The Washington herald., 1921-07-03
The Negroes ''Place."


The Negroes "Place."
To the Editor. The washington Herald;
The ancients. observing the days
and nights rotate In endless cycles.
assigned as the cause the revolving
of the sun around the earth. This
misconception based upon appear
ances and belief rather than upon
investigation and judgment COM
PEELED our ancestors to prescribe
for the sun an orbit contrary to
universal law.
In like manner your contributor
who styles himselfs"A Kentuckian"
is laboring under q misconception
of the causes of race riots, because
he has imagined an orbit for the
negro contrary to natural law. His
mind has constructed "a place
within which the negro should con-
fine his activities, physical. intel.
IectuaI, and spiritual. This place
70 which "A Kentuckian" refers so
oftsn in his brief article. Is as
Imaginary as our ancestors orbit
of the sun.
This mIsconception of "a place
for the negro, separate, distinct ana
inferior to that of all other races.
aid not arise suddenly In the mino
Of "a Kentuckian-" 1t Is deep
rooted in American sentiment. IL
begins in the early days OF Ameri-
can history, paragraph two OF the
Declaration of Independence. All
men are created equal meant TO
the trainers of that document.
white men. over half a century ago
the negro's place" was altered
somewhat by the abolition OF
slavery. The bursting of the bonds
from the negro's feet did not change
the idea that there must be set
aside for him "a place" This is
not astounding for, having just
emerged from the depths of slavery
he was branded a social inferior;
having never had an opportunity
to become educated he was an In
tellectuaI inferior: having never
owned anything, not even himself.
he was an economical inferior.
When the negro had become to be
recognized as a social. intellectual
and economic inferior. his status
as an inferior being became estabr
lished. his place" prescribed.
Directly following the restora-
ton of peace among the States, ef-
forts were made by some far-seeing
citizens to educate the negro, that
he might be fit to assume the duties
and responsibilities of the citizen
ship into which he was so suddenly
thrust BY the aid of the govern
ment. philanthropic citizens and
sacrificing school teachers, many
of the 100000 negroes have now
thrown off the yoke of ignorance.
As the years go by more and more
are becoming educated. The i'm
provement of the negro's economic
condition in the last fifty years is
unexcelled in the history of human
progress. Thus two of the original
causes for branding the negro an
inferior are being eradicated. The
third. social inferiority, is merely.
weapon in the hands of the
negro's enemies which is used ef-
fectively when he demands equal
accommodations on railroad trains
or when he seeks to employ for
his economic advancement the edu-
cation he has acquired. 1t follows
as the night the day That social in
ferlority diminishes as the intel
lectual and economic status of
people improves.
Education is the primary step to
human progress. 1t is impossible
to educate men and keep them con-
tenteH with the surroundings in
which they lived in their ignorance.
The educated negro feels more
keenly the position he is compelled
to occupy, simply because he is
negro. Is it not natural that rest
less negroes should raise their
voices in protest from every corner
of the nation? Is il not good to
have them do so? Does il not re-
mind America of her injustice?
The appeals of the negro to the
government for protection fall unon
listening ears. but dumb mouths
respond not to them The churches
are conspicuous for their silence.
The Iynchers stalk boldly. unmind-
full Of the law, which though clothed
with the armor of power does not
reach forth it's arm to strike down
the violators.
All. of this grows out OF the
American misconception of "a
place" for the negro. separate. dis
tinct and inferior. 1t required gen
erations of research. investigation
and experiment to overthrow the
age-old misconception Of the orbit
OF the sun. 1t will require genera
tions of education, contact and
moral advancement to overthrow
Ge American misconception Of
place" for the negro
WAITER n MAZYCR