The Black Dispatch (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 6, No. 28, Ed. 1 Friday, June 17, 1921 Page: 1 of 8
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The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
The Largest Circulated
Negro Journal in Okla-
homa.
See! "LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD", in 5 Reels at Aldridge Theatre Sat. June 18' 1921
An Advertisement
this paper will go into
every State in the Union.
A Paper with a policy
and a purpose.
c'ety
PRICE 5 CENTS
ifrbG
R4ITH
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, JUNE 17, 1921
We Stand
For the right of the voice
of men to be heard in
their own Government.
For Democracy that is
an actuality—not ritu-
alistic.
VOL. VI. NO. 23
Many Thousands Leave Tulsa
White Southerner Says Ku Klux Klan Means The Downfall Of Civilization
DR. INMAN E. PAGE
Who has been elected to the principalship of Douglas High School,
Oklahoma City. Dr. Page has spent almost a half century in uplifting work
among his people. For twenty years he was President of Lincoln Institute,
at Jefferson City. Mo. William Tecumseh Vernon, now a bishop in the A.
M. E. Church, was one of his pupils and other notable men of the country
received their first training and inspiration from this noble man. For seven-
teen years Dr. Page headed Langston University and has during other per-
iods been in charge at Western University and Rodger Williams. He is a
graduate of Brown University. He comes to the city ripe in experience and
his selection has met with universal satisfaction. Dr. Page arrived in the
city from St. Louis last Monday and plunged into the details of his big work.
Douglas High School is the first school of its class in the state. It has
sent out over the nation many splendid young men and women who are doing
useful work for the race and humanity. The coming of Dr. Page means that
Douglas High will climb higher and higher as an institution for the develop-
ment of the Negro youth. Friday evening hundreds of the citizens of the
city gathered at Calvary Baptist Church to do honor to whom from point of
service might aptly be called "THE STATE'S FIRST CITIZEN."
UNQUESTIONABLY SO
(From the Barometer of Pub-
lic Opinion, Tulsa Daily World
Editor World:
You printed an editorial this
morning entitled "Bad Nig-
gers." You should have coupled
this with one headed "White
Scum." Your relief activities
are commendable, or course,
but why not present this whole
matter fairly? Referring to the
lawless element in the black
race you said that it was "this
class that brought on the terri-
ble suffering and loss." What
about the white riff-raff that
tried to start the lynching, and
what about the so-called police
force that collapsed so utterly?
The general testimony Is that
the comparatively few colored
toughs went about with guns
for a half hour or hour before
the outbreak. Was there not
ample time for a dozen real po-
licemen, properly organized and
handled, to nip the uprising In
the bud?
i wer.t out to the hill in the
morning and watched the burn-
ing dwelling houses and church-
es. The spectacle impressed
me as the most disgraceful
sight I had ever heard of in
connection with an American
city. Where were the police
then? Why had they not or-
ganized during the night to pre-
vent this diabolical incendiar-
ism and looting?
I was ashamed to live in this
town and still am and will con-
tinue to be until it is rescued
from the danger of further lap-
ses into barbarism by a proper
protection of the lives and prop-
erty of both whites and blacks.
Tulsa, June 4.
4. W. Welch.
Oklahoma City
Uniform Rank
i Wins First Prize
Christopher Columbus Campany No.
1 of Oklahoma City, under command
of General A. P. Bethel. Col. Thos. P.
Pierson and Capt. R. S. Holmes, made
a flying trip to Denison, Texas, last
week to the Grand Lodge sessions of
the K. of P. of Texas and as usual
carried away the prizes. Company
No. 5 of Ft. Worth won over Dallas.
Austin, Denison, Corsicanna. then Ok-
lahoma won over Ft. Worth, winning
the $100 Silver Cup. The company
will give a drill here in the near fu-
ture for the benefit of the Topeka
trip.
Mr. and Mrs. S. D. Lyons and grand
son left Thursday night for Texarlca-
na. Ark., and Shreveport, La., where
they will spend several days visiting
friends.
HELP TULSA ODD FELLOWS
Muskogee. Okla. June 16th.—The
EExecutive Board of the Grand United
Order of Odd Fellows met In session
hear today and appropriated $1500.00
for the relief of the members of the
order who lost their homes and pro-
perty in the Tulsa riots. Grand Mas-
ter Jefferson stated that the order
would do all in Its power to relieve
the distress of over three hundred
members who are stranded in the oil
city.
* DOUBLE MURDER
* (Samuel Judson Porter)
* Pastor First Baptist Church (White)
* Oklahoma City, Okla.
