\
I N FORMER
EVENTEENTH YEAR, EDITION NUMBER 39
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, SATURDAY, APRIL 3, 1954
PRICE TEN CENTS
Walter Lee Irvin Faces Electric Chair
Last Plea Rejected BH(
Florida Parole Board
NEW YORK—The last plea to
lave the life of Walter Lee Irvin,
the lone defendant in the famous
Groveland Case who has already
died a thousand deaths, was reject
ed. last Tuesday by the Florida
Parole Board.
As a result, Walter Lee Irvin
must die for a crime he swears he
never committed.
He must die in the electric chair
soon unless the Governor of Florida
steps in and commutes his death
sentence to life imprisonment.
It is reported that Governor
Charley E. Johns will soon name
the day and hour for Walter Lee
Irvin to die.
Walter Lee Irvin, now 27, and
three other Negro youths, Ernest
The second trial began February
14, 1952, with Walter Lee Irvin
standing alone. Three days later
another all-white jury convicted
and sentenced him to death again
after one hour and twenty-three
minutes deliberation.
Attorneys for the NAACP
Legal Defense and Educational
Fund appealed to the Florida Su
preme Court and charged the trial
court with committing 22 errors in
convicting Irvin. The appeal was
denied. A petition . for rehearing
was also denied.
NAACP lawyers then took the
case to the Unnited States Supreme
Cour tfor th esecond time on the
ground that Irvin was denied due
process of law. The petition was
denied in January and a plea ask-
Thomas, Charles Greenlee and Sam- , , , . „„ .,
uel Shepherd, were accused by a h* ^ ^gh court tojee der
Groveland whit farm housewife of | wa3 'ejected January
beating her husband and attacking
her on the night of July 6, 1949.
19, 1954.
The last plea to save Irvin’s life
Ernest Thomas was shot down and !was made by the Florida Committee
killed by a sheriff’s posse. Green- j °n Social Justice, a group of white
lee, then 16, was sent to prison for | ministers who asked that clemency
life and Irvin and Shepherd were | be granted and Irvin’s life be
“tried” and sentenced to death in. spared.
September, 1949. The five-man Florida State Pa-
As a result of the alleged crime ] rol Board showed no interest in
the entire Negro population of denying the request.
Groveland and nearby communit- 1 Now, after fi ve years of legal
ies had to flee their homes, farms battle to save Walter Lee Irvin
and businesses. * from the electric chair, NAACP
On the eve of the new trial; attorneys must set aside their law
ordered by the United Sattes Su
preme Court, November 6, 1951,
Shepherd and Irvin were shot down
books and place their trust in man
and God.
For Walter Lee Irvin’s life is
by the sheriff in the middle of the now in the hands of Governor
night and left to die alongside a 1 Charley E. Johns of Florida, and he
lonelv road. alone can decide whether Irvin will
Shepherd died - Irvin was ser-j live or take the last long walk to
iously wounded.
Officers presiding at meeting of New Homemakers Association of District 3, March
20, at Lexington Rosenwald School, Lexington.
Left to Right—Irene Bright, Bettis Academy, Scretary; Sylvester Hooks, Coulter
Academy, Cheraw, Vice President; Jean Alice Griffin, C. A. Johnson, Columbia,
President’; Clara Brown, Lakeview High, West Columbia, Treasurer; Francis Mc
Donald, Jackson High, Camden; Reporter.
Rase Leaders Write Senator Jenner
To Protest Committee’s SCEF Action
Bunche iinited
Fund Speaker
Negro College
NEW York, N. Y., MARCH 30
Dr. Ralph J. Bunche, Principal Di
rector, Department of Trusteeship,
United Nations, will be the main
speaker at the 1954 national cam
Lt. Parker
declared killed
in action
Columbia, S. C.
