Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-04-19
TIE PAN-AFRICAN CONGRESS-
AND TIE AMERICAN NEGRO.

DR.. w. e. b. Dn Bots has boon
heard from ut last. The report of the
sessions of the Pan-African Congress
held in Paris, France, February 10,
20 and 81, 1919 has been published in
this country. Premier Cleincnccau
kept his word and permitted tho
meeting Of the influential body that
dealt with the race question in gem
cral and the rights and privileges OF
the black people of the world in par
ticular. The Now York Crisis gave to
the public an interesting report and
we observe that tho complaints of
The colorcd people of the United
States were set forth in tho instru-
ment but not without reference in
the same that will prove to be rather
embarrassing to those OF us who live
above and below the Mason and Dix
on Limo.
The specific reference to tho color
VA pSol'iC III IIIS ID louuQ III
tic following Section:
Civilized Negroes: Wherever per
sGns Of African descent are civilized
and ablo To meet tho tests Of sur
rounding Culture they. shall be &C
corded the same rights rs their fell
low citizens; they shall not be do
MED on account Of race Or color q
voice in their own government JUS
ticc before the. courts and economic
and social equality according TO abili
~ and desert.
This is all right but n demand is
included here for social equality q
thing that exists not by mandate or
law, but by the voluntary act OF the
individuals themselves. This has been
made campaign issue in every
southern State in this country and
colorcd leaders here have repeatedly
declared that what they wanted was
civil and political equality. When
that is secured the other will DO n
matter for the two races to settle.
Colorcd people arc DESTROYS OF main
tanning their racial integrity and
have for that reason opposed the IL
centious actions of white people who
have been raising up race OF illegi--
innate mulattocs throughout the
Southland.
They balk at marrying these fc-
males but do not hesitate at the task
of robbing thom Of their virtue.
White Negro-hatcrs have insisted that
the desire OF every colorcd citizen is
to marry some white woman, when
as a matter Of fact these same colorcd
men have been really anxious to keep
white men from with or without mar
rying and raising up mulatto chill
dren unto Abraham. We cite these
facts i'll order to disabuse the minds
Of the people in this country that
our people in some parts of "these
low grounds of sorrow" are in a pitt
able condition, DESTROYS of exercising
the rights and privileges of frecmen,
free from any entangling questions,
which might serve to hinder and en-
barrass them and their friends in
their fight for official and practical
recognition.
The preamble and clauses drawn
UP at Paris are admirable defini-
tions Of the position Of the black
races Of the world. We have noted
the list OF representatives of the
respective countries: United States
with sixteen representatives, but one
of whom was officially sent there by
colered organizations in this country
unless others got over across the water
without public knowledge or were
elected and commissioned after arriv
ing there. Haiti, which is now under
American supervision and has appar
emily lost its old-time independence
by selfish revolutions; French West
Indies thai holds allegiance to the
French Republic; France, the black
people Of which Republic are accord
ed all Of their rights and privileges,
civil, political and otherwise: Liberia
which is under the American yoke,
better designated as Supervision; ;
Spanish Colonies, whose residents
should have no complaint against the
mothcr country en- account Of race
or color; Portuguese Colonies, the citi
Zcns OF which are similarly situated;
San Domingo, that is dependency
and may have grievances; England
the British Africa tho black inhabi-
tanto OF which have tho same com