[excerpts]
THE COLORED PEOPLE AT WORK.
Mississippi Negroes Meet and Perfect a State Organization.
Mound Bayou, Miss., Nov. 24. – The following are the proceedings of a general meeting of the colored commissioners of Mississippi of the Cotton States International Exposition, which met at Jackson, Miss., Tuesday, November 20, 1894, in pursuance of a call, as published, in The Memphis Commercial Appeal of the 19th inst., and perfected their State organization by electing the following officers and creating an executive committee of seventeen, of which five shall constitute a quorum:
Officers and Executive Committee – Isaiah T. Montgomery, president and ex-officio chairman, Mound Bayou; Hon. Jas. Hill, vice-president; Rev. E. B. Topp, secretary; L. K. Atwood, treasurer; M. M. McLeod, Washington Newman, S. A. Beadle of Jackson, Miss.; Rev. R. T. Simms, Canton; Prof. R. L. Johnson, Brandon; Rev. A. C. Morris, Pearson; Rev. A. A. Hamilton, T. V. McAllister, Vicksburg; E. E. Perkins, Edwards; Rev. A. Reed, Crystal Springs; Prof. Geo. C. Granberry, Raymond; Rev. H. M. Foley, Port Gibson; Rev. C. A. Buchanan, Kosciusko; Rev. W. H. Higgins, Bolton.
The State was taken up by congressional districts and assistant commissioners appointed for each county as follows:
First District – […] Prof. A. B. Poston and C. A. Buchanan of Kosciusko will look after organization and report.
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Second District – […] Marshall: Rev. H. R. Revels and E. H. McKissack of Holly Springs. […] Panola: Rev. I. J. Stafford of Como, Rev. A. Fields and Jo Simmons of Sardis.
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Third District – […] Bolivar: J. E. Ously of Eutaw, Rev. G. W. Gayles of Gaylesville. […] Issaquena: S. B. Blackwell, Ben Lomond. […] Sharkey: M. G. Bennett of Panther Burn, G. P. Phillips of Rolling Fork, Hon. G. W. Butler Anquilla, D. W. Foreman of Cary.
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Fifth District – […] Holmes: […] Tenant Weatherby of Tchula. Attalla: C. A. Buchanan and Prof. A. B. Poston of Kosciusko. […] Clarke, Wayne and Jasper: Referred to Rev. J. M. Schumpert and Rev. H. M. Foley, to secure organization and report.
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Sixth District – […] Wilkerson: Referred to Rev. H. M. Foley, to secure organization and report. […] Harrison: W. P. Locker of Biloxi, J. W. Randolph of Handsboro. […] Jones: Referred to Rev. H. M. Foley and Rev. J. M. Schumpert, to secure organization and report.
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Seventh District – […] Hinds: S. A. Beadle, M. M. McLeod, L. K. Atwood, Washington Newman, Rev. E. B. Topp, Hon. Jas. Hill of Jackson; Prof. Geo. C. Granberry of Raymond. […] Claiborne: Rev. H. M. Foley, Thos. Richardson of Port Gibson, and Rev. S. P. Wattson.
The assistant commissioners are urgently requested to immediately proceed at once by perfecting an organization in their respective county seats and then create subordinate organizations in each supervisor’s district. The officers, with their post office address and the membership shall be promptly reported to the general secretary, Rev. E. B. Topp, at Jackson, Miss.
Instructions to Assistant Commissioners.
Assistant commissioners are especially enjoined to interest the women in the work, affording them representation upon equal terms with male representatives, or wherever desired establish separate organizations for them. All organizations must send a monthly report to the general secretary, E. B. Topp, at Jackson, Miss., on or before the 10th of every month.
The purpose in organizing these bodies is to proceed by all available means in arousing and enlisting the interest of their respective communities in preparing and gathering creditable exhibits for any and all branches of the colored department of the Atlanta Exposition.
An appeal is hereby made to the entire body of the colored race of the State for a general acceptance of the grand invitation to participate in this exposition, and a general and hearty response to the efforts to sure a full line of desirable exhibits from this State. First, upon the grounds of patriotism and pride of section, because the exhibition is intended to revive drooping industries and promote the higher general development of the ample resources of the cotton States, and whatever the benefits derived the colored people shall be partakers thereof. Second, the appeal addresses itself to State pride, as Mississippi colored people must naturally desire that she shall stand in the midst of the great exposition the peer of any sister State. Last, but not least, the invitation appeals to race pride. The colored people have been cordially invited to assist in making successful a noble enterprise, fraught with infinite promise to the common weal. Furthermore, this great exposition is intended to present to the civilized world the epitome of race progress; it will bring to the front the crude productions and barbaric customs of the fatherland, and the progressive accomplishments of the race since coming into contact with Anglo-Saxon civilization. Let the response be loyal and courageous, extending from the humblest hamlet to the home of gentleness and refinement. The time for action is at hand, for “by our works shall we be judged.”
I. T. MONTGOMERY, Pres.
Colored press of Mississippi particularly please copy.