The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-03-31
EDUCATION Of THE NEGRO
Booker T. Washington's Anal
ysis of Existing Conditions.
WAS FORMERLY CIVILIZED
Patience and Charity VIII DO Much
to Improve Him--Changes Which
Have Made Impressions - Must
Remain In tho south--Intensc Re
ligious Sentiments.

of Tuskegee Institute In discussing
the Negro Problem, said: within
few cneturies the American negro
has experienced three distinct
changes: First, he was torn from his
African home; second, he was intro.
duced into American slavery; and
lastly, was made full-hedged
American citizen.
Most people in considering the
American negro, overlook the fact
that he had q civilization before be.
ing brought into America. True, It
was not a European civilization, but
nevertheless, 1t was one which was
in high degree creditable. Those
who have touched the African most
closely testify almost uniformly that
before he Is touched or unspoiled by
contract with the lower elements OF
| Western civilization, there is a GER
tain rude honesty practiced among
the interior tribes that demands at
once the respect Of all who come In
| to contact with them. II Is very sell
dom, for example, that there Is any
| stealing among these untouched and
unspoiled aborigines. There Is q
| strict form of government, which
recognizes the authority of the king,
or chief, and of the head of the fam
lily. Their legal practices, as seen
through the operations of their
courts, would do credit to a much
more highly civilized people. Crime
is strictly but legally punished
| While in most cases they are po-
lygamous people. at the same time
| polygamy is stritcly regulated by
| law, and every one who violates the
sanctity of family life is punished by
| death.
| zone can scarcely find, anywhere
in the world. among any class Of
people, those who have more regard
for the sacredness of the home than
is true of these Africans. Not only
this, but they are not heathens in
the usual sense. They recognize and
worship the same God that we recog-
nize and worship, but their methods
of coming into contact with the d.
vine Being are different.
"One element most strongly en-
phasized through their religious
teachings Is, strict and unquestion-
able obedience to those who are In
authority, whether 1t be authority to
the king, or chief, or the head of the
family.
when | make these statements,
II is difficult for the average Ameri-
can to appreciate their truth. be-
cause we who live in this country
never feel quite sure that another
individual is truly civilized unless
he speaks the English language, eats
American food, wears American
clothing, and worships in the same
: manner that we worship Him. II
was out OF this civilization to which
l have referred that the American
negro sprang.
For over two hunderd years,
during the period of American slav-
lery, he was engaged in unlearning
much that he had learned In ~ na-
tive country, and at the same ma
learning many things which he was
not taught In Africa. At the end of
slavery. freedom found him not u
full fedged African, nor full
fledged American citizen.
During the years that have
elapsed since freedom, we have been
engaged In large measure in finding
a better and safer basis for the ne
gros development. We are trying to
use all that was best in his life as a
slave. and all that that Ia best In his
surrounding ais free man.
Now, as to the future: During
the last quarter of century, few
definite things In the life OF my race
In my opinion. have been settled
First, we have decided as to our fu.
ture abode. The masses of our peo-
pie have made up their minds that
they are going to live in the South
ern States, and It is there that we
are to work out our salvation. Since
this is true It becomes part of the
duty, not only of the Southern white
man. but the Northern white man
to help the negro to make of himself
the very highest and best type oi
citizen. In order to do this he mus
be given every opportunity to get up
on bis feet that the Constitution. and
, the laws Of our country guarantee tC
, him. 1t should be a part of the dut,
of every black man, whether living II
the North or the South. through hi'
patience, his persistence, his cour
age, his usefulness to his neighbor
to make his presence not only bear
, able. but desirable.
, 1T should be part of the duty o.
the white man to constantly bear II
mind that the negro came into th.'
country through no fault of his own
and that In proportion as the negr,
receives Ill treatment, in that sam'
degree is the white mans civiliza
tion weakened and degraded, but II
proportion as he reaches out hi
hand and helps to lift the negro u,
> into the highest type of citizenship
that he is not only aiding the weake
race. but Is strengthening himself II
Y the eyes Of the world"