Chapter IX: Part 9

Talk as you may of his private life;
“Jack” led the world in fistic strife,
And Johnson today has as keen a sense
As any new man in self-defense.
--_Harrison._

The decisions the United States Government made during the World War, regarding the urgent necessity of including boxing in its all-round training in preparing the soldiers and sailors for war, at last brought the art of self-defense into its own and accorded it the proper recognition and value it should have officially received years ago. In private life prize fighting had its followers in both America and Europe as far back as a hundred years ago. About that time a Virginia Negro slave by the name of Tommy Molineaux whipped all American boxers who met him after which he went to Europe where he was beaten by the Englishman, Cribb, who was at that time the champion of Great Britain.

Along in the 70’s, George Godfrey was in his prime and became known on both sides of the ocean on account of whipping the famous white fighter, Lannon, in one of the greatest prize fights ever “pulled off” in New England. Godfrey fought seventy-six rounds with the great fighter, Jake Kilrain and he also staid twenty rounds with the “Australian Black Wildcat,” Peter Jackson. As John L. Sullivan, known as the greatest white slugger of all times, was then in his prime and zenith, Godfrey repeatedly tried to meet him in the ring but Sullivan always managed to evade a fight with him.

Peter Jackson, although an Australian by birth, spent his best fighting years in America. He fought with, came out even or on top of all the best men of his days. It was he who fought a 61 round draw with James J. Corbett, who is known as the most scientific heavyweight champion boxer the world has ever seen. Jackson was considered by many as the quickest heavyweight foot worker in the game. It is said that he was so uncanny quick on his feet that many times when an opponent made a lunge at him, Jackson would dodge the blow, circle to the rear of the fighter and pin him one back of the ear before the opponent could regain his balance, face around and throw up his guard to block off the blow. During all the time he was meeting the best heavyweights, Jackson held out a standing challenge to John L. Sullivan, who never would meet him in the ring. But John L. was always truthful enough to admit that he did not consider himself champion of the world because he had never whipped Peter Jackson. (for proof of this statement write to the Editor of Everybody’s Column, Philadelphia Inquirer, Phila., Pa.) According to an article that appeared in the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin of January 26, 1921, and which was written by Hughey Fullerton a white sport critic, John L. Sullivan also side stepped another Colored heavyweight prize fighter, who was known in Louisiana as “Black Zeke”. This “Zeke” who weighed 220 pounds and was six feet two inches tall, could lift a bale of cotton weighing five hundred pounds. In reference to this fighter a paragraph in the above mentioned article read as follows: “After the Sullivan-Kilrain fight Mr. Carrol tried to arrange a bout between “Zeke” and John L. The latter refused and the planter followed Sullivan over the country, but to no avail.” So while Sullivan was truthfully champion over the world of white fighters, there were at least three Colored fighters, George Godfrey, Peter Jackson and “Black Zeke” over whom John L. never was champion, because he had never whipped any one of them although all three had repeatedly followed and challenged him after they had met and held their own with the other best men of their times.

Of all prize fighters, Colored or white, the world has ever known, George Dixon was declared the most wonderful of them all. Being a little over four feet tall, weighing less then 130 pounds, with small tapering legs that seemed to sweat tears of pain under the weight of his gigantic chest and unusually broad shoulders from which dangled muscular arms of such thickness and length that they looked unnatural, Dixon presented a most uncanny and formidable foe when stripped in the ring waiting for action. He always proved just as formidable as he looked; for when he warmed up and got into real action, it seemed to his opponent that Mr. & Mrs. Satan and their entire brood of little Satan imps from Hades had been turned loose in the ring. During a period of ten years (1890-1900) Dixon at different times held both the Bantamweight and Featherweight championships of the world. And one of the main reasons why his name will ever go down in ring history as the “Wonder of Wonders” is that he did something no other world champion has ever done--he “came back” three times and regained his lost championship. It is said that he made a record of over a thousand clean knockouts during his fighting career. His three “Come backs” were staged as follows: Benny Jordan took the title from him and he regained it from Eddie Santry; Frankie Erne gave Dixon a good spanking one year and the next year he thrashed that same Frankie Erne; Sol Smith gave him a good lacing, and the same year, Dixon in a return battle took back his title and in doing so (to use a frequent and amusing expression of one “Tommy” Howard, a jolly fellow and Virginia old-time friend of the writer’s) “nearly shook the living life out of him.”

Because Dixon always went into the squared-circle to give his best in manhood fighting and not his worse in childhood playing and faking, he was respected and beloved by fight fans of all classes and colors, which was proved by the most celebrated sport followers of the day, including ex-Heavy-weight Champion James J. Corbett, acting as pallbearers at his funeral.

Joe Walcott and Dixie Kid were two other great little fighters and they both became Welterweight world Champions, Walcott from 1901 to 1904 and Dixie Kid from 1904 to 1908. It is said of these two fighters, that, like Dixon, they became famous in their readiness to meet top-notch fighters who were nearly twice their height and weight. When they could get such big men in the ring with them, they usually jumped clear off the floor to land a mighty crushing paw upon some rival’s tempting jaw that then and there felt nothing more.

But the “Old Master” of them all, who even today is conceded to have been one of if not the cleanest hitting, quickest moving, gamest staying and most scientific boxers, Colored or white, big or little, who ever one-stepped, two-stepped, waltzed and Virginia-reeled into and around a roped-circle, was the ring’s national favorite, Joe Cans of Baltimore, Md. This great little fighter, who was as much a pet of the white sporting faction as of the Colored element, took the Lightweight championship away from Frank Erne in 1892 and kept it for six years. During that time he defeated all the best men in his field and jumped over the fence into the Welterweight pastures where he gored and tossed into the air several human beings and caused many to climb up on the fence in order to keep out of his way, until they saw that his constant mad rushes had weakened his stamina and tore down his system. It was during the zenith of his fighting career that whenever Gans started from home to engage in a fight his mother would laughingly say, “Bring home the bacon, Joe.” The boy fully understood and appreciated his mother’s encouraging joke and never returned home, when in his prime, without bringing along the winner’s roll of money. Joe Gans was as game as any game rooster that ever threw defiant crows from a barnyard gate and when he was in great need of money, to get a fight he would make such vitality sapping and strength weakening weights that people wondered how he was able to stand up much less jump around and fight. And to the very last, poor, broken-bodied, but not broken spirited, Joe Gans put up one of the gamest losing battles ever fought against that greatest champion--of all times among all peoples--Death.

