On June 14, 1916, Mrs. Charles W. French of Newton, Kansas, rose from her seat during the 16th Annual Session of the Kansas State Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs in Parsons, Kansas, to denounce the Jim Crow laws in the host city. Mrs. French stated that “[the women], regardless of color be admitted to theatres, and that some step be taken to investigate the reason they could not attend the five and 10 cent theatres.” The women, who had descended on the small southeastern city of Parsons from all over the state, were repeatedly turned away from local theaters during their time in the town.
After some discussion, which one can only imagine was
boisterous, the women approved a motion to appoint a committee to contact the
county attorney. Henrietta Harper served
as president of the State Federation at that time, and was an undeniable force
in the struggle for racial justice in a state with a storied history of
“Free”-dom. She selected the most
steadfast and unwavering women to serve on the exploratory committee. The women penned a critical reprimand citing
the Kansas laws of 1874, stating that owners of “places of amusement” cannot
refuse admittance to people based on race.
