The Pan-African Congress plans to hold its second meeting in Europe in 1921 and hold sessions in four different countries as follows: in London, England on August 28th and 29th; in Brussels, Belgium on August 31st, September 1st and 2nd; in Paris, France on September 4th and 5th, and a “Special Committee to visit the Assembly of the League of Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, after September 6th.”
In brief (according to the July 1921 issue of The Crisis) the chief working plans mapped out on the practical progress of this Congress are as follows: to satisfy the urgent need of securing first-hand information “about Africa’s physical, climatic and commercial conditions, as well as the attitude of the natives and the European governments”; to thresh such newly gained knowledge and put it into the form of a statement, presenting the main social problems which face the Negros of the world; to enable the leaders of the different Negro groups the world over to become acquainted; to get in touch with and put before those persons, groups, nations and organizations of various races who either do sympathize with the peoples of Africa and their descendants or who would sympathize with them if they knew the fundamental characteristics, needs and deserts of the black man all over the globe; to have the Pan-African Congress finally evolved into one permanent body that welds the Negro people and their friends for the emancipation of the race.
“For his services in originating and conducting in Paris the Pan-African Congress”, Dr. DuBois was presented with the Spingarn Medal. And this Pan-African Congress, “in the judgment of President Hope of Morehouse College”, “made the Negro representatives from seventeen countries discover that the problems of colored people the world over are the same.” The origin and purpose of the above mentioned Spingarn Medal is explained in the following quotation:
“A few years ago Dr. J. E. Spingarn of New York decided that he would offer each year a gold medal to be awarded to the man or woman of African descent who had rendered valuable, though perhaps somewhat inconspicuous, service to his race and to modern civilization. Dr. Spingarn had very clearly in his mind the “for merit” type of decoration. This idea has always been kept before the committee on award”. (Ref. July 1920 issue of the Southern Workman).
A complete list of those who have been awarded the Spingarn Medal since 1915, when it was first presented, up to the present date is as follows:
1915, Dr. Ernest E. Just, Scholar-Scientist.
1916, Colonel Chas. Young, United States Army.
1917, Harry T. Burleigh, Singer-Composer.
1918, Wm. Stanley Braithwaite, Poet-Critic.
1919, Archibald H. Grimke, Author-Orator.
1920, Dr. W. E. B. DuBoise, Sociologist-Author.
1921, Charles E. Gilpin, Celebrated Actor.
MARCUS GARVEY
Whatever may be their private thoughts and judgements as to the methods, purposes and final results of his efforts; the one conclusion at which close observing Colored and white people alike have unanimously arrived and publically admitted is that the Negro, Marcus Garvey (who is estimated to have united more than a million of his Race people into different organizations) has unquestionably become “The World’s Greatest Group Organizer” of today.
Relative to the Race interests, efforts and leaderships of Dr. DuBois and Mr. Garvey, the writer quotes below the very logical and impartial editorial that appeared in Editor J. Finley Wilson’s “Washington Eagle” that was published September 17, 1921, in Washington, D.C.
“WORLD LEAGUE OF THE AFRICAN RACES NECESSARY”