“Panama Joe Gans” a Colored fighter of today has added laurels to the name he has adopted by becoming Middleweight Champion. Like his late namesake he is willing at all times to give the best of them in and out of his class chances to win his title. Just because he is a champion he does not draw the “color line” against any white fighter but fights as often as four and five times a month with his championship at stake every time.

Other Colored fighters who were among the best in their times and who no doubt would have won championships in and out of their classes, had the “color lines” not been drawn around them, are; Bob Armstrong, Jack Blackburn, Bobbie Dobbs, Sam Hopkins, Young Peter Jackson, Joe Jeanette, Sam Langford, Sam McVey and Fred Morris.

Some of the present day Colored fighters who are most frequently heard about are Jeff Clark, Leo Johnson, Jamaica Kid, Kid Norfolk, Benny Ponteau, Bill Tate, Jack Thompson, Jack White and Harry Wills, challenger and dreaded foe of Dempsey.

From 1908 to 1914 the world heavyweight champion fighter was Jack Johnson, the only Colored man who ever wore that crown of ring glory and belt of fighting fame. Unlike any of the white heavyweight champions, Johnson won the title twice: first from Tommy Burns in 1908 and secondly on that memorial Fourth of July 1910, from Jim Jefferies, who along with the American public disputed Jack’s right to the title. After his complete whipping of Jefferies, the Colored fighter, proved to the entire world that he was not only the rightful holder of the title but that he was also one of the best champions the ring had ever seen. Because of his having the pantherlike movements and quickness of a Peter Jackson, the straight-arm punch of a John L. Sullivan, the scientific hit-and-get-away style of a James J. Corbett, the ring generalship and craftiness of a “Bob” Fitzsimmons and the gameness and stamina of a “Jim” Jefferies, plus his own level-headedness and cheerful fighting disposition, the best fight critics in America and Europe considered “Jack” Johnson when in his prime, as being the best all-round and equally balanced heavyweight fighter who ever crawled through the ropes to battle in a prize ring.

Regarding the Johnson-Willard fight in Havana, Cuba, at which time the heavyweight title passed from Johnson to Willard the writer quotes here an extract that is taken from the article, “Jack Johnson Tells The Truth” that was written by Juli Jones, Jr. in the August 6, 1921 issue of The Chicago Defender.

“The sporting editor of the New York Sun printed an article which stated that Jack Johnson said the Willard fight was on the level; that he did not lay down to Willard in Havana, Cuba. This statement coming from Johnson, printed in one of America’s first-class dailies, is the first good step that Johnson has taken to win the favor of the real sporting public. The present public will not stand for a crook or a bad loser. It killed Fred Fulton, a very likable man.

“Johnson in part made it quite plain when he stated if he was going to lay down to Willard he would have done so in the seventh or ninth round, and not wait until the twenty-sixth to flop. He also stated he had always fought square and that was the reason he got to the top. Johnson gives a good reason for his failure to whip Willard, a very good reason. First, he had underestimated Willard, hadn’t proper training, ran around on the ocean looking for a battle ground. These had their effects on the fight.”

Throughout his marvelous fighting career, Johnson was climbing to success under most unfavorable conditions. White fighters in winning championships have only to fight against and beat down the opponent in the ring before them. But before he even got a chance to fight for the titled belt, “Jack” had always to mentally fight race prejudice on the outside of the ring at the same time he was physically beating down his white opponent in the ring. It would be hard to find proper words to describe the great fistic career Johnson would have made for himself if he had received the same kind of unprejudiced encouragements and boostings all white champions receive. And if up to this date nearly one hundred million of white Americans consider it wonderful to have produced out of that number seven white heavyweight champion fighters--Sullivan, Corbett, Fitzsimmons, Jefferies, Burns, Willard, and Dempsey; or in other words a champion for ever fourteen million of their population: then it must be most wonderful that less than thirteen million of Colored Americans, under most unfair and persecuting conditions, have produced one heavyweight champion fighter of the world--John Arthur (“Jack”) Johnson.

For the benefit of those people who, on account of their jealousy and envy of Johnson’s fighting ability, try to defame and lower his character to the lowest, the writer would suggest the reading of the logic article--“Jack Johnson, Self-Made Man” that was written in the May 15, 1920 issue of the Chicago Defender by the able sport scribe, Juli Jones, Jr. The following is an extract from that article:

“Both races got Jack wrong. His aim in life was not to be a doctor, preacher, lawyer or Race Leader. He set out to be the best man with his fists, which he did beyond all question of doubt. We cannot find one case where Jack ruined any young girl’s future or broke up any man’s happy home; neither was he mixed up in any barroom fights. Never was he found in the gutter drunk or making a disgraceful fellow of himself, throwing away his money. On the other hand, since Jack has been self-exiled from his country, press reports from England, France, Spain and Mexico tell us that he has conducted himself in the most gentlemanly way and is welcome back in their countries at any time. How many, men who have been born under any flag could have stood what Jack has stood for the past six or eight years and still be in the limelight, handing the world a golden smile, saying, “Good will to all men.”

