Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-23
DISCUSSES RACE PROBLEMS
ADDRESS BY BOOKER T. WASHING
Ton LAST NIGHT.
ColOred People Need to Exercise
Fafth-MuSt Not Lose Hope
Courage.

lelrlS- 1 ne duuTeSS WIS given lHt
auspices of the Bethel Historical and Lit
erary Association in the Metropolitan A. NJ.
E. Church He spoke in part follows:
''If ever a race needed supreme faith.
calmness. unity and invincible determna
ton these qualities are needed by the black
race in America at the present time. when
it is passing through a season of trial and
testing such as has seldom fallen to the lot
Of any race in the history of the world.
But. beyond and above all. We must not lose
hope or courage. In the midst of the storm
let us be guided by the compass.
In our case the world should be con-
Stanty reminded that the problems that
have grown out of our presence as a race
in this country are not of seeking
making. White Americans should always
bear in nina that their duty toward the
American negro is unique Yea. more
than that. it is a sacred obligation. The
black man was not only brought to this
country without his consent but in the face
of his most earnest protest.
But all this belongs to history. Our
duty is with the present.
Stage of Development.
NO one who looks deeply. calmly,
scientiously. into the present thought and
activity can overlook the fact that we are
now passing through stage of race devel-
opment which is serious at every step and
demands as never before our deepest
thought, rpest investigation and most un-
selfish assistance.
ITO be permanent in its influence and OPP
GRAFTON every scheme for the settlement of
the difficulties that beset us should have
the Endorsement of the white man at the
south the white man at the north and that
of the negro himself. Our duty is to face
the present and not to wall over the past.
In the midst of the present seeming doubt.
uncertainty and timidity on the part of
many one or two things seem clear. We
hall IL.
spent in useless debate as Ia whether the
white man north or the white man south
was responsible for the Introduction of
American slavery.
mo settlement will he permanent and
satisfactory that does not command the
confidence and the respect of the southern
white man. the northern white man and the
negro himself. Further. | am convinced
that nothing can he gained. but much lost
to the cause of the negro by time spent in
mere badlnagc of words of blame and CEN
sure between the white man north and the
white man south. In the same spirit |
would add that the negro cannot make
stronger his cause by aimless ratings
against the southern white man neither can
the southern white man assist much in the
solution of the difficulty which is so vital
to him by mere condemnation of the negro
THE foundation of citizenship. it seems
to me. rests upon the intrinsic worth of
each individual or group of individuals
No law can push the individual forward
when he is worthless. no law can hold him
back when he is worthy The worthy may
be Inconvenience. but never defeated. No
praise on the part of ourselves or friends
can help us if we are meritless. No abuse
from any quarter can permanently injure
us if We possess intrinsic worth.
Natural Law of Evolution.
My own belief is that the time will come
when the negro in this country will secure
all the recognition which his merits en-
title him to as a man and as u citizen. but
such recognition will come through no pro-
cess of artificial forcing. but through the
natural law of evolution. In a word. we
have got to pay the price for everything
that We get the price that every civilized
race or nation has paid for its position.
that of beginning gradually. naturally. at
the bottom and working up toward the
highest civilization. What l am most anx
icus about is that the negro shall be him
self not second or third rate imitation
OF someone else.
For a number of years I have tried TO
advocate the advantages of industrial train
ing for the negro, because ii starts the race
off on a real, sure foundation. and not upon
a false and deceptive one. Last year, when
in England | observed in Birmingham Lon
don and elsewhere, in the large polytechnic
that thousands Of men and women
were being trained in the trades that cover
work in the earth, in metal, wood tin.
leather, cloth. food preparation and what
not.
When / ask, why do you give this man
or this woman training in this or that in
dustry the answer came that when these
students come to Us, We ask in each case.
what are the prevailing occupations of the
people in the community where the student
lives. In word. it Is found out what
the student can find to do in his immediate
community. not what he ought to find to
do. not what the instructors might desire
him TO find to do. but what the economic
and Other conditions prevailing in his neigh
borhood will actually permit him to do.
\ Grave Error.
IN the present condition of our race ii is
a grave error to take Il negro boy from
farming community and educate him in
about everything in heaven and earth: edu-
cate him into sympathy with everything
that has no bearing upon the life of the
to which he should return and
out of sympathy with most that concerns
agricultural life. The result of this pro-
cess is that in too many cases the boy thus
trained fails to return to his fathers farm.
but takes up his abode in the city and falls,
in too many cases. into the temptation of
trying to live by his wits without honest
productive employment And. my friends. #
there is one thing at the present time that
should give more serious concern than
another, it is the large idle class of our
people that linger about the sidewalks, bar
rooms, and dens of sin and misery of our
large cities.
ments of the negro in arts, letters or
but my friends. the surest
and speediest way to reach these. ends is
by laying the foundation in the little things
of life that are Immediately at our door
The man who has never learned how to
make money to pay his own debts is not
the one to be entrusted with the duty of
making laws to pay the national debt.
81 have read recently an account of
young colored man in the District of CO.
lumbia who graduated from college and
then from a school of technology and then
what? He did not go about seeking for
position which other brains and other hands |
had created, but used his knowledge of the |
sciences and mathematics in creating a |
boot-black establishment. where he manu- |
features his own backing and polish. Start |
ing with one chair. he now has a dozen. |
with one place of business. he now |
has several. What matters it to this man |
whether republicans democrats or popu- |
lists are in power in Washington. He |
knows that he has business that gives |
him independence, and with its expansion |
and growth will come wealth and leisure |
and the highest educational opportunities |
for his children. Oh. for a thousand men |
with the force of character and common
sense to begin such a foundation
Relation of Races. |
This industrial development leads me in |
a logical order to the discussion of the i
most delicate part of my subject, that of |
Tho parmapept residence of The negro. the |