* ___________
* The violent outburst of passion at Tulsa last week which resulted
* in wholesale murder and incendiarism gives us all a horrible warning
* that we are living and moving on a thin brittle crust of civilization
* which is liable to crash at any unusual strain and hurl us into un-
plumbed depths of degradation. I do not now take the time to discuss
* lynching except to say that lynching is murder—the mast detestable
* and dangerous form of murder. It is double murder. It murders not
* only a human being but it murders the law. which is far more serious.
* What I am appealing for now, as a citizen and Christian minister,
* is that we shall take immediate steps to avoid the repetition of such
* barbarous doings as have disgraced our State within the last few days.
* Our present task is to arouse a public sentiment which will see that
* not for one moment are we to be left to the fiendish ravages of an
* infuriated mob, to kill, burn, loot and plunder without stay or hind-
* ranee-
Negroes, as a rule, are a well-disposed and law-abiding people.
* They pay taxes in proportion to their property, render military ser-
* vice without jdiscrimination and are entitled to justice and protection.
* There is nothing 4n the coming of the Negroes to this country to excite
* resentment against them on the part of the white people; nor is there
* anything in the history of the race since their arrival to warrant hatred
* of them. On the other hand they have made a wonderful contribution
* to the growth and development of our country, while they have made
* an advancement incomparable in the rise of races for so short a time.
* The fact is that, in the South, and this is true of our own State, the
* white people as a rule have only the kindest feelings for the Negroes,
* while the Negroes know that the white people are their friends. All
* this has been demonstrated in countless ways through many years.
* The trouble comes for the most part through the baser elements of
* both races and a few. vicious fomentors of distrust and strife. We all
* want harmony, friendship and good feeling between the races, and we
* cannot afford to let the rabble disturb our equilibrium, inflame us
* passions of the unthinking and irresponsible and thereby plunge us
* into race ricts and warfare. An inescapable fact is that the white peo-
* pie and the black people have got to inhabit this country together.
* Side by side we must live in this land of magnificent advantages and
^..unlimited opportunities. The great problem for all of us to study and
* solve is, how we can best do this. The occupancy of the same country
* under the same laws by two such widely different races is not de-
* sirable as an original proposition; still the condition, in fact, con-
* fronts. Here we are—white and black. And here we are going to
* stay working out our destiny together. We are here. We are living
* together. We have gotten along together peacefully and successfully
* to a glorious and wonderful degree. Let us keep on. It is time
* now for us to be sensible and kind and patient. It is a time for wise
* counsel to prevail. We must not, cannot, resort to brute force, that
* would be ruin and folly. Let us foster confidence, uphold the law
* and see that justice is done. Let the voice of the press, the pulpit, the
* school and the public meeting speak out against lawlessness, violence
* and insolence. Let caution and wisdom be exercised at all the pos-
* sible points of friction between the races. Let the wild agitator be *
* discountenanced, put down and severely punished. *
* There are large numbers of criminal white people and there are *
* many criminal Negroes, and these are the elements that disturb the *
* peace of the community-life; but we are not going to let them bring the ♦
* country to ruin. There are many Christians of both races in Oklahoma. *
* I believe the majority of our people are for peace, harmony and prog- *
* ress. Let us all be sane and learn better than ever before the fine art ♦
* of living together. Our problem is great but not impossible of solu- *
* tion. Concisely stated our problem is this: The American adjustment *
* of the relations which should exist between the white people and the *
* Negro people of a common country, whose welfare, in the last analysis. *
* is a common weal. Differently stated our problem is the righteous *
* adjustment of the conditions arising from the dwelling together, in the *
* same community-life, of the extremes of all the races—the Caucasian *
* or white man at one extreme, and the African, or black man at the *
* other. Its surest solution is to be found in the grace of God who "hath..*
♦..made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of *
* the earth," and in the love of our common Lord and Saviour who *
* loved us and gave himself to redeem us all from our sins and to make *
* us the children of our Father in Heaven. *
* (Dr. Porter spoke to his people Sunday morning on the above *
* subject.—Editor.) *
Dick Rowland In South
Omaha, No Trace of Girl
Find Nine Automobiles In Arkansas
Texas Man Writes on K. K. K.
Says Better Way Would be to Hold
Public Mass Meetings to Offer
Assistance to Officers of the Law
Mo6t of the property that was own-
ed by Negro business men and a large
portion of the residential section will
revert into white ownership on ac-
count of the inability of the present
owners to derive any income with
which to liquidate the mortgages up-
on the property. For example,, it is
said that J. B. Stratford had an origi-
nal mortgage on his property, where
the hotel was located, in the amount
of $65,000 00. .This is said to have
been reduced to $20,000.00 or there-
abouts. He was reducing this at the
rate of $450.00 per month. The prop-
erty producing no income now will
of course revert to the mortgagee.