Now, not for one moment is the writer, in dealing with this subject, attempting to shield or cover-up any short-comings that may have occured in the private life of Jack Johnson. But, if after reading the above quotation there still be those people who continue to sneer at and belittle the upward struggles and crowning success of this professional fighter, the writer would kindly suggest that each one of such people ask himself or herself the following question:

Have I (with all my good birth, pleasant and elevating home life, early encouragements, full privileges, unnumbered opportunities, unchecked enthusiasms, unshaken determinations, wide preparations, various abilities, friendly boostings and perfect living) ever stood for one whole day upon the top round of world recognized success in my chosen life work; as “Jack” Johnson stood for six years on the top round of world recognized success in his self-selected life calling?

ROWING

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

To get rid of that “Bay Window,”
Just hurry up and learn to row;
And if your back is getting weak
Pull on the oars once every week.
--_Harrison._

Thus far have Colored athletes pushed onward. But the following are a few mentioned fields of athletics in which Colored youths have not become very active or efficient mainly because of the lack of certain facilities and sufficient appliances and accommodations for proper and seasonable trainings.

Rowing crews have not been developed in any of the Colored universities, colleges and schools to any outside recognized extent. This fact is quite explainable and excusable when it is taken into consideration that few of these institutions are located near natural and adequate bodies of water for such purposes. Bordentown School, Bordentown, N.J. and Hampton Institute, Hampton, Va., are perhaps the two most favorable exceptions in this case. Both of these schools have peaceful streams of gurgling waters that flow so near as to softly caress the oft kissed lips of their water-edged lawns.

Calmly setting upon the banks of the Hampton River, an arm of the Merrimac-Monitor famed-Hampton Roades, Hampton Institute has running before its very doors a half mile of nearly straight and unusually smooth body of water that is wide enough to float at least three crews abreast. Peacefully nestling on a high projecting hill, Bordentown School can look miles either way upon the historical Delaware as it gently flows below making a wide, graceful bend from upward Trenton to downward Camden.

There are already hopeful signs appearing which show that both of these institutions in the near future will take full advantages of their natural and wonderful water facilities by developing rowing crews that some day will be second to none in the country. By the time this stage of their rowing development has been reached, it is hoped that the racial, and sportsmanship feelings between white and Colored colleges will have become so brotherly and peacefully allied, that, the rowing crews of Annapolis will be friendly competing against Hampton oarsmen, and the shellmen of Princeton will be friendly churning the Delaware waters against the crews of the Bordentown School. And when such times do come about, the writer feels sure that the oarsmen of Hampton and Bordentown will guarantee to keep enough water between themselves (either at the bow or stern) and the shells of Annapolis and Princeton to wash away and keep down any waves of “color line” that might suddenly arise to dampen the sportsmanship and one-hundred percent Americanism atmosphere of the occasions.

SWIMMING

DIVING-TREADING-FLOATING.

I worship this my hobby’s call,
And all youths ought to learn it all
In water that is deep and wet
Where confidence they can beget
So as to rescue one’s own life
And other folks in drowning strife
--_Harrison._

General swimming as a recreation and pastime by the Colored people in the United States has in the past been sadly neglected for some excusable and some unexcusable reasons. The chief excusable reasons have been that with few exceptions they have not had access to the places where they could indulge in this sport and that they did not have the money with which to promote and construct such places for themselves. The main, unexcusable reason has been that they, with but few exceptions, were too timid and scared of drowning to enter water deep enough and stay there long enough to learn how to swim.

For instance, the writer several years ago made personal investigations among many Colored fishermen, oystermen and crabmen who live along the shores of and spend the biggest part of their lives on the Chesapeake Bay in little boats that every year are numerously overturned by sudden squalls and storms. And to his great and painful surprise he learned from those men themselves that the majority of them could not swim a stroke, while among those who had learned to swim, but few had confidence enough in themselves to believe they could even swim a half or one mile. And yet those men daily risked their lives and ventured out upon that deep and uncertain body of water without attempting to revive and develop that valuable and necessary instinct that is born in every human being and every dumb animal. As the result of such thoughtless neglect of their own personal welfare, many of those cheerful, honest, frugal, hard-working, plain-living and law-abiding people are drowned each year because of their not knowing how to swim.

But today, through the cities’ public recreation ponds being opened to Colored youths, the increased erections of Y. M. C. A.’s and Y. W. C. A.’s of the Colored branches with modernly inclosed pools, Colored universities, colleges and large schools gradually constructing gymnasiums containing up-to-date natatoriums, and business men of the Race buying and improving seashore hotel resorts with beach bathing privileges such as Dale’s at Cape May, N. J., Bay Shore near Old Point Comfort, Va., Fitzgerald and Ovington Hotels and Walls’ beach at Atlantic City, N. J., and Idlewild, Ill., a new interest in learning the art of swimming is being increasingly aroused among Colored people throughout America. When fine swimming centers such as the Chicago Wabash Avenue Y. M. C. A. puts before its Race boys the placards and advertisements--“One Thousand Boys Wanted To Learn How To Swim”, it shows that Colored swimming instructors are using every persuasive means to get their youths interested and skilled in this most useful and refreshing pastime. These teachers fully realize that when their art is rightly learned and properly performed it not only brings into exercise practically every muscle of the body but also enables its possessor when necessary to save his own as well as the lives of others. Thus, with these encouragements, interests, facilities, privileges and proper instructions rapidly increasing; it is not “building castles in the air” to prophesy that within a reasonable length of time the Negro race in America will produce a Colored Norman Ross and a Colored Ethelda Bliebtry as champion swimmers.

SKATING.

