◆ SpookStack

. . a Chicaro, Iilinois ; June 20th, 1943 COOURIST PARTY KeSEQ MASS REETING re rg ene Iocated at 4lst and South Parkway in the heart of the Black Pelt on Chicago's South Side is the Metropolitan Community Church which has a tremendous seating capacity and in view of recent past happenings such 48 kra. Eleanor hoosevelt's speéking appearance es well as being the scene of many poli- tics] rallies, is wired for sound to accomdste listeners who esrnnot get inside the building)'Wwhich today was the seat of &n enormous Negro mass rally. Origvinglly, this meeting was promoted and sponsored by the “iiesaro Citizens Committee of One Thousand which 4s a South Side XYegro organization. It was intended-.to have Edgar Gy werro#wn, Director of the kational Negro Council, speak. This Ferro Council and its affilistes elledredly represent some (5,000,000 Kegroes in the United States, Fowever, with the seeming revival of th Xl on -masntngton Novevert, and with the presence of A. Pail ipafendoipn, Inter- nations] President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping car. Porters, here ir Chicago to address the “ins ti tate, on Fecia) Winorities — in the Fostewar_ World, today really getaally was under the aus- ._ rises of both organizations who ure ouite closely connected. It was hoped by the sponsors of this mass meeting that con- structive steps or remedies for racial misunderstandings that sre leading to riotous conditions in many parts of the country conld be not only discussed in a fair and impartial menner, but that through this meeting which would reach & representstive pertion of the South Side Negro population directiy and indi- rectly, a safe and sane attitude would result. 1 View of its Negro membership, the Communist Farty in this trict was vitelly ivterested in todsy's meeting, and in ad- tion to the Negro officers, workers and lesders_ in the South e District such as fF nensborough, Romenti erguson, Rerthe pion, Ex-alderman Dickerson, Attorney William L. Patterson, “any others, there were several outstanding white members of the Party present. a -7 iD x 9 my oy Bar Gu Oe ee Pe be RAS at Te ind ur The first disturbing portion of the program was a report of a disturbance Saturday night at 55th and Cottage Grove Avenue which was dispersed by the police without too mech d&msge be- ing done. It was said that the principals involved were more or less of the "zoot suit” type, youngsters who shouldn't get fteas from reading newspapers end drinking cheap lisuor. The / aeeast zu gpEucker repretably said that this adolescent false courage is . ad possibly going to be the mesns of touching off something which AG 27 00 -3-19- lb >