COLORED RIDERS GET NO ANSWER - Anxious to Join the League of American Wheelmen. - Oakland Cycling Club - The San Francisco Call, 16 Aug 1896

COLORED RIDERS GET NO ANSWER Anxious to Join the League of American Wheelmen. Oakland Cycling Club 16 Aug 1896, Sun The San Francisco Call (San Francisco, California) Newspapers.com

Previously in this series, about Black cyclists in the San Francisco Bay area, in the late 19th century, Captain Harry Williams expressed some optimism that the lack of a response from the League of American Wheelmen about his club's application for membership might be a cause for optimism. Here, we see only frustration at waiting three years for no real answer. The pattern of deferral on the part of White League officials continued. - MF

COLORED RIDERS GET NO ANSWER

Anxious to Join the League of American Wheelmen.

WANT RECORDS KEPT.

Oakland Cycling Club Annoyed at the Long Official Silence.

DECLARE THEY ARE IGNORED.

Would Prefer to Know That They Are Rejected Than to Remain in Suspense.

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,

908 Broadway, Aug. 15. 

The Oakland Cycling Club has waited several weeks for an answer from the League of American Wheelmen, and it has not yet been received. The Oakland Cycling Club is a colored citizens' club, and its members have been trying for two years to obtain recognition from the league, but so far have met with no success.

The question of admitting colored clubs to the league is one of the most important now before that body. Although the colored clubs in different States have made application for admission and to have their records officially recognized their requests have neither been granted nor denied.

Two years ago the Oakland Cycling Club wrote to the chairman of this district, R. M. Welch of San Francisco, stating the desire of the club. He received an answer to the effect that the matter would have to be decided by the official board. A few months ago Captain Williams of the Oakland Cycling Club wrote again and repeated his question. He was again told that the matter had not been decided. Captain Williams wrote again and asked Mr. Welch for any kind of an answer, but it has not yet been received.

"We want to know where we stand, said Captain Williams to-day. "If the league will tell us that they will refuse membership to colored people, then we shall know how to act, but we object to being stood off. We do not consider it gentlemanly conduct on the part of the league. We believe that we are entitled to membership, and I am informed that the league does not refuse to admit colored clubs, but so far they have not recognized them in any way.

"I wrote a few weeks ago and said that if we were not to be admitted we wanted to be told so, and we would not ask again. We are accustomed to being turned down, but we object to being ignored. There are some very speedy colored riders, and we think their records should be kept. At present there is not a colored man's time on record. Our club is strong and one of our lady riders tolds a record for a mile, but very few know it, because it is not recognized. We think it is due to us that the league decide this question at once and inform us of their action. If they have already decided they should let us know. Scores of colored cycling clubs all over the country are awaiting for some action by the league."