The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-08-04
NEGROES begin
TO SCRAP FAITH
OF OPPRESSORS
Significant Discussion
at N. Y. Convention
RY CATo ZONES.

Especial to the DAILY WoRKERl
NEW YORK, August 3.-The
international convention of the
Negro peoples of the world, be-
ginning its business sessions
here today after the ceremonial
opening of last night, is dis
cussing the idea of the Chris
tian "Holy Trinity" as being
composed of "a black man of
sorrows" (Jesus), "the Virgin
Mary as a Negress," and "a
Holy Spirit of imaginary
sembIance of the black race"
1t is a fantastic effort to re-
concile the religion so deeply
implanted in the Negro race on
the slave plantations by their
white masters, with a fast
growing consciousness that re-
ligious taught by masters to
slaves were not taught for the
slaves benefit.
Many sad experiences of Negroes
with the treachery of preachers of
their own race, often subsidized by
those who wish to keep the Negro
contented in subsection, are a spur
behind the weird plan to accept the
white mans trinity only in black.
The fact that the whole religious
conception would remain just as en-
Shaving in black terms as in white,
receives slight attention.
ReVoIts Under Religious Guise.
Certainly nowhere on earth except
in a convention of this sort could such
a discussion be heard. Many readers
unfamiliar with the history of the Ne
gro people would be misled by the
preoccupation of a convention with
such matters. Yet it is an outgrowth
of the historical past of the Negro.
In centuries suffering under the lash
of slavery, the Negroes found their
first and, at that time, the only pos
sible opportunity for gatherings, dis
cussions and organization, in the
guise of religious congregations. Such
excuses for assembling gave the Ne
gro slave his first social grouping, his
first leadership indeed, in some
notable occasions laid the groundwork
for slave revolts in pre-Civil War
days. The most famous example was
the revolt led by black preacher,
Nat Turner, nearly a century ago.
With this historical background,
there has always been a touch Of re-
ligious ceremonial about Negro organ
izations. Negro meetings Of no mat
ter what sort, invariably open with
prayer, even as this one is now open
ing.
Beginning of Religious Revolt.
But he who would let the subject
drop at this point, would be badly de-
ceived. A close examination will show
that even in the observance of the
practice in this instance, is an incon-
gruous effort to get away from at
least the white mans" version Of the
religion which was used by the south
ern slave-owning planter to paralyze
the minds Of his black victims. The
effort in this case is to translate the
forms of oppressor's religion into
terms of the Negroes racial self-re-
spect. His unwillingness longer to
submit to a white master-caste is
gropingly expressed in his unwilling
ness to worship a white god" Still
wandering in the mists of the religion
which helps to enslave him, the black
man has at least become disconnected
with the color of the mist.
AntI-clericaI.
The Universal Negro Improvement
Association, as shown by its published
motto: zone God, One Aim, One Des-
tiny" is not an anti-religious organ
ization. But it is distinctly anti-cler-
cal. Week after week its official or
gan, "The Negro World" thunders its
denunciation against the preachers
who mislead the race and against
"Christian religion as applied by the
white man" The efforts of the or
ganization have done much to free
the Negro from the baneful influence
of the church which has weighed so
long upon the Negro and retarded his
enlightenment It remains without
saying that the organizations prac-
tice may in future tend to hold the
Negro in superstition thru it's unwill-
ingness to reject theology. On the
other hand, 1t may develop from anti
clericalism into definite, modern,
scientific rejection Of religion and its
enslaving influence.