Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-04
FARE WELL
UNDER AMERICAN FLAG
Judge Terrell Says Race
Should Not Despair in Con-
tempIating Future.

Declaring the American negro has small
cause for complaint over the conditions
he encounters in different parts OF the
land in view of the fact that he has al
ready made greater progress toward the
ideal in human attainments since his
liberation from bondage than any race
in the history of human events Judge
Robert H. Terrell of the Municipal Court.
orator Of the FOhrtu of July exercises on
the Howard University campus this after
noon, urged His audience of several hun
dred representative colored citizens to
continue the struggle for the advance
ment of the race, regardless of the tenn
porary setbacks and obstacles. Judge
Terrell also took occasion to praise the
valor of negro soldiers in the service of
the United States in every war since the
fight for independence.
The exercises were held under the Joint
auspices of the Howard Park Citizens
Association. the instructors at the How
ard Fairgrounds and the Interscholastic
Wiseman pronounced the Invocation
During the course of the exercises the
Azalea Mandolin and Guitar Club rem
dered program OF patriotic airs. At the
conclusion of the exercises proper the
Interscholastic Athletic Association held
an athletic meet participated in by the
children of the Fairgrounds and the
Juvenile athletes from a number OF local
colored schools.
No Cause to Despair.
Judge Terrell said in part: I'VE know
that in this country colored men are often
the victims OF a mean and unjust preju-
dice. We know that they are hecged I'm
by discrimination on account Of race
tho% xL-xu
| times blocks their way to certain avenues
OF trade and commerce. Yet. II we look
| about us and, as the great Frederick
Douglass said. consider the depths from
which we came. no people ought to be
more hopeful Of the future and more
optimistic than the colored people OF this
country. For nowhere else in the world
| have men with negro blood in their veins
| made such remarkable progress. No
where are there such schools and such
churches dedicated to their use and sery-
ice. and nowhere have they such great
industrial opportunities as they have In
the United States of America Verify.
the spirit of despair should find no lody-
ing place in the hearts of these people,
from whose limbs the manacles of slavery
| were torn less than fifty years ago.
Il hope that everywhere in our city
today the fathers and mothers of col
ored children are telling them that
1 their HTSt QuCy 10 themselves and to
| their country is to love- honor and re-
spect the American flag: for 1T Is their
flag as much as 1T is the flag of any
other children in this land, whatever
their complexion may be. In it's folds
may be read the prowess and glory of
black men as we'll as of white men; for
in all of the wars that our country has
fought colcred men have done their
share to make it's flag honored and re-
spected Wherever the bloody sign OF
battle has been hung out, and where
negroes have been permitted to play a
part they have done their share toward
preventing our country's flag from
| trailing in the dust. In the revolu-
tionary war black men fought for the
American colonies. and in the war of
1912 their bravery on the field of battle
ELECTED the praise and public COM
mendation of the chief
of the American forces. In our civil
war 17s,p75 negroes fought under the
Union standard. and 36.S47 of them
gave up their lives in battle that their
| country might be saved and their race
| free forevermore. Seventeen black
heroes Of the civil war were decorated
with the medal OF honor by act of Con-
gress-the highest distinction that can
come to a soldier in our army.