The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1903-07-18
THE SOULS OF BLACK FOLK.

A. G. McClurg & CO.
It is probable that quite large per- sSo
United States, if one judges by the spirit ,
of prejudice which exists here, really
doubt the existence of souls under black
or colored skins.
The wave of color prejudice which has
recently swept over the country, threat
ening the absolute undoing of one-seventh
Of the citizens Of this land by the denial
now being made by the South to relegate
all Afro Americans, without regard to
character and intelligence, TO- condition
Black Folk by Prof. Du Bots, an Afro
American, graduate Of Fisk University,
Of Harvard University and of the Uni.
versity of Berlin and now professor of
verSity. one of the most striking books in
contemporary literature.
In his forethought the author says:
Herein lie buried many things which,
if read with patience, may show the
strange meaning Of being black here in
the dawning of the twentieth century.
you. gentle reader, for the problem Of the
twentieth century is the problem of the
color line.
Il pray you, then, receive my little book
in all charity, studying my. words with
me, forgiving mistakes and foibles for
sake of the faith and passion that is in
me, and seeking the grain of truth hidden
there.
It nave sought to sketch on vague, un-
certain outline, the spiritual world in which
ten thousand thousand Americans live and
strive. First in two chapters, have tried
to show what emancipation meant to
them, and what was it's aftermath. In
third chapter have pointed out the slow
rise Of personal leadership, and criticised
burden of his race to-day. Then, in two
other chapters l have sketched in swift
outline the two worlds within and without
the veil, and thus have come to the cen
trail problem of training men for life.
have in two chapters studied the struggles
Of the massed millions of the black peas
make clear the present relations of the
Leaving, then, the world of the white
man. have stepped within the veil, rails
ing it that you may view family its deep
est recesses-the meaning of it's religion
the passion Of it's human sorrows, and the
struggle Of it's greater souls.
Before each. chapter stands a bar of
melody from the only American music
which Welled up from black souls in the
dark past. And finally, need l add that I
who speak here am bone of the bone and
| flesh of the flesh Of them that live within
| the veil?'
st HS2a J. Is IN Sa he 9: Our sp,'ua
Between me and the other world there
| is ever an unasked question:; unasked by
some through feelings of delicacy; by
! framing it. All, nevertheless f1utter round
it. They approach me in half -hesitant
J sort of way, eye me curiously or compass
! sionately. and then, instead of saying di-
rectly, How does it feel to be a problem?
they say, I know an excellent cOlOred man
| in my town; or, I fought at Mechanics
ville or. Do not these Southern outrages
| make your blood boil? At these smile,
| or am interested, or reduce the boiling to
| a simmer as the occasion may require.
To the real question, How does it feel to
| be problem? answer seldom word,
1T is a peculiar sensation. this double
consciousness, this sense Of always look
ing at ones self through the eyes of 9TH
ers, of measuring ones soul by the tape
of world that looks on in amused con-
tempt and pity: One ever feels his two
ness-an American. a Negro; two souls
two thoughts, two .unreconciled strivings
two warning ideals in one dark body,
whose dogged strength alone keeps it
from being torn asunder.
The third essay IS criticism of Booker
| r. Washington, full and frank The au-
thor says:
Easily the most striking thing in the
| history ~of>the~ American Negro since 1876
| is the ascendency of Mr.. Booker T. Wash
| ington. 1t began at the time when war
| memories and ideals were rapidly passing;
a day of astonishing commercial develop
| ment was dawning; a sense Of doubt and
hesitation overlook the freemen's sons
| then it was his leading began. Mr.. Wash
| ington came, with a simple, definite pro-
gramme, at the psychological moment.
| having bestowed so much sentiment on
Negroes, and was concentrating it's ener-
| gies on dollars. His programme Of indus
| trial education, Cancellation of the South
| and submission and silence as to civil and
| political rights, was not wholly original
| the free Negroes from 1880 up to war time
| had striven to build industrial schools,
and the American Missionary association
! had from the first taught various trades;
and Price and others had sought way
| of honorable alliance. with the best of the
! indissolubly linked these things; he put
| enthusiasm, unlimited energy, and per-
| feet faith into the programme, and chang
! ed it from a by-path into "a veritable way
| which he did this is a fascinating study
of human life
| After detailing the greatness of Mr..
| Washingtons task and the means K, ny
ed the cooperation of both the South and
| the North, he says:
And yet this very singleness of vision
and thorough oneness with his age is a
| mark of the successful man. 1t is as
! though nature must needs make men
narrow in order to give them force. so
! Mr. Washington's cult has gained unques-
tioning followers. his work has wonder,
| fully prospered, his friends are legion, and
| his enemies are COMPOUNDED: Today ne
| stands as the one recognized spokesman
| Of his 10000, 900 fellows, and one OF the
o o?' '' "
| Then he saws that among his own peO-
| pie Mr.. Washington has encountered the
| strongest and most lasting opposition.
amounting at times to Bitterness and that
| there is among educated and thoughtful
Afro Americans in all parts of the land
, feeling of deep regret, sorrow. and appre-
hension at the wide currency and ascend
ency which some of Mr.. Washington S
| theories have gained. He continues:
Mr.. Washington distinctly asks tnat
| black people give up. at least for the pres
ont three things-1 political power: 2,
insistence on civil rights; 8, higher educa-
! ton of the Negro youth-and concentrate
the accumulation of wealth, and the con-
Citation of the South. This policy has
been courageously and insistently adVocat-
ed for over fifteen, years, and has oeen
triumphant for perhaps ten years: AS
result of this tender of the palm branch.
what has been the return? In these years
there have occurred: l. The disfranchlse-
ment of the Negro; 2: The legal creation
of a distinct status Of civil inferiority, for
the Negro; 3. The steady withdrawal OF
aid from institutions for the higher train
ing of the Negro.
:.These movements are not, to be sure.
direct results of Mr.. Washington's teach
ings. but his propaganda has, without
shadow of doubt. helped their speedler
accomplishment. The question ;,, t men,
10, 900, 900 men can make effective progress
in economic lines if they are deprived OF
political rights, made servile caste, ana ana
allowed only the 1QOSL IuedSSl Cl1etSS ~
developing their exceptional men? If his
tory and reason give any distinct answer
to these questions it is an emphatic NO:
And Mr.. Washington thus faces the triple
paradox Of his career.
a. He is striving nobly to make Negro
artisans. business men and property own
ers. but it is utterly impossible under mod
ern competitive methods, for workingmen
and property owners to defend their rights
and exist without the right Of suffrage. I
20. He insists bn thrift and self-respect |
but at the same time counsels a silent