The Indianapolis leader. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1879-1890, 1880-10-02

COLUMBUS, Quo, Sept. 90, 1880-It is
by agitation that civilization advances, and
the interests of race striving to rise can
best be conceived by a constant discussion
and criticism of what occurs, from time to
time, in all departments of activity. Hence,
metaphorically, "Wraign" has drawn his
sword and stands lance in hand ready to
hurl it in whatever direction is raised the
hydra-head of wrong, injustice, error of head
or heart. We shall boldly, and if circum-
stances Justify, caustically comment upon
all things that does not in our opinion con-
duce to the highest welfare of our race, either
collectively or as individuals, whether we
go into politics, religion or love, pedagogy,
agriculture or commerce, the arts, sciences
or literature; and whether we criticise black,
white or yellow men.
And first of all we wish to say that the
Afro American as race must have more
race pride. That is the imperative and burn
ing need of the hour. The German boasts
and sings of the German Faderland;' the
Irishman, though 5000 miles away remembers
the Emerald Isle;" the Frenchman pauses
in the midst of his toll on American soil co
cast the minds eye back to "La belle France"
even the heathensChinese, who comes to our
shores, desires his remains to lie beneath the
sod of his native country. But some one
may say that the Afro-Americans have no
country. IT'S falsel This is the Afro
Americans country. He made it what it is.
For $50 years his muscle was exerted to
bring order out of chaos; to cut down the
primeval forests, to drain the land, to fence
fields, to lay out roads, to cultivate and. de-
velop the soil, and give burdens to the
white-winged vessels of the deep; was that
all he did? No; in l776 he helped rescue
our country from British tyranny; in 1872
he again assisted to thrash England; in 1868
he again went into fratricidal and bloody
civil war and rescued our country and flag
from the hands of treason and disunion.
Have 1 not shown this is our country?
Then I reiterate we must have more race
pride. Many intelligent Afro-Americans
there be who are somewhat ashamed of too
prominent place being given to the fact
that we are "colored." / urge that instead
of being in the least ashamed of the terrible
past, fer which we are in no way accounta-
Bile, we must doubly exert ourselves to make
our race something to be proud of. The
God of the destinies of men and nations is
not disenthroned and the day can come,
through our own efforts, when as was an
GENTLY the proud boast of men, 81 am q Ro-
man citizen" we. or our progeny, shall say,
81 am an Afro-American citizen"
1t is a custom in many if not all places for
colored people to linger before and in church
after services. This is fault common to
our most intelligent people. Bat yet it saw
ors of the barbaric customs of slavery. For
in the past the race was compelled to come
long distances to church, and intimate friends
and relatives had no other opportunity of
seeing each other except at Sunday services
This explains what we remarked above
about a prevailing habit of to-day. 1t
should be broken up. At an early day we
shall discuss at some length the need of an
able press among our people and national
journal of influence; an educated ministry;
more agriculturalists and mechanics. 50