DUTCH ROLL FIGURE EIGHT-GRAPE-VINE TWIST

Great are my joys on skating night,
When moonshine* flows in streams so light,
While some strong lassie keeps my stride
As o’er smooth ice we fancy glide.
(*I mean the moonshine from the sky
And not from raisins, corn nor rye.)
--_Harrison._

When in future winters young men and women of the Race are justly admitted to the ice-skating rinks; they sensibly decide to spend less of their time in hot-stuffy parlors, etc., and with ice skates stay out more in the free, fresh, health renewing air upon the parks’ frozen lakes and streams: they will certainly find among themselves a talented skater who may later build up to a white Chas. Jewtraw, short distant; a Mrs. F. F. MacMillian, fancy; or a J. F. Donohue, long distant, ice skating champions.

TENNIS

IT’S ALL IN THE GAME

This is a pastime full of fun
And makes the players jump and run;
But when the ladies “serve” “love all”,
Some fellows’ hearts begin to crawl.
--_Harrison._

As they are constantly laying out and regularly using new private and club tennis courts all over the country, the Race will in due time mould one of its Tally R. Holmes into a Wm. T. Tilden or Jay Gould championship quality; just as it will some day take one of its Miss Slowes or Miss Channels and bloom her into a Mrs. Molla Bjurstedt Mallory top-rung record holder.

GOLFING

“TEE-OFF” AND “FORE”

While it is called rich people’s game
Poor folks should learn it just the same;
And tramp the meadows and the hill
To let fresh air their lungs to fill:
But if too poor to hire a caddy
Then use instead your sweetheart’s Daddy.
--_Harrison._

When the Colored people become enough interested in golf to take advantage of the privileges that are today granted to them on several public links, and which privileges will increase as time goes on; they will then begin to forward one of their Jim Barnes or Robert Balls into a champion Jock Hutchinson, just as they will some day discover and begin to develop a Colored woman into a championess Aleca Stirling.

An Athletic Dawn of To-morrow

Today fresh air is free: but how long will it be?
(We better snuff it while it’s pure
Before the airplanes leave no more.) needed]
Young folks should stay more in pure airs
And outdoor sports seek for health cares;
And lessen more house party ’fairs
Held in hot rooms stuffed with stale airs.
--_Harrison._

The writer recently received from Mr. Chas. H. Williams, Head of the Physical Culture Department of Hampton Institute, a graduate of that institution as well as Harvard University and one of the most successful Colored athletic directors in the country, official letters and architectural drawings relative to a campaign having already been launched by Hampton Institute to raise funds for the construction of a thirty thousand dollar modernly equipped athletic field. When this pioneer movement for Negro field sports is completed and opened for general inspection and national track meets; it will then, as the Mecca in America for Colored field sports, most certainly arouse unbounded interests, inspirations and determinations in the minds of visitors from other Colored schools that do not possess such advantages. And as those visitors turn homeward bound their enthusiasms are going to be elevated to such high and lasting hopes and longings that they will dreamingly hear, until materially heeded, conscience voices from the clouds above that will softly and encouragingly whisper; “Go thou likewise and do the same.” Thus a real athletic dawn will eventually light up and spread over many Negro schools in such ways as to enable them in due time to turn out athletes who will surprise the world by making unheard-of and unbelievable new track records. For instance, as Edward O. Gourdin, the Colored and greatest track athlete Harvard University has ever had, did July 23, 1921 at the Harvard Stadium when, in competing against Great Britain’s best athletes, he made a new running broad jump world record by leaping 25 feet 3 inches. In making that wonderful jump he beat Peter O’Connor’s then world record of 24 feet 11¾ inches that track athletes all over the world for the past 20 years had repeatedly tried but always failed to beat until Gourdin, a Negro, came along and did the trick by over a clear margin of 3 inches.

After reading the foregoing pages of Negro success in athletics, Colored youths have every right to become inspired to redouble their efforts in trying to win even more first places along these lines. But if a Colored athlete should at any time just before entering a severe, critical and history making contest suddenly become discouraged and heavy-hearted, because of his race and color; he should remember that:--

The swiftest and most valuable piece of horse-flesh in the world (Man-O-War) is not white, but is a light-red bay, and from the firm tread of his feet, prancing swing of his legs, proud carriage of his body, beautiful arch of his neck, graceful poise of his head, and fearless look in his eyes, shows he is neither ashamed of his horsehood nor his well-colored natural coat. So this three-year-old colt did not fret and worry about his brunette complexion nor the odds in years against him as he nearly divorced his body from his shadow in winning the Canadian race that gave him the title, “King of the turf”, seventy-five thousand dollars in money, and a five thousand dollar gold cup that otherwise would have gone to the four-year-old British colt, Sir Barton.

ON THE STAGE

CHARLES L. GILPIN

The sun first drowned the night from day,
As it came from depths to light the way;
And Charles S. Gilpin did first bob up
To damp race feelings in banquet’s cup.

To-day on Thespian mount he stands
One black with nine white in these lands;
And his Broadway light has lit the ways
For more of his Race in serious plays.
--_Harrison._

BERT WILLIAMS

Second to none as a natural-born actor,
Bert Williams to-day is a leading factor,
When on the stage in humorous moods
Feeding Broadway with amusement foods.
--_Harrison._

Reinold Wolf, (white) one of the leading stage critics of today, wrote of Bert Williams as being “The greatest comedian on the American Stage.” Years back this noted actor was a partner in the famous “Abyssinia” Williams & Walker Company. For several years he has been a star actor in The Zeigfield Follies, a leading white high-class Vaudeville Company. The instant that Williams appears before the footlights, whether he moves, stands still or doesn’t do either, he captures his audience, and when with a word-speaking look, a suggestive motion and a life-pictured song he is always able to bring down a most dignified house in uproarious laughter; it is no wonder that he has been titled the Harry Lauder of the Negro race. For years the Columbia Phonograph Co., has been reproducing Mr. Williams’ songs on their records that are in great demand, especially his ever-popular songhit “Parson Eatmore”.

