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You are acquainted with Major Moton, our school Conman-
dant. He has started what is known as the Negro Organization
Society, through which he has brought together nearly all of the
negro societies in Virginia and concentrated their thoughts and
efforts upon the improvement of their health conditions, their
farms, their schools, and especially their homes. Last year they
held a meeting in Richmond at which 5000 blacks and 1000 whites
were present, and where Governor Mann, Mrs. B. B. Munford, Dr.
S. C. Mitchell, and Major Moton spoke. On the "Clean up Day"
through the efforts of this Organization over 135,000 aegroes at
least were induced to clean up their yards and houses. In all
this the Southern white peopie of Virginia have been most sympa-
thetic and helpful.

The part which your lamented wife had in the inprovement
of the negro homes in Washington in the cleaning up of the alleys
there , makes me sure of your own interest in this most important
movement.

On the twelfth of this month the Negro Organization Society
is to hold a meeting in Armory Hall, the largest hall in Norfolk,
at which Major Moton will preside, and Booker Washington will speak.
This gathering has the backing of the Chamber of Commerce and the
Board of Trade, the former having given up a meeting of its own
in order to make the Organization Society’s meting possible, in
Armory Hall.

It is probable that a delegation from the Board of Trade
of Norfolk, of which I may also be a member, will wait upon you

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