The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1921-12-17
HAS THE NEGRO WON A
PLACE IN HISTORY?
BY DR. M. A. Majors.

by Dr M. a. MAJORS
In this brief article it is our purpose
to show beyond any shadow of a |
doubt that the Negro has won a place
in history A place so high that even
his advcrsaries are compelled TO admit |
II.
In the early years OF social progress
color distinctions were not known,
nor differences in races were given
but slight significance. A man to be
distinguished had only to portray tho
greatness of his intellect. his rare tact.
courage, forcible character. and the
great human graceS.
We need not traverse these early
years of civilization to find the foot
prints OF some remarkable Negro, nor
scan the dusty pages OF ancient his
tory in quest OF information Within
the last three hundred years we find
indcllible marks and impressions
which the Negro has made upon all
OF humanity. Out OF the revolution OF
Hayti energies Tou Saint LOuvcrture.
the black Napoleon. When the Rus
sian spirit had been charmed by the
great literary talents OF Shakespeare
in England. Russia regretted that she
could not boast OF a poct-laureatc,
when the great Negro Pu>hkin ap-
pcared upon the intellectual horizon
/ OF Russia. Later came Dumas OF
France. Phyllis Wheatley OF America.
Crispus Attuck OF Revolutionary fame
who was indeed a hero in the first
tbaftIc OF the revolution. In the battle
| OF Lake Erie several hundred brave
Negro soldiers fought with Admiral
Pcary and laid down their lives while
helping nightly to wrest from Eng
land the liberties OF a free people. In
the field OF mathematics perhaps the
most remarkable man OF his time was
Benjamin Banncker. regarded as the
gifted mathematician. In the religioLs
,ife OF the race perhaps Richard Alien
who established the A. NJ. F. Church
in America takes first place, while for
logged determination against tyranny
and oppression Nathaniel Turner and
Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth
Harriet Tubman and William Still
carved out a niche Tor themselves in
the great temple OF fame. In the bat
ties OF New Orleans as early as 1872
thousands OF Negro soldiers bore the
brunt of war and made the presses OF
every nation proclaim their daring
In the civil war, the Spanish war and
the world war they were no less
splendid soldiers fighting for human
ity's cause In the Spanish war they
led the charge upon San Juan and FL
Caney. In Mexico where only hand
ful OF seasoned Negro troops OF the
tenth cavalry were attacked by the
Mexican army they more than held
their own against great numbers and
saved the life OF Gen. Pershing II
was done in the same manner that
they had saved Col Theodore Roos-
evelt in the war with Spain.
Possibly Maceo the great Cuban
General is by far the most illustriouS
soldier OF the modern age.
Thomas Bethune Greene known -
Blind Tom was for fifty years the
great musical prodigy of the world.
Paul Laurence Dunbar won fame as
a poet. and DR.. Booker T. Washing
ton achieved distinction in the field OF
Industrial education. The West Indies
and Brazil have brought above the
surface a few very able statesmen and
generals. When the black Napoleon
was arrested and taken in chains 10
France to suffer the perfidy OF tho
French to rot and die in a dungeon i
fell to the lot of the great Dessal'n",
and Christophe to throw a protector
ate over the wealth of the Haytian'
There are a great many politicians
congressman and senators, teachers
preachers, editors. writers. authors
lawyers and doctors. inventors, sing
ers, musicians. artists. comedians. but
trey were merely satellites. shooting
sparks, etc. These We have mentioned
will grow greater as the years go by
They belong to humanity having
bursted the bounds and overcome tbs
limitations Of racial environment.