This condition applys to perhaps 75
percent of the Negroes' Tulsa hold-
ings. Tulsa at its best was a newly
settled section and this condition
would apply to about the same per-
centage of white people, were the
same disaster to meet them.
Another problem that involves
thousands of dollars, is that in the
burning of the homes, many had their
bank books destroyed. John Simth,
who ran a boot black stand on Green-
wood, in the Dixie Theatre Building,
had in the bank, according to his
wife's statement, over $300.00. The
bank book was destroyed and the
bank where they had their fund has
to date refused to acknowledge their
account. They are in Oklahoma City
today, without funds or work.
It is said that the City of Tulsa
has refused a building permit to Good-
win, the undertaker, who desired to
replace his building. It is not known
as to whether Goodwin desired to re-
build a fire proof structure, and that
he was refused on this ground or
not. .According to the Tulsa world
the city is taking advantage of many
unfortunates who are thrown out of
employment. O. A. Steiner, street
commissioner, made a bunch of refu-
gees in the Fair Grounds unload sev-
eral loads of crushed rock, last Mon-
day, receiving in return "THREE
SQUARE MEALS AND A BED."
The city's investigation promises
to result in a farce, since the appoint-
ment of another investigation commit-
tee by Mayor Evans. The first com-
mittee appointed in a mass meeting
will be disposed, if the mayor's will
is done. The first committee has
been strong in its denunciation of the
city government. It has not failed to
say unreservedly that LAW AND OR-
DER COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED
IN TULSA ON JUNE 1ST. The new
committee is expected to reverse this
verbal expression of an outstanding
fact. In other words, the mayor and
the police purpose to INVESTIGATE
THEMSELVES.
The local Knights of Pythias lodge,
of the City of Tulsa pays an amazing
tribute to the looters and arsonists
who pillaged and murdered unarmed
Negroes, as will be shown by this ex-
man and the car was located in the
residence district. Jackson left his
man standing on the ground waiting
for his money that he never will get.
It is rumored that the two bodies
found in the ruins of the Stratford
were white looters who staid in the
burning building too long, the walls
fell in on them. Many Negroes are
still in the Tulsa hospitals, accord-
ing to the statement of Mr. Ban Far-
mer, one of the refugees, and who
worked in one of the hospitals dur-
ing the few days succeeding the riot.
Several who rushed from their homes
were burned almost from head to foot
and they lay there in the hospital
covered over with grease to ease their
pain.
"When the elephants roost in the
trees, I'm going back to Tulsa," said
one of the prominent physicians, for-
merly of that city, who landed in Ok-
lahoma City Wednesday. He said
most of the business and profession-
al men were planning to leave the
city for good as soon as they could
adjust what little business that re-
mained to be attended to out of the
holocaust of fire. "I have now what
is a vacant lot, where my house was,"
said this doctor. "I am going back
and sell that, then good-bye Tulsa."
said he.
More than fifty per cent of the Ne-
groes have left the city, according to
the statement of this doctor. "It is
humiliating to the greatest degree to
the Negroes of the city to have to go
around labeled with green cards as
though they are dogs or some other
kind of animals," said this doctor, and
as soon as they are able, they all e-
vince a spirit to shake the dust of
Tulsa from their feet.
"I never saw so many kids in their
teens with guns and pistols in their
hands," said Dr. Jack emitherman,
who was one of the physicians who
was herded into the concentration
camps during the riot. Several of
them wanted to shoot me, but older
heads prevailed. One was shot right
in front of me, however, to show that
I was in grave danger. Four men
were shot in front of Convention hall.
Frank Smith, another named Clark
and Holderness were three whose
names Dr. Smitherman remembered.
Another man was shot on the other
side of Brady street. Failure to hold
up their hands was the cause of this
shooting.
Dick Rowland, according to Barney
Cleaver, who was in Oklahoma City
Sunday, on his way to Granite with
prisoners, IS IN SOUTH OMAHA. He
was released by the Tulsa authorities
no charges ever being placed against
him. This bears out the statement
of the Black Dispatch that the mob of
white hoodlums at the jail were at-
tempting to murder an innocent man.
"HE WAS NOT IN THE JAIL WHEN
THE MOB APPEARED THERE," said
sa might live in peace and security,
. . . . .. , . , we pay tribute of respect and honor.
