The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1917-05-12
THE ONENESS OF MANKIND
Gems From Professor William Pielssns'
: New York Address, April %.

New York Address, April %.
The annual health week. campaign
conducted in Greater New York under
the auspices of the National League
on Urban Conditions Among Colored
People was brought to q successful
close on Sunday, April %. Professor
William Pickens, dean Of Morgan col
lege, Baltimore, was the orator Of the
day. Dean Pickens' subject was "The
Negro and Health" and he said In
part:
The American Negro has been % often
discussed ~ II he differed from other men
In his relation to the laws Of society, that
some have grown bold enough to imply
that he differs from other mon even In his
relation to the laws Of nature. That Of.
fort to be consistent II natural. The ques-
ton Of the Negroes health. however, II
not 80 much q race question: a. Il II q
question OF environment. It may BE- called
class question, for II 10 closely connected
with his economic and social status. In
brief. the Negro Is not sick or we'll be-
cause Of the color Of his skin or because
OF the shape Of his nose or fest. There
may be certain diseases which more read
lily attack his constitution, but that IL
true Of all races in reference to some dis
ease or other, and perhaps tho explana-
ton II historical.
Man was scattered over the earth and
lived In moro or less isolated groups for q
long period Of time. It happened. there
fore, that one group had to battle with q
certain disease moro than did the others.
This group developed constitutional re-
sistance to this disease, or we might say
that the disease weeded out from this
group those elements which were peculiar
ly subject to its attack. It may b that
the white man Of the past was more SUBJ
jected to tuberculosis and became In q
degree immunized SO that now tubercular
bacilli attack the Negroes constitution
more readily, and 1t may b that the Ne
gro Of the past suffered from hookworm.
% that now hookworms attack the white
man moro successfully.
But, be that as 1t may, II II plain that
environment Is the chief factor ana n the
point Of attack for science. For these
evils are preventable. Tuberculosis may
DO worse for the Negro when he has II,
but 1t 10 not necessary for him to have
It. Hookworm may be worse for the white
man when he has 1t. but It IL not nsces-
sary for him to have 1t. The black man
cannot escape tuberculosis by becoming
white; the white man cannot escape
hookworm by becoming black. The race
question cannot help either, but an i'm
provement Of economic conditions will
help both. II the black man can have
better Job 80 that he can have better food
and moro rest and air and sanitary
house he will have less tuberculosis. II
the poor white man can have better pay
and instruction so that he will possess
tho means and the knowledge to simply
shun the hookworm he need not have
that disease at all.
The Negroes death rate under present
conditions IL often spoken of as II 1t indi-
Gated that he il not human like other
men, but on the contrary 1t proves that
he IL exactly human like other men. II
the Negro. living as he now lives, died no
faster than the white man living a. the
white man now lives, It would prove that
the Negro Is not human like the white
man. Another thing-the Psychology Of
the matter. We have learned that the
mind helps to kill or to make alive. 'Wor-
ry In more wearing than work." The
lower economic status bears on the Negro
tho harder and INJURIES him the faster In
proportion a. he feels and knows that 1t
10 chiefly the result Of social injustice
rather than Of natural causes. The "jim
crow" car kills him not only with its Nth
and germs but also with the state OF mind
which It induces in him.
The Negro IL often spoken OF as happy
60 lucky race that never worries. This Ia
a half truth. He may be SUMMER In ma.
ture and inclination than the white race,
and for that very reason a period Of de-
preston may have more terrible effects
on him. A moro phlegmatic temperament
might be less affected by either Joy or
sorrow. The Negro who can laugh most
loudly In the sun may also weep most
bitterly In the shadow Of despair. In q
segregated and neglected city district,
where the slums are thrust at his very
door and the saloon Is placed under the
very caves of the schoolhouse Of his chill
dren, he will be gradually done to death,
not only by the filthy streets, the &C.
cumulating garbage and the lack OF sew
ers, but also by the mental and moral de-
preston which his normally sunny dis
position Is compelled to support.
The more intelligent he Is the moro he
will suffer- The man who does not know
that disease germs exist does not worry
about them. Does this not partly explain
the fact that the more intelligent Negro
Of today will die quicker under condiA;ons
In which the less intelligent Negro Of two
generations ago lived? Another indication
that the cause is environmental rather
than racial Is the testimony Of the mis-
sionaries to the remarkable physical well
being Of the African Negro. And Eu-
ropean' scientists say that the physically
most perfect type Of man IL the Zulu Ne
gro.
Since the principal cause - the environ
msnt the remedy 10 science and social
justice. Let us consider how closely bound
up IL the question Of health with the ques-
ton of wealth. They are mutually cause
and effect. The better health, the better
business success and economic progress,
and the more success In business the bet
ter advantages for preserving health and
esbecially for endowing the succeeding
generation with health. The United States
census department found out that the
Negros death rate figure grows smaller
as his home ownership figure grows larger.
The reason IL evident. The man who
owns a house will be prouder Of 1t. He
will keep 1t in better repair and cleaner,
he win cut a new window for light and
air, he will put In panes promptly, ne
will engage the plumber without delay,
he will install sanitary fixtures and con-
veniences, and, being freed from the bond
age Of rent, he will have more money Tor
recreation, decent amusement and needed
medical care. This IL what makes the Ma
tional League on Urban Conditions Among
Negroes ono Of the most useful organiza.
lions In the whole land. They realize that
the question Of physical, intellectual and
moral health 10 closely connected with the