Returning to the United States July 24, 1894, Miss Wells was enabled
to be present in person at a meeting of endorsement of her work in
England held at Fleet Street A. M. E. Church, New York City. T. Thomas
Fortune, editor of the New York _Age_ and President of the National
Afro-American League, had called for a national expression on Lynch Law
by the various Leagues throughout the country, and the above-mentioned
meeting voiced New York’s Afro-American sentiment on the question.
The press comments on Miss Wells’ work would already fill many volumes,
some favorable, others unfavorable to the cause of the Afro-American,
but all showing conclusively the truth of a statement made by Miss
Wells in a recent issue of the _Age_:
“That the Afro-American has the ear of the civilized world for the
first time since emancipation.” Eminent Afro-American leaders,
such as the Hon. Frederick Douglass; Rev. Harvey Johnson, D. D.,
Baltimore, Md.; Bishop H. M. Turner and Dr. H. T. Johnson, of the
_Christian Recorder_, have endorsed Miss Wells’ work, also the National
Afro-American League, Equal Rights Council of Boston, Afro-American
Leagues of Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Bedford, New Haven, Rochester,
and other cities.
“CHICAGO, Aug. 18.--The Chicago Anti-Lynching Committee has effected
permanent organization with the following officers: President, F. L.
Barnett; vice-president, Mrs. J. C. Plummer; secretary, Dr. C. E.
Bently; treasurer, C. H. Smiley. There is an executive committee of
nine, two of whom are women. There is already a membership enrolment of
30 and the representative citizens of Chicago, including the pastors of
the churches, have enlisted to fight Lynch Law.
“The Central Executive Council have organized at Brooklyn, N. Y., the
following-named officers being elected: W. L. Hunter, president; Rev.
A. J. Henry, vice-president; W. H. Dickerson, secretary; and Rev. W. T.
Dixon, treasurer. Mr. S. R. Scottron, Rev. Lawton, Drs. W. A. Morton,
Coffey and Harper and Rufus L. Perry are eminent workers in this cause.”
Who shall say that such a work accomplished by one woman, exiled and
maligned by that community among whom she had so long and so valiantly
labored, bending every effort to the upbuilding of the manhood and
womanhood of all races, shall not place her in the front rank of
philanthropists, not only of the womanhood of this race, but among
those laborers of all ages and all climes?
Before closing this chapter of race history, how shall we estimate
those humble workers who have labored for the upbuilding of our
churches and societies, the opening up everywhere to the race more
favorable school privileges, such noble souls as Mary McFarland
Jennings and Mrs. Mary Browne, wife of William Browne of The True
Reformers; those dear ones who have so modestly ministered to the
wants of the sick and afflicted until their record of good works has
followed them abroad, as with Mrs. Florida Grant, the beloved wife
of Bishop Abram Grant, and that sweet, quiet worker in the Master’s
Vineyard, Mrs. Eliza Turner, the deceased wife of Bishop H. M. Turner?
Two classes we have failed to mention thus far, but our hearts hold
them in fullest remembrance: those uncrowned queens of the fireside
who have been simply home-keepers, raising large families to a noble
manhood and womanhood; among these stand forth pre-eminently Mrs.
Elizabeth Steward, wife of Dr. T. G. Steward, and Mrs. Bishop B. T.
Tanner, and those other sisters still dearer to us, whose work lies
around us with its sweet fragrance until it seems almost too sacred to
weave into this chaplet of pearls. Of this number are Martha Briggs,
Rebecca Steward, Katie Campbell Becket, and Grace Douglass.
We close this tribute to Afro-American womanhood with a heart warmed
and cheered, feeling that we have proved our case.
Hath not the bond-woman and her scarce emancipated daughter done what
they could?
Will not our more favored sisters, convinced of our desires and
aspirations because of these first few feeble efforts, stretch out the
helping hand that we may rise to a nobler, purer womanhood?