The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1939-04-14
F E A ATU r ES
Observation-Disclosures
lIlIIllIUlIlIllIIIIllUlllIIlIIllIIluIIlIlllll
NEGROES LOSING THEIR LAND
DANGEROUS SYMPTOM

In a recent survey conducted by
the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, it
was revealed that gradually land
ownership by Negroes in Virginia is
decreasing Wherein this phenom-
, cnon represents an isolated situation
in time and space it need not occa-
!. sion alarm; but wherein it repre-
sents a general tendency it becomes
an alarming economic symptom and
one that should cause Negro leader
ship grave concern. The desire to
own land was one of the fine and
. constructive obsessions of the older
Negroes and because Of it much land
was acquired
Negroes Losing Land
For some years there have been
indica ions that this land purchased
through sweat and blood was grad
ually slipping from the present Ne
gro generations. In far too many
instances lands are gong to waste
that few years ago were IN fine
states of cultivation, while thousands
of younger Negroes from the South
are languishing in the Sums Of the
Northern cities. What is worse,
. | these lands are being repossessed by
the whites who more and more are
I | returning to the farm for susten-
ance One reason the younger gen
/ erations Of Negroes is Indifferent TO
the possibilities Of land ownership
resides in the fact, that Negro lead
ership has been remiss in its great
opportunity to hold before the race
the futurelesspess Of landless peo-
Y plel The group that relinquishes
i hold on the land IS on its way out.
9 The fus ure Of the Negro lies on the
i farm and not III the city, The city IS
Of the white man by the white man
and for the white man. The Negro
; need not hope for more than what
5 is left" and this is becoming less
!, and less While few Negroes may
4
!; netence. the masses are going to be
3 more and more distressed. Ii this
j fact were more generally pressed
3. upon the Negro he would be more
hesitant To let his land get away.
But the matter 81 urging Negroes to
e stick to the land is not popular and
l tt. nj
Negroes arc wont TO manifest. But
as about the farm, ~ about many
other matters of vi al concern. Ne
6 gro leadership is more desirgus of
j being popular than in being help,
full IT has come about that little
OF nothing is beng done to point
u out the shortcomings along with tht
long -comings Of the race, Nobody
s is doing anything to provoke tht
race to serious thought on IA racja
program Aside from protest, w
8 have no program; and this writei
has pointed out time and again thai
a program based on protest a.one
will not suffice. Negroes need yoca
tional education most keenly today
but there is NOBODY TO press the mat
ter upon him.
Teachers Apathetic to
Vocational Training
This matter must be sold through
our school systems but our teach
ers are not sold on the matter OF
vocational education. They do not
believe in it and therefore cannot
commend it to their pupils. 1t is
safe to say that the major results
Of the entire program Of Negro ed
ucation can be resolved. into two
fundamental reactions to he world
about us, the white collar COM
plexo and the protest COMPLEX.
Aside from these two reactions the
moral effects Of our euucation are
negligible. The situation demands
that somebody do some straight talk
10 Negroes tnemaelyes. When we
shall have gotten the w.ita man
told and have learned to speak
up to" and back" ut h.n, we are
still long way from the Promised
2 Land Of economic and social saliva
Z ton. Negroes have laul,. no less
J than the VI ite man and aey hould
= be Sold of tileee faults.
8 Should See Our Own Faults
A spoiled race IN this age IS at
a serious disadvantage and this will
= be more disadyantageous as the gen.
: erations come and go. Israel must
' be told Of his sins. We are not do
4 ing he cause Of Negro advance ment
= to direct all oil our criticism a5 the
Y dominant white man and fail to
7 exhort and adlnonish our own peo-
: pie along the ways of survival. The
white man makes US race conscious,
y but we ourselves must achieve vote
:, consciousness, job-conscieusness, dol
Y lar con ei5usness and farm-consci-
2 BUSINESS. Strangely enough almost
= the entire Negro press is addressed
I to the white man rather than to the
I Negro. This need not be so with the
{ columns of the white press open to
y Negroes. The Negro press should
be addressed to the Negroes and
= ,i8t e i -. =.