Aida Overton Walker, at the time of her death, was mentioned by some of the New York papers as having been the Lillian Russell of the Negro race. Appearing first as a chorus dancer in “Isham’s Octoroons” she through untiring and ceaseless work improved her acting until she reached her highest dancing feature in the interpretation of “Salome”, which acting was said to have been of a Mary Garden standard. In their primes and times, Aida and her talented husband, George Walker were the dancing Castles of that period, and no couple, Colored or white, before or since, have been able to excel them in their world-famed “Cake Walks” that they executed by invitation before most of the kings and queens in Europe. Her singing of “Why Adam Sinned”, “It’s Hard to Love Somebody When Somebody Don’t Love You”, and “If You Ain’t Got No Money, Well, You Needn’t Come Around”, had not been equaled by any singer in that line until our present and famous Mamie Smith first daintly tripped forth and with those hypnotizing smiles of hers caused the audience to quiver and tremble from the crown of its head to the sole of its feet while listening to her life-action singings of “That Thing Called Love”, “You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down” and “It’s Right Here For You.”

George Walker, the one-time partner of Bert Williams and the late husband of Aida Walker, was the real “Bon Bon Buddy” singer and starred with Williams in “Sons of Ham”, “Bandanna Land”, “In Dahomey” etc. “Bob” Cole, as leader of the renowned Cole and Johnson Company, won a great deal of his stage glory in the presentation of “The Red Moon”. As well as an actor he was a composer of note and among his best productions that attracted wide attention and afforded much amusement for the theatre goers were “A Shoo Fly Regiment”, “Katydid” and “I Must Have Been A Dreaming.”

Before going any further mention ought to be made of the world-famed Ira Aldridge, who was born in Bel Air, Maryland in 1810 and therefore can be rightly classed as an American product, although he spent most of his years and died in Europe. Even today he is considered as one of the greatest actors the Negro race has ever had. Going to Europe when young and studying at Glasgow University, Scotland, he excelled in composition work and won many prizes. Winning one success after another, he finally reached his zenith in the playing of Othello, the Moor. From that time until his death he was without a peer in portraying that character, and few have equaled him since. His acting was infused with so much intelligence, personality, naturalness and composure that he was always assured of over-crowded theatres and was constantly entertained and awarded gold medals of honor by the crowned rulers of England, Prussia, Austria, Russia and many other important countries in Europe. As Mr. Aldridge made his home in London, his widow and two talented daughters, Luranah A. Aldridge, a contralto singer of European fame, and Amanda Aldridge, a celebrated composer known by her professional works as “Montague Ring”, continue to reside in that city.

(Ref.: Work’s Negro Year Book, 1918-1919 edition, pgs. 335).

The name of Samuel Milady (better known as Sam Lucas) will ever go down in Thespian circles as one of the greatest performers in the old school of Negro actors. He not only wrote the sensational play of his day, “My Grandfather’s Clock”, but played its leading role. But his world popularity and fame were mostly won through his impressive playing of “Uncle Tom” in the original white “Uncle Tom’s Cabin Company.”

S. Tutt Whitney and J. Homer Tutt, with their “Smarter Set” Co., are to stageland today what Williams and Walker were with their Company years ago. The team work of Whitney and Tutt is without doubt the most wonderful combination of versatile comedy acting put forth over the footlights within the past ten years. They produce and act their own compositions to full houses whenever and wherever they perform, and one of their latest hits is “Bamboula.”

A Colored comedian who is in a class by himself is the many-sided Billy King. His ability to make people laugh without tickling them in their ribs or even on their knees is nationally known. Beside being a genius in acting, he is versatile composer of over a hundred stage productions in which he has played the leading parts in scores of them. His show is such a financial success that it is said he annually pays over two hundred thousand dollars as salaries to the half hundred or more people in his employment. Billy King is without doubt the greatest individual producer-performer of high-class musical comedy in the Negro race today. He is also one of those (scarce-as-hen-teeth) human beings on earth who seems to have been born under certain stars whose horoscopic influences magnetize dollars from every place and steadily drop them into his pockets whether he is working or playing. For Mr. King is just as financially successful in his insurance company and other business seriousness as he is in his theatrical fun making.

Two of the leading moving picture actors among the American Colored people are: Noble Johnson who has appeared in such national reels as “Intolerance” and “The Death Warrant”, and Donald Lashley who has acted and posed for pictures with Alice Joyce, played forty-five weeks with Billie Burke in “Caesar’s Wife”, and took part in “The Passion Flower” with Norma Talmadge. During the four years he has been acting for the screens he has played in company with many other white moving picture stars.

According to an article that appeared in the May 27, 1921 issue of the Negro Star of Wichita, Kansas, Colored people in America own and operate seven film companies producing pictures with Negro casts. One of these companies is The Lincoln Motion Picture Company, which is incorporated in California and has been producing moving picture films for the past five years. Negro actors and actresses are wholly featured in its reels that are shown in Colored theatres and other institutions throughout the United States. Among its star reel features are: “Realization of a Negro’s Ambition”, “The Trooper of Troop K.” “Law of Nature” and “By Right of Birth.” The Micheaux Film Corporation, Chicago, Ill., is another nationally known moving picture producer. The founder and president of this company is Oscar Micheaux, who is recognized as America’s foremost Negro producer. His chief productions are “The Brute”, “The Homesteader”, “The Gunsaulus Mystery”, “The Symbol of The Unconquered” and “Within Our Gates”.

Some of the leading Colored moving picture stars of today are: Dick Abrams, Jack Austin, L. De Bulger, Jim Burris, Lawrence Chenault, Louise Dunbar, Iris Hall, Evelyn Preer, E. G. Tatum, Walker Thompson, Lee Whipper and Mattie Wilkes, W. H. Herman.