?„ «<2ny " * 3 Way their noble sacrifice ever be fresh
n assisting the officers in enforc.ng /, irl in memory. To all such
the law. That would have been com- s lendi£ and courageous citizens, rich
mendatory and wholesome and in ^ |earned aand unlearned who
, hav. The I "■ "*'
-""ir „K; ,K:r r°a,«|xh? ■
, =: *n' ' js:
lent Ku Klux Klan will do good in is- Frankly, it is a piece of brazenj ert . saved' our city And we
| olated instances, but the evil that will I effrontery for any body of men, how- D(Z' * thes. ... anyJ their
J. B. Granfill, in Dallas (Texas) News constabularies, at the same time ten
There is no doubt that tne modern
Ku Klux Klan is composed in great
part of good men. • That was true of
the old-time Ku Klux Klan, of which
We know times are hard but never
the less we must insist that you pay
your subscription r.t once, you have
doubtless recieved your expiration no-
tic, unless ycu renew we will have to
* cut you off the list We must meet our
* biiis and the money that you owe us
* will help turn the trick. Renew in the
. return mail.
outflow from the organization will far
; exceed the good; and, on the whole,
> all of us should join hands in making
I it impossible for a lawless organiza-
tion of this character to exist among
eveiMjOod their intentions or de signs,
to flfcume the "holier-than thou" at-
titude which this Ku Klux Klan has
assumed in the very fiber and blood
cerpt taken from resolutions publish- Cleaver, "but we could not afford to
ed in the Tulsa World, June 14th. It tell where he was. Sarah Page has
follows. vanished as completely as a mirage
We, unhesitatingly, commend and on a desert. The story still stands
approve those representatives of con- that all that Dick Rowland was guilty
stituted authority, officers, and white of was stumbling and stepping on the
citizens of Tulsa, who so successfully foot of Sarah Page. She struck him
and effectively fought the battles for with her hand bag, he grabbed her
Tulsa, and for the restoring of law hand as We stepped out of the eleva-
and order on that fateful occasion, tor.
and won. To those who suffered, and Refugees coming into Oklahoma
to those who died that beautiful Tul- City are giving much praise to Charles
Page, prominent oil man of Tulsa, who
it is stated has been giving freely of
his funds to the destitute blacks. Ac-
cording to Al Floyd, who reached Ok-
lahoma City, Wednesday, Mr. Page
has been issuing free transportation
to Sand Springs and giving free meals
to all who went there. Much praise
is given to the Red Cross and the
members of the white churches for
the very active and sympathetic man-
ner in which they have gone into the
work of caring lor the suffering and
the needy.
ptedge to these, one and all, their
families and loved ones, our sincere
gratitude, helpful assistance and kind-
ly remembrance."
... ... t. According to a statement made by
of the organization itself. No man is a prominent business man wro for-
above the aw: no oraanizntion s a- . .
_ . , , O UIWIIIIIIHH uuaiiibos mean tvI w IWI*
snop in i uisa, wn.cn was complete-
| A much better way would have been bove the law; no man or olan can
for tnese splendid men—and I am successfully altitudisize as as super-
I sure that in this Ku Klux Klan in ior to the great body of our citizen-
i Dallas there are many of our really ship, and this is the very meat and
' excellent citizens—would have been marrow of the pretentious qualifica-
' for them u> nave gathered together tions and perogAives of this Ku Klux er, w«t succ<- aiui ..
; in mass meeting, divested of all se- Klan. ambuiancc imougn
crevjr ana mask sand have passed res-' No Kina or mob violence can be came to him and suggested that he <
forcement for our peace officers and J (Continued on page 8; Col. 3) cou d iccate it. He went with the '
i/ uesiroytd tn tr.e riots of June 1st,;
mnc i.ne uUOim.uiic., me propertyI
• u.jj iscgi'ots ,.i..e been located
in JoC^Oii, ine unuer.aK-
lOCdiing n,s big
i wmie man wno
ANNOUNCEMENT
Beginning next week, those of
our readers who are following
up the articles that have been
written by Richard J. Hill, will
be pleased to know that he will
begin to contribute to our col-
umns. Mr. Hill was fortunate
not to have his home burned
in the disorders at Tu;sa. Look
for his article next week.
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Dunjee, Roscoe. The Black Dispatch (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Vol. 6, No. 28, Ed. 1 Friday, June 17, 1921, newspaper, June 17, 1921; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc152337/m1/1/?q=many%20thousands%20leave%20tulsa: accessed April 26, 2025), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.