The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1916-12-21
RACE LITERATURE WEEK.
Novel Plan to Acquaint Our People
With Their Own Authors.

With Their Own Authors.
The national buy u book campaign
In the interest of Negro literature had
Its inception in the fertile brain of r.
4. Wright, IN. d., editor Of the Chris
tian Recorder and manager of the A..
M. e. Church Book Concern, Philadel-
phia. DR.. Wright's plan is to endcavor
to have every family of colored PEG
pie purchase at least one book during
the month Of December. He has par
dcularly suggested the second week
In December as Negro literature week.
In giving his reasons for such Il
movement Or. Wright says: Negro
children need to read books which tell
OF the more hopeful side of their race
life, ana that Negro men and women
need the same Is no longer open to
debate No people that does not know
and love its own history, enjoy its
own literature, reverence its own he
roes. has ever amounted to much. Can
the Negro hope to be an exception =?
The fact that the public schools do
not give our children courses in Negro
history aud literature is being recog-
nized by educators throughout our ma.
ton as weak point in Negro educa-
ton.
To be strong the Negro child must
know and love the heroes of the Ne.
gro race from Crispus Attacks to the
gallant Tenth cavalry at Carrizal. He
must know the past achievements Of
the race in Africa and America. He
must imbibc the ideals which the mu-
sic and poetry of the race are designed
to inspire
He must see the pictures of men and
women Of like hue as himself, so that,
acting upon the maxim that what black
man has done black man can do. he
may be ncryed to greater accomplish
ments.
Every home should have its collec-
ton Of Negro books of poetry. fiction.
history and religion-not one book. but
many, In order that 1t may have its
proper atmosphere of racial self re-
spect. which is the foundation of racial
progress But. alas, we have SO few
homes with Negro books. Not one Ne.
gro In thousand has read a book on
Negro history, The 900 are ignorant
OF their glorious past; ignorant Of the
part played by their ancestors In Ar
RIGA and America; ignorant Of their
proweSs ignorant of their opportuni
ties.
The only mention most children Of
the race read of their race in history
Is that they were brought 10 this c0un-
try as slaves in 1919 and freed by
Abraham Lincoln IN 1868. Not one In
thousand ever heard of a Negro aid.
ing In the exploration Of America
many years before 1919 and NJ the
$4,000 OF their Kind who fought To
save this nation nifty years ago. And
there is greater Ignorance on the part
of the younger generation than Of the
one now passing.
The Book Concern is nearly lOO years
Old. aud we therefore think it our duty
10 carry the light Of literature 70 our
benightcd people We therefore are
asking that every public institution
make a public appeal In behalf OF Ne
gro literature We suggest the month
Of December rs the time and the sec
ond week in December particularly rs
Negro literature week During this
week. we should like every Negro 70
purchase book written 10y Negro
author cor about Negroes
During this week let The ministers
talk Negro literature from their pul-
pits: let the teachers talk il Ia their
pupils let every literary society have
Negro literature night" We Sug.
eeSt Friday night. Dec II. nj which
time We desire to have every school
and church of any size have some on
speak Of Negro literature