Right here before the facts again slips from the writer’s mind, must be mentioned two actors, the late Tom Brown and Ernest Hogan. On account of their seemingly unlimited theatrical abilities, their earnestness in performing and their cheerful and lovable dispositions, those two were among the best and most popular actors during their times.

S. H. Dudley aside from having shone in the center of the actor’s spotlight when taking active parts on the stage, has become one of America’s leading Colored theatrical promoters, builders and managers in the country. He is owner or part owner of theatres in Washington, D.C., Petersburg, Va. and other cities. In theatrical circles the name of Dudley is as familiar and popular among Colored people as the name of Keith is among white people.

“The King Pin of ’em all” (A humorous and fitting description made by the “Old Roll Top Desk Man, With the Million Dollar Smile”) is Charles S. Gilpin the world-famed dramatic actor, who was given the highest thespian honors of the season on Broadway.

“Never in the history of the stage has an actor been accorded the class of press notices handed Gilpin during his present engagement. What he did in a dramatic way in “Abraham Lincoln” attracted the plaudits of the critics of the metropolitan press; but his wonderful work in “The Emperor Jones” has more than eclipsed anything seen on Broadway in many years. Indeed, some writers claim that never before has a character been portrayed in as graphic a manner as is the title role in Gilpin’s present vehicle.” The above is an extract taken from an article that appeared in the March 26, 1921 issue of the Chicago Defender and which article was written by Tony Langston, Dramatic Editor and Advertising Manager of that paper.

To the thoughtless observer the sudden leap to fame by this Colored actor looked like a streak of good luck: but not so. Years ago when Gilpin was working as a coal miner, butler, porter and many other menial jobs he was, perhaps unknown to even himself, making preparations to face some big event that his elevating aspirations pushed him on to meet. He was an actor then, but he had not found himself and his talents were undeveloped. When he organized the first Lafayette dramatic players in New York many years ago he was beginning to find and unfold himself. This unfolding continued for sometime until he was given a cast in John Drinkwater’s “Abraham Lincoln.” Then (what Gilpin knew for years but did not get a chance to show) the nation learned that in this man were the qualities and abilities of a great actor. So when the big opportunity came for Gilpin to play the principal actor in Eugene O’Neill’s play, “The Emperor Jones”, this Colored man’s previous years of hard struggles in and out of his avenues of cherished hopes had well equipped him for the place. Chance may have put him there, but luck did not keep him there. Only long preparations and the proper qualifications that are allied with those preparations can balance and keep a man on such a high and dizzy steeple point as that, and also enable him to hold a Spingarn Medal.

Some of the other Colored actors and actresses in America who have mounted high enough upon the Thespian ladder to catch glimpses of its topmost rung and are rapidly climbing thereto, are; Dick Abrams, George Allen, Mrs. Chas. Anderson, Chas. Anderson, Emmett Anthony, Austin & Delaney, “Chick” Beaman, Andrew Bishop, “Eubie” Blake, Laura Bowman, Clarence Brooks, Shelton Brooks, Teressa Brooks, Ida Brown, L. De Bulger, Jim Burris, H. B. Carter, Estelle Cash, Lawrence Chenault, Inez Clough, Lulu Coates, Julian Costello, Amon Davis, Hazel Davis, A. B. DeComathierre, Cleo Desmond, Evelyn Ellis, Ada Forman, Charlotte Freeman, Lottie Ghee, Ella Goodloe, Alice Gorgas, Richard Gregg, Lawrence Griner, Iris Hall, Harper & Blank, Grace Howell, Maud Jones, Joe Jordan, Sidney Kirkpatrick, Margeurite Lee, Tom Lemonier, Florence McClain, Irvin C. Miller, Abbie Mitchell, Lionel Monogus, Frank Montgomery, Francis Mores, Moss & Frye, Clarence Muse, Chas. Olden, Laura Prampin, Harry Prampin, Ethel Pope, Evelyn Preer, Gladys Price, Arthur Ray, “Bob” Russell, Gertrude Saunders, Seamore & Jeanette, Arthur Simmons, Nobble Sissle, “Bob” Slater, Mildrew Smallwood, Eddie Stafford, Susie Sutton, E. G. Tatum, Walker Thompson, “Babe” Townsend, Andrew Tribble, Lee Whipper, Maybelle Whitman, Fannie Wise, Eddie Brown, Marie Lucus.

Elocutionists

Some of the foremost dramatic readers and elocutionists of today are; Hallie Q. Brown, who is also president of The National Association of Colored Women, Wilberforce, Ohio, Fannie H. Clint, New York, Madame Coppage, Norfolk, Va., Henrietta V. Davis, Washington, D.C., Richard B. Harrison, Chicago, Ill., Madamme Johnson, Berkley, Cal., Maud Jones, New York, Frances E. Motin, St. Louis, Mo., Elmer L. Payne, Bethlehem, Pa., Theodore Shackelford, New York, Ruby Pelleford, Sabina, Ohio, Anna Teney, Chicago, Ill., Charles W. Wood, Tuskegee, Ala., and Alonzo Jackson, Phila., Pa., who is Founder and Principal of the Garrick Dramatic School in that city.

RED BLOODED AIRY PLAYS

Theaters of the Negro Race
Today try hard in every case
To ventilate their ceilings space
And thus save lungs within the Race.
--_Harrison._

“According to J. A. Jackson, of the Billboard, Negroes support 328 Vaudeville and 611 motion pictures theatres in 21 States. The smallest theatre seats 200 and the largest 1,800. Since September, 1920, 25 new acts, 14 companies and 12 theatres have entered the field.” The above quotation is an extract from the July, 1921 issue of The Crisis. John T. Gibson, Phila., Pa. owner of the New Standard and Dunbar Theaters in that city, and Rufus G. Byars, Washington, D.C. owner and promoter of a chain of theaters, are recognized as two of the most successful theatrical owners and promoters in the Negro Race today.

