New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-05-02
"AlcOrn University In it's True
Light.
RODNEY, MISS, April 10, 18

To the Editor of the New National Era
The universal admiration for your invalu-
able paper is augmented by the fact that if
the course of any person or any cause is at
tackled in your columns, a defense in the way
of an appropriate reply is allowed through
the same channel.
| In your issue of the 4th instant l see above
the signature of " Civis," in an article headed
"Items from Mississippi" statement rela-
tive to the above University, which is calcu-
lated to seriously damage the same, as that
statement is in all parts erroneous.
| l, as a student of "Alcorn University"
born in this State, and of slave parents, feel
it to be my duty to correct it. "Civis" tells
you " that many of the prominent colored
men of the State objected to the institution
| because of the extravagant appropriation, in
connection with the fact that it was estab-
fishing precedent which they were working
hard to break down, viz, that of separate
institutions for the races" To the above
would reply, first, that most of the "proni-
nent men" to whom he refers, who have
lately been operating in the Legislature
against the University, did, the previous ses-
| sion of the Legislature, May, 1871, vote for
the bill which brought it into existence, when
| in that Legislature the Democratic members
to man tried to reduce the appropriation
| to "Alcorn University" from fifty thou
sand to thirty thousand dollars. "Civis'"
"prOminent cOlOred men" with a few eX-
ceptions) defeated their every effort, and
thus continued the appropriation of the orig
inal bill of fifty thousand dollars and that
those prominent colored men" knew what
| they were about is evident from the fact that
the bill was discussed and adopted, section
by section, in committee of the whole.
Second. 1 would like to know how much of
the taxes which make up the "Alcon Uni
versity appropriation is paid by "Civis'"
"prominent colored men ?" AS far as read
ing newspapers would enable me to do so l
have kept myself posted as to the public
sentiments of public men, and, while L adj
NIT that many leading colored men out of, as
well as in, the State of Mississippi object to
the University on the ground that it was
(and in this they erreD exclusively for col
ored youth, 1 never until now heard of any
cOlored man Directing to the appropriation
as eXtravagant; and since the bill establish
ing the University became a law, 1 have
| heard of no objection to the University from
| white Republican friends, nor from Demo-
cratic political opponents, who, with small
exception here and there, pay the taxes
which make up the appropriation. There
are now here between forty and fifty stu
| dents, several from our sister State of Louis
lana, although the institution has been in oper-
alton but few weeks. The President has
| letters informing him of others, who have, on
competitive examination, won free scholar
ships, and will be here in few days. The
| fathers of many of our students accompanied
| them here, while those of others sent letters
| to the President; the former told us, and
| the latter inform us in their letters, that as
far as our poor people have been informed
of the establishment, aims, and objects of
AlcOrn University, they, in their character
istic manner" thank God' for it-speak
of it as an institution from which their sons
and scores of other colored youth will go
forth with a finished education. 1t is fact,
too, that colored youth generally are study
ing harder and more faithfully in the common
schools of this State than they have ever
done before, in order that they may as soon
as possible be prepared to enter this Univer-
sity. These "Civis'" "prominent colored
men" are not representing but rather mis-
representing the colored people in regard to
the University, nor do / believe them to be
sincere in their opposition to "Alcorn Uni
versity;" for example, they object to cal
corn University" on the ground that it is a
negro institution, and then they propose, as
a remedy for the evil, the establishment of
five Normal institutions, similar as to race.
"Civis" makes a mistake when he says that
five Normal schools were to be established
in lieu of Alcorn University, uithom diStinc-
ton as TO race. The last five words did not
occur in their bill. In other words, if AL
corn University is a negro school, they pro-
posed not to destroy it for that reason, but
to make five negro schools out of that one
negro school. "Civis" is mistaken again
when he says that the bill abolishing Alcorn
University also provides for the admission OF
colored youths into Oxford, under the pen
atty of the withdrawal of the State appropri-
alton if the trustees refuse them. 1 believe
that the prominent colored men" would
soon have offered such bill in regard
to Oxford University had they sue.
ceeded in destroying Alcorn University
but needing as they did Democratic assist
ance when their measure against Alcorn Uni
versity was before the Legislature, they di,
only not have such clause in their bill a
"Civis" designated, but many of them while
persuading Democratic Senators to supper
their bill denied having any intention to eve
interfere with Oxford in the way named b.
"Civis." In spite of their purely politica
differences, kindly feeling exists between
the old white citizens and the colored peopl
in this State.
Our college, university, and common schoo
system is working like a charm; the wore
colored does not occur in the law establish
,, ing our common school system and Alcorl
, University, hence the laws of Mississippi re
, lating to institutions of learning do not de