The Omaha guide., 1935-10-26
DR.. --D. D. s
Oct. IL, 1885

My Dear Dr.--:
| beg to acknowledge receipt Of
your favor touching conditions of
affairs ln--a n d glad to
know that you are doing we'll in
your profession and, l am sure, are
taking your rightful place in the
civic, social and moral leadership Of
the community. l trust that YOU
will have the fortitude to stand your
ground and maintain your effective
leadership Notwithstanding unto
ward conditions. If all Of the quail
fled leaders flee, who will be left to
guide the people in the way they
should go? The task is a difficult
and trying one but your high educa-
ton, If it is to be Of any use to you,
must enable you to meet just such
situations. You might migrate to
the North or West and find condi-
lions more agreeable and less taxing
upon your sensibilities, but unless
somebody is willing to stay in t h e
South and demean himself in such
manner that white and black must
take notice Of his statesmanlike
temper, the outlook is without hope.
] could wish that Howard men and
women teachers, physicians, law
yers, and in other professional
capacities, might scatter themselves
through the South ever in the mean
est and bedarkened places, and get
themselves up as philosophers, guide
and friend of the masses. Our high
schools, colleges and universities are
turning out graduates by the thou
sands. They cannot all find places
IN the North. Indeed the early in
centive of the founders of Negro
schools and colleges was to prepare
men and women with the requisite
knowledge and imbued with the spirit
OF sacrifice and devotion, who would
return to the Southland and devote
themselves to the task of leadership
md uplift among their people.
Howard University, as a premier
institution of higher learning for the
Negro, must regard this as its chief
junction. Supported as it is by the
patriotism and philanthropy of all
the people, it must serve the nation
IN those places where service is most
needed. The true teacher seeks a
field where there is the most ignor-
ance; the physician where there is
the most sickness; the lawyer where
there IS wrong to be righted, and the
minister where is the most sin. How
ard University should take the lead
ershlp and all other Negro colleges
and universities in the country
should follow in its train Of encour-
aging altruistic rather t h a selfish
service. It is only in this way and
In this spirit that the higher educa-
ton Of the Negro race, dependent as
II is upon patriotic and philantropic
support, can hope to maintain and
perpetuate itself.
The heaviest task Of race states
manship just now devolves upon
educated Negroes in the South. The
Northern Negro may well denounce
injustice at long distance, but the
Southern Negro must deal with it at
close range. He must, therefore,
have wisdom, judgment and discre-
ton. He must not allow himself to
be overcome Of evil, but he must
overcome evil with good. In the long
run what boots the difference since
the evil is overcome? When we en-
gage to combat race prejudice we
undertake a task Of incalculable diff
ficulties which would take genera
lions to settle. But each one must
perform his part with sufficient wis
dom to meet the requirements of the
day and hour.
But I fear that 1 have depressed in
to a general lecture rather than give
you the specific advice which you
seek. I am calling the attention of
the NAACP to the specific injustice
now being perpetrated in--.