Mr. & Mrs. John Parker of 2510
Richland St. has been informed by
the War Department that th eir pa ig n opening 0 f the United Negro
son, 1st Lt. James N. Parker has c 0 j] ege Fund on April 5, at 4 p. m.
been declared killed in action, ; n t }, e Terrace Room of the Hotel
November 29, 1952. Plaza. John W. Hanes, National
Lt. Parker attended the Waverly j Campaign Chairman and Vice- Pre-
1 "m ntary School and graduated sident, Olin Industries, will preside,
from Booker T. Washington High Dr. M. S. Davag e , President,
School in 1947. He attended S. C. j Huston-Tillotson College will speak
State College in Orangeburg, S. C.! briefly on the future of the Fund
and graduated in May, 1951. where an d the private Negr 0 college in
he received a commission as Second view of the imminent Supreme
Lieutenant. During his senior year Court ruling on segregation. The
at State College, he was Colonel in meeting will also mark the open-
| ing of the Greater New York ap- |
Thirty-two rectors, composed equally of whites
:nd K’egroes, includes many distin-
Soutn-
rn states. Its sole conce m through
out the years has been with the
evil effects of racial segregation in
education, hospital services, trans
portation, and other public facilit
ies. Its goal harmoniously enning
all racial barriers is our goal.
How can you presume to sit in
judgement on the patriotism of an
organization which shares with
Vice-President. Nixon the convict
ion that “every act of racial dis
crimination or prejudice in the Uni
ted States hurts America as much
as an espionage agent who turns
over to a weapon to a foreign
country.”
We vigorously protest the un
fairness of the hearings. We fur
ther demand that as an act of
NEW ORLEANS
Negro leaders from 15 Southern . . ,
states and the of ColumhU, gutshed eiy;c leader n rh
have hubmitted an open letter to
Senator William E. Jenntr con-
deming his attack on the Southern
Conference Educational Fund as
“an attack upon the Negro com
munity of this nation. ’
Senator Jenner’s subcommittee
on internal security recently held
an investigation into theactivities
of the Southern Conference Ed
ucational Fund, Inc., in the Post
Office Building here.
The signers of the letter include
men and women prominet n the
fields of Negro education, medic-
ne, business, and religious and civic
affairs.
Their open letter to Senator Jen
ner follows:
Dear Sir: ;
In the opinion of the undersign- simple decency and common sense,
ed. the action of your subcommittee you make appropriate apologies to
against The Southern Conference j those individuals whose names have
Educational Fund, Inc., is an attack been sullied in the press,
uponn the Negro community of this Signed,
j nation. Rev. L. A. Alexander, Knoxville,
This organization has spearhead-1 Tenn., Mrs. Andrew W. Simkins,
the fight against segregation in secretary, South Carolina Confer-
ed the army at Fort peal, headed by Boyl S 4 on A. Tom-i-- “ -- 1 \'aa/-d p Q ,. r I navis
/ 20, 1951. He was statA pkins. Vice-President, Bankers | the S° uth - When your statements once, NAACP. Rev. B. L. Davis,
rt Benning, Ga. where
off:,
will be among those on the
m July 20, 1951. Me was stat--j pkins, Vice-President,
at Fort Benning, Ga. where ; Trust Co. John D Rockefeller, Jr., I
?d a training school for 1 Chairman of the Fund’ g National
le was sent to Japan in j Council
il 1952. There he graduated. dais.
1 the Far East Command Chem-
School at Camp Gifu with high
A goal of $1,750,000 representing!
( a $250,000 increase over last year
He was later sent to Korea. I will be sought by the p un d this
There he first served with the 45th j year. The larger quota is made ne-
Infantry Division and was later cessary by rising operating costs
transferred to the 279th Infantry' and increasing numbers 0 f quali-
Regiment, Air Force Headquarters! fled Negro high school students
Company. He attended Observers I seeking higher education. The Fund
School for three weeks before he raises approximately ten p er cent
began his missi.-s as observor over)of the combined operating budgets
enemy territory. He was on his 103-1 of its 31 member colleges,
ssion, for which he volenteer-
TaUedega College
He is survived by his parents, Mr.
& Mrs. John Parker, three sisters,
Mrs. Jessie M. Peterson, Tuskegee
Institue, Ala. Miss M. Elizabeth
Parker, Mrs. Virginia D. Parks,
his twin brother, Edward S., one
aunt, Mrs. Emma Veasey, of New
York, a nephew, Master Joseph N.
Peterson, III and a host of relatives
and friends.
To Have $300,000..
Union Building .
