The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-03
THE FUTURE OF THE AMERI-
CAN NEGRO, by BooEev 7. Wash
ington. Boston: Small, Maynard x
70. IA pp Price. S1.50.


of the practical side of the so-called race
problem. Prof. Washington is as diff
ferent as may he from the average
negro leader us the term is understood
i'll the South, and however the reader
may differ with some views expressed
he is apt to admit that in the main the
statement Of conditions is clear, far,
impartial and the deductions therefrom
are pointed with the sharp logic of eX-
perience.
With the author and the work he is
doing for his race at Tuskeegee Nor
NAL and Industrial Institute, Tuskee-
gee, Ala, all readers are perhaps more
or less familiar. He has earned by his
works. by his example of what the me-
gro may be, and by his recognition OF
the fact, fundamental in dealing with
the race problem. that the best ele-
ment of whites in the South stand
ready at all times to aid the negro in
lettering his condition. by these things
Prof. Washington has earned the right
to the respectful attention and eminent
good will of both races Of all sections.
Prof. Washington may be said to be
the leader. though not the originator.
of the propaganda of industrial educa-
ton for the negro as distinguished from
Il snattering of the classics and of
theoretical science. He has had not
only the wisdom to see clearly the inn
mense opportunity that the South ar
fords the industrialy trained negro. bur
he has also the courage to admit that it
is practically the only opportunity wor-
thy Of the negro's attention. He points
out with unsparing emphasis the mis-
take of the attempt TO apply to the
newly freed slave the educational meth
dds OF enlightened and thrifty New
England. The author gives two exam
pies of this misfit instruction that
everybody viii recognize as typical
Some time ago, when we decided to
make tailoring "a part of our training at
the TuSkeegee Institute. | was amazed
10 find that it was almost Impossible to
find iii the whole country an educated
colored man who could teach the max
ing of clothing We could find them by
the score who could teach astronomy.
theology, grammar, or Latin. but almost
none who could instruct in the making
Of clothing, something that had TO be
Used by every one of us every day III
the year. How often has my heart been
made to sink as | have gone through
the South and into the homes OF people.
and found women who could converse
anteiligently in Grecian history, VINO
had studied geometry, could analyze
the most complex sentences. and yet
could not analyze the poorly cooked
and still more poorly served corn bread
and fat meat that they and their fami-
lies were eating three times "A day. 1t IS
little trouble to find girls VINO can locate
pekin or the Desert of Sahara on an
artificial globe, but seldom can YOU find
one who can locate ON an actual dinne1
table the proper place for the carving
knife and fork or tine meat and yegeta-
bles
x short time ago. in one of the
Southern cities. a colored man died who
had received training as a skilled me-
chanic during the days of slavery.
Later by his skill and industry he built
up Il great business as a house con
tractor and builder. In this same city
there are $4,000 colored people. among
them young men vino had been well
educated III the languages and in litera-
ture; but not single one could be
found who had been so trained in me-
cllallica and architectural drawing that
he could carry on the business whicn
this ex-slave had built up. and so ii WAS
soon scattered to the wind. Aside from
the work done i'll the institutions that
/ have mentioned, you can find almost
no col0red men who have been trained
III the principles of architecture, not
withstanding the fact that vast ma
ioiity of our race are without homes.
Here, then. are three prime conditions
for growth. for civiliZation-fo0d cloth
ing. shelter: and yet we have been the
slaves Of forms and customs to such an
extent that we have failed in a large
measure to look matters squarely in the
face and meet actual needs.
Prof. Washington states a fact that is
worthy Of attention because it contra
diets SO clearly the alarmist statement
Of theoretical philosophers that with the
increasing efficiency of the negro his
competition with the whites will pro-
duce greater and greater friction:
Nothing else so soon brings about
right relations between the two races III.
the South us the commercial progress or
the negro. Friction between the races
will pass away as the black man, by
reason Of his skill. intelligence, and
character. can produce something that
the white man wants or respects in the
commercial world This is another rea
son why at Tuskeegee we push indus
trial training. We find that as every
year we put into Southern community
colored men who-can start a brickyard.
a sawnill. a tin-shop, or a printing
office, men who produce something that
makes the white man partly dependent
upon the negro instead of all the de-
pendence being on the other side, q
change for the better takes place in the
relations Of the races. 1t is through
the dairy farm, the truck-garden, the
trades. the commercial life. largely, that
the negro is to find his way to respect
and confidence
OF the negro in politics he says:
I'm my mind there is no doubt but
that we made mistake at the begin
ming Of our freedom Of putting the EN-
phasis on the wrong end. ) Politics and
the holding Of office Were too largely
emphasized, almost to the exclusion Of
every other interest.
II believe the past and present teach
brit one Iesson-to the negro's friends
and TO the negro himself-that there
is but one way out. that there is but
one hope of solution: and that is for
ii, of