The Bookertee Searchlight (Bookertee, Okla.), Ed. 1 Friday, January 31, 1919 Page: 1 of 8
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We take it for granted that President Wilson is not representing
HELLSBORO Texas at the Peace Conference
Largest circula-
ted Negro jour-
nal in Oklahoma
An Advertisement
in this paper will go
into every state in
the union
A Paper with a pol-
icy and a purpose
We Stand
“For the right of
the voice of men
to be heard in
their own gov-
ernment” For Democracy that
is an actuality-not
ritualistic
BOOKERTEE OKLA JAN 31 1919
OFFICIAL 02GA1I OF TU3EnXC3TS OF PYTIIIAS OF It JL C AHD iL JUEirDICTXOTf OF OKLAHOMA
wrniM
In
s ar
Spencer Calls Sftate Teachers To To Capitol
At Dead Man’s Hill
Dunjee Lays All Night In French Val-
ley In Baptism Of Death
France Proud Of African Troops
EDITOR'S NOTE— The letter written below cornea from the editor’! brother
Irvins Dunjee now In France Before leaving Camp Mead Mr Dunjee very hur-
riedly wrote bla brother that he heard some talk of his army unit being sent to Rus-
sia and for a long time the family thought him there He etatee that he ha written
several letters none have been received since the armistice but this one
Private Irving Dunjee forced his way into the army At the opening of the war
lie waa steward in workman’s barracks at the ship yards at Newport News part of
his duty was to enroll the colored men in his department on the government s Emir
jrency Fleet List” which automatically exempted each man so listed from direct mil-
itary duty Private Dunjee entered everybod’s name on the list but Ma 0fvrt
was called to camp Immediately his brother-in-law Alex Williams who la
xeoutlve secretary of the Y M C A work at Newport News ship building yards
ot butty and got an order from the government for his return but when he reached
Camp Mead In person he found an unwilling private who wanted to go to war
Dunjee failed at the physical examination being physically fit except his weight
He was turned down 'But‘ said the young man 'is that all that s wrong
Yea that's all said the doctor "Well then” said Dunjee “please let me by
for I want to o” He went and from his letter written below he has received his
baptism of fire The ship building company wrote hiss before leaving Camp Mead
that should he return he had a lifes Job with them and aaid Incidentally he was the
only one drafted from them that had not taken the opportunity when offered ta
return Dun-sur-Meuae France Dec 30 1918
Dear Brother:— I hate written you several times the last time from Verdun
Just before the war closed
I had a long letter from Ella yesterday from which I found that you
did not have to go to camp 1 was also very greatly relieved to know that
Mamma Is getting along alright tell her I am all right and did not get
hurt altho 1 saw shells dig great holes all around me ha ha (I saw a great
deal of the fighting and have much to tell Our outfit came on to the front
as soon as we landed that Is one reason why you didn’t -hear from me often
Most of the time we were sq we could not write Why right up until now
we have never been in an Inhabited part of France since leaving Brest
where we landed '
We came here to Dun-Sur-Meuae (which means Dun on the Meuse
River) two days after the signing of the armistice We were ordered here
three days before the fighting was over and had we have come sooner we
would have been shelled pretty badly Bfore 1 went to Verdun we were in the
Meuae River sector for four weeks with the heavy artillery We were liv-
ing in holes hr the ground under Dead Man’s Hill behind the Argonne Forest
Lots of times the Germans would shell us while we would be loading ammuni-
tion and at night air planes would come over and drop bombs that sounded
like the world was falling in If that wasn’t going on then our big naval
guns would be firing over our heads from behind us and sometimes we could
not tell what waa what The night of October 6th we had Just moved
In this aide of Mallincourt about dusk that evening coming from over near
Metz we pitched our shelter holes and I lay talking to my pal about home
and my mother and girl well about eleven o'clock I wsb awakened by a
sharp sudden explosion I Just laid there a while and listened for they had
been shooting all that evening over acrost Dead Man’s Hill but up until
then no sheila had fallen near us In a few minutes there 'was another loud
explosion and then I knew what was up we were being shelled 1 waked
Joe rp and talked about what we should do everyone waa awake about us
We could hear the other boys talking about where the dugouta were but It
