Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-14
AT N STREET HIGH SCHOOL
TRIBUTE TO GOLD GLORY" BY
CHARLES R. DOUGLASS.
Colored Race Has National Flag as Its
Emblem-Pride in the
Country.

TIL, idea that the negro has no flag was
combated by Maj Charles R. Douglass
| in his address at the Flag day celebration at
| the NJ Street High School for the colored
| youth. He said the dark race in America
| has as its emblem "Old Glory which
| stands for human freedom. In the course
| of his address he said:
ITO the organization of the Grand Army
| OF the Republic has been given the priv
| ilege of furnishing to each school in this
| department one of its comrades, or other
person, to visit and say word on Flag
| day.
THE chairman Of the committee on
| patriotic instruction in our order has as
| signed me to this task for this school. Ac
companying this assignment is the COM
| mand to be brief, which am sure you all
will heartily appreciate and be thankful
That is your flag, this is your country
| These words were recently uttered by Major
| Gen. o. o. Howard, for whom Howard
| University is named, while addressing the
| Bordentown Manual Training School at its
| recent commencement exercises. No truer
| words were ever spoken. 1t matters not
| that many of our countrymen and others
| vic nave immigrated here would have 1t
| otherwise, the fact remains lncontroVer-
| tibl. that this is our country and that is
| our flag.
| Here Before the Flag.
1--WE have suffered many ills and we are
| still deprived of many privileges that are
| enjoyed by others under its folds and pro-
| lection. We stand in the front rank with
| those most entitled to claim the flag as
| theirs. We were here before the flag, and
| we have bravely defended its honor when
ever wherever assailed. We have fol-
| lowed it in every war in which 1t has been
| the standard, and today, as a people, we
stand unchallenged in our loyalty to the
| government 1t represents. We have fol-
| lowed no other flag.
| TT should be instiled into the minds OF
| our children by every teacher that we
| have the proud right to cherish that nag,
for the reason that our ancestors In this
| country have helped to make it respected
at home and abroad. Their blood mingled
| with that of the best in the land in the
| revolution from which it was evolved.
you may be told by the ignorant man
that you have flag, but history will tell
| him that he tells an untruth- Your claim
to share in the glory of old Glory can
not be impaired by taunts, unfair leglsla-
ton discrimination in treatment as
American citizens, and we should on an
occasions like the present hold up to public
view that they may not be forgotten, the
deeds of valor in support of this flag by
our fathers, from the date OF its lncep-
ton June Ii, 1777, to the present time
We should be none the less Jealous in pro-
claiming our love of country and devotion
to the flag, because of the many privileges
we are deprived of through unfriendly state
legislat ion than our most favored fellow
countrymen. The laws Of the nation whose
flag we uphold are equal and impartial tc
all it's Citizens
Defense of the Flag.
This is the national ensign that we
| honor, and which we are in duty bound
to defend. Love of country comes not only
from what the country's laws grant us
or how some Of it's citizens regard us, but
from what we ourselves have done for !,
| in enriching it with our toll and UNFOLDING
| 1t with our strong arms in the hour Of Its
| peril. We are to the manor born, for many
generations back, and know of no Other
country or flag.
| 1T is no favor that 1 ask that you ant
| l be protected fully in all our rights as
Americans, but demand based upon the
nations obligation to all Of her true ano
| loyal citizens.
| Il feel a pride in my country, and in my
| people as a part of this country. We nave
| made record since emancipation that ne
| people need be ashamed of, and, too, in the
face of the most strenuous opposition. i
| is in your hands to continue the good work
| and to the.country's good and to the honor
of the flag l commend your further eff
l forte