidays.
Sunday school, through the superin-
tendent, has launched a membership
drive. The outlook is promising for
Mrs. FT
Sunday
sence and surface privies, which are ubiquitous and abound pro- raornin| wlth No 8 succeeded after
fusely, are an abomination in the eyes of civilized society and|a heated battle, in making her'class
menace to the health of the community.
But if these colored tax-payers could get their streets even
graded, filled in and kept in repairs, they would be willing to bide
their time for these other modern and sanitary improvements and
necessities.
These streets, with their cesspools and miniature lakes, are
I the banner class of the school. Mrs.
Fannie Jackson of {pell Street, is ill.
Boynton 91. E.
I REV. 8IDNEY W. JOHNSON,
TOR.
PAS-
Pastor S. W. Johnson has been re-
turned to us for another year, and
breeding places for disease-producing germs and insects and are | Sunday he delivered two strong spir-
the most potent factors in giving the colored race in Houston such
a high death rate.
Not being satisfied with the physical condition of the colored
residential sections, the city maintains its dumping grounds for I ber to enter heartily into the services,
garbage and other filth in one of these selfsame wards. ^ditiraulfare lookup forward*"*
The colored race is always criticised and condemned for being a successful year.—Reporter.
itual sermons, as only he can do. We
closed 1920 with colors flying and ex-
pect a greater year’s work during
1921. All our forces have been organ-
ized and we shall expect every mem
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ANY MAIf WHO IS GOOD ENOUGH TO SHED HIS BLOOD FOR
' HIS COUNTRY IS GOOD ENOUGH TO BE GIVEN A SQUARE DEAL
AFTERWARDS. NO MAN 18 ENTITLED TO MORE AND NO MAN
SHOULD RECEIVE LE8S. —ROOSEVELT.
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HOUSTON, TEXAS, SATURDAY, JANUARY 8, 1921
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dnhealthy and criminal and yet the very conditions under which
they a’re compelled to live in the South, Houston not excluded,
are conducive to bringing about just such a status.
If the city is unwilling to improve and make and maintain col-
ored residential sections habitable, then colored citizens and prop-
erty owners should be exempted from paying any taxes to the
city government.
If taxation without representation is tyranny, what is taxa
tion without improvements and civic consideration?
The city authorities and citizensj)f Houston can not much longer
ignore and refuse to improve the physical surroundings and envir-
onments in colored residential sections and hope to survive; for,
like no chain is stronger than its weakest link, no city is stronger
nor better than its weakest and lowest citizen.
But complaining, petitioning and conferences with city officials,
backed and supported by some of the leading white citizens of
Houston, have thus far netted the colored citizens no tangible re-
sults—only promises, nothing more. „
There is only one remedy left and unless colored citizens be-
come awake and alert, pay their poll tax and speak with the bal-
lot, “Mudville” and “Dark Alley” Will continne to be their lot
until Gabriel toots his trumpet proclaiming that time shall be
no more.
The man who does not and can not vote is worse than a slave
and the time has arrived for colored citizens to become more in-
Jerasalem Baptist
REV. G. PORTER, Pastor.
Sunday school was conducted by Sq-
perintendant W. Harris. At 11 a. m.
pastor preached a noble sermon. The
choir’s singing was first class all day.
At 2:30 p. m. the pastor responded
St. John on Dowling Street, Rev.
R. Johnson, pastor, to help funeralize
Mrs. Carrie Farris. B. Y. P. U. had
good attendance. Sister V. Newberry,
Starlight Band maiden, urges all little
children to attend the meetings every
Thursday' evening. Miss Catherine
Eddie Witt is here from Bishop Col-
lege. While here on her vacation she
was stricken very ill and had an op-
eration performed at the Union hos
pital. The members held a beautiful
reception at .the church Wednesday
night last in honor of Mrs. Beatrice
K. Hogan Roussiant, of Oakland, Cal.
She is a member of this church and
a former pianist. The church was at-
tractively decorated with cut flowers
and ferns. A nice program was ren
dered. Hot chocolate and cake were
served. The entire congregation ex-
tended all nuptial wishes and good
luck to her. Sick: Sister Robinson.—
MRS. HARVEY J. EDWARDS, Re-
porter.
Shiloh Baptist.
REV. WM. CLARK, Pastor.