was dark when we had moved In that evening and we didn’t know any-
where to go Well we Just decided to lay there and those sheila came all that
night falling all up and down that valley sometimes behind us somtftlmes
beyond us and sometimes to either side of us and they were high explosives
that dig great holes into the ground ten feet deep I tell you its a wierd
sound to hear those things come hurling through the air but you can't see
them until they burst and while you can hear them coming a good ways off
you do not even know where they will land ha ha ‘ Well I didn’t sleep a
wink that night and I don't ’think anyone else did around there but the
Germans didn’t get our range until daylight next morning
I had Just raised up In the tent and said “Well Joe I guess they are
through for a while” when ever cornea one falling right Into the tent of
some French soldiers two of whom they have never found while I was
setting in the mouth of my tent looking at them carrying a dead Frenchman
down the road another shell fell so close that It knocked rocks all over my
tent we knew then that they had gotten the range on us so we cleared out
to the hill side and we got out Just in time too
Well Its all over nw and we want to come home This waiting Is hard-
er than the war I haven’t Been any of the boya from home since I’vev been
over there tho I have seen many colored troops I have seen the French
Colonial troops The French are very proud of their African troops
Well I don’t know just when we will get back Send me the Dispatch
Give them all my love I will close now Lovingly
IRVING DUNJEE
Spencer Calls Teachers In Session
TO PRINCIPALS AND EDUCATORS:
There has been such an Insistent demand for a meeting of some kind
' to take up the amending of the School Laws as they affect the Separate
Schools that we have decided to call a meeting of those interested This
meeting will be held Saturday February 8th at Oklahoma City
Please be on hand with suggestions and plans The meeting will be
called to order at 10 o’clock A M at the Colored High School
Very respectfully
J OSCAR SPENCER Pres J WILSON PETTERS Ch Ex Com
SIMMONS HERE
Hon and Mrs L S Simmons of
Brookville were in the city Monday
Mr Simmons is one of the successful
merchants of the state and was here
to replenish his big stock of merchan
dise at Brookville He incidentally
renewed his subscription to the Black
Dispatch
GOVERNOR’S PROCLAMATION
The Nation mourns the departure of one of its foremost citizens
nd highly honored Statesmen Ex-Prealdent Theodore Roosevelt
thoae lamented death In the prime of active life and uaefulnesa haa
rested profound sorrows throughout tha civilized world
— In order to testify to the reepect and eateem In which the people
f Oklahoma hold the memory of this great American and exalted
Itlzen of the republlo and of the world I hereby proclaim that 8unday
ebruary the ninth nineteen hundred nineteen be observed by the
itizene of Oklahoma in the various communities in the 8tate aa me-
torlal day at which time appropriate services In the different churches
nd community centers should be held and appropriate tributes paid
the high personal character and distinguished public service of thia
imarkable figure In the Nation’s history
Congress haa already daaignated thia day for the memorial serv-
e of the deceased Ex-President and it la also in accord with the
rishea of Colonel Rooievelt’a family and this date seem to represent
e expressed desire of the people generally throughout the Nation
hat we should unite In this service and that tho observance of the
ay should be nation-wide 1
Given under my hand and the great Seal of the State of Oklahoma
lla 20th day of January Anno DomtftV 1919t
J B’ A R0BERT80N Governor
OE 8 MORRIS Secretary of State- v
SEAL)
Scalp The Hun
Geo Perry Reads Black Dispatch
Denounces Lynching Of His People
"SEPARATE” 8CHOOL FUND
By Miss Harriett V Aehcraft Federal Agent Oklahoma and Logan Counties
' "No nation can exlat half slave and half free” These words have be-
come immortalised It Is squslly trus that no nation can exist half free and
half Ignorant
In this stats thsrs la a "Separate” School Fund Whenever there Is a
shortage It la the colored schools which suffer Teachers are underpaid and
the term shortened
There Is no difference In taxes The Negro farmer pays the same per
cent as tha whits farmer Then why should there be a "separate” fund for
his education?
Why should It take mors to educate a white child than It does a Negro?
Do they not uae the same books and follow the tame course of study?
