The tribune independent of Michigan. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1935, 1934-04-28

facts; and TO appeal to the sense
OF decency and justice in all amer
lean citizens.
l have never known an Ameri-
can Negro who did not agree that
this was a proper program Some
have disagreed as TO the empha-
sis to be put on this and that me-
thod OF protest; on the efficacy of
any appeal against American pre-
JUDGE; but all Negroes have
agreed that segregation is bad and
should be opposed.
Suppose. however. that this ap-
peal is ineffective or nearly so?
What is the Negro going to do?
There Is one thing that he can or
must do. and that is to see TO IL
that segregation does not UNDER
mine his health; does not leave
him spiritually bankrupt; and
does not make him an economic
slave; and he must do this at any
cost.
IL he cannot live in sanitary and
decent sections of a city. he must
build his own residential quar-
ters. and raise and keep them on
a plane fit for living. IL he can
not educate his children in decent
schools with other children, he
must, nevertheless, educate his
children in decent Negro schools
and arrange and conduct and ov-
ersee such schools. II he cannot
enter American industry at a liv-
ing wage. or find work suited to
his education and talent, or re-
ceive promotion and advancement
according to his desserts, he must
organize his own economic life so
that just as far as possible these
determinations will not reduce
him to abject exploitation.
Everyone OF these movements on
the part of colored people are not
only necessary. but inevitable. And
at the same time. they involve
more or less active segregation
and acquiesence in segregation.
Here again. II there be any num-
Der OF American Negroes who have
not in practical life made this
fight OF self-segregation and self
association against the compul-
sorry segregation forced upon
pie. Several times The Crisis has
them. l am unacquainted with
such persons. They may, of course,
explain their compulsory retreat
from a great ideal. by calling seq
egation by some other name. They
may affirm with fierce insistency
that they will never, no never, I'M
der any circumstances acquiese in
segregation. But II they live in the
United States In the year of our
Lord 1884. or In any previous year
since the foundation OF the gov
eminent. they are segregated !:
they accept segregation, and they
segregate themselves, because they
must From this dilemma | see no
issue.
Boycott
Whittier does all this sudden
talk or segregation lead? May
by an appositive exam
ule. several times The Crisis has
commended what seemed to us the
epoch-making work OF The Chi
cago Whip when it instituted boy
ootts against stores In the black
belt which refused to employ Negro
clerks. Recently. in Washington, q
group OF young intellectuals
sought to do the same thing but
fell afoul OF the ordinances against
picketing. These efforts illustrate
the use of mass action by Negroes
who take advantage of segregation
In order to strengthen their eco
monte foundation. The Chicago
success was applauded by every
Negro In the land and the Wash
ington failure deserved success.
Today the same sort OF move is
being made In Richmond.
Yet. mind you, both these efforts
were Efforts toward segregation
The movement meant. in essence,
Ngro clerks for Negro customers.
OF course. this was not directly
said but this Is what II amounted
to. The proponents knew that Ne
gro clerks would only be hired II
Negro customers demanded II. and
il the Negro customers, as happen
ed in some cases. did not want to
be waited on by Negro clerks, or
even felt insulted II the Negro
clerk came to them, then the pro-
prietors had perfect right to re-
fuse to employ Negro clerks. In
deed, this happened in several cas-
es in Harlem, New York.
And yet given the practically
segregation OF resi-
dence. and the Negro race is not
only justified but compelled to in
woke the additional gesture which
involves segregation by asking
Negro clerks for Negro customers.
or course, the logical demand of
those who refuse TO contemplate
any measure OF segregation, would
be to demand the employment of
Negro clerks everywhere in the
city, and I'm all stores. at least in
the same proportion that the Ne
gro population bears to the total
This was not demand
ed because such demand would
be futile and have no implement
for its enforcement. But you can
enforce the employment of Negroes
by commercial houses In a Negro
community and this ought to be
done and must be done, and this
use OF the boycott by American
Negroes must be widened and sys-
tematized. with care. of course. to
avoid the ridiculous laws which
makes boycotts In so many cases
illegal.
The funny postscript to all this,
is that the same group OF Ne
groes who sought In Washington
to fight segregation with segrega-
ton, or better to build a decent
living on compulsory segregation.
Immediately set up yell of mo
when they read The
Crisis.
Indignation