davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07

wants. I understand also the fear
in the Negroes heart that causes
certain Negroes to deny their hum
ger for things that make men hui
man. ] understand also the fear
in the white mans heart that makes
him more willing to work for spe-
citic, short-range goals such as the
vote, better schools, better jobs for
Negroes, than to change his own
attitude about himself and his white
race.
These fears, these emotional
hungers, need 10 be faced and UNI
derstood by all of us, though it
will not be easy for white or black
{. face them.
MAN is NOT AN ECONOMIC
OR POLITICAL UNIT
The first step is to acknowledge
that man is not an economic or
political unit. To pretend that he
is, is to ignore personality and
cheaper the human spirit. And by
ignoring mans psychological needs,
by pretending 10 ourselves that his
economic or political status is more
important than his personality
status, we oversimplify complex,
subtle, tragically profound prob
lem and fail miserably in our ef-
forts to solve it, as We have been
failing for almost century.
We whites cling desperately to
the belief that the problem of race
relations is the Negro problem"
that il is matter OF economics, that
it will take a long time to educate
a Negro" Why? Because we dare
not face the fact that race preju-
dice and the cultural and psyche
logical patterns of segregation
which have grown out OF the white
mans complex feelings about skin
color profoundly affect us and our
children on every level of our life
and culture. We dare not acknowl-
edge and meet in creative way
those emotional needs within our
own families that, N a Whlte-Su-
premacy culture. we have been per-
mitted 10 project upon the Negro.
making him our scapegoat, using
him as our psychological safety
waive. CpOn WHOIl Can we tuIl OuT
hate il we no longer can turn il
upon him? To whom can we feel
superior. il We bring the Negro up
10 us on a level of human equality?
We say Il will take a long time
for the Negro to get to the place
where he is worthy Of democracy"
Some, of US. fear, hope il will take
long time-because we do not
know what we shall do with our
own fears and hates when we car
no longer take them out OIL. the
Negro or on some other scapegoat
We hope 'it will be a long time
before We have 10 change our own
selves. our attitudes toward sex. our
family patterns; before We have 10
find new outlets for old Illustrations,
not only economic Illustrations but
those deeper hungers Of our emo
tional lives that in our culture are
100 often left unsatisfed. These
are complex. difficult problems
which must be probed more deeply
before We shall fully understand
them, and before we can confess
their implications for our personal
lives.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
SOUTHERN LARGESS

Matte. Mrs Alan ID Whittskers
faithful cook for 20 years, acclaim
ed as the best cook in the world
by all the Whi,takerS friends e.
has yearned To he known as the
owner OF a war bond. So for
q whole year she has been saving
pennies and the tips which 9.
and DieutenantS) gave her
Last week 80. she lacked only 90
cents OF having enough money to
make her purchase So Mrs Whit
taker and her sister donated the
necessaryn amount in order that
Matte might buy her war bond. -
i(From ihe society notes OF the At
lanta Constitution.
The New Republic
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07

Despite all our talk about edu-
cation and the hard fights some
Of us wage TO get better educa-
tional facilities, and despite the
sacrifices of our forefathers and
mothers. il is a dlscouraging
truth that many thousands of
Negroes who should know bet
ter are refusing to go TO school
One of the most moving parts
OF Howard Fast's novel. Free
dom Road is his description
of the hard, slow, determined
progress Of Gideon Jackson in
1earning-to read and write.
Uhep Gideon weAt doU,n IN
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07

clearly what they are. We who do
not believe In Segregation as . way
Of life. must say 10. We must break
the conspiracy Of silence which has
held Us In . grip 30 strong that
IL has become taboo. We must say
why segregation Il uncomfortable to
the human spirit. We must some
how And the courage to say it aloud
For, however we rationalize our
silence, it is fear that is holding our
tongues today. A widespread denial
of a belief in segregation and all
that it implies will shake this way
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
ANIMAL STORY

Cages at the Antwerp 700 fig-
ured in the widely told story about
the underground worker who was
disguised as . lion and thrust into
cage full OF ferocious- looking
lions by his friends to hide him
from the Gestapo. When he pro-
tested. one Of the lions sidied up TO
him and whispered: shut up. DO
you want 10 give us all away"
List week those cages were being
used for the temporary detention
Of Germans and Belgian collab-
orationists
N. Y. Times
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
BY 1T. TERRY DOUGLASS

