Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1922-04-08
1.-THE SOUL OF JOHN BROWN"
Book Chat by Mary White Ovington.
Chairman Of the Board Of Directors
Of the National Association for the
Advancement OF Colorcd People.
(By Stephen Graham. Published by
The Macmillan &C.. New York.
Price $500. Postage 10 Cents
Extra.

ltS llc NcSIo NucSlloll Ill thc olliNcl
State is to the English. They want 20
learn about it, they come over hero and
write about it. No one Of them has
written SO keen u book as Fannie KEN
ble's "Two Years on a Georgian Plan
tation," published nearly q hundred
years ago. Fannie Kemble, the actress
married Il slave holder and came from
free England to enslaved Georgia.
She could not stand it and from tho
frank way in which she wrote mag
inc the white South couldnot stand her.
Stephen Graham has no such intimate
knowledge as Fannie Kemble possess
ell. but he did his best while In Ameci.
ca to see conditions rs they really OK
list; and his many years Of travel'
among other peoples-hc has written
number Of books upon Russia-makes
him wise and well-bnlanced observer.
Some Of tho readers OF Book Chat
doubtless met him when he was collec
ting material for "The Soul OF John
Brown, a striking looking man with
reddish hair worn trifle long and
gentle though strong face. Religious IN
the best sense of the word, he believes
That "only Christianity can save color
But there is something of the militant
Christian about him when he tells us
that there Is such thing as the
wrath Of God, and it Is not incompat-
ible with Divine Fatherhood and all
mcrciful Providence" John Brown is
his hero aud he ends his book by say
ing: "John Brown himself IL he should
renppear would not be sweetened by
what he saw happening in the world.
His soul goes marching on, but It Is
still the soul of vengeance and wrath.
To prepare for the writing Of this
book stephen Graham spent some time
IN New York-we at the N. A. A. G. P,
were fortunate in being able to give
MIN material--nnd then started in his
travels. He went into seven southern
states. He saw the industries at New
port News, talked with black riyctters
and clippers, and to quote his own
words, went up the James River to
jamestown and on to Richmond, tho
fine capital OF the old Dominion. l
travelled to Lynchburg and it's tobacco
industries. went from thence to sober
Knoxville investigating the race riot
there and the attitude OF Tennessee.
From Knoxville went to Chattanoo
ga and Birmingham in each Of which
great steel centres met the leading No
groes and investigated conditions.
was at Atlanta and walked across
Georgia to the sea, following Sherman.
a three-hundred mile walk through
the cotton fields and forests Of Georgia
From Savannah went to Brunswick
ana Jacksonville. thence to Pensac cola
and on from Florida to New Orleans
and the Gulf plantations. I journeyed
up the Mississippi OH river steamer,
stayed Mt the Negro city Of Mound
Bayou. was Mt Vicksburg and Green.
vile and Memphis and then repaired
once more to the contrasting North"
The most picturesque part of this
trip was the tramp through Georgia.
No one else used the rond forwalklng,
and Mr.. Graham was accounted pass.
ing strange. But his ready spirit ot
good fellowship won confidence and he
found out much concerning Shcrm ans
match from the oldest inhabitants and
much regarding the Georgia of today
from his own observations. His sum.
ming up Is not flattering "Rural Geor
gia Is not very much better today than
1t was In slavery days"
In the cities he mot leading men of
the colored race. mon who must be in
teresting TO read what he wrote. He Is
generous in his estimates Of the black
man, kindly but with d sense Of liumor
The further, South he: drops tho moro
he sees the Negro neglected, his opppr.
tunit1es lessened. He ia shocked that q
library, bearing. Carnegie's name, ad.
m1ts no coloreu reader. The lack OF
public schooling amazes him. He did
not visit Hampton though he was as
III ~
doubted its good work, but because ne
wanted to lind his Impressions on the
poorer schools, on what was usual not
what was occasional. It Is this spirit
thfI makes his book SO different from
that OF Archer or Maurice Evans; he
was not hoodwinked by the sight of
philanthropy.
While kindly toward the Negro he
is unsparing in his condemnation OF
the white southerner, yet he rccogntz
es that he exists inevitably, the sure
result of slavery. "You can classify all
races into those who say please and
those who do not and the children of
the slave owners are mostly in the sec
ond category. Unqualified mastershiD;
indifference to dirt and misery in the
servants class; callous disregard OF
others pain. or pleasure taken in their
pain: *+* all these terrible sins or sin
full conditions are visited on the third
and fourth generation Of those who
hate. though as must always he said
GODS mercy Is shown to thousands OF
them that love him and keep his cterr
al commandments" There are four
entertaining pages, humor yet trag
&c Of the fourteen points Of the south
erner's creed. give few.
1. eve understand the niggers ant
they like us. When they go North they
are crazy till they get back to us.
4. The niger is all right as long a.
he is kept in his place. You mus
make him keep his distance. If once
you are familiar with him you art
lost.
s. The Niger is an animal. Like tn,
animals he is full OF lust. Like thu
animals. also he does not feel pain
When he is burned 1t is not the sam,
as white man burning"
ID. Justice? Well. you ask any nigge