The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-12-12
As to Race Segregation

oppose segregation is this: why do
Negroes object to a%ssociating with
one another?" why do they seek to
force themselves on white people?"
The answer to this two-fold question
Is simple: Negroes do not object to
associating with one another; Negroes
do not seek to force themselves on
white people. When Negroes as
semble in any public place where
white also assemble, they will invari-
ably, If given free choice, seggegate
themselves. Let me instance our To-
cal Teachers Institute.
That body consists of about eleven
hundred teachers, about 10 per CEN of
whom are Negroes. A stranger visit
ing the Institute would be struck by
the fact that all the Negro teachers
sit together, and would wonder, per.
haps, If Jim Crowism prevails. Jim
Crowism does not prevail, and is not
eve suggested. The Negro teachers
have deliberately segregated them.
selves. They have selected a part of
the hall where they invariably sit,
and they show nc inclination whatever
either to get away from themselves
or to force themselves on anybody.
Yet those same teachers would warm
ly resent any effort from an external
source to seggregate them.
AS a matter Of fact a few years ago
such an effort was made, when a
committee of white principals brought
in a report requesting that the white
teachers sit where they please; all
Negro teachers sit in Section D." Now
Section d is much better situated for
seeing and hearing than the seats
where the Negroe teachers sit, but
the Negroes were highly indignant at
the report and refused to be segre-
gated. Only one teacher ever did GO
down to occupy Section D. And so
the questions which really came up
for solution are these: Cd why will
Negroes, If left to a free choice in
variably segregate themselves; and
(2) why will they invariably resent
forcible segregation" The answers
to these questions reflect Fundamental
aspects of human nature, and the one
phenomenon is as natural as the other
Prof. Franklin H. Giddings, the soci
ologist has theorized intelligently and
convincingly as to the psychic bases
of the group, and he argues that in
dividuals tend to group themselves to
gether or the basis of consciousness
of kind" or "like-mindedness." This
simple principle is ably elaborated b!
him in his works on sociology, anC
largely accounts for a great man,
groups both large and small. 1t &C
counts for the fact that Negroes an
others ~segregate themselves naturally
1t also leaves inference very clear tina
if the ardent segregationists woul
only exercise a little scientific sense
and would intelligently ~acquaint then
selves with the psychic laws underly
ing human behavior, without being s
anxious to remake and improve tn
universe, many of these question
would work themselves out natural
and normally.
Now, while Negroes will freely an
willingly segregate themselves, on a.
NSNAAt VI SchpNASuolSoo VI hl1uy DCl
sonal friendships, or community of IL
~terests they nevertheless do not Xix
t ohave segregation forced upon then
This is not because they do not Xix
to be together, nor yet because the
desire to force themselves on an.
body. 1t is because of a condition a
old as humanity itself-namely, tn
lfanlnnpv tn raeaat - i,o,1A
Negroes profoundly sense the fax
that far more is involved in involul
tary segregation than the mere matte
. of keeping the two races apart. 1t il
wolves the assumption of superiorit
on the part of the group trying to el
force segregation, and requires tn
other group to a~cquiesce in the do
trine of it's own inferiority. This a
knowledgement no considerable grou
!. will make; and this without regard I
n any consideration of race; it is tru
and valid as regards all races. TIL
average individual will not admit ar
it is too much to expect him to adm
that another individual is natural
and racially his superior, without r
gard to education, morals, or economi
status.
So the resistance to forcible and il
voluntary segregation is based on
fundamental aspect of human natur
and will so remain as long as a vestig
of proper pride inspires and illumine
the human heart. Not the segreg
tion itself, but the implications thu
go along with it-that is what all me
in all climes always will resent. An
this resentment is in no way weakene
by the fact that the same individual.
If left alone would naturally and vo
unfairly segregate themselves. Thos
who believe that some people are s.
perior to others on purely raci
\ grounds, without regard to merit {
demerlt, sin OF virtue, character {
intellect, they; are perfectly consis
ent in advocating segregation. BIZ
those who accept the larger ideal {
the brotherhood of man and hav
faith in the power of education, mora
ity and religion. through e%yolution I