Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1919-08-09
THU ATTITUDE Or TIE AMEEI
CAN NEGRO.
Crank Howard Hallion. J

The American Negro has been &C
cused Of practically everything under
the sun. He has been prosecuted
and spit upon through public senti-
ment; he has been ignored by those
who reckon themselves contributors
to civiliZation; he has been placed in
the category OF the kingdom Of the
lower animals by separate car trans
portation; he has been deprived OF
the privilege to speak for himself IN
land whose founders split their
blood in a cry against taxation
without representations" he has been
mcrclessly led as sheep to his
slaughter by the ignorant mob Of the
South, thus suffering at tho hand of
which he has been benefactor for
decades; they have said he is not n
1T soldier despite his record to the
contrary; they say he is not builder
and creator in face Of the all-impor-
tant part he played in the economic
development Of American dcmocra-
cy(?).
One white man in the South said
that there was no objection to the
exodus Of the Negroes North, despite
the efforts Of his fellows to even pass
legislation to help keep the Negro in
the South. They say thcy do not
want him and yet when he goes we
hear the lamentations of, tho Negroes
home, his beloved Southland, saying,
can of our good colored citizens are
leaving" Why is this? Is 1t that
the white man of the South really
has within his heart n tender regard
for his dark brother? Can tho two
hundred and fifty years accumulated
relations and feelings and possibly
love be crumbled in so short time
as half n century? 1t is not to be
believed
Yes, the Negro has been accused
of practically everything, but there
are two things not yet against him.
No man has ever accused him OF
being coward lIsaac Fisher) and
we add ungrateful. When some Of
the unthinking white folks of the
South begin to bestir themselves into
again bringing into existence the oil.
Ku-Klux-Klan Of reconstruction days
and similar organizations, let it be
remembered that it Is q far cry from
reconstruction to the present and
that the Negro can be despised, leg
islated against, jim-crowed, disfran-
chised and at times even spit upon,
but he can not be scared.
He has been too long living in the
CLONE Of the Brave" Yet, withal,
In his manly courage, he Is meek and
conciliating and loves the South. He
is grateful for the history of his peo-
pie and their relation to "Old Mistis'
and. cold Marster," and still sings
the songs Of his fathers like no imi-
tator has been able to copy, but with
Ut 11, 70 toYs ~ 0iu
ilization he is looking toward Service
and not servitude; he wants, and Is
getting, recognition for his ability.
Ability, like trouble is neither
black nor white, but comes to every
mothers son of us. Whenever the
white man of the South, or any other
section for that matter, wakes UP
to full realization of democracy
and willingly tunes up n mans pro-
gress according to his ability and not
color, then it Is that America may
lay claim to being a democracy. The
absence of king in the White House
is not all that is required to consti-
tute democratic government.
The war has done a lot for the
white man and it has done lot for
the Negro. 1t got the white man in
a state Of preparedness. 1t got the
Negro into the habit Of weighing
things-puttinG two and two togeth-
er-not exactly "watchful waiting"
for the Negro has always been Wis
ionary and can see into the future.
This is not superstition but gift OF
God.
There is a story told Of black
regiment in the last war whose watch
word was a slang phrase, "Let's 60"
Whatever the command, whether to
peel potatoes or to peel the bark OFF
a Hun, he cheerfully said, Lets go. y
This slang phrase represents about
as forcefully as anything could under
the sun the Negroes present attitude
Whatever may come its going to be
with the American Negro. 'Iets
Coz"