A poorly paid teacher cannot provide herself with hooka en educational
subjects nor spend her vacations at achool Improving her qualifications
8cores of black boya went Into camp without even being able to write
their name
Let us hope that the legislature will ao amend the constitution that all
children will havn the same educational advantages
inat tne county superintendents will oe empowered to consolidate
schools and do away with so rany one-teacher building
I believe If every Negro lie Oklahoua would petition hia legislator our
educational advantages would be Improved I
ped for order and when the jury had
retired Informer the county attorney
that If he waa ever guilty of such an
assault upon the Integrity and honor
of any member of the bar before his
court he would put him In Jain and
keep him there for some considerable
time
What the Jury thought of the cow
ardly attack of the county attorney
deevloped when they returned in five
minutetf with a verdict of "Not Guilty”
freeing the innocent Negro boy
Hurrah for Judge Lynn Oklahoma
needs more such courageous Judges
Fortune had the remarks of the
County Attorney entered Into the records
ANTOINE H FUHR
prominent harmer stockman and
Lecturer Mr Fuhr hai always been
a great booster for the Black Dis-
patch and la at present doing spec-
ial work for this paper
Mr C H Ragan of Kansas City
leaves Saturday evening for his home
1649 New Jersey street Kansas City
CALLS NEGRO ATTORNEY LIAR
Chtckasha Okla Jan 29th
Judge Wm Lynn District Judge
of Grady and Comanche counties se-
verely repremanded County Attorney
of Grady County Wm Stacy during
the trial of the case of the State of
Oklahoma vs Roosevelt Williams a
Negro and whose attorney was
Judge Robert L Fortune of Chlcka-
sha the able race attorney at this
point
The trouble started when the Coun-
ty Attorney arose from his seat and
shouted “The attorney for the de-
fendant hat wilfully and malicloualy
lied” Jndge Lynn Immediately rap-
A WEDDING
Miss Pearl Love youngest daugh-
ter of Mrs Jane Love was happy
united in wedlock with Mr Ray
Younger of Wiley Okla Sunday Jan
26 at Peter’a Chapel A M E church
ReV Prof S E Shannon officiating
The bride was dressed In a gown '
of white silk draped with saffron lace
While the groom wore a nice fitting
blue serge suit The bride was as-
sisted by Ella Mae Hudson Miss
Rena Cheddee Janie Chettee Alvern
Edwards and Mattie Shannon were
the flower girls
The church was packed from sides
to center with whmites and blacks
In the midst of the whites were
many of the highest standing mer-
chants and bankers
8TATE WOMEN HERE
Mrs M 0 Eskridge of Enid Okla
and Mrs M L Batchelor of Ard-
more were pleasant callers at the
Dispatch office Saturday These dis-
tinguished ladies are prominent in
state Baptist work and were here at-
tending the B Y P U and S
Boards in session
Varrenes France Dec 18 1918
Dear Dunjee:
Today I am writing you from this
once beautiful town on the Alsne of
the Verdun battle front It is now a
mass of ruins and yet since the Ameri-
cana have taken charge it has as-
sumed a different air because about
10000 troops are fed from this rail-
road dally Jt Is a busy town no
and my office la a recent constructed
building of tin and my desk la a
heavy oak white painted desk used
by the German officers when they
occupied this region My staff of 8
good hearted soldiers are very happy
now and waiting anxiously for the
order to return home And I assure
you these are anxious days of waiting
for the soldiers
But I am writing you today for one
reason only and that la because I
have juat been favored with two cop-
ies of the Black Dispatch I was very
happy Indeed to receive them I read
them carefully I noted your publi-
cation of my first letter of 10-11-181
I have noted also your 11-1-18 Issue '
and the many interesting things you
discussed for the benefit of the public
In general and for our cause espec-
ially -
I hope to be able to take np some
of the things you are fighting later In
thia missive The boys from Okla-
homa City In thia regiment are fine
and dandy I visited them Sunday
at Regimental headquarters Chateau
Thierry France and enjoyed a very
pleasant day with them
In your 10-11-18 Issue I note the pro-
gress of the town overseas arrival
of Oklahoma City boys editorials
etc I enjoyed every line of it You
will also remember that In my letter
I told you we would acquit ourselves
creditably The colored soldier has
played his part here He has meas-
ured up to the duties like men and
his record in days past Colored sold-
iers are t obe seen everywhere and
in every department of the big war
Ame that “the American spirit” has
enacted and won It is a common
thing to see colored soldiers driving
trucks automobiles motorcycles driv-
ing white officers here and there and