Greetings, Old Glory.
Here am.
The colored solder,
Ready TO protect you.
To serve. 10 fight. 10 die.
Now. Old Glory.
know your story.
Yoa amt just rag.
With a lot Of stars and stripes.
You represent America
One hundred thirty million people,
Forty EIGHT States and territories,
You are mountains and trees.
Valley and streams and seas.
You are the man with he hoe.
The machiniSt, the preacher.
The lawyer, the actor.
The farmer,
You are America!
You are the railroads,
The courts, the Constitution,
The President. the Congress.
The factories. the churches.
The schools. the homes.
You are America.
Yes. Old Glory,
know your story
But
Do you know nine.
Il am the colored soldier.
When needed your call.
Was editor. poS;nan. surgeon,
Shipyard worker, fireman.
Police Lieutenant. Sienographer.
Government worker. engraVer.
laburer
Pullman porter. aircraf; worker.
| was factory Inspector!
| was lawyer.
Judge. soeiologist.
Scientist. cartoonist. sports editor,
Preacher. school teacher. farmer.
Insurance executive, college preSi-
dent.
Orchestra leader. dancer, artist
Now
I am buck private.
| am brigadier general.
! am sergeant.
| am ship captain,
| am flyer ssiler, marine,
| heard your call,
! am here.
4 come from Mississippi,
Where they lynch me,
From Harlem
Where they house me in ghettos;
From louisiana,
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Notice In . drugstore window:
Out Of toothpaste, out Of kleenex,
out Of bathing caps. out Of Ice
cream, out OF patience, and out Of
town.
Peoples Voice
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
A GI TALKS WITH OLD GLORY

Where they burn me at stakes:
From Georgia,
Where Talmadge cursed me;
l come from every State in the
Union.
come because you called;
You called because you needed me
Il come withou. fear OF death,
For have died many deaths
Burned at stake,
Hung from trees,
Dragged through streets,
Whipped and shot,
While in the distance,
You made an attractive picture,
Si.houetted against the sky.
In the past have died without q
chance
But tomorrow
II ! must d then
Ii will be with a gun n my hand,
Fight IN my heart,
Hope in my soul.
What I fear most Is
Living Death
Voteless citizenship.
Back seats Of buses.
Front seats OF trains,
White Only on
Jobs, stores. schools. and churches.
Jim Crow
In Army Navy. Marine.
And Air Corps.
Germans and Japs can only
Kill the body;
Old Glory.
You can Kill the soul.
But. tomorrow. Old Glory.
When war IS over,
And you no longer need ne 10 fight:
Yes. when | come marching home
VIII you turn your wrath for the
AXIS
Upon me-
Will you send me back 20 the hell
| knew before the war
In your hour Of trouble come
Willing 10 serve.
Can | depend on you
When my troubles come.
To tell Americans that I am no
step-child
i am American, too.
That, through
! Blood, Sweat. and Tears
have fought. braveiy. triumph
sntly.
To demand my right 10
| Life.
Liberty. and
Pursuit OF happineSsl'
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07

OF life to its roots. Each Of Us In
his heart knows this. In the begin.
ming the Word and today the
Word is powerful. To remain silent
while the demagogues. the Negro
haters. the racists, the mentally i'll,
loudly reaffirm their faith in segre-
CATION and the spiritual lynching
which their way Of life inflicts. Is
to be traitorous to everything that
is good and creative and sane In
human values. ! believe the time
has come when we must take our
stand.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07