I and thase of your fellow committee
members smear the Fund’s leader
ship, you are also disparaging the
hopes and ambtions of the Negro
people.
It is ridiculous to impute dis
loyalty of the Southern Conference
Educational Fund. Its hoard of di-
Louisville, Ky. Mrs. Mary McLeod
Bethune, President-Emeritus, Be-
thune- Cookman College, Dayton
Beach, Fla.
Beach, Fla. Rev. W. T. Crutcher,
Knoxville, Tenn. Roscoe Dunjee,
Editor and Publisher, Black Dis-
ateher, Oklahoma City, Okla. Rev.
L. A. Offutts, Louisville, Ky. Percy
Green, Editor and Publisher, The
Jacksp-' Advocate. Jackson Miss.
KVv. 'J. A. Baker, Louisville Ky.
Mrs. Lulu B. White, Director of
Branches, Texas Conference, NAA
CP. Rev. R. E. James, Knoxville,
Tenn. Rev. M. M. D. Perdue, Louis
ville, Ky. Rev. A. I. Owens, Louis,
ville, Ky Rev. A. I. Owens, Louis-
ville, Ky. Dr. 0. B. Taylor, Knox
ville, Tenn. Dr. Gordon B. Hancock,
Richmond, Va. Rev. F. R. Gordon,
Knoxville Tenn. Rudolph Moses,
New Orleans, La. Frederick Rho
des, M. D., New Orleans, La. Rev.
Rev. E. P. Brooks, Louisville, Ky.
Bishop Frank Madison Reid, pre
late of the 7th Episcopal District
of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, Columbia, S. C. Rev. R. A.
Council, Knoxville, Tenn. Rev. M.
L. Gardner, Louisville, Ky. L. E.
Austin, Editor and Publisher, Caro
lina Times, Durham, N. C. Louis
L. Redding, Attorney, Wilmington,
Del. L. C. Bates, E ditor and Pub
lisher, Arkansas State Press, Little
Rock, Ark. Rev. G. W. Sims, Louis
ville, Ky. Dr. Fames P. Brawley,
Atlanta, Ga. T. G. Nutter, Attor
ney, (Charleston, W. Va. Anderson
H. Brown, Charleston, W. Va. Dr.
Herman H. Long, Director, Race
Relations, American Missionary
Assoc., Nashville, Tenn. Rev. J.
Echolls Lowery, Mobile, Ala. E.
Franklin Frazier, Washington, D.
C. Martin A. Martin, Attorney,
Richmond, Va.
FIRST WOMAN SEEKS
PEA PRESIDENCY
ORANGEBURG—Mrs. James ^
Madge Perry) Harper native of MedlCS Set Anillial
this city, and assistant director (m . —
instruction for the Orangeburg city Meet At Spartan
schools, s a candidate for the presi- i
dency of the Palmetto Educaiton
Association. Records show that
Mrs. Perry is the first woman n
l the history of the organization to
offer for the position, it was learn
ed.
URGENT NOTICE
To be properly credited
all funds due the Lifht-
house and Informer must
be Mailed directly to:
Treasurer,
The Lighthouse and
Informer
1507 Harden Street
Columbia 4, S- C.
Ground breaking ceremonies held
at Talladega College March 27 in
itiated the beginnuig of construct
ion for a $300,000 Union Buildi ng .
The new structure, growing out of
UNCF’s Capital Fund Campaign
will he attached t° a newly
modernized Callanan Gymnasium.
Combined structures will provide
a modern gymnasium, student and
I faculty lounges, game room, can
teen, stage equipment, and other
facilities.
This new addition to the 16 maj-
| or buildings on Talladega’s Campu g
; will be known as Callanan College
Union Building.
ROCK HILL—Dewey M. Duck
ett, M. D., chairman of publicity
and public relations of the Pal
metto medical, dntal, and pharma
ceutical association, announced this
week final plans for the annual
Well-known in educational cir-: meeting and clinic of the organizat-
cles, Mrs. Harper is also deeply in- ion to be held in Spartanburg,
terested in religious and civic Com
mittee of Orangeburg, which has
the man objective of interesting
the general public in the affairs of
their ocal governments.
