Atlanta Daily World

Children First On May First

Child Health Day highlights the importance of A Birth Certificate, for every baby in the United States of America, for a birth certificate is a mighty important scrap of paper. It makes known who you are. It is the first step in planning and organizing child care programs. It is a 'first citizenship paper,' possession of which is a fundamental right of every child born in the United States. It entitles him to all privileges and protections of citizenship.

WHAT'S TO BE DONE

1. Make every mother aware of the value of birth registrations.

2. Urge every expectant mother to be prepared with the baby's first name.

3. Tell all mothers that they should receive a certificate copy or photostatic copy of a birth certificate in order to be sure of registration.

4. Talk with mothers individually. Make your message a warm human story. Make every mother feel that her baby is most important.

5. Remind doctors, nurses and midwives of their registration responsibility.

6. Enroll teachers school administrators, farmers, church group women organization, unions, social and welfare workers, health workers to assist doctors and nurses in this job.

7. The key to complete registration is your local registrar. He must depend on you, the baby's mother of any member of the family.

8. Give the child's name, sex, date and place of birth. father's name mother's maiden name.

BENEFITS

Under Social Security Act. Federal funds have been made available to State health departments to promote programs of maternal and child health welfare. These funds are allotted to States in amounts determined by the number of registered live births occurring in the State. In turn, states appropriate additional funds. Unless all births are registered in a State, the amount of money received by that State might have. The United States Government plainly says We can't care for Babies we don't know about. Pre-natal and post-natal care is available for all mothers and their Babies in the United States regardless of race. We must get it Birth registration among Negro and Spanish-speaking groups is lower than among any other. We have a big job to do in educating them to the needs and values of birth registration. They are fearful and prejudiced about it Therefore it is important to play up these facts:

1. Birth registration costs nothing.

2. It is tied closely to child health and welfare.

3. It is a good proof of citizenship.

4. Birth certificates are not used to check up on people for taxes, Army recruiting, etc.

Let us sell the birth registration idea this May, 1945.

Submitted by.

The Georgia Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers Mrs. B. E. Morgan, President.

Mrs. L. D. Edwards Public Welfare Chairman Box 57 Fort Valley, Georgia