Brotherhood Eyes was first published August, 18, 1928.
both content and style from his past efforts and
from the established local African-American
weekly, the Dallas Express. Brotherhood Eyes set
itself apart from the Express, which carried
items about Negro achievements, racial strife
and discrimination, and short fiction. Instead,
true to the masthead that proclaimed it
"A Newspaper That Doesn't Cross the Color
Line," it was written by African Americans
about their community for an AfricanAmerican
audience. In his opinions on
race, Pittman followed lessons learned at
Tuskegee and the views of his father-in-law;
although Booker T.Washington was regarded as
conciliatory in his racial views,8 he eschewed
integration and advocated African-American
autonomy. Pittman may also have been inspired
by Negro World, edited by Marcus Garvey in
the 1920s, which was a voice of racial pride
and self-sufficiency, although there is no
indication Pittman endorsed Garvey's "back to
Africa" movement.
The Brotherhood Eyes proclaimed its mission
to "clean the Race of Crooked Leaders;
to build a better Race economically; to expose
the unfit and misfit within the Race." Religious
leaders were the preferred targets
of Pittman's exposes, and he relied on
volunteers to submit information. From the
front page, he recruited submissions
from readers:
"B.E." is after the EVIL DOER within the
Race. It plays no favorites and recognizes no
sex. It works through the "Eyes." If you want
to be one of the Eyes come to the office at
once or write your name, phone number
and address.Whatever your troubles are, tell
'em to "B.E." Always remember that "B.E."
IS THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.9
Excerpt from Brotherhood Eyes, July 28, 1934.
43
.The poor, starved, church folks ab
freely give up their last dime to cal
"so'sations" and lodges, to insur- ha,
ance companies and undertakers km
and preachers (males and females) go
and then go home and choke their du
l' oo:
._ ....,- _ker
Be of Good Cheer slk
"B. E." is after the EVIL DOER poc
within the Race. It plays no favor- for
ites and recognizes no sex. It works sell
through the "Eyes". If you want to
be one of the Eyes come to the me
office at once or write your name, allc
phone number and address. nWhatever
your troubles are, tell 'em to bur
"B.E." Always remember that "B.E.". E!a
IS THE h e'
VOICE OF TRE PEOPLE -
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