The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-07
Answer to the Name "Eesro:
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Having seen an article in your paper: co
pied from the Religious Herald, stsse6
"The Name Negro" hereby ask leave &c
reply. Us feel it my GsIty to lny race. sac
article states, first. that the WORD negro -
was not originally a term OF reT1oach, It's;
that as, however, it was chiefly Used to SIG
Nifty persons TN state Sf slavery. 1t gra(tp.
ally came to convey the reproach attached
to that condition. It also says ehat per
sons OF kind feelings towards the negroes
employed other terms to describe them
such Vas africans" "Ehiopians.' and
some applied the name "colored people.
for want OF q better, in Difference to thell
feelings. 1t also says: " 1t is singular, now
ever, that they are the only people i9 the
world who are not Ieolored.' 1t says:
according to the teachings OF naturaaists,
black is not q color, but the absence OF it.
And il saws also: GAll persons OF consider.
alton and refinement will carefully avoid
EMPLOYING any term to denote the race that
would wound their sensibilities.''
After setting forth the above statements 1t
asks me to adopt the word "negr0 LOT
my race, asking me tn use it in our repre-
sentative meetings for religious OF other
purposes, and pass resolutions approving ITS
use, stating that this course will free the
term from ALL the opprobrlum supposed TO
be attached to it, and put our FRIENDS at lib
crty to use it in speaking or writing OF us !;
and that such course would be crcdltable
to my race and positive gain to their Ian
euage. That am not disposed to do, but
will make some further suggestions for my
friend the Religious Herald. In the first
place, 1t asks me to accept term for my race
which it has in its onset said, indirectly (and
/ am almost inclined to say directly, was
used as reproach towards my race; 1t
said that some called lis Africans,
and then states that this name Is
manifestly inaccurate, and that the negroes
OF this country and Of the West Indies arc
descendants Of African tribes, but are
no more Africans than the Virginians arc
English. II it wants some name to call us
by, according to the above statement, it
should call us "American citizens" or
s.Americans !" either, from the fact that il
the English descendants OF Virginia are
Virginians, and the African descendants
cannot be called Africans, then we should
be called Americans. 1t seems strange to
me that those who say they have all OF the
refinement to use the term C. olored,"
when they acknowledge that according
to the teachings Of naturalists black IS
not color but the absence OF 1t. should
think that those who are so refined should
give us a name. I would recommend that
our good friend the Herald should here.
after call us !" American citizens -; and II
it wants to distinguish us from other
/" Americans" then say "Ameriean citizens
Of African descent" as will assure my
friend that he will not be interiered with in
speaking of us hereafter. As we cannot be
called according to my friends statement
that is, properly reedmen," as that APP
piled only to that portion Of the race that
were emancipated, Iwould recommend to
my race, to accept my proposition instead OF
that Of the Herald. W.