colored officers here and there Note
the mingling of ell American Boldiers
everywhere fighting for the same
cause recently won with only one aim
in view You see them often greet-
ing one another from one state glad
to meet a soldier from their state
As you know there is no color line
in FYance or England I may say Just
here that the English and French are
great admirers of the colored Ameri-
cans Many of our boys talk French
and they have a wonderful time with
the French people I am learning
French myself
In your issue of 11-1-18 I note with
great satisfaction and pleasure your
trip to Camp Dodge I am glad you
visited the camp and helped secure
the Oklahoma vote their I must say
here and now that the "Golden Rule”
and "square deal” I wrote you In my
first letter overseas must be the law
in its entirety when we soldiers return
to America We are returning with
the scalp of the Hun and we must be
given all that belongs to us la civil
and political rights We are return-
ing with higher conceptions of human
life and the equality of opportunity
to every man to advance in the world
made safe for democracy by the rec-
ent victory In these hills and valleys
of death and destruction on the bat-
tlefield of brave and enduring France
This war has taught us many things
We are going to have all that is due
us I assure you the article entitled
u iiii
"Encouraging Words” from Harlow’
Weekly was read by mo with care
It is a fact that we have not offered
our lives In vain It is a fact lynching
must go into oblivion segregation
and disfranchisement must take th
wings of the morning and go into
space somewhere We have ottered
our all for this cause and we must
be given and treated like men- No
camouflage will go now We’ve seen
enough camouflage here In the war
We have used it as a good protector
from the enemy a number of times
Our courts and constitution have
given us every right and we must
have them In their entirety when we
return
Your editorial In the same issue
of 11-1-18 entitled “The Negro and the
Ballot” was a clear cut expression
and statement of facts worthy of the
serious consideration of all of our
citizens I am happy to compliment
you for your straightforward manly
presentation of our rights and your
earnest" labor to mold the optnoion
of our folk that unity in fighting a
common cause is imperative and that
the other prerequisite Is home owners
business men and women of moral
material and intellectual worth is
needed in the fight for what is due
us as full fledged American citizens
I trust you will live long to help us
reach our objectives I am so glad
you have the vision of the future and
that you are steadily working and
sacrificing to help the race reach the
goal History will accord you your
reward as a fighter for human rights
the race as a man of high Ideals and
worth
The consensus of opinion among
returning soldiers is -to begin life
anew with the greatest storehouse of
ambition possible to be citizens
worthy of the democracy we’ve been
fighting for They are new men
made so by this great war experience
that has taught them one fact that
man whether white or black gray or
blue Is made of the same material
The value of our war experience
with its far reaching influence and
molding of higher ideals for the bet-
terment of all the future cannot be
properly estimated at this time
I trust our people will take advan-
tage of this war opportunity and
build themselves substantially along
progressive lines The acquiring of
more land more and larger business
enterprises expansion of business in-
terests all over the country for our
mutual advancement and progress of
the race throughout the country We
must take advantage of this war op-
portunity and go forward at a greater
pace
The transition and Import of this
great cruel world wide war will we
hope bring the peace that the world
so much needs A peace that has
exacted such a toll from civilization
Yet if the “Golden Rule” Is not prac-
ticed by all and real Christianity abide
with the people of the world then a
still greater price must be paid The
world must acknowledge God as the
creator and ruler of the universe
I must close Dunjee for this time
Ere this letter reaches you the new
year with our new resolutions hopes
and alms will he winding its way into
eternity I trust It will find you well
and happy I hope to be home by
March 1919
Wishing you continued success and
many successful years o? Journalism
I am
Your friend
SERGT MAJOR GEO WPERRY
2nd Batalllon 805 Tioneer Inf
A E F
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Leathers, I. L. The Bookertee Searchlight (Bookertee, Okla.), Ed. 1 Friday, January 31, 1919, newspaper, January 31, 1919; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1779217/m1/1/: accessed June 29, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.