The broad ax., 1925-07-18

Woodson painstadngly began the la
borious and scientific work Of research
into the human exudation from Africa
that We have been able with any de-
gree Of pride to look into the past
and fortify ourselves against the @su-
premacy" club which the Anglo
Saxons have long had over our heads.
Like Topsy, historically we just grew;
but Dr. Woodson has woven into his
pages Of Negro history sufficient facts
to convince the world that this dark
content of America, with its varied
hues. can automatically point to the
past with as much consolation as any
other race
The work DR.. Woodson has per-
formed has called for unending self
sacrifice. A poor boy himself, engaged
in the laborious work Of the hand, he
saw the vision Of education, which
ended in his having conferred upon
him the highest degree from Amer
ica's most renowned university. In
the interim he was inspired to take up
the burden Of reducing Negro history
to practicable record form, in which
work he is still engaged. After almost
fearful persuasion to enlist the sym
pathy Of others who saw the tremend-
Gus value and influence Of Negro his
tory, and amid trying difficulties, DR..
Woodson set himself to the trying
task of compiling facts concerning the
Negro, both in his native land and in
America His work has been we'll
done, and the pages which he has
wrought out Of the dark past Of the
Negro, in themselves, make one of the
most signal services which any Negro
has ever performed in behalf Of his
people DR.. Woodson's historical
works are being used in many Negro
schools in the United States. By right
they should be absorbed by every liv-
ing American Negro, who should see
himself and his ancestors as Dr. Wood
son sees him and them.
DR.. Woodson is a profound scholar,
a Christian gentleman of high ideals,
and one Of our strongest proponents
Of unselfsh service to the race. His
life and his work are outstanding and
are loved and cherished by all who
have intrinsic pride in high endeavor
and the unselhshness of real service.
No greater baneful destroyer Of
racial hopes exists than the skeptic,-|
the brother who lacks confidence in
himself and his race. We have met
several different varieties Of this mem
Der Of the Four Horsemen, and it Is
both painful and pitiful to see him ap-
ply his extinguisher to the comfort
able warmth of racial advancement.
One skeptic, physician, said he never
paid any attention to what he read
in Negro newSpapers,-that it was all
bunk, and he could get enough real
news by reading the white dailies. An
other, Negro business man, said he
had no use for Negro lawyers, all Of
whom were N. @. "A modest washer
woman whose rent was being raised
every quarter or so, said she'd rather
pay her rent to white agent; while
another prominent doctor, with lu-
crative practice among his own people.
always cut in" white undertaken
whenever he could Still another
skeptic said he did not have much use
for colored dentists; and most Of the
brothers and sisters living near the
young colored druggist on the corner,
went down town for everything ex-
cepting ice cream sodas and postage
stamps.
Skepticism is the whitening fire
which is devastating to racial endeavor
and economic independence. It's pro-
ponents continually cut off their noses
to spite their face, for sometime or
other skepticism comes home to roost,
no matter how unwelcome it may Be.
1t is readily admitted that charlatans,
quacks, and ineficients are present in.
overwhelming numbers, a condition
which exists among all racial groups.
But this should bring no solace to the
whitening trail Of the skeptic who,
here and there. dashes cold water on
Negro business and Negro profess
sional life. The skeptic is a simon
pure criminal void Of pride and soul
Iessly impotent, and he should Be
driven from the household Of racial
effort. For this is a day Of optimism
for those whose faces are set towards
the day Of economic emancipation.
Producers must Be equalized BY con
sumers, and knocks must be given
away to boosts. Else, what new hopes