The Omaha guide., 1936-02-29
KELLY MILLER
SAYS
THE ALL-NEGRo CONFERENCE


OnFeb. 18th 1924, I called the
Conference, to meet in Chicago. I
here reprint extracts from this
call.
Object of the Conference
There are already innumerable
organizations in the racial field
operating separately and several
ly. Each is efficient in it's sphere,
but no one of them, nor yet all Of
them combined, can claim to be
sufficient as concerns thegeneral
welfare of the race. They are all
aiming at the same objective, with
out correlation, unity of plan or
harmony of procedure. Nor does
any existing organization deal
with the whole problem Of racial
life and relationship. Each is con-
cerned with some special feature
rather than with the problem as a
whole. The religious, political, ed
vocational, industrial, economic and
social features are but em~anations
and specific emergencies from a
common racial background. The
Negro Sanhedrin hopes to reduce
all of these social fractions to a
common denominator. The whole
is greater than any of its parts,
and equal TO the sum of all its
parts. The Negro Sanhedrin does
not propose to interfere with any
existing organization or to usurp
its functions. In a nutshell, its OBJ
jet is to make for understanding
and unity. 1t hopes to reach an un-
derstanding of the problems IS a
whole and to promote harmoniza-
ton of effort Of existing agen-
cies to secure the desired end.
The All-Race Conference must con-
slider the state of the race, l am
almost persuaded to say, the uni
ted state of the race"
The Nature of the Problem
The Negro question is a prob
lem of psychology. The white race
in America has a certain more or
less fixed and definite attitude
concerning the place and sphere of
the Negro in the general scheme.A
race consciousness win necessar-
lily arise under compulsion OF exter
nal circumstances. Purposive intel
ligence must be brought TO bear
to give it orderliness and direction.
To inquire into the origin of race
prejudice or to seek the limit with
in which 1t is modifiable, would in
deed furnish a theme of interest
ing and curious speculation. But
! we do know that 1t is a pressing,
present, persistent fact which on
ditions the entire scheme of the
Negroes life and relationship. Race
craftsmanship requires that we
study to understand the operation
of this controlling influence, to
withstand as far as we may its
hurtful effect, and to stand the re-
sidue that may not be withstood.
1t cannot be conceded for a moment
that the race hasn't sufficient wis
dom to formulate it's WI philoso-
ply and to state its own case. This
must be done in terms that are 80
comprehensive, so clear and pre-
else that the race will be compel
led to accept and the world to take
notice. So far, the Negro has not
undertaken, in any serious way, to.
formulate a declaration of prin-
ciples for his own guidance. The
white man has spoken for him and
told him what he thinks he ought
to do. We have followed the lead
ing strings of material charity and
intellectual philanthropy. But the
time has now come when the Ne
gro must think and speak for him
self in terms Of his own under
standing of his own conditions. If
he is not now prepared to use his
own brains and his own tongue to
think out and express the policy
for his own intimate guidance, his
helplessness is indeed pitiable The
white man at his best has been
generous and kind. He has spoken
for us when our tongues were tied
but now our tongues have been
loosed and our intellectual ener-
gies released. The white man at