At Fisk

President Thomas Elsa Jones of Fisk University (Negro) at Nashville, Tenn., received the following letter last week from a prominent U. S. citizen:

Dear Mr. Jones: I have been a long time in replying to your letter of January 25, asking me to give the commencement address at Fisk University on June 6 of this year.

In view of the pressure of duties and responsibilities which are always upon me, I have felt I ought not to accept this invitation. On the other hand, my interest in the colored race and in the problems which it involves is urging me to say yes. Because of the splendid work which you are doing at Fisk University and because under your leadership this institution gives promise of being an instrumentality of widespread service to the whole colored race, I am yielding to my impulses and disregarding my judgment and am going to accept with pleasure your invitation.

It will be a pleasure to see you in the midst of your work and to have the opportunity of meeting your students.

Thank you for the invitation.

Very sincerely,

(Signed) John D. Rockefeller Jr.

Julius Rosenwald of Chicago, famed for Negro philanthropies, recently gave $25,000 to Fisk University.