The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1912-10-04
FRIDAY, ocroBER a, 1912.
Emancipation.

Emancipation.
From many parts of the country we
observe news relative to the celebra-
ton Of the 5Oth anniversary of the
Emancipation of the Negro slaves in
the United States. 1t is the opinion
of a large majority that the proper
time to celebrate this anniversary is
the first day of January, 1913. Some,
however, chose the 22nd day of Sep
TENDER. Be this as it may, it is be-
fitting that the Negroes of this coun
try take c%ognizance of the fact that
fifty years ago their conditions and
surroundings were far different from
what they are now. There are many
yet living who remember well the
scourge of slavery, and there are more
who have observed the progress
made by the race in later years. No
one has cause to be ashamed of that
progress. Fifty years ago there was
not a Negro doctor south of the
Mason and Dixon line. To-day Me-
harry Medical College, located in the
city of Nashville, can boast of hav-
ing graduated more than a thousand
doctors. Fifty years ago Negroes
were not allowed to read books south
of the Mason and Dixon line. To-day
that state that would attempt to de-
prive its black citizens of all school
privileges would be frowned upon by
the entire nation. Fifty years ago
Negroes did not own their own hands
south of the Mason an d Dixon line;
not even those who were called free
Negroes, for they were under certain
restrictions that made them only part
free; to-day it is a criminal offense
for any man in this nation to hold an
other man in bondage. Many and
great are the changes that might be
enumerated, but space will not per-
nit. In its final analysis, the differ
erence in fifty years ago and now is
sufficient to warrant the Negroes OF
this country in celebrating the fttieth
anniversary of their freedom. And
they W it to themselves and tc
the world to show what they have &C
complished in that time.
Nashville and Tennessee no
seem to be fully alive to the lmpor
lance of this occasion. Doubtless
thousands are thinking about it, es
pecially those who were old enough a
the close of the civil war to have sui
~fciently suffered the lash of the slave
holder, and those who know some
thing Of the bitter experiences @
Ku Kluxing; but the rank and file c
the people in this state have no
shown that interest that should b
shown by a people who have been S
wonderfully blessed. There are som
Negroes who want to forget SLAYER
and who endeavor to keep a know
edge of those times from their chi
dren, There are those of fewer year
who have a desire not to know of sla.
cry time and who do not like fC
their parents to tell them of the
hardships. The late Frederick Dou
lass, speaking before an English a
dience on one occasion, asked the
not to Judge the Negroes of Il
United States by the heights to viii,
they had climbed, but rather fro
the depths from which they had con
All races and nations in the wor
who have risen to lofty heights ha
done so by struggling, by enduri
p~rivations and hardships. In He
WITH we are IOlu uOW IhO ShlAulS h
Israel, when being led by Moses,
bitter herbs on their departure frc
the land of Egypt, and that VIII
they crossed the Red Sea on Il
memorable occasion, they took stor
from the bed of the river and bu
monuments to which they might re
I'm years to come, to teach their cl
dren the cost of liberty. In all col
tries to-day We will find statues a
monuments erected in memory
some bitter struggle or great achi
ment. These things are necessary
an encouragement to unborn gene
tons to teach then, when troub