Pastor Clark, who has been on the
sick list, was able to attend the morn-
ing service, Sunday, but he did not
come out to the night service. We
were glad to have him in our midst
and shall be happy when he is able
to resume his preaching, for we miss
his strong sermons. The church col-
lection, which should have been $100
was only $80.28. Sunday school at
9:30 a. m„ Prof. N. Q. Henderson; su
perintendent; preaching at 11 a. m.
B. Y. P. U. at 5 p. m„ Brother A. P.
King, president. The home-like Union
is a good place for you to come every
Sunday evening at Shiloh.—G. C.
CONLEY, Reporter.
during 1920, Texas led the procession with 10—a most enviable (?)
record and a dark blot and damnable spot upon the escutcheon of
the Lone Star State.
This hasty action of courts and more hasty actions of mobs
have exacted too large? a toll in human lives among colored peo-
ple in the South; and while The Informer does not believe in the
unnecessary court delays, it does contend that all persons charged
with any offense in the catalogue of crime should be given
fair and impartial trial before a jury of his peers.
If a little time were taken in investigating similar charges and
allegations elsewhere, often the same thing would result as the
Dallas incident.
The time has come in the South when criminals must be punish-
ed without regard to color, when their guilt has been fully estab-
lished ; but as long as the South maintains a double standard of
citizenship—one for colored “people” and another for white
“citizens”_there are going to be many abortions of justice and
mob law will continue to defile and disgrace this country.
This Dallas incident should be a lesson to the authorities and
. _, , , . .should serve as a deterrent and checkrein upon America’s large
terested in those who are to rule over them immediately than ^ | colony of mobbists and anarchists.
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GOOD GROUNDS FOR COMPLAINT.
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The Informer has been deluged with complaints from colored
property owners, who paid their city taxes for, 1920, and since
practically all complaints are of the same tone, this paper has been
forced to take cognizanze of the same.
5 These tax-paying citizens complain because they are forced to
pay taxes like all other citizens of the municipality and then are
compelled to live amidst intolerable and indescribable conditions.
Taxes*are paid for the express purpose of keeping up the ex-
penses of the city, for its maintenance and the protection of its
citizens.
The money paid for city taxes is supposed to be employed for
the upkeep of the streets, for bridges, schools, police and fire pro-
tection, for taking care of the city’s bonded indebtedness and the
legitimate expenses incurred in conducting the municipal affairs.
While colored property owners are shown no special favors in
being exempted from the payment of their city taxes, the sec-
tions of the city in which they live are certainly exempted from
any improvements and a visit to these residential sections occu-
pied by colored citizens will readily and undeniably disclose this
startling and staggering fact.
With the exception of Robin Street, which is paved from Smith
to Heiner Streets; Andrews, which is paved from Heiner to Wil-
son ‘Streets; San Felipe, (a quasi-business street) from Wilson
Street to Dallas Avenue; Matthews, from Andrews out to Gregory
School, which was shelled by the adjoining property owners—
excepting these improvements, all the other streets in colored
residential sections in the Fourth Ward, excluding Heiner, which
is miserably paved with bricks from San Felipe to Sabine bridge,
are in a terrible shape and are practically impassable the entire
year.
Take Third Ward: McKinney Avenue, another quasi-business
street, is the only street occupied by colored citizens that is paved
-And yet colored citizens only live in about five blocks on this
street.
There are, perhaps, more colored citizens owning or buying
Romes on Dowling Street than any similar street in the city and
-to date not one inch is either paved, shelled or graveled and in
some places ruts are so deep that a Ford car can almost be hidden
i®^fi|romview. - '
St. Charles Street, Thjrd Ward, is pretty fair during dry weath-
er; but all the other streets in Third Ward would be a reflection
r upon a town of 5,000 inhabitants.
In Fifth Ward, Odin Avenue, another quasi-business street,
by colored citizens (in the minority) and mostly for-
t
those who are to preside at long range.
It matters not who the chief magistrate of this country is, if
colored citizens are to continue to be subjected to such civic fare
as that dished out to them in Houston, their days will be “few
and full of trouble.”
A hint to the wise should be sufficient. PAY YOUR POLL TAX
NOW!
TUBERCULAR UNIT FOR COLORED.
THAT DALLAS “RAPE” CASE.
Press dispatches carried a news story from Dallas last week,
which was so unusual (i. e. the confession) that it deserves edi-
torial comment.
