Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-11
r A CE PREDJ DICE
Some Suggestions as to How It Can Be
Overcome.
The Development of Power and Abil-
. fty-ImpOrtance of Trade Schools
for the Colored People.

"How to Overcome the Race Feeling"
was the subject of an address delivered
yesterday afternoon by Andrew F. Hilyer
before the Christian Endeavor Society of
the Zion Baptist Church. Mr.. Hilyer said,
in part:
II do not think it wise for the colored
people as class to be pitted against the
white people as a class. We proclaim it to
be great wrong for any white person to
manifest prejudice against US as a class.
1t is equally wrong for us to hold prejudice
against white people as a class. We ask
to be treated as any other people are treat
ed-as individuals, and not as class. I
hate prejudice, prejudging without inquiry
or examination. I have devoted much
time to a study of it as mental phe-
nomenon; think I know something about
its nature. But I stand up here before
you tonight and declare that 1 have COM
pletely purged my heart of prejudice. do
not hate white people; l do not hate any
class of people. 1 love every soul that
God has made. But love my own people,
my own class more, my own family most.
l am moved to say what / say by love, not
by hate; by love for the class of people
with whom l am identified; not by hatred
or ill-feeling against any other class. It
has never been my idea that we should
have stores managed by colored people
alone and patronized only by colored peo-
pie. Our business men should aim to get
patronage from all classes. Human power
is produced by the union of moral worth,
knowledge, wealth and organic conference.
The presence of these factors in human
affairs means the presence-of power. Their
absence, weakness.
MY second axiom is: The colored people
as class are behind the white people as
a class in moral worth, knowledge, wealth
and organic conference. They are weaker.
MY third proposition is corollary
growing out of this axiom. 1t Is defini-
ton of race prejudice, and it is of the first
Importance that the colored people in the
United States should understand clearly
and know the length and breadth, the
height and depth of American color pre-
JUDGE.
Prejudice Defined.
Here is my definition: That feeling of
bstility to class called prejudice is an
outgrowth of the undeveloped mind based
on feeling of superiority and the desire
for dominion over others weaker than them
selves and who show some characteristic
difference. 1t usually manifests itself by
the stronger class depressing and discrim-
mating against the weaker class who show
these differences. This is the way it al
ways has been. Prejudice is based on
selfishness and feeds on differences.
This brings ME to my fourth proposition,
viz: There is no sure antidote for this
feeling of hostility called race prejudice,
but the development of power and ability
on the part of the weaker class to that
point when they can command respect and
consideration and secure fair treatment to
that point where it will be costly or trou-
blesome for any one to manifest this feel
ing against them, as class. We will have
to contend against race prejudice in this
country until the general average of char
acter, knowledge, wealth and organic
conference dhe elements of power) among
the coltred people, as class. has adj
vanced somewhat nearer that of the
stronger class.
What, then, is the cause of our trou-
bles? 1t is weakness. How. then, shall
We grow strong? By the development of
oped? By the development and joining to-
sether OF those elements that We have
found viii produce power, viz: Good char
acter knowledge, wealth and organic CO.
herence.
THE Importance of good character Is
well understood. A moral man is a strong
man II he does not know letter and has
not one cent. 1t is of the very first i'm
portance that We should grow in Character.
knowledge is power. The Importance of
these TWO elements is well understood and
we are developing along those lines as fast
as our circumstances and conditions will
permit. The moral and intellectual progress
OF the colored people since emancipation
mas been greater than that of any other
race IN the same time. But there is one
other very important element of power in
Wnlch the colored people, 'as a class are
Woefuliy deficient. 1 refer to wealth. Our
churches, our schools and our home life
are DONG great deal for US in the way
OF developing the mind But if there ;s ~
De a full round, symmetrical deyelonment
oi the elements of power colored neonIe
must must pay greater attention to those great
inoustriai questions which enable a peonle
10 acquire and retain wealth
How is wealth to be more rap;d1v .c-
quired? "p'uiS ac-
First. By greater industry and thrift less
Walton of the saving spirit
SECOND. Ey seeking and obtaining ner-
manent employment that lasts through the
Third. When we get emplovmen+ ,.ko
ourselves SO useful and necessary that orr
employer will want to retain US,
tOurth. BY arousing and encoura pinp
desire LOT mechanical and business pur-
suitS' entering every avenue of EMPLOYMENT
and winning success by the display of re-
liability, honesty and skill
Filth BY encouraging and assisting one
a Z ,,o IN business with our patronage
ana support, all things being equal; recon-
nendinS one another when We are ius
titled in so doing. jus
Sixth. and this sums UP the whole nv
using our industrial resources and onnor.
tunities in the most effective manner 70 ad-
vance the race average of wealth and in
dustrial Importance, which, we have found
Is one OF the elements of power.
Trade Schools Needed.
There is another great need of the
colored people of the District that OUGHT
to be mentioned right here. We need an
industrial or trade school, in which bows
and girls can learn some practical trade
which would enable them to earn a living
when they left the school. Whatever he
learns about industrial lines ought to be so
well learned that there will be a demand
for his skill. The trades unions restrict
our boys from learning trades. And if we
are ever to develop mechanics it must be
done in trade school. Let us begin to
ask for a trade school.
There is need also that our boys begin
to seek places as clerks and statesmen in
the stores of the city. Our failure to ask
for these places raises a reasonable pre-
sumption that we do not want them it is
a great error not to want them. 1t is only
by filling these positions that we can gain
that knowledge of business-that business
experience-that contact and acquaintance
with successful business men from which
the successful business men of any people
are developed.
My last element of power is organic CO.
herence. BY this 1 mean that feeling of
mutual helpfulness and resentment which
should possess every individual of class
making him loyal to the interests of his
class and ready to resent any injury to his
class. AS long as We are weak and liable to
be imposed upon on account of race the
yxn oh hot