“Negro Young People to Picket Dance Hall.” The Globe and Mail. March 23, 1943.

Theme: Legislation and Protest

Date: March 23, 1943

Type: Newspaper article

Name: “Negro Young People To Picket Dance Hall”

Originating Collection:

Description: One of a selection of clippings that demonstrate the variety of ways that Black people were denied entry to: dance and concert venues even when Black artists were on stage; dance classes when dance studios were teaching social dances derived from cultural practices of the African Diaspora; and social dance venues for participating in racialized dances such as the jive or jitterbug.

Text from clipping:

Negro Young People To Picket Dance Hall

 A communication from Roy Johnson, chairman, the Anti-Discrimination Committee of Negro Young People, which was read to the Toronto Labor Council last night, asked for support in the announced picketing next Friday night of the Palais Royale in protest against the barring of colored people from the Lakeshore Boulevard dance spot. A motion that the Council lend moral support was passed by the labor group.

Johnson’s letter read in part: “Friday night, March 26, we are planning to form a picket line in front of the Palais Royale made up of about 40 of our young Negro group and many of our white friends who are sympathetic to our demand for equal rights. … We are hoping that your union members will come out and lend us their support. We intend to picket in a very orderly manner.”
The announced picketing will take place during the Friday Night engagement at the Palais Royale of Jimmie Lunceford, colored band leader, and his colored orchestra.

Murray Cotterill, secretary, Toronto Labor Council, stated that the barring of Negroes from listening to a completely colored orchestra was the “most ridiculous thing in this city.”

A resolution was also passed last night that the Toronto Labor Council go on record as endorsing the bill proposed by J. J. Glass, M.P.P. (Lib., St Andrews) to prevent discrimination of race, creed and religion.

The Toronto Labor Council also favors introduction of a collective bargaining plan, suitable to organized labor, at this session of the Legislature, according to a resolution which was unanimously carried.