Negro is just naturally primitive.
savage Thus the Southerner is not
accustomed to believe that he him.
self and his Southern society have
had the largest part in making The
Negro what he is.
The second kind Of Negro who
might well be publicized in fiction
is the skilled Negro. Skilled hands
and brains don't jibe with savagery
and barbarism. They don't jibe
with shiftleSSness: nor with low
mentality. The image Of the skilled
person fits well into the kind Of
society we are trying 10 build.
GENIUS MUST
BE PUBLICIZED
The third kind OF Negro who
needs to be publicized in fiction is
the Negro of superior powerS-the
genius. We know now that he
exists. George Washington Carver
has once and for all given the lie
10 the assertion that Negroes are in
evitably of low mentality.
Close TO the genius is the hero.
American whites love bravery; ad-
mire and love the brave man and
woman. Negro history has had its
brave leaders. fighting for their
people under the most heartbreak-
ing conditions But bravery is not
confined 10 Negro leaders. II is
part Of the every day conditions OF
Negro life Every Negro boy, from
the very beginning Of his life. has TO
learn that he is in the midst OF
dangers and that he has to make
his way through life ir spite OF
them. Every Negro mother who
brings her child into the world has
10 be brave 10 keep him going in
a hostile environment. Every Ne
gro man who loves his family and
loves justice has 10 be brave enough
TO carry on In the midst of the
most hideous injustice. Bravery Is
tn Negroes middle nae. The whit,
child. lnal, or woman Is practically
n.ver confronted with the terrors
are the daily portion Of most
Negroes.
A hfth kind OF Negro who needs
puolicizing IS the effective organ.
A@VA. " llAtt SpNltlN lays stress on
the organizing virtues. II is hard
for the white man 10 conceive of
working happily with individuals
VINO nave no organizing power
whatever: who have 20 be directed
al every least detail. Such indi-
Nlduals he regards as infants and
treats with a mingled affection and
contempt. The white man feels
mat such persons may be handy
workers at simple. specific Jobs. but
hat they are not personnel to be
upsraded into managerial authority.
We need the image OF the Negro
as puolie minded. Democracy de-
pendS for its success upon the pres
ence Of individuals who are able Ia
mink and act beyond their own
limited interests. Much has beer
done TO publicize the Negro. who
IN protest against white Injustice
mas worked for his own people: but
.it,.e has been done TO puolicize the
Negro who has worked among his
own people: The nurse. teacher.
minister. community neighbor.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
the NEGRO In nc
BY HARRY A. OVERSTREET
(Erom The Saturday Review Of Literaturell

The Negro writer of fiction is inevitably spokesman for
his people He is free write what he pleases Such
freedom reserved for the whites 1t is of little moment
white novelist depicts white characters who wholly
despcab Every white reader knows that such
in minority and that the white whole will go
quite safely in spite OF them Not so the Negro writer
depicts Negroes who despcabe The white reader will
be likely to shake his head Nigger blood Bad business
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07

(Reprinted from The New Republic)


We are facing serious racial crisis In American life
today crisis that cannot be met in the old with the
old answers to avoid tragedy The hopeless believe
this tragedy is unavoidable But those who believe
the Of the creative mind accept such defeat
ism. We know there is out II but find It, Many
of searching for that though still refuse
leave the old PATH reracng their steps again and again in
circles all lost tend to
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07

TNHE ELEMENTARY and high schools in most
parts Of the country have been underway for
severalwe and the colleges will all have opened
up by the time this is in print. SO that il seems
good time TO emphasize the Importance of getting
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
PREJUDICE WARPS
CHILDREN'S PERSONALITIES

II is easier. however. 10 see the
immediate effects of racial segrega-
ton upon children. We know a
chi,d's personality canno, grow and
mature without self-esteem. with
out feelings OF security. without
faith in the worlds willingness to
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
BY clARsNce ANDERSON

MALCOLM Single Shot) Ross. Marvin Du Pres
AVA Singers, and mass meetings are subjects all
tangled up today in this columns mind-what
there is of it. Also camoring for attention is the
allegation that woman is inferior to man because
she was created out of only one instead of all of
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
NUDE MANUSCRIPT

In New York. an editor opened. q
manuscript that consisted entirely
Of nudes OF a young lady named
Raymond. She wanted 20 sell the
idea OF Yoga exercises in book
form. The editors report eonsistsd
of = single line: Il see nothing In
this manuscript except Miss Rag
mond."
Saturday Review Of Literature
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
AS YE SOW

In Harlem. Mrs. A. ID. Babb had
two signs In her window: I. Mid
wife; 2. Petite Hand Work.
Time
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
IMAGE OF NEGRO AND
WHITE UNITY NEEDED

Finally. We very badly need the
image OF ne Negro and the white
man working together for an end
that has nothing 10 do with the ara-
cial issue This image is found most
vividly today on the battleneldA
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
The Negro Writer As Spokesman