Mrs. Perry is a graduate of State
College and of t he Uunversity of
Illinois. She has done additional
study at Columbia university in
New York.
Superintendent Supports Candiacy
In a letter to Orangeburg teach
April 27-30.
Program features outlined at a
principals and teachers in our Ne
gro schools. In this position she has
made a wonderful contribution to
the instructional program and has
furnished excellent guidance in this
area. She is qualified, I believe, to
offer real leadership to the Negro
teachers of South Carolina.
“I am sure it is unnecessary for
ers, H. A. Marshal, Orangeburg me to remind you of the importance
city superintendent, said, “Mrs. of attending the Palmetto Educat-
Harper is assistant to the director ! ion Association Convention and
of instruction of the Orangeburg casting a vote for your candidate
city schools, working directly with Continued On Pag e Eight
recent meeting of the executive
board include a public session on
Wednesday evening, April 28, at
8 o’clock; a press conference, and
and a panel discussion on “The
Differential Diagnois of Abdominal
Distention.”
The speaker during Wednesday
evening the public session will be
Thurgood Marshall, internationally
known civil rights attorney and
chief counsel of NAACP, who will
be introduced by Matthew J. Perry,
Spartanburg attorney.
At a press conference on Wed
nesday afternoon, the Association
president, and chairman of the ex
ecutive board, along with Thurgood
Marshall and Carrol Leevy, M. D.,
of Newark, will be interviewed on
modem medical trends and estab
lished policies of the Palmetto j
association.
Participants in the panel discuss
ion, with James S. Martin, M. D.,
of Philadelphia, as moderator, will
be Dr. Leevy, Nelson Jefferson, M.
D., of Chicago, and Willard B. Mills
B. Mills, M. D., of Spartanburg.
Association officers are C. E.
Morgan, M D., Columbia; E. L. Mc
Pherson, president-elect, M. D.,
Continued On Page Eight
Baffled At Cheraw
CHERAW (Special): —A well
designed plot to disrupt the long
standing civic and political action
program of the Chesterfeild citi
zens committee was shatterer here
last Thursday evening when Mrs.
Andrew W. Simkins, state NAACP
secretary and acting editor-man
ager of the Lighthouse and In
former. while addressing an over
flow audience in the Coulter Aca
demy auditorium, denounced slick
opportunist moves by anyone, white
or black, that are aimed to destroy
the effect of intelligent political
action in South Caroina.
Mrs. Simkins handled admirably
a situation where certain persons
well-known to be conspiring with
Dixiecrat forces to destroy the con
structive influence of the Citizens
committee had come to the meeting
for the known purpose to break up
the organization.
The speaker, prominently con
nected with the State and Rich
land county divisions of the South
Carolina citizens committee, quoted
Christ in the basic theme of her
skillful attack on the insurgents,
as He said, “He that is not for me
is against me, and he that gather-
eth not with me a scattereth.” Mrs.
Simkins declared that there is no
middle ground when it comes to
cooperation, and that one works
against his fellowmen even when he
does absolutely nothing about con
structive program of which he
should be a part. She declared, too,
that we must discipline ourselves
so well politically that weca nnot be
bought and will not be sold.
The speaker insisted that the
masses should follow the leader
ship that has pointed the way to
the fuller life, even when the going
was hardest, and when Negroes
had ben constantly denied the
ballot by the very Dixiecrat forces
now conspiring with certain of our
"-w . jmcsdIp to misdirect our
struggle for the best government
jfor all South Carolinians.
“Look who is screaming about
the so-called bloc voting of Ne
groes,” the speaker exclaimed.
“They are the selfsame demagog
ues that historically have condoned
bloc voting against the progress
of the masses. Bloc voting irks the
opposition only when its plans are
set aside.” »
qck.-tbiHtr
Declaring that there are thous
ands of white citizens in South
Carolina who want to see progress
here, Mrs. Simkins said that by the
opposition she means the vicious
elements, bloc or white, who are
self-centered and disinterested in
human dignity and constitutional
rights for the masses.
