Mrs. Matthews is now doing a splendid work in what is known as the White Rose Mission, which was the outcome of a desire on the part of a few Christian women to create sympathy and practical interest in the isolated condition of the Afro-American woman and girl in New York City. At the urgent solicitation of Rev. H. G. Miller, of Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church, the neighborhood surrounding East 97th Street was decided upon as a basis of work. Mr. Winthrop E. Phelps offered free use of rooms for a year. A small company of Afro-American women volunteered regular service and contributions of furniture. For more than eighteen months it has successfully conducted Neighborhood Visiting, Mothers' and Young People's Meetings, also classes in Sewing, Dressmaking, Cooking, and Kindergarten.
While I am making mention of a few writers, I will call your attention to Mrs. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, who has been a writer of ability for many years. She is also a well-known temperance worker, and at one time had charge of the colored work for the W. C. T. U. among colored women. The literary effort of her life is the beautiful story, entitled, "Iola Leroy; or, The Shadows Uplifted."
This book is indeed a gem and should be read by every one. I am confident if such books written by Colored writers could be read by the leading White people of our country, much good might be done in breaking down the awful prejudice which now exists. Her book received many very fine press comments from the leading White papers of this country; for want of space I can only give one:
"The story of 'Iola Leroy' is well worth reading. The plot is natural and the characters are to be found in everyday life. The dialogue is exceedingly clever, full of pathos, humor, and authentic. The plot covers periods before, during, and after the war, and gives abundant opportunity for changing scenes and dramatic effects. Mrs. Harper has never written to better effect nor with a more worthy object in view. The book will greatly increase her popularity as a writer and prove vastly beneficial to the cause of her brethren."—Public Ledger, Philadelphia.
MRS. FRANCES E. W. HARPER.
The Chicago Inter-Ocean, New York Independent, Daily Evening Telegraph, Philadelphia, and Boston Herald all spoke in the highest praise of "Iola Leroy."
Oberlin College, in Oberlin, Ohio, has turned out quite a number of colored graduates who have done good work for humanity. Among them is Mrs. A. J. Cooper, who is connected with the High School at Washington, D.C. I wish to speak more especially of her book, "A Voice From the South," by a black woman of the South. It is just what Mrs. Mossell says—"One of the finest contributions yet made toward the solution of the Negro problem." One gets in reading her book a sense of her strong intellectual and spiritual power. As an educated woman we have none better, white or colored. I have had, for some time, a picture of Mrs. Cooper in my illustrated lecture on "Race Progress," and while I was in England her face created quite an interest among the cultured people who attended the lectures.