The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1942-07-03
Pearl Bucks Commencement Address
To Students At Howard University

ther to bring about human equa-
lily in the world of which our ma
ton is only party"
do not YIELD" Miss Buck con-
tinued, for one moment to any
thing in our national life which
denies democracy. Press steadily
for equality, not only for ourselves,
but all those groups who are not
given equality. 1t is as important
for you to care that justice was
given to a few as 1t is for you to
fight for it yourself. 1t is the prin-
ciple that must be established for
all of us or none of us will have
it."
If have q criticism to make of
the colored people in our country,
it is that they have been selfish
in their interest in equality" Miss
Buck continued. They have
thought too often of equality only
for themselves in this one coun-
try-and by so doing they have
limited their own struggle and
robbed it of size and force and
meaning for the whole human
race. "You are not only simply a
group Of people in one country,
you are part of the great war of
the peoples for freedom. They are
not only colored peoples against
white, there are many white peo-
pie on your side, and white people
in many parts of the world who
are subject, too, to tyrants. You
must understand the meaning of
the war and you must wage it on
its true scale. BY linking your
particular battle for your own
place in your own country to the
whole war for freedom and human
equality in the world you will en-
large your forces and strengthen
your cause, and help to win the
war for democracy.
"And you must remember that
if we are really to achieve human
equality in the world the war must
not degenerate into a war of the
races or a war of East against
West. Such a struggle against
prejudices will win nothing :.
And what is your work? 1t Is to
be a bridge between your coun-
try and those of our countries of
which have just spoken. A bridge
between people. The white man
cannot perhaps understand India
as India now needs to be under
stood, nor will he help China as
China ought now to be helped. But
YOU can understand India because
YOU know what India has had to
suffer and you know what China
needs now at the peace table. Come
out of that little world of your
own and take your place in Ame-
RIGA as interpreters of the colored
race of the world.
"You must, in short, stop think
ing of yourselves as colored peo-
pie in a white country. You must
instead, think of yourselves as
people determined with other peo-
pie to make democracy come true,
Forget the color of your skin. How
can you ask white people to for
get your color If you cannot for
get it? When you really believe
that it makes no difference what
color your skin is, you can step
out of yourselves, free. You must,
in your own spirit, he equal to any
other people before you are equal.
Be free, and you can act as free
people; be equal and you will act
as human beings equal to any and
all. Drive out of yourselves first
the very member Of any difference
between people-deny it by what
you are. Go to your great work in
the world of today unhampered
by the thought of race prejudice
in others or in yourselves.
Gas far as you are able really
to believe in your own equality
SO far will you be able to bring
human equality about in our coun-