DRAW THE COLOR LINE. - The League of American Wheelmen Will Not Admit Colored Cyclers. - The San Francisco Examiner, 21 Jul 1896

DRAW THE COLOR LINE. The League of American Wheelmen Will Not Admit Colored Cyclers. 21 Jul 1896, Tue The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California) Newspapers.com

This is part of a story, see previous posts about Black cycling clubs and riders riding and racing, and trying to gain recognition and equal standing as other, White clubs and athletes, in the San Francisco Bay area. Previously, Captain Harry F. Williams made clear his attempt - for the third time in three years - to get his club accepted by the League of American Wheelmen. Here, he gets his answer... or does he? In my next post, you'll see how the pattern of vague answers and finger-pointing by the people who might help him made his attempt to gain recognition by the national body so frustrating. This was not just a local story, but was playing out nationally. - MF

DRAW THE COLOR LINE.

The League of American Wheelmen Will Not Admit Colored Cyclers.

The Oakland Club Was Refused Admission Because It Is Composed of Negroes.

TRIED FOR THREE YEARS TO GET IN.

President Williams of the Oakland Organization Says He is an American and Will Demand His Rights.

Alameda County Bureau "The Examiner,"

914 Broadway, Oakland. 

OAKLAND, July 20. Harry Williams, the President of the Oakland Cycle Club, is very indignant because the League of American Wheelmen refuses to admit his club to membership

The Oakland Cycle Club is composed of fifty-seven colored men. When they have club races they want to have their records sanctioned by the American League. Three years ago Henry Williams, the President, wrote to R. M. Lynch, who controls the League affairs on this Coast, and asked to have his club enrolled. The only answer received from Mr. Lynch was that League affairs were in such a condition that Mr. Williams would have to wait a while. Time passed, and President Williams' impatience became exhausted. He had waited nearly twelve months, and it was drawing near the time when the club wanted to have its annual run, and all the members were eager to go on record under the League colors,

Mr. Williams therefore wrote again, and once more he was told to wait a few months longer and all would be well. There were so many things to be attended to that the Oakland bikers would have to be patient.

President Williams was getting very weary, but he took the Coast officer's advice and let another year slip by. Last month he again broached the subject to Representative Lynch, and soon afterwards he was referred to the President of the League for advice in the matter.

At last, Mr. Williams felt, he would have his club enrolled. He wrote to the League President, therefore, at once, and last evening received a reply that made him very indignant. It was to the effect that the Oakland cyclers could not join the American Wheelmen, as the League debarred colored organizations from membership. The letter closed with the advice to organize a colored league on the Coast.

"It is simply preposterous," said Mr. Williams to-day, as he read the letter to a group of sympathizing cyclers, "that we, who are Americans, cannot become members of this organization just because of our color. It's a shame and an outrage.

"It would have been just as sensible for them to have told all the red-headed men who ride wheels that they would have to form a red-headed League of American Wheelmen as to tell us that our color prevents us from being as good Americans as any others.

"What am I going to do? Why, fight this thing till we get recognition. If some newspaper would only come to our rescue and put the wrongs we colored citizens suffered before the people, I believe we would soon get justice."