The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1916-01-01
NORTON-A RACE LEADER.
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Of initiation into an entirely new life.
new people and new duties.
when l entered Hampton" says
Major Motion, II had no particular
plan as to what l should do when !
should have completed the course. As
time went on l was more and more
inclined to the legal profession. Most
of my teachers advised against it,
however-that Is, they raised the ques-
ton whether l thought could render
my people the greatest service as a
lawyer and whether legal advice was
the greatest need Of struggling people.
General Armstrong thought l could be
Of more use to my people by remain
ing at Hampton and helping to pre-
pare teachers. The result was that at
the close Of the school in June, 1890,
I accepted the position Of drillmaster
and assistant to the commandant of
cadets"
Before his graduation from Hau1p-
ton Major Motion spent one year as q
schoolteacher In Cumberland county,
Va, where he taught the boys to drill
and. the girls to take gymnastics,
where he taught his people to love and
appreciate the plantation songs and
where he taught the older children and
parents how to make life more worth
while. Promptness, alertness, self
control, endurance, respect for authori-
ty, initiative, good will-these were
Hampton's gifts to this useful and
safe race leader.
In recent years Major Motion has
toured q number of the southern states
with DR.. Booker T. Washington and
has addressed thousands Of white and
colored people on the value Of work
ing together in the spirit Of mutual
helpfulness for the improvement Of
community and race conditions.
Major Motions philosophy Is found
ed on common sense and experience.
He has constantly urged his people to
cultivate race pride, to stand together
on all questions of race uplift. to lead
clean lives, to be progressive In busi-
ness, to give an honest days work for
days pay, to build better houses.
homes and schools, and. above all, to
work with their white friends. Major
Motion has wisely and skillfully in
terpreted for white men and women
the fundamental problems which re-
late to the masses Of colored people
who live side by side with them.
DR.. w. D. Weatherford describes
clearly the attitude Of the most
thoughtful southerners~ toward Major
Motion and his constructive policies.
II have heard more than one southern
er say that Major Motion was the
sanest and strongest representative Of
the Negro race that they had ever
met Others have said to me that he
L. the best speaker, white or black.
that they have ever heard, and yet he
does not claim to be a speaker at all
He has clear head, a noble heart and
manly bearing. which at once con-
vince you that he has q message werth
while and is not afraid to give It.
major Motion has held a most deli
cate position at Hampton. In the
school community there are pure Ne
groes, mulattoes, Indians, northern
white people. southern white people,
all working for the same cause.-the
elevation Of the race. 1t Is no easy
| matter to harmonic all these types,
and yet SO rare is his tact and SO true
is his judgment that each group gives
him enthusiastic support
DR.. Booker T. Washington has said
Of him: 1T has been through contact
with men like Major Motion that have
received kind Of education no books
could impart. 1t would be worth
trip to Hampton just to know Major
Motion. If more Of our southern white
people could see him, so calm. SO un-
ostentatious, so unpresuming and yet
SO efficient and thorough. they would
never say again that the Negro race
could not produce pure blood leader"
DR.. Washington in his book called
MY Larger Education" said Of Major
Motion: Major Motion is one of the
best read men and one Of the most in
teresting men to talk with that have
ever met Education has not spoiled
him. 1t has not embittered or narrow
ed him In his affections. He has not
learned to hate or distrust any class
Of people, and he Is just as ready to
assist and show kindness to a white
man as to black man. to southern
er as to- northerner. j.,
Major Motion knows by intuition
northern white people and southern
white people. At the Hampton insti-
tute they have white teachers and col
ored teachers. They have southern
white people and northern white peo-
pie; besides, they have colored students
and Indian students. Major Motion
knows how to keep his hands on all
these different elements, to see to It
that friction is kept down and that
each works in harmony with the other.
It Is a difficult job, but Major Motion
knows how to negotiate It"