A colored man had been arrested and lodged in the Dallas county
jail on the S. O. S. (“same old story”) of “attempted criminal as-
sault” upon a white woman, also burglary and robbery.
The night that the supposed robbery and “rape” occurred this
colored man was sitting around the bier of his dead sister; yet
when the alarm was given, as is the usual case in Dixie when
such charges are made and cries given, the first black man ac-
costed was arrested and the woman “identified” him as ’‘her as-
sailant.”
When the colored man, who was held under heavy bond and in-
dicted by the Dallas County grand jury, proved an alibi, sleuths
The Informer wishes to congratulate and commend that com-
mittee of white citizens and our own Rev. J. W. Freeman, who
appeared before the commissioners court and requested that a
tubercular unit for colored citizens afflicted with the white
plague” be established here.
Several weeks ago The Informer discussed, editorially, the cry-
ing need of a ward, unit or sanatorium for colored tubercular vic-
tims in Houston and Harris County and suggested that the city
and county governments appropriate sufficient funds in their
1921 budget to establish and carry on this much-needed institu-
tion.
During the pre-Christmas season many colored citizens were
asked to purchase Red Cross Christmas seals, the proceeds of
which are to be employed in fighting tuberculosis in Texas.
These stamps were bought in large numbers by colored citizens,
many of them believing that by so doing they were materially aid-
ing the cause and that steps would be launched to establish such
humanitarian work here and in other parts of the state for colored
people.
If there is a hitch anywhere, locally, The Informer hopes that
all differences can be smoothed out and a suitable place secured
and detectives began to make an mvesttga ton and when they be- ^ to ^ fm. co)ored tubercular victims.
gan to interrogate the outraged woman she broke down and ^ ^ R ^ more ,han an act of c,
exclaimed: Don t hang an innocent man bounden duty that the city and county owe to the citizens of this
Yet how many innocent men of color have been both legally and D_____ ___should not stand in
nave ueen uutu communit and prejudice and petty politics should not stand in
illegally lynched for crimes they never committed and knew abso-j ^ of this project
lutely nothing about!
It is customary in the South to lay everything upon “a Negro”
and the Dallas woman simply followed custom in “framing” her
charges against some man with a dark skin.
Thanks to Providence and determined detectives, or this inno-
cent American citizen, like thousands of his race have done, would county ... ,
have atoned with his,d£ath for a crime he was both innocent and|culosis can get trea men .
ignorant of j his onlj^crime being that of a dark skin, which in
v
The Informer asks for the tubercular unit because the colored
race is not a ward of society, but a component part of our Ameri-
oftn citizenship. ^.
In all Texas there is not even a ward, operated by municipal,
or state government, where colored victims of tuber-
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W’en I woke up Crlemus mo’nln'"
an’ foun’ dat bath robe an’ dem house
slippers, I sho’ did git glad fur you no
I keeps so bizzy on Saddy nites dat
I skeersely kin fine de time fur ter
tuck er bath, an’ I jes wuz tickled
ter deth ter no dat now I wooden’t
hafter worry ’bout no bath 6ver Sad-
dy nlte wether I needed it er not..
Cause doant I alius put on my bath
robe ever mo’nln’ fo’ breckfust, in’ ef
dat doant- ansur fur er bath den dere
haln’t no use in buyln wun uv dese
robes. But I’m is kunvlnst dat de robe
Is or fust class substertoot fur er bath
tub cause ain’t I dun got de doggond-
est wurst cols dat I ever did hav’ from
puttln It on, in de mo’nins, jes do
saime klne uv er cole I gits ever
time I talks my Saddy speshuls.
Dese rotten ole probashunlsts hav’
dun tuck all de fun outen havin’ coles
now. Dem useter be er time wen er-*S
pusson cood gif er hole lot er plezure’
outen gittin’ in de bed an’ havin de
ole ’uman malk yu er good ole lim-
mun stu full uv 8unny Brook, but.
shucks awl yu kin get now is er dose
uv Raster lie, er sumpin Jes es bad.
Cose yu cashuhty kin steel- er littul
bit uv bay rum outen de barber shop,
but ’taln’t offin de.barbers leeve much
in de bottles now days.
I*se been lookin Inter de situwash-
un very karefully-lately an’ am cum
ter dis kunclushiin, dat if de guvern--
mint doant taik sum steps towards
puttin er little mo’ cloth at de bot— ■
tom uv wimmen’s skurts dat ’tain’t
gwinter be er pow’ful long time fo’"
dis is gwinter be er nashun uv bline
mens.