“Governor James F. Byrnes,
patron saint of the Dixiecrat for
ces, and a traditional adherent,
manipulator, and benefactor of
minority bloc voting in the era of
the infamous white primary, now
denounces what he calls bloc voting
on the part of constructive forces
in South Carolina because he failed
miserably in 1952 to bloc vote
South Carolina, and even his own
home county of Spartanburg into
the Eisenhower column,” the speak
er asserted.
The two segments of disruptive
forces whose intention it was to
breag up the citizens organization
could not withstand an assault by
rational and above board thinking.
At the close of the meeting the
audience appeared joined in mind
and heart to work constructively
for Chesterfield county.
By a unanimous vote, the aud
ience selected the Rev. Mr. Ellis as
their candidate for membership on
the district school board.
While the name of one other can-
lidate was mentioned, the audience
decided that the most important
task was to strive for increased
registration.
Earlier, Mrs. Simkins had point
ed out the wisdom of attending the
political campaign meetings and of
eventually judging candidates by
family background, the degree of
uccess in their chosen work, per
formance of duty and voting re
cords of candidates already in of
fice, and their platforms, although
it was said that the last point is of
least importance.
The audience was reminded that
election day is the politicians’s pay-
day for the type of service render
ed or an advance in support for ex
pected sailent service, and that only
registered citizens can hire and
fire politicians.
Naacp ASKS COURT
TO REVIEW TWO
DEATH CASES
NEW YORK—The United States
Supreme Court was asked within
the past three weeks to review two
cases involving Negroes by law
yers of NAACP Legal Defense and
Educational Fund, Inc. One is in
Georgia and the other in Alabama.
It s alleged that the constitutional
rights of both convictd men were
violated.
The Georgia case involved a Ne
gro, Ozzie Jones, who was found
guilty of rape and sentenced to
death on October 7, 1952, by the
Superior Court of Chatham County
Ga. On appeal to the Georgia Su
preme Court the conviction was up
held with one judge dissenting. A
petition for writ of habeas corpus
filed in the City Court of Reids-
ville, Ga., was denied and the Su
preme Court of Georgia in affirm
ing the conviction denied a petition
for a rehearing.
In the Alabama case, a 17-year
old Negro, Jeremiah Reeves, Jr.,
was also convicted for the alleged
rape of a white woman. The con
viction was up held by the Alabama
Supreme Court and an appeal for
a rehearing denied.
Ozzie Jones was arrested and
convicted on the testimony given
by a white woman who identified
him by the light of a match.
Jones was represented in the
lower court by an attorney who did
not prepare for the case because
he had not been paid and was not
in court when the case was called
for trial. He had to be sent for by
the trial court.
However, immediately after the
trial, the attorney made a state
ment to the press saying that he
knew nothing of the date of the
trial until ten minutes after the
trial was supposed to have begun
and did not have adequate time to
prepare a defense.
Upon hearing this statement the
court, which convicted Jones, con
victed the attorney in a contempt
proceeding.
The case was appealed to the
Georgia Supreme Court August 31,
1953. The lower court’s decision
was upheld with one judge dissent
ing on November 25. A request for
a rehearing was denied December
8.
However, the lower court, in the
application for writ of habeas corp
us, found that:
(a) “The evidence introduced in
behalf of the applican substan-
1 tiated to a large extent, the ellega-
tions of the petition and while
I there was evidence to the contrary,
one could not help being impressed
with the conviction that the attor
ney had made very little, if any,
preparation for the trial of the
case and was not adequately pre
pared for the trial of the case and
was not adequately prepared for
the trial of a case of such gravity
and importance.” (R. 67)
In their petition to the U. S.
Supreme Court, NAACP Legal De
fense attorneys ask for a review of
the case on the grounds that Jones,
whose lawyer did not prepare for
his defense and who was com
pelled to defend him by the court,
did not have representation in the
court and is entitled to a new trial.
In the case of Jeremiah Reeves,
Jr., the accuser claimed she was
raped on July 28, 1952, by an un
known assailant. On November 10,
almost four months later, Reeves, a
17-year old youth, was arrested and
charged with the crime.
• He was taken to the state pen
itentiary at Kilby, Ala., held for
three days and not permitted to
consult with anyone. He was
questioned constantly in a room
with an electric chair and told that
if he did confess to the crime he
would be saved from the chair,
otherwise he would die.
