The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-12-09
Mastery Address Heard by
Kirshbaum Center
Audience.
GAINS AGAINST ODDS
Rise From SaVagery and
Slavery VividIy Painted
by Dr.. Johnson.
BY DANIEL NJ. KIDNEY

4Lle AiilbTICdu NEGRO, Will UdCh-
ground of African 5avagery and $50
yeara of slavery, is making distinct
contribution in all fields of Gre
alive endeavor, with but siXtyfour
years of freedom.
This conclusion was drawn by DR..
Mordecai Wyatt johnson, Negro
president of Howard university,
Washington, D. c., in addressing
the open forum at Kirshbaum
community center Sunday night.
More than one-fourth of the large
audience on hand to hear Johnson
were Negroes, who turned out to
greet one Of the outstanding leaders
Of their race.
The speaker began by tracing the
inauspicious start toward cultural
progress the Negro had. He pointed
out that but Sixty-four years ago
there we're 100000 Negroes in
America who just had been freed,
They were 80 per cent illiterate and
completely demoralized, he declared.
Start From Savagery
'~This group of people started from
slavery and savagery completely cut
of, from a cultural tradition trace
able back to the days of ancient
Rome" DR.. johnson declared.
"They had been denied the three
great culture bearerS-the church,
the school and the home.
when they were freed they were
surrounded by people VINO refused
to believe they were capable Of any
progress. Even today there are
whole nations which justify exploit
tation on the grounds that the ma
tives of the exploited areas are in
ferior people.
But the progress of the Negro in
America has disproved this theory
for all time. He has shown, against
overwhelming odds. that the shape
of a mans lead, the size of his lips,
or the length of his heel has moth
ing to do with his intelligence"
Cites Negro Progress
DR.. Johnson cited the examples
of Negro leaders in all fields. The
list included a scientist invited to
do research at a leading German
university; a Rhodes scholar, sew
eral actors and singers Of interna-
tional repute, artists and musicians.
He credited the late Booker T.
Washington with originating the
modern practical application OF
education to life work.
THE Negro" he continued, "iS
a living refutation of the current
philosophy that it is essential to
be rich to be happy.
Treated with contempt and in
suit, he remains the American ma
ture child-full of the milk of hu-
man kindness.
"Underpaid and Disseminated
against, he is our only singing
workman"
Loyal in Civil War
Proof of the kindly nature of the
Negro was demonstrated during the
Civil war, when slaves remained
faithfully in charge of the planta-
tions while their masters went to
war and even laid down their lives
to protect the masters family.
watch the Negro en- route to
war" DR.. Johnson cited. HE
knows that all the fine phrases
mouthed by the patriotic orators dc
not mean him. He knows that this
talk of greater democracy and the
like is not for him.
when he gets home, he even may
not be allowed to vote, if he lives in
a southern state. But he goes to wal
with a strut that indicates that he
was born just for this very bust
ness"
Negroes alone are capable Of real
jazz and spirituals, two of their
original cultural contributions, he
declared.
Master of Jazz
white people, at the present
time, are incapable of properly han
ding either jazz or spiritualS," DR.
johnson asserted. 1T requires that
leisurely abandonment of the world
of which the Negro alone in America
is capable. The white man wants tc
hurry through to see how the stock
market came out"
Rise of the Negro he interpreted
as tribute to the inherent dignity
of human nature, as SUCH"
DR.. johnson was introduced by
Dwight Ritter, leader in the inter
racial council here. DR.. johnson
answered questions following the
address.
The next open forum speaker is
Professor Thomas Vernon Smith OF
the University Of Chicago. He viii
speak on The Trend Of Modern
Life" Dec. %.