Cose my site hain’t never bin good
sense I wuz er littul kid, so I ain’t
gittin’ ’larmed on my own ercount, but
sho hates ter see our good strong
helthy young men gittin- stone bline
in de hay-day uv dere manhood. Er-
nuther thing: 'twuz er time wunce dat
men’s maglnashuns wuz improved by
surtin little things, but., lawdy me,
dere haln’t no mo’ room left now fer
er man's fnajernashun. De ote time
shows whut useter feetchure bare
lims, ©ain’t hardly get er baker’s duz-
zen bawl haided mens now ter set In
de frunt seets. Whuts de yuse, wen—
O, well—.
Use bin studyin’ awful hard dis
weak on er orashun whut de Honer--
bul (G) O. P. DeWalt dun vited me
ter orate on down at our Linktum, nex
Saddy nite. I dun sided on dis subjec'
“Forgotten de pas’ an lookin’ fow-
ward towards de future.’’ I got er lot.
er things I wariter tell my frins ter
ferglt, but 2 things I doan’t want ’em
ter furgit is dat de Linktum is still
ole Cimbee’s headquarters fer seein'
St. Peter’s anguls an’ de People’s
Pharmacy, 410 Milam, is de plaice
whare I fills em up on sweets an’ hot
an’ cole drinks. I’m is lookin’ for-
wards ter er grate yeer in 1921—
Here’s hopin Orgustus.
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HARRISBURG.
Mrs. Hannah Ross, who was shot
by her husband, Mr. Joe Ross, died
Monday night. Mr. Alfred Gray, Jr.,
came from Lufkin last Thursday to-
visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred
Gray. Mrs. Mamie Tabb left for Beau-
mont Tuesday morning, on account of
the death of her uncle, Mr. Adams.
Mrs. Mamie Hogan, who has been on
the sick list, is convalescent. Dr. W_
H. Logan, the district superintendent,
preached Sunday evening at Trinity
M. E. Church. Mr. W. H. Winfree is
on the sick list. Several boys are
attending night school, conducted by
Prof. Geo. B. Sanders. Mr. Ike Woods
having a neat little bungalow
erected on his lot in Smith Addition.
Mr. John Walls returned from Louis-
iana where he spent the holidays.
Watch -meetings at all churches were
well attended.
This condition not only reflects discreditably upon Texas’ hu-
manitarianism, but constitutes a serious and ever-present menace
itself i» congidered . worse crime th.n robbery by firearm., rape ^ ecmomic we]fare o( each member of the socia,
and murder combined, in many sections of this boasted land of 1
unit.
the free and home of the brave.”
Let us suppose that this alleged charge had been trumped up
or “framed” against a colored man in some smaller town in the
state—only his ashes, toes and fingers (souvenirs of the brutal
and barbarous lynching to avenge the “unmentionable crime”)
would be remaining.
It has become the unwritten law of the South to believe and
consider every charge against a black man true and in pursuance
of this custom every alleged criminal with a black skin is a fit
candidate for the lyncher’s rope or anarchist’s torch.
Of the 61 lynchings that were staged in “democratic” America
Therefore, self-preservation makes it imperative to throw
around the citizenry generally the proper safeguards so as to
minimize their chances of falling heirs to communicable diseases,
of which tuberculosis leads.
Sirs, give us the tubercular unit for colored victims and then
lessen the chances of others of our group and city falling victims
to the dreaded malady by improving the living conditions in col-
ored residential sections.
“A stitch in time will save time” and “being forewarned is fore-
armed.”
0. S. OFFICERS' DRESS SHOE
Every Pair Inspected
Munson last, $12.00
value, made of fin-
est selected leather
uppers, double
thick solid leather
•else, dirt proof
tongue.
.Pay on arrival.
$6-90
Pottage
Free
SEND NO
MONEY
Mall Coupon To-day to
RELIABLE MAIL ORDER CO.,
Dept. 152, 25 Huntington Ave., Boston
17, Maes.
Send......pairs. I’ll pay postman on
arrival—my money back If I want It.
Name......................Size......
Address ...............................
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Richardson, Clifton F. The Houston Informer (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 34, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 8, 1921, newspaper, January 8, 1921; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth523865/m1/4/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .