p. 1

For April 17, 1967

RECENTLY, A NATIONAL NEWS MAGAZINE CARRIED A STORY ABOUT
A WOMAN NAMED MRS. MATTIE RICE CONEY, WHO LIVES IN INDIANAPOLIS,
INDIANA. MRS. CONEY IS A SCHOOL TEACHER, WHO HAS TAUGHT IN SLUM-
AREA SCHOOLS FOR 30 YEARS. SHE IS THE FOUNDER AND THE GUIDING
SPIRIT BEHIND A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION WHICH HAS
CONDUCTED THE MOST AMBITIOUS AND MOST SUCCESSFUL CLEANUP
CAMPAIGN IN THE HISTORY OF THAT CITY. AND SHE IS A NEGRO.

THE STORY OF WHAT MRS. CONEY HAS DONE TO IMPROVE HER
COMMUNITY IS IMPRESSIVE AND INSPIRATIONAL. BUT EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE
IS THE PHILOSOPHY THAT SHE HAS FOLLOWED IN DOING HER WORK. IN
A STATEMENT TO THE MAGAZINE, MRS. CONEY DESCRIBED HER PHILOSOPHY
AND OFFERED HER ADVICE TO OTHER NEGROES.

MRS. CONEY IS A BLUNT, PLAIN-SPOKEN WOMAN. HER WORDS ARE
NOT THE KIND OF WORDS WE MAY WANT TO HEAR. BUT THEY ARE WORDS THAT
EACH OF US SHOULD HEAR, BECAUSE THE CRITICISMS SHE MAKES AND THE
SUGGESTIONS SHE OFFERS ARE AS VALID HERE IN MILWAUKEE AS THEY ARE
IN INDIANAPOLIS.

AND SO, LET ME READ MRS. CONEY'S STATEMENT, IN HER OWN WORDS:

"WE NEGROES SHOULD QUIT FEELING SORRY FOR OURSELVES AND TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF OUR OPPORTUNITIES. WE SHOULD GET OUT AND WORK, AND
DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH WHAT WE HAVE.