The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-06-02
PATRIOTIC APPEAL MADE TO NEGROES
 AT BESSEMER SCHOOL
Prof. E. T. Atwell of Tuskegee Urges Hearers to Study Economic Con. ditions Before Going
 North

Bessemer, June 1.-(Special)-In a speech at the closing exercises of the South Bessemer Colored schools tonight, attended by large audience of colored
 and representative white people, incluo.. ing President Mitchell of the board of education, the superintendent of city schools and others of prominence E. T. ] Attwell, business agent of Tuskegee in 1 stitute and member of the executive | committee of the National Negro Bus- ness league, encouraged the negroes to keep faith with their country and the record of the race for loyalty and 1 bravery and urged the negroes to help | the people of the United States not alone as men in arms, if called upons but to aid their communities in the economic problems of raising and saving food and preventing waste.
 | He warned the negro to balance their economic advantages in the north with thelr disadvantages before going to that l particular section or making it a per manent home. He ventured the predic- ton that many negroes would return 1 to the south and that the migration was of a more or less temporary nature based largely on economic conditions. Professor Attwell stressed the new op- portunities in various industrial and ag- ricultural activities and made an effec- tive appeal for patriotic attitude to- ward the country and its demands | He said in conclusion: You have heard | orators of recent popularity talking of l a promised loyalty on the part of ne- | groes to this, their only home country | They have reckoned we'll Let us here
 and now give renewed assurances of our | desire to make good in this new opror- | tunity, since war we must. But let us not be satisfied with pointing alone to the consecrated service rendered in pro- tecting the homes of our masters while they were away, engaged in that armed dispute between sections in a war of ideas. Point not alone to the negroes sacrifice and contribution by his blood
 and life in the first clashes of the revo- lution resulting in the real birth of the American government. My friends we served them! Lest we forget, Oh Amer ican the first martyr was a negro! We fought effectively at Bunker EilI and before the close of that great war even the enemy disclosed plans of an attempt to mobilize us by the thousands Point not alone to that later struggle of 1872 when Commodore Perry said of us: They seemed to be absolutely insensible of danger!" nor to General Andrew Jacksons invitation during that period which included the assurance that negro officers and prvates who joined the ranks would receive the same pay furnished to any American soldier'' and who afterward said to these negro troops. T knew that you loved the land of your nativity. But you surpassed my hopes. I have found in you that
 noble enthusiasm which impels to great deeds.
 Point not alone to the valor of the nearly 100000 negro soldiers enlisted in I 1861 and after and who were engaged l in many of the fiercest battles of that 1 period No not all on the one side-for | if you please the record shows black troops defending the Confederacyl Col | red men. free colored men, volunteered
 for service, some without pay, in south- i ern states, and a regiment of 14oO col l oI ed Confederate soldiers was reviewed l in New Orleans in 61
 l Don't leave out the fighting record 1 of negro soldiers in our present regular
 army of infantry and cavalry. And just
 as the ''Black Legion" served in saving ! the American and French armies at i Savannah in 1779; and as the black Tenth 1 cavalry supported the Rough Riders | in Cuba in 1898 and as we moved for
 ward and upward at San Juan Hill.
 stood steadfast as steel before odds and
 in the face of death dealing gum recent Carrizal so are we to be ready
 now at the call to service and prove I worthy of the record made by our black
 forefathers and by our black brethren in
 arms.
 "And in this hour let there be no | thought of hyphen before your American 1 ism. The dawn of new opportunities in l industry in agriculture, in the home in peaceful pursuits and in war; new op- I portunities for the exhibition of loyalty l of economy, of service, and of patriot 1 ism, Is practically indicated in this gene I ration and while affecting all races on 1 the American soil, makes it's special appeal to the colored people of these | United States. May God quicken your | sons to an appreciation of these op- | portunities and direct you in keeping the l faith and continuing the glorious record
 of race which must suffer if our coun- 1 try fail!"