A Page from the Past - Black History Month (Posted 2/2/2010 01:35 pm)
By Christopher Amos
February is Black History Month, and the Alvarado Public Library is recognizing the the month with a display of books about significant Americans and a page from the past — a section of a 1952 African-American newspaper.

The newspaper The Texas Edition of The Call, June 6, 1952, was a small but powerful voice in black communities.

The Call was founded in 1919 by Kansas newspaper publisher, Chester A. Franklin. He was the son of Omaha newspaper publisher, George Franklin.

The Call developed branches throughout the United States so each edition could had local and national news and sports. The articles within were not exclusively African-American, but each article was of interest to the African-American community.

The newspaper sheet is on loan to the library by Alvarado Star editor, Christopher Amos, who has a small collection of rare and historic newspapers. The sheet on display is weathered and worn, but clearly readable. The only portion of the paper that remains is the front and back pages with the corresponding inside pages.

“I found this in Parker County when I was photographing an abandoned home in a field,” he said. “The house was in bad shape — you could stand in some rooms and look straight up at the sky. The paper is in pretty good shape considering what it was exposed to. It might have been used in a wall as insulation and that might have preserved it.”

Several articles in the issue on display concern the progress of the Civil Rights Movement and some of its obstacles. Not all of the articles are about the Civil Rights Movement, but reflect everyday life and achievements.

“I find the articles amazing. They reflect a difficult time in our history,” Amos said. “It is hard to imagine life in that time, but thankfully we learn from history.”

Under the headline “Willie Mays Gets Warm Army Send Off,” a photograph of a smiling Mays, dressed in his New York Giants uniform, waves for the camera after his last game before joining the U.S. Army.

Another story tells of famous boxer Sugar Ray Robinson donating a portion of his winnings from a heavyweight title match against Joe Maxim to the U.S. Olympic Fund.

“More Negroes Needed in Foreign Service as Diplomats,” another headline reads.

Sobering reports include “Albuquerque Squelches Move to Kill Anti-Bias Ordinance,” and a report about a former KKK leader going to trial for “flogging” a black woman.

=====

Subscribe for just $18 a year and get even more Alvarado news and sports, plus commentary, comics, Movie Man, events and features — PLUS online access to current and past issues. Click on the SUBSCRIBE button at left and get started.