Enemy bullets make no Jim Crow
distinction between blacks and
whites; they tear the flesh of each
with equal fatality. Again. the
tommy gun of the Negro soldier can
kill the enemy as effectively al
the tommy gun of the white soldier.
And when \ colored soldier carries
a wounded white soldier to safety
his carrying is just rs helpful and
heroic as II the arms that did the
carrying were white.
Among children. we see white
and colored play together in perfect
harmony and unselfconsciousness.
They do not stand suspiciously eye
ing each other. They are absorbed
in something outside themselves:
the game they play. We need to
see white and colored youths and
adults in that kind OF unsehcon-
scious relationship.
In spite Of the differences be-
tween white and colored-and these
differences are real-the two will
have TO :. lid here in America q
common culture. We need. there
fore, the image OF the two working
together-and, when occasion re-
quires il. fighting side by side. AZ
We become accustomed to this-in
fiction and in fact-we shall be
more ready to admit its perfect
naturalness.
When any action OF ours refuses
to accent the naturslness of such
joint involvement in common
causes, ii stands out like a sore
thumb. The papers carried recent
ly the report Of hospital incident
and seemed starkly unnatural: a
wounded white soldier. unable to
feed himself. refused to be fed by
a Negro nurse. An incident Of this
kind seems such an affront to what
We recognize as fitting that ii hits US
with shock. The situation calls for
mutual respect and mutual help
fulnesS of white and black: and any
refusal TO accept this fact must rate
as not only an insult to the Negro
nurse but as an embarrassment to
all white soldiers Of average good
taste.
REASON WILL NOT
BREAK DOWN PREJUDICE
The race problem is basically one
involving prejudice; and where
prejudice lives reason cannot get
IN. The strategy Of overcoming ra-
cial prejudice. therefore. cannot de-
pend upon marshalling powerful
reasons. Entrance into the pr4ju-
diced areas has 10 De effected by
other means.
The story can turn the trick: for
rafting good story takes the
reader by surprise on all fronts.
His defenses are down: he Is hav-
ing whale Of a good time. II the
characters are sympathetically
drawn, he Identifies himself with
them. He lives through their ad-
ventures; suffers with their disap-
pointments; triumphs in their sue
ceSses
When a fight for = good cause 10
going on, the courageous individual
wants TO be in on IL. Writer'S of
fiction. who care about Justice To
the Negro. have seemed TO feel that
they must make their stories INTO
weapons for the fight. Yet il might
be wiser strategy for them to re-
gard their stories as the means
whereof. people Of both races could
be induced TO meet. The whites
need TO know the Negro and 10 like
him. A special obligation, there
fore, Is upon the Negro writer 10
turn 20 the story as a means where's
by he may make his people known.
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
SEGREGATION CAN
CHANGE RAPIDLY

Believing this. I cannot endure
the idea SO many liberals hold that
segregation must change slowly. 1
believe 1t can change as rapidly ~
each Of Us can change his own
heart. I believe IL will never change
until we look ut what l. Is doing
to the personality and character Of
every child. every grown-up, white
and colored. in the South today
and to . less bitter degree through
out the country. Segregation is
spiritual lynching. The lynched and
the lynchers are our own people.
ourselves, our children.
These are grave matters. troub-
ling matters. which feel must be
faced, analysed. For problems must
be enunciated before we can know
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1944-10-07
ADDRESSED TO WHITE LIBERALS 3, LILLIAN SIN

make room for him to live as a hui
man being. Sef-esteem and emo
lonal security are 10 character
what vitamins are 10 the body. No
colored child in our country. how
ever protected within the family,
Is being given today what his per-
sonality needs in order to grow and
mature fully and richly. No white
child. under the segregation pattern,
North or South. can be free Of AFRO
gance. hardness of heart, blindness
to human needs. The bitter and
unacceptable fact is that our children,
white and colored. are growing dis
torted. twisted personalities within
the gripping frame of segregation
which we have imposed upon them.
l personally would prefer that
my own child do without shoes than
that he do without the esteem Of
his fellows, and ! would prefer that
he never look into a book than that
he look down upon another human
being. or course. / want him to
know what is in books, but | want
him much more 10 know what is in
mems hearts. This he can never
learn unless he looks at them with
level eyes. Shoes are important for
both white and colored feet-who
would deny this! But a child can
go barefooted without great harm;
he cannot 60 one day unesteemed
by his fellows without deep injury
to his personality. Our children.
Negro and white. need all OF these
things, but will probably have little
OF them as long as we refuse to
acknowledge them as human beings
in need of that which makes men
| human.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-04-11
Avi|a Cornacho
Assailant
Reported Dead

