The broad ax., 1912-01-13

ing large liberties with his past both in
the direction Of adoption and that OF re-
pudiation. As an American he can eXer-
else the rights Of a mental republican.
He can begin anywhere and claim any
thing. The question is therefore whether
or not the Negro wishes to have a sepa-
rate history. apart from the general his
tory OF this country, or what justification
there is other than the purely sentimental
reasons he sometimes gives himself and
the wholly unjustifable reasons usually
given him for having separate tradition
In contrast or addition to the tradition he
can acquire and claim as an American.
enjoying theoretically at least all OF the
benefits OF free education and democratic
institutions.
For very different reasons and very d.
verse hopes then the speaker found him
self forced to believe in a race history
and a race culture. The desire to preserve
our past commits US TO q racial conscious
ness and requires OF US the development
Of q sense for corporate interests and des-
TIMES. Indeed the tendencies and facts
which threaten the solidarity and perpe-
tuity OF distinct Negro tradition in this
country may prove the ultimate stumbling
blocks in the way OF our progress. The
historical dilemma OF the American Ne
gro Is the painful position of standing be-
tween two heritages. one lost. the other
not fully acquired: the one something for
which We have as yet no definite use and
the other something which may not have
permanent satisfaction for US.
This situation is both the price and the
reward OF the Negroes unique history.
Later he may be as anxious to take the
advantages of the alternatives as he is at
present to escape the disadvantages OF
lie
itual problems have a different point OF
origin from social OF political or econOm-
&c issues We face. and they are as likely
10 have different solution. History and
culture. at all events. are known only as
the attributes OF nations and races One
cannot raise the question Of history with
out raising the question OF race oT ma
Gonality
Any one who surveys at all closely the
estate OF culture or the field OF history
will find that IL has its fences and propri-
stary rights, quite as material in their
way as the fences and property deeds OF
any civilized community. They will see
that no people has acquired a passport TO
culture. citizenship and the exchange civil
tiles of civilization until Il has cultivated
Its own land. own tradition and evolved
Its own culture people that proceeds
upon any other assumption Is threatened
under the present facts at least with the
fate Of mental pariahs. Race Is not only
the key TO history. as Disrss ell said; Il u
the most legitimate and indisputable claim
10 education and culture
We as Negroes need TO distinguish
sharply between the claim Of education
and the claim OF a mental birthrtght II
may even be that we shall have to choose
between them on certain occasions. Ger
tainIy we must always bear the distinction
In mind. The very accidents OF our birth
and history make for Us a claim upon a
civilization and a heritage 81 IDEAS which
no amount of mental iugglery and self
sought mystitcatton can conceal from us
a. not ours la the same literal sense that
n h the hereditary culture and history Of
AFyan peoples. This Is the s-rux ~ the
problem from The eide OF education and