Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1912-02-09
THE QUESTION OF
RACE TRADITION
Society for Historical Research
Hears Subject Discussed.
LEARNED OPINION BY LOCKE

LEARNED OPINION BY LOCKE
IN PHiLosoPHIc ADDRESS
SAYS THE DESIRE TO PRE-.
SERVE THE PAST CONNECTS
US TO A RACIAL CONSCIOUS
NEss-RAcE STANDS BETWEEN
TWO HERiTAGEs.
Yonkers, N. Y.--The year-end meet
ing of the Negro Research society
held recently at the residence of the
president, Mr.. John Edward Bruce, IN
this city, was made notable by the
presence of Alain LIE Roy Locke, who
Is q graduate of Oxford university
He bears the distinction Of being the
only member of the race to win one
Of the Rhodes scholarships. Mr.
Locke was the principal speaker on
this occasion, and reception was
given in his honor by the society In
view of the fact that he is to return
to Berlin in January to complete his
studies.
Mr.. Locke's subject was THE Ne
gro and Race Tradition" He spoke
In part as follows:
A historical society stands princi
pally as the expression Of practical
duty toward corporate past, and q
negro historical society stands there
fore for an avowed duty toward ra
cial past. The negro has special du
ties and specific problems with re-
gard to his past; but, however speci
1ic and special these duties and prob
lens are, the duties and problems Of
any people in their acquisition Of his
torical mindedness in the establish
ment of tradition. Although the
American negro faces what all
thoughtful observers must admit to
be historical dilemma, he can avoid
1t If he wishes. He has only to for
get or repudiate his past or as much
Of it as he deems wise and consistent
to forget and repudiate.
AS an American. indeed, he can
claim the high but dangerous privi'
lege OF taking large liberties with his
past both in the direction Of adoption
and that Of reputation. As an Amer
lean he can exercise the rights OF q
mental republican. He can begin
anywhere and clsim anything. The
question is therefore whether or not
the negro wishes to have a separate
history, Apart from the general his.
tory ,of this country or what 5ustifi-
cation there is other than the purely
sentimental reasons he sometimes
gives himself and the wholly justil-
able reasons usually given him for
having a separate tradition In con-
trast or addition to the tradition he
can acquire and claim as an Ameri.
can, enjoying theoretically at least
Ill Of the benefits Of free education
and democratic institutions.
For very different reasons and very
diverse hopes. then, the speaker
found himself forced, to believe In a
race history and q race culture. The
desire to preserve our past commits
US to a racial consciousness and re-
quires Of us the development of a
sense for corporate interests and des-
TIMES. Indeed the tendencies and
facts which treaten the solidarity and
perpetuity of a distinct negro tradi.
ton in this country may prove the
ultimate stumbling blocks in the way
Of our progress. The historical d.
lemma Of the American negro is the
painful position Of standing between
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 negro's unique his.
tory. Later he may be as anxious to
take the advantages Of the alterna-
tives as he IL at present to escape
the disadvantages of this situation.
Our intellectual and spiritual prob.
lens have a different point Of origin
from social or political economic Is.
sues we face. and they are as likely
to have different solution. His
tory and culture, at all events, are
known only as the attributes of ma
tons and races.
Any one who surveys at all closely
the estate Of culture or the field OF
history will find that It has its fences
and proprietary rights, quite AZ ma
terial In their way as the fences and
property deeds Of any civilized CON-
munity. They will see that no peo-
pie has acquired . passport to cul-
ture, citizenship and the exchange
civilities Of civilization until 1t has
cultivated it's own land. its own ira
dition and evolved its own culture.
A people that proceeds upon any 9th.
or assumption Is threatened under the
present facts at least with the fate. of
mental pariahs. Race is not only the
key to history, as Disraeli said; 1t is
the most legitimate and indisputable
claim to education and culture. VI
We as negroes need to. distinguish
sharply between the claim Of educa-
ton and the claim Of mental birth
right. It may even be that we shall
have to choose between them on GER
tain occasions. Certainly We must al
ways bear the distinction in mind.
The very accidents Of our birth and
history make for us q claim upon q
civilization and a heritage Of ideas
which No amount Of mental fuR4lerY