The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1908-10-02
rAE sApTIsTs co ON REcoRD.
The Recent sessio nof the National
Baptist Convention Sets High
Standard for Race Pride.


which it took decided stand in favor
of Negro dolls for Negro children, it
was not thought that such wide inter
est would be created in its action but
the Baptist following, such as consti-
tute their national gatherings, are
looking far ahead, in fact, it seems
that the four distinct Negro religious
denominations are setting the pace for
real race pride Hence, whatever they
do is regarded by the whole world as
the thought, action, and real opinion
of the American Negro 1t was the
resolution adopted by that body of
religious workers declaring in favor
of Negro dolls that has caused so much
comment, Scores of the leading daily
papers in the United States have com.
mented editorially upon this resolution
and yet there are thousands of Ne,
groes in every city who have not read
the resolution nor do they know of its
far-reaching influence upon the peo-
Pile
The people of Nashville are ever on
the alert for live and interesting
items. Unlike most cities there seems
to be a greater development of race
pride, thrift, and energy shown in
every walk Of life. The Negro doll
idea may seem insignificant to some
members of the race, but it is by no
means considered so by the chroniclers
of news and the molders of sentiment
among what is often termed the. white
race Nashville is interested because
Nashville is setting the pace. The
leading morning paper of this city,
The Nashville American, in an edi-
torial under the caption of "a Good
Sign" in its issue of Sept 80, touch
ing upon this resolution, remarked:
1.-THE Colored National Baptist AS
ISOLATION, in convention at Lexington,
KY, discussed the doll question and de-
cided that negro children should have
negro dolls to play with. AS an exhi-
bition of race pride and race devotion
this is TO be commended The white
or French doll with its faxen hair
blue eyes and white-apd-red cheeks was
put on the blacklist, or if blacklist does
not seem to be quite the word, it was
tabooed. Announcement was made
that the church authorities already
| had this question in hand and the Col
ored Baptist Publishing House in
| Nashville is already engaged in the
!, manufacture of black dolls which are
i not intended to be caricatures, as most
colored dolls are. The Association
adopted this resolution:
i Whereas, our people for half a cen
II -tllFys because df the, Uneemely and de-
formed features of negro dolls, have
spent thousands of dollars on white
dolls for Christmas, etc.; therefore, be
it
Resolved, that we do here and now
give our Endorsement and hearty ap
proval of the negro doll factory and
not only urge the patronage of the
, people of our churches as Baptists, but
) of the race at large throughout the
| United States"
) Why shouldn't colored children have
/ colored dolls that are not scarecrows'
! The effort to provide such is signifi
- cant Teach the negro child pride il
, its race. There is no hope for those
Y who are ashamed of their race"
:, This will at least have it's weigh
e coming as it does from Nashville
S leading daily But the paper of al
S papers in the South, the Atlanta Con
n stitution, second only to the Courie
y Journal, of Louisville, in its editoria
column, had a few remarks on tn
same subject. 1t said;
THE Indian baby wants a doll tina
looks like an Indian pappoose. TIL
EsquimauX child would probably nc
know what to make of doll unless
e looked like an EsquimauX The babe
,r Of Holland are furnished dolls dresse
,r in queer little bonnets and woode
IS shoes. just like the grown-ups wea
N The Kafir child would not take tn
" same measure of delight in any do
ar baby that did not look like itself
If "And yet, the negro baby must hay
,s a white doll The association of n
m gro Baptist ministers says, in effec
IN that is bad reasoning that it is CO.
trary to the constitution and subve
r sive of the inalienable rights of ma
= among which is the pursuit of ha
piness
- $50 they declare for the manufa
w trlre of negro dolls. The resolution r
30 cites that "the uncomely and deformt
Us features of the negro dolls" has Il
VI to the purchase of white dolls f
III negro children in the mast. In futu
'ni the ,negro baby must have doll
dy Christmas that looks like itself al