The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1940-11-02
Address at NAACP Meetino
By Atty. VIM. Fl. Lewis

ton and democracy. Civilization and
democracy mean the right of all men
and women to enjoy political and civil
equality-and the equal Opportunity
to work and labor and achieve foy
themselves and their children. If d.
mocracy and civilization do not mean
this, they mean nothing; and are not
worth fighting for. If we are good
enough to play upon your football
teams and to join your Olympics
abroad, give US a chance at least
where we have shown the capacity and
are qualified, to lead as well as follow
There are four and one-half million
of aliens registered in the United
States, about million and quarter in
New England any one of them can
qualify to serve in the Army. Nav
and the Civil Service of the United
States Y taking out naturalization
papers. The colored people are native
born, their ancestors came here ten
years after the landing of the cavalier
at jamestown and a year before the
coming of the Pilgrim fathers to these
shores. This is our country, you can
not take it away from us. We fought
for independence. Washington did not
distain our services. Col. Greene Of
Rhode Island raised a regiment who
fought with him at Newport. The
Pickneys and Laurens of South Caro-
lima petitioned the Legislature for
leave to enlist persons of color in the
revolutionary armies. In the War Of
1912 on land and sea in the Army and
Navy Black men fought with jackson
at New Orleans and Perry upon Lake
Erie to continue the independence Of
the United States. Then we had gun
ners in the Navy. $4,000 men we
gave to the Union armies. Lincoln
said of them owe have the men, This
war could not continue three weeks
without them. Did we help preserve
the Union of these states? No one
can deny that fact. The 10th cavalry
saved the first Roosevelt at San Juan
Let Roosevelt, the second, beware
The colored regulars and volunteers
fought yellow fever in Cuba, leprosy
and dysentery in the Philippines while
doing the dirty work of the Army.
The first World War came. Did we
save the world for democracy? We
had a part in it. Did we save democ-
racy for ourselves? We did not We
can claim some credit for General
Pershing, Commander of the A.E.F'
because he began his military career
as a Captain in the 10th Cavalry;
$4,000 men of color were conscrpted
for overseas. 100000 went across,
some $4,000 were in the combat units
Some of them sleep in Flanders Field
There is no discrimination there, no
segregation there. There is no night
there, all is the eternal morning; Inc
Nazis may destroy and demollsh the
monument erected by the French to
black soldiers but they can not wipe
out what these soldiers Of France dld
there.
After one hundred and sixty-hye
years of service and sacrifice as SOL
diers and sailors in the ranks 90 we
not deserve better Of our country!
In the art of war and conduct on the
battle field colored people have a MS
tory. 1t must command notice Il ny
the respect of the world. Ha1nlDal
came out of Africa to make Rome
tremble before his power and mlgnt;;
The first Dumas, a fighting genera
under Napoleon, was deprived OF
Marshall's baton because Of the leal-
ousy of the Emperor. IousSiaaIL'
IHOuverture defeated both the BRUSH
and the French and won independence
for his country. Upon the Pla2S q. az
Havana I have seen the statue OF zen zen
Gomez, the lberator of Cuba; zen,
Dodds won undying glory for France
in the World War. -, ~
Washington plays the ostrlch ny
hiding its head in the sand. Inc IT, -
ment of the colored soldier ana SaliUi
weakens our foreign policy ana ue,
nrives us of our rightful influence
among the Nations of the World. Inv
South American Republics VIII
large infusion of colored blood IN VlleI
population can have no real taith anu
confidence in the justice or good llyeI-
tions of the American Government,
The strained and continued tension lin ~
our Japanese relations IS due W g sIo
constituencies of both nations upon :nr
question of color. Our foreign pun!
can not be the opposite Of our CONF ONE
tic policy. We wish to save denlocL az,
for the World. We must clean our o ond
house by cutting out segregation "''N
discrimination. ,ood
Whenever and wherever gU0l
cause is to be espoused or great Pre-
test is to be made against MUSIC tSe
and wrong, Boston is the time ana l. .4S
place. Adams and Otis made proVe4Ib, o
against taxation and brought on o yni
war for independence. Garrison o; a,t
Phillips and Sumner protested agal -ay
slavery, until slavery passed aT Iait
Trotter succeeded to the legacy i rev
bv these immortals and for NM nr5
Years was the voice of protest AZ" he
remonstrance. We take up WheLe nv NV
left off. Let the President Know 10, ~
these presents that we shall new, 70.
submit to a place of interiors IN a n
public of eqquaqlq qseTfq.hg g ~ On.
public of equals. The fight must ~ VIZ
There can be no appeasement.
arfO