Scipio A. Jones – The Arkansas Colored Auxiliary Council: Black Activism during World War I, 1917-1918

Colored Auxiliary Council Members

Jones, Scipio A., State Chairman
Bush, A.E., Executive Secretary
McConico, J.H., Assistant Chairman

County Chairmen

Anderson, J.R.
Avant, Lee
Barrow, R.C.
Black, Picken W.
Blount, Josiah H.
Bobo, M.W.
Bond, Scott
Booker, J.A,
Boone, F.D.
Bowie, H.H.
Boyd, S.T.
Brock, S.P.
Brown, R.B.
Bush, A.E.
Campbell, J.N.
Carolina, H.E., Mrs.
Carry, E.H.
Clarke, A.T., Mrs.
Connor, J.M., Bishop
Crump, A.B.
Daniels, W.T.
Davis, E.F.
Dorman, Percy Lipton
Elliott, H.T., Mrs.
Erkelberger, J.W.
Ezell, E.L., Dr.
Ford, J.F., Dr.
Garrison, P.A.
Gilliam, Isaac
Grissom, R.
Hamilton, N.W.
Hampton, W.S.
Hildreth, S.D.
Hill, Jefferson
Holt, W.S.
Hoover, Sam
Hughes, D.W.
Jacko, W.B.
Johnson, C.S.
Johnson, R.T.
Johnson, C.S., Mrs.
Johnson, Ven., Reverend
Jones, G.V.
Jones, D.W.
Jones, C.H.
Jones, W.W.
Jordan, P.H.
King, C.H.
Lee, John B.
Lewis, Harrison
Lytes, F.T., Dr.
Marquess, A.A., Dr.
McCoaico, J.H.
McGee, A.
Money, E.J., Dr.
Moore, George H.
Morris, E.C.
Odom, E.B., Dr.
Price, P.H.
Pullman, J.W., Dr.
Robinson, J.P., Dr.
Rosco, Lewis
Sanefur, T.S.
Saxton, George P.
Scull, J.H., Reverend
Swayze, R.B.
Townsend, William
Wallace, D.C.
Walls, J.W.
Warren, J.T.
Waterford, A.W.
Woods, H.Y.
Yerger, Henry Clay

“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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“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.

“Colored People and the War Work Campaign,” Arkansas Democrat

This article from the Arkansas Democrat, 1918 October 23, details the black communities’ work on the War Campaign for the Colored Auxiliary Council. The Council wanted to raise $400,00 on behalf of the African American population. Prior to the advent of the Colored Auxiliary Council, the work of the black community in Arkansas was counted with the rest of the Arkansas population, but after this point, the donations were to be keep separated.

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Scipio Africanus Jones (1863-1943)

Scipio Africanus Jones is celebrated as one of the most distinguished African American defense attorney and leading black citizens in Arkansas during the nineteenth and twentieth century. Scipio Jones was born to Jemmima Jones, a slave, in 1863 in Tulip, Dallas County, Arkansas. It is thought that he may be the son of Dr. Sanford Reamey, who was the owner of Jemmima, a prominent white citizen in Tulip. Jones attended Walden Seminary and later Bethel Institute. He taught public school at the same time studying to take the bar exam. Jones passed the bar on June 15, 1889, and in 1900 the Supreme Court of Arkansas accepted his credentials. He fought Jim Crow laws, did pro bono work for poor black defendants, worked with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a leading member of the Black and Tan fraction of the Republican Party, and the first black Judge elected to the Pulaski County Chancery Court. Scipio Jones was the State Chairman of the Colored Auxiliary Council of Defense for the state of Arkansas.

“Colored Patriots of Arkansas, Attention!”, (Little Rock: The Arkansas Democrat, November 2, 1918)

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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Monthly Report, November 1918

Monthly Report for the activities of the Colored Auxiliary Council by P.L. Dorman. Dorman is discussing the different counties in which he is scheduling engagements to talk about the work of the Council of Defense.

Source: Arkansas State Council of Defense, MS.000490, ASA_CouncilDefense_MS490_08_20_16, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas

Rights: 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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