The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1937-04-16
Writer Answers Question;
SHOULD WE DROP "NEcRo7''
BY HENRY SHEPARD
(Crusader News Agency
-

called Negro all tile inequality
and social injustices they now suffer
would magically disappear.
Some Of these people prefer being
called Race men," ssAfro-Ameai-
cans" or Of having our people, the
Negro people, referred TO as Race
Group. There are others that like
to be called "colored. The idea be-
hind all this is to escape the Jim crow
insults and discriminatory practices
Of the white ruling class Of America.
When Ceaser and his Roman le-
giofis landed on what is known today
rs great Britain he found tribe of
wild savages that painted their bod
les with red clay The Romans con-
quered these wild natives and called
them after the color Of the clay on
their bodies "Briton.' The Bri-
tons were enslaved by the Romans,
oppressed and despsed. Did the
Britons waste their time and energy
fighting against name? No! These
former slaves Of Rome organized
their forces for decisive struggle
against their Roman masters and
succeeded in driving them out Of the
British Isles The British people are
today respected in every corner Of
the world.
All People Saw Slavery
There are few, il any people III
the world today that were not al
some time IN their history the slaves
Of another and more powerful peo-
pie. History also teaches that only
those peoples who organized and
fought against their oppression won
freedom and respect for themselves.
Today, the task of the Negro peo-
pie Of America is one of struggle
Struggle not as TO whether we should
be called scolored'. Race men,
Afro Americans" etc, but strug-
gle fortbasic and Fundamental things.
We must fight for complete equality
with other peoples.
New Name No Solution
We're we to be called Race men !,
"eolored. !" OF Afro-Amcricans Z
would this stay the hand of the fas-
eist lynch gangs2 Would change
Of nsma enable is to but ticket on
Pullman travelling through the
Southern States2 Would the Sou
thern ruling class permit us to vote
in those iim-crow states that have
disffanchised our people, simply be-
cattse we had changed our name2 In
other words, would the mere change
from one name to another raise the
social, political and economic status
of our people under the present re-
dictionary set-up in America? OF
course not!
Conditions in America can be inn
proved for the black man We can
bring about this improvement, pro
yided we take the right road The
right road certainly is not one Of
whining over name. Conditions
can he changed only if we begin to
deal telling blows against the iim-
crow and lynch institutions Of Ameri-
ca. Institutions established by the
rich white ruling class.
What Must Be Done
What are some Of the things that
must be done?
First Of all, it is necessary to re-
cognize that to change our name will
not change our color. It is by our
color and certain physical character
istics that arc known, that we can be
singled out by the ruling class chauv-
7nists for speciol pedseeution and
Jim-crow insults. 1t is only through
strong and powerful organization
that that we can meet and defeat
Jim-crow insulters of the Negro peo-
pie
Secondly, it is necessary to know
that the Negro Americans that suf-
fer under the present set-up but
millions of poer whites az well. We
must find common meeting ground
to unite with these exploited writes,
to combat the policy of "divide and
rule" adopted by the money kings"
of our country.
This meeting ground can be found
in the struggle for better and more
enjoyable life. In other words,
higher wages, shorter working hours,
civil liberties.
Allies are always needed IN any
important struggle. People them
selves to each other because of cer-
tain mutual interests Is there any
thinking person that would deny the
fact that unity between the Negro
and the poor whites would benefit
both? Such unity will guarantee for
higher living standard for all wor-
kers. It IS only because this unity
has not yet been firmly established
ahat the ruling class is able to use
white against black and vice-versa.
Check for more Of this article