COLORED WOMEN'S FEDERATION

COLORED WOMEN'S FEDERATION

Third Annual Session Closed Wednesday

MANY NOTED WOMEN

Of the Race Present - Interesting Papers Presented and Lively Discussions Ensue

The Colored Women's State Federation, which began its sessions Tuesday, in the A. M. E. church, has been having some very interesting meetings and is attended by representatives of a number of clubs throughout the state. The morning session Tuesday was given up to greetings among the delegates, reports of the clubs, and appointments of committees. In the afternoon several addresses were delivered by prominent members of the Federation, noticeable among the being that of Mrs. Frances A. Joesph, of New Orleans. Mrs. Joseph is one of the brightest among her race and has a wide reputation as a worker for the moral uplifting of her race. A paper was read on the Ideal Club Woman by Mrs. Abbie Bledsoe, of Detroit, and on "The Educational Influence of Women's Clubs," by Miss Emily Russell, of this city. The papers were followed by general discussions.

Despite the rain a very interesting session was held in the evening and addresses made by Milton W. Guy, Rev. Beck, Mrs. Robert Carson and Mrs. Geo. Barrier, of Detroit.

Wednesday's sessions were replete with interest and well attended. This morning was given reports of committees and a paper by Miss Maud Hemsley and the afternoon session to papers by Mrs. Mamie Beck, Mrs. H. Powell and Miss Luella J. Salspaugh.

The convention will close this evening with addresses by a number of interesting speakers among whom will be Mrs. Joseph who will speak on Prison Reform, and a paper on "How we as women can advance the standing of the race," by Miss Anna Jones.

Among the prominent ladies present are Mrs. Lucy Thurman, president, a noted temperance lecturer, Mrs. Frances A. Joseph, of New Orleans, Miss Morton, of Washington, D. C., Miss Gertrude Harper, of Idaho, Miss Fredrica Jones, of Philadelphia, and Miss Fannie Richards, who has taught in the schools of Detroit for 38 years.

At Tuesday evening's session the Federation was presented with a handsome banner by the Thursday Club of Jackson, the work of a 13-year old girl.

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The closing session of the third annual meeting of the State Federation of Colored Women was held at the A. M. E. church Wednesday, and although the previous sessions had been well attended last evening's meeting called out an audience that filled every available seat in the little church and overflowed into the aisles and vestibule. The session was called to order promptly at 8 o'clock and opened with devotional exercises by Rev. Gillard, followed by Mrs. Nellie Grey, of Detroit, a vocalist with a sweet voice which she handles with rare skill. Prof. E. Scruggs, of Macon, Ga., and Miss Emma Bower addressed the meeting along the line of the aims of the Federation, the welfare and advancement of the race. Miss Nina Becks gave a well rendered piano solo and Miss Frederica Jones, of Philadelphia, Pa., read a paper on "How we as women can advance the standing of the race." The paper was written by her sister, Miss Anna Jones, who was unable to be present, and contained some very helpful words not only for the women of her own race, but for those of every class, advocating that only by morality, purity, and education could they hope to rise themselves and be of benefit to humanity.

The president here requested the singing of a song, the composition of Mrs. Shorter, of Xenia, O., a member of the Ohio Federation, in which the whole audience joined.

Mrs. Frances A. Joseph, of New Orleans, La., was then introduced and it could be easily seen that she was considered, by the audience, the star of the evening. Her subject was Prison Reform, and she proved conclusively that she was thoroughly posted and able to handle it in all its phases. Mrs. Joseph is in no sense a fanatic, but an earnest Christian who has found that in her own dooryard, as it were, there is work to do not only among the fallen of her own people but for the unfortunates of all classes and for twelve years she has been working for the outcast of both sexes and for the homeless youth of her home state. Naturally her talk was somewhat personal, but she recited the incidents and gave facts in such a modest and impersonal way that the audience were thoroughly impressed and convinced of her earnestness in the work. She is doing a great work not only for the negro, but for all mankind and just such noble women as she will eventually lift the black cloud of sin and immorality that now blots the fair southland.

The Federation then adopted several resolutions condemning the lynchings going on in the country, deprecating the sentiment shown at Indianapolis by the colored people in driving out the worthless of their race instead of trying to educate and uplift, and a vote of thanks to the local Federation for their entertainment.

During the evening the exercises were greatly added to by the vocal and instrumental music furnished, as indeed were all the sessions, but especially praise was evoked by the solos given by Mr. Thomas, of Detroit, who possesses a rarely sweet tenor, and Mrs. Maggie Porter-Cole, the peerless singer whose voice has been heard wherever music is loved. Mrs. Cole never appeared in better voice than last evening and her singing was most enthusiastically enjoyed by the audience.

After singing "God be with you till we meet again" and benediction by Rev. Becks, the final adjournment was taken.

The following are the officers for the ensuing year: Mrs. Lucy Thurman, Jackson, president; Mrs. Geo. Barrier, Detroit, vice president; Mrs. Carrie Freeman-Bayliss, Ann Arbor, secretary; Mrs. John Loomis, Detroit, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Bradford, Detroit, treasurer; Mrs. A. McCoy, Detroit, state organizer; Mrs. Collins, Jackson, state lecturer. The next meeting will be held in Jackson.