The writer presents the following names as being only a few belonging to the many many foremost Colored theatrical owners, managers, promoters, editors, writers and critics, who are using their utmost talents and energies to inspire and present intelligent entertainment and clean, wholesome amusement for the Colored theatre goers:

C. P. Bailey, Clarence Bennett, E. C. Brown, Romeo L. Dougherty, E. B. Dudley, S. H. Dudley, C. H. Douglass, Hubert H. Harrison, H. J. Huey, Jas. A. Jackson, Georgia H. Jones, Tony Langston, F. M. Murray, A. B. Nordecai, E. L. Pankey, Sam E. Reevin, W. S. Scales, Jesse Shipp, Milton Starr, E. S. Stone, W. J. Styles, C. H. Turpin, Lester B. Walton, and G. Grant Williams, Deacon Johnson.

Perhaps the greatest collective sign of the rapid and wonderful progress made along executive lines by Colored theatrical promoters and performers in America is seen in the formation of at least three big organizations pertaining to their own management and welfare.

The National Managers’ Protective Association is an organization to encourage the progress and promote the welfare of all connected with the Negro stage. Three of its chief duties are; first, to see that Negro players be encouraged in every way to entersperse their acts with clean, worth while offerings in songs and new material; secondly, to agree to such arrangements that the booking exchange, will give acts contracts that will be played as given, eliminating lay-offs, with shortest possible jumps, and salary in keeping, and thirdly, to arbitrate all complaints of managers, actors or agents, and see that a just settlement is given the parties, each case to be decided upon its merits. The officers of this organ are as follows: President C. H. Turpin, of the Booker T. Washington Theatre, St. Louis, Mo., Vice-President, E. B. Dudley, of the Dudley Theatre, Detroit, Mich., and Secretary-Treasurer, T. S. Finley of the Lyceum Theatre, Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Theatre Owners’ Booking Association by its own name implies what its chief duties are, and it is only necessary to say that the rapidly increasing numbers of theatre managers who are joining this association in order to be assured of regular and best plays being booked for their houses, vividly shows the necessity and value of such an organ. Its President is Milton Starr, Nashville, Tenn., Vice-President, C. H. Turpin, St. Louis, Mo., Secretary, W. S. Scales, Winston-Salem, N. C., and Treasurer-Manager, S. E. Reevin, Chattanooga, Tenn.

A most recent organization along these lines is known as The Actors’ Legion with headquarters at Cincinnati, Ohio. Its membership is to be composed of actors and actresses.., and one of its chief duties is to see that matters of importance to performers will be speedily and properly adjusted. The writer was not able to get a list of the names belonging to the officers of this body.

Tony Langston, born in Detroit, Michigan, (fortunately several years after Noah’s Flood and a few years before Volstead’s Drought) and today living in Chicago never very far from nor out of sight of “Dear Old State Street”, is without question the most popular Colored theatrical writer not only in America but throughout the world. He writes the widest variety of subjects of any present-day penman in that line and is read by more than one million people each and every week. Nine years ago he entered the establishment of the Chicago Defender by way of its back door and on a salary less than the devil (printer’s) himself receives. To-day, he (Tony, not the devil) walks in and out the front doors of this firm as the highest paid writer in the history of Colored journalism.

When he first took hold of the dramatic sheet of this paper and held it up before the sun (son--excuse the pun), he could see just about as much matter on it as is seen in the hole (whole) of a doughnut. Since then he has been constantly thumping and pounding on Colored theatrical Boards with such hard and well-aimed blows (not with hammers and nails, but with ability, hard work, tact, cheerfulness, sympathy, friendliness and a “Million Dollar Smile”) that to-day the dramatic construction of the Chicago Defender averages over thirty thousand dollars yearly in advertising.

Aside from being Advertising Manager of the above mentioned journal, which is popularly known as the “World’s Greatest Weekly”, this all-round journalist, who is fondly called the “Old Roll Top Desk Man,” holds similar positions in connection with the Avenue, Grand, States, Phoenix, Lincoln, Atlas, Monogram, Owl and Pickford Theatres. He is also President of the Langston Slide and Advertising Company.

“REAL WHITE” FRIENDS

HOPEFULNESS AND GRATEFULNESS.

Through all his trials upon this land,
Some white folks take the Negro’s stand;
And this has kept his hopes alive
For higher things to ever strive
So as to show his worth and thanks
To those who share their brains and banks.
--_Harrison._

From the year 1619 when Negroes were first brought from Africa to the American Colonies, Colored people had from the very first a few of the truest kind of friends among a certain class of broad-minded, clean hearted and Christian white people. This group of people never was in favor of slavery but they could not stop it because their numbers were so much smaller than those who wanted and did have slaves. But white friends of those shackled human beings rapidly increased in numbers until 1861 when they felt that at last they were not only evenly matched but also had the sentiment of the rest of the world with them against the Southern white enemies of the Negro in freedom. Even during the darkest days of slavery there were white men and women in both the North and South, who after having slaves given to them by their parents, became so heavy of heart and worried in mind because of their parts in such soul damming sins and crimes that they would not longer keep their Colored people as slaves but set them free. Then again on account of some valuable deeds or services they had performed, many slaves were made free outright or were allowed to work their freedom out on easy terms. Some owners, while they were not quite Christianized or civilized enough to free their slaves, were in several ways quite kind to them and sometimes secretly (for the laws of the land forbid owners educating their slaves) taught them to read and write in somewhat the same amusing and pitying manner that tender-hearted boys and girls of today are kind to their pet birds and rabbits and teach them several smart tricks but yet will not open the cage doors and turn them loose.

Thus in the above ways there were during the whole period of slavery in the colonies a certain number of Negroes who had secured their freedom as well as good educations in many instances. This explains how it is possible for the writer to truthfully mention within these pages historical facts relative to certain Colored people becoming noted teachers, preachers, doctors, newspaper editors, etc., long before the Civil War and the freedom of all Negroes in America.