On November 12, he was taken
to the county jail in Montgomery
and placed in a room where his
accuser identified as her assailant.
He was indicted on November 14.
At the trial the judge ordered
the court cleared with the exceptioa
of witnesses and court officials. A
motion by Reeves’ lawyer to have a
public trial, as required by the
press and his private stenographer.
Another repetition-death mot
ion to have the press and his pri
vate stenographer be allowed to
remain in the courtroom was also
denied.
During the trial, a number of
witnesses corroborated Reeves’
story as to his whereabouts and
also that he was emotionally un
balanced.
Near the close of the trial, it
was learned for the first time that
CONTINUED' ON PAGE 8
UN Delegate To
Address PEA
Archibald J. Carey, Jr., First
Alternate Delegate of the United
States Delegation to the Eighth
General Assembly of the United
Nation will address the opening
night audience at the 36th Annual
Convention of the Palmetto Ed
ucation Association 8 P. M. Thurs
day, April 1st. Attarney Carey was
appointed by President Eisenhower
on July 27th and was confirmed by
senate without dissent or debate on
July 31st, 1953.
This outstanding Minister -At
torney was featured speaker at the
Republican National Convention
Chicago, July 8, 1952. He has ser
ved as an Aderman of the Third
Ward, Chicago, since 1947.
This son of the late Bishop and
Mrs. A. J. Carey is a graduate of
Northwestern University and Chi-
cago-Kent College of Law. Hehas
been honored with awards by the
following organzations: American
Veterans Committee, 1952 for dis
tinguished Public Service; Chicago
Sunday Evening Club, 1952 with
one of five Bibles presented with
this inscription, “Appreciation of
your efforts to apply the princip
les of Christianity to the field of
Government in Chicago; “The
Council Against Discrimination of
Greater Chicago, 1954, with its
first Abraham Schwarts Human
Relations Award (a bronze plaque
and $500.).
The officers and members of the
Palmetto Educaton Association in
vite the citizens of this state to
hear this distinguished public ser
vant 8 P.M. Thursday AprI 1st
Township Auditorium
Record Membership and
Attendance
The officers of the association
announce a record membership for
this year are planning for an at
tendance of 6,000 teachers.
Music for the general session will
be furnished by Allen University,
State A. & M. College. Barr Street
School, Lancaster, Holmes Elemen
tary School, Florence, Howard High
School, Georgetown and Brewer
High School, Greenwood.
Department Meetings
The departmental meetings are
scheduled for 4:30 P.M. Thursday
and 10: A. M. Friday. The follow
ing is the schedule of these meet-
ngs. 1
The association lists the follow
ing professiona meetings as to de
partment, chairman, and place a»d
time of meetings:
Thursday, April 1, 4:30 to 6:8®
PM: Elementary Principals, James
A. Miller, Antisdel Chapel, Bene
dict College ; Jeanes Teachers, Mrs.
J. W. Washington, Browsing Room,
Allen Library; secondary prin
cipals, G. A. Anderson, Lecture
Room, Allen Library; Higher Ed
ucation, HowardJordan, Browsing
Room, Benedict Library.
Frida, April 2, 10 AM to 12
Noon: American Vocational As
sociation, H. W. Crawford, Cafe
teria, C. A. Johnson High School;
12:30 to 2 PM Future Teachers of
America, Joseph Kimpson, Taylor
Stree UtSO.
Als.o, Friday, April, 10 AM to
12 noon: (Elementary Education)
Primary Group, Miss Ruth Bynum,
Cafetorium & Room 107, Waverly
School; Intermedaite Gr. 415 Mrs.
Dorothy Bracey, Auditorium, Alle*
University. Upper Grades 6-7-8, C.
I. Young, Antisdel Chapel, Be*e-
dict Colege.
Also, (Seconaary Education)
Agriculture, W. F. Hickson, Room
106—C. A. Johnson High School;
Audo-Visual Education, W. E.
Johnson, Annex-Benedict College;
Business Education, Clayburn Mar
shall, Business Annex-Alien Uni
versity; Bandmasters, H. W. Dan-
Continued On Page Five