African American men – The Arkansas Colored Auxiliary Council: Black Activism during World War I, 1917-1918

Portraits of the men of the Arkansas Colored Auxiliary Council of Defense

Josiah H. Blount

Josiah H. Blount was born a slave in Clinton, Jones County, Georgia on September 17,1860 to father Madison Blount and his mother owned by a family named Anderson. Since Blount’s parents were owned by different families they were separated during the Civil War after their white owners became refugees. By the time Josiah parents found each other they both had married different people. Blount’s mother married William Clark and moved to Arkansas in 1873. Clark moved his family to follow Reverend Isaac H. Anderson in the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church exodus from Georgia.

Josiah H. Blount became an educator and an active Republican in both St. Francis County and Phillips County. The State Council of Defense dissolved all groups under its control near the end of 1919 and by September of 1920 Blount had challenged Wallace Townsend, the man who oversaw the work of the Colored Council, and Thomas McRae, an Ex-confederate soldier, for the Governor’s seat as an Independent candidate. “For the first time in the history of the state, the name of a negro will be submitted to the voters of Arkansas for the governorship. The name of J.H. Blount, negro of Forrest City, will appear on the ballots as Independent candidate for chief executive.” Blount obtained 15,627 votes, Townsend gained 46,339 votes, and McRae won with 123,604 votes.

Rights: “Fair Use” copyright law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code, Sections 107-118) which allows for the reproduction of the copyrighted material “for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research.” (17 U.S.C. Section 107) Any use of these materials for commercial purposes or in excess of Title 17 Section 107 will be subject to the law for copyright infringement.

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Correspondence to H.F.H. Eberts from the Arkansas Council of Defense, 1917 July 3

The Arkansas State Council of Defense is asking H.F.H. Eberts of Pulaski County Council of Defense to do something about the circulation of the “Chicago Defender.” The State Council believed that this publication was causing a change in the overall attitude of the black servants in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Source: Arkansas State Council of Defense, MS.000490, ASA_CouncilDefense_MS490_01_05_46, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas

Rights: Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.

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Correspondence to Victor Olander, Illinois State Council of Defense, 1917 July 5

Victor Olander from the Illinois State Council of Defense suggested that the Arkansas State Council of Defense suppress the spread of the “Chicago Defender” in Arkansas. Olander states that this paper influenced the exodus of the black population from the south.

Source: Arkansas State Council of Defense, MS.000490, ASA_CouncilDefense_MS490_01_05_47, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas

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Correspondence from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, 1918 October 10

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People wrote to the Arkansas Council of National Defense asking them to ban the showing of “The Birth of a Nation” in the interest of national morale.

Source: Arkansas State Council of Defense, MS.000490, ASA_CouncilDefense_MS490_03_11_27, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas

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Correspondence from Judge G.B. Ewing to Arkansas State Council of Defense, 1918 October 23

This document was written by Judge G.B. Ewing from Desha County, Arkansas to the Council of Defense asking about black labor shortages. Ewing is claiming that white women were suffering for the war effort while black women are refusing to work as domestic help. He claims that black women were being supported by their male military members and refusing to work as domestic help for white women. Ewing wants to know what legal options are available to force these women to work for white women.

Source: Arkansas State Council of Defense, MS.000490, ASA_CouncilDefense_MS490_03_13_64, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas

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“Scipio Jones to Give 200 to War Fund Drive,” Arkansas Democrat

The Arkansas Democrat, 1918 November 8, states that Scipio Jones was giving $200 of his own money to the war fund drive on top of what he had already given. Scipio Jones was an influential black attorney and community leader that served as the State Chairman of the Colored Auxiliary Council where he was tasked with organizing and running the council’s agenda.

Rights: Fair Use” copyright law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code,
Sections 107-118) which allows for the reproduction of the copyrighted material “for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship or research.” (17 U.S.C. Section 107) Any use of these materials for commercial purposes or in excess of Title 17 Section 107 will be subject to the law for copyright infringement.

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Correspondence to J.L. Bond, 1918 December 19

The Arkansas State Council of Defense wrote to tell John L. Bond that they would wait to make any decision on the recommendation made by P.L. Dorman. The black council members were not allowed to manage themselves, they were under the direct supervision of John Bond and Wallace Townsend.

Source: Arkansas State Council of Defense, MS.000490, ASA_CouncilDefense_MS490_08_20_21, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas

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“Colored Patriots of Arkansas, Attention!,” Arkansas Democrat

This article from the Arkansas Democrat, 1918 November 2, showcases the different black leaders who worked with the Council of Defense on the Colored Auxiliary Council. The leaders of the community were trying to raise a minimum of $400,000 dollars during the month of November. The Auxiliary Council had its first meeting on August 10, 1918 and by November the committee was working hard to rise money for the war effort.

“Negro Bishop at Pike,” Arkansas Democrat

Bishop Isaiah Benjamin Scott was a reverend with the Methodist Episcopal Church, editor for the Southwestern Christian Advocate, and he was the first black President of Wiley College, Marshall, Texas. This article from the Arkansas Democrat, 1918 December 21, states that Bishop Scott traveled to Camp Pike to work with the black soldiers stationed there.

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