Through the agencies of such organizations and societies as named below thousands of Northern white people either by means of their money or through actual service among the Colored people in the South showed their unquestioned friendships for the Negro race. Some of the most important of those friendly organs were as follows:

“Freedman’s Bureau, American Missionary Association, The American Freedmen’s Union Commission, The Baltimore Association for the Moral Educational Improvement of the colored people, The Western Freedmen’s Aid Commission, National Freedmen’s Relief Association of the District of Columbia, The Soldiers’ Memorial Society of Boston, Old School General Assembly Presbyterian Church, American Baptist Home Mission Society, The New England Yearly Meeting of Friends, and The Pennsylvania Friends’ Freedmen’s Relief Association of Philadelphia.

The two Presidents of the United States who have proved themselves, through both words and deeds, truly to have been the greatest white friends the Negro race has ever had in the White House were Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant.

The following are a few names handed to the writer by capable estimators as being among the many thousands of America’s “real white” people, who, either before or during the Civil War, Reconstruction Period or during the present times, have shown by their encouraging and fearless words and their generous and helpful deeds that they had or have within them the deepest brotherhood interest for the truest humane welfare and progress of the Negro Race:

Wm. Anthony Aery Editor
Samuel Chapman Armstrong Educator
Miss Alice M. Bacon Philanthropist.
Dr. Gamaliel Bailey Editor, Abolitionist
Henry Ward Beecher Preacher
Arthur Brisbane Journalist
Arnold Buffum Abolitionist
Horace Bumstead Educator
Benjamin F. Butler General
Natalie Curtis Burlin Composer-Author
John Brown Agitator-Abolitionist
Dr. Wallace Buttrick Educator
George W. Cable Novelist
Dorothy Canfield Novelist
Andrew Carnegie Philanthropist
Gen. H. W. Carpenter Philanthropist
Dr. J. M. Clark Educator
Joshua Coffin Abolitionist
Mrs. Mary Crozier Philanthropist
Frank W. Darling Philanthropist
Miss Jane E. Davis Editor
Dr. Jas. H. Dillard Educator
Dr. J. Stanley Durkee Educator
L. C. Dyer Congressman
John T. Emlen Philanthropist
Samuel Ettleson Senator
Mrs. Mary Evans Philanthropist
Calvin Fairbanks Underground R. R. Agent
Homer L. Ferguson Philanthropist
Dr. C. H. Fisk Educator
Jos. B. Foraker Lawyer-Senator
A. S. Frissell Banker
Dr. Hollis Burke Frissell Educator
F. Nathan Fritch Manufacturer-Merchant
Wm. Lloyd Garrison Agitator-Abolitionist
Eugene G. Grace Manufacturer-Merchant
Dr. Jas. E. Gregg Educator
Mrs. J. H. Hammond Publicity Worker
Warren G. Harding President
Atticus G. Haygood Educator
William Hayward Colonel
Mrs. Mary Hemenway Philanthropist
O. O. Howard General
Julia Ward Howe Philanthropist
Dr. G. W. Hubbard Educator
Collis P. Huntington Philanthropist
Mrs. C. P. Huntington Philanthropist
Miss Elizabeth Hyde Educator
Mrs. D. Willis James Philanthropist
Miss Anna T. Jeanes Philanthropist
W. N. Harthorn Philanthropist
Mrs. John S. Kennedy Philanthropist
Robt. T. Kerlin Educator-Author
F. H. Keys Philanthropist
F. E. Lewis Lawyer and Ex-Mayor
H. E. and R. A. Lewis Manufacturers-Merchants
Colonel Little U. S. Army
Elijah P. Lovejoy Preacher-Abolitionist
Martin E. Madden Congressman
Joseph C. Manning Congressman
Frederick L. Marquand Philanthropist
Samuel J. May Underground R. R. Agent
Dr. F. A. McKenzie Educator
Mendell McCormick Senator
Dr. C. M. Melden Educator
Dr. C. F. Meserve Educator
Lucretia Mott Philanthropist
John R. Mott Y. M. C. A. Worker
Robert C. Ogden Philanthropist
Mary White Ovington Authoress-Lecturer
Robt. W. Paterson Philanthropist
Geo. Foster Peabody Philanthropist
Wendell Phillips Agitator-Abolitionist
Dr. Geo. P. Phenix Educator
Dr. John B. Rendali Educator
R. J. Reynolds Philanthropist
John D. Rockefeller Philanthropist
Theodore Roosevelt President
Julius Rosenwald Philanthropist
Mrs. Russell Sage Philanthropist
J. G. Schmidlap Philanthropist
Charles M. Schwab Manufacturer-Merchant
Herbert J. Seligman Author
John Sherman Senator
John F. Slater Philanthropist
R. C. Solt Banker
Joel E. Spingarn Philanthropist
Miss Caroline Phelps-Stokes Philanthropist
Moorefield Storey Lawyer
Mrs. Valeria Stone Philanthropist
Harriett Beecher Stowe Novelist-Abolitionist
Wm. Jay Schieffelin Philanthropist
Prof. T. L. Stewart Educator
Charles Sumner Senator-Abolitionist
Dr. F. A. Sumner Educator
Robert S. Taylor Lawyer
Dr. W. P. Thirkield Bishop
Oswald Garrison Villard Editor
Dr. E. T. Ware Educator
John Wanamaker Philanthropist
Mrs. Sarah E. Whitin Philanthropist
John Greenleaf Whittier Poet
Linderman, Warren & Robt. Wilbur Bankers
Henry Wilson Abolitionist, Vice-President

(Some names in above list are extracts from Work’s Negro Year Book, 1918-1919 edition, p. 34.)

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.