MEXICO CITY, April II. CUP)
Mexican newspapers said Tues
day it was ''rumCred strongly"
that Lieu enant de la Lama Ro'ss.
32-year-old army officer, had died
of a wound suffered as he tried
tc escape from custody Monday
night after an unsuccessful attempt
to assa..sinate President Manuel
Avila Camacho.
The rumor was not confirmed by
other sources, although it was
printed in II Nacional, government
official orga'. which is close to re-
srCnsible OIL .rter' and in a pcsl-
ton to know TIE lactS. Il official
statement was not expected until
later in the day.
PRO-NAIE I',F-UP
Lama Rojas, who apparen J mac
cornecticns with pro-Nazi SYM
pathizers, was shot N lie back
Monday night as he ats, 9ted to
flee from Etche-Garay .!--Itary
barracks following his incarceration
en- charges Of high treason for
his effort to assassinate the presl-
dent.
The artillery officer, long time
friend of the chief executive and
a member of the palace staff, fired
a 45-calibre automatic point blank
at Avila Camacho in the presiden-
tial palace Monday morning, but
the bullet passed harmlessl3'
through the presidents coat just
above the ..eart.
After being suboued, Lama Ro-
las was taken to Etche-Garay BAR
racks in the state of Mexico and
held en- charges of high treason
and assault on his commandment
chief. Facing a possible death
penalty if convicted of either
charge, the officer attempted to
escape Monday night.
ADMITS ESCAPE SHOT
Commander Antonio Lozano Ruiz
Of the 9th Regiment CT cavalry at
Etche-Garay said Lama Rojas was
"gravely wounded in the attempt.
"Rojas tried tC get away the
commander said. and there was
nothing for the guards to do but
shoot. One ihot entered Rojas
back and came out through his
stomach"
Imperial Valley press., 1944-04-11
Truck Checking
Station Slated

Effective Tuesday a central
truck tire inspection station was
established in the FL Centre area,
embracing the following towns anG
their adjacent territories, Holtville,
Imperial, and Calexico.
The announcement by George w.
Glass, district tire inspector, ap-
pointed w. J. Crossland, Eieht'
and Broadway as the central
station. Under the new plan local
inspectors will fill cut the requir-
ed application forms and Tie APP
plication (R-D will be taken to-
gether with the demounted tire
to the central station Tor roin-
spection who will approve or disa-
prove the application.
Reason for the change, according
TO the Ell Centre office is that the
situation has become so serious
daily that we must make sure that
no truck tire be removed from SER
vice If it can be repaired, recapped,
or in any way kept in service UNI
til that tire is no longer uselul
ana 1t has delivered i,g last pos
sible mile"
Imperial Valley press., 1944-04-11
laps Strengthen
Burma Forces

NEW DELHI, April IL. (UP)-
Fresh japanese troops and equip
ment were reported streaming into
Burma from Thailand and other
southeast Asia resel voirs Tuesday
in an effort to halt the Allied Of
fensive in northern Burma and re-
inforce enemy invasion armies in
eastern India.
Allied spokesmen indicated that
thousands of Japanese soldiers, rae
ing to beat the rapidly approaching
monsoon rains, were being rushed
into battle areas over the network
of railroad lines feeding into CEN
trail and northern Burma from oc-
cupied Thailand.
Meanwhile, an Allied communi-
que revealed that British imperial
forces were holding fast in the east
Indian supply base of Kohima un-
der increasingly-heavy japanese at
tack, while other Allied units fought
off advanced elements of three in
vading columns closing in on I'M
phal, 60 miles to the south.
Imperial Valley press., 1944-04-11
BY UNITED PRESS

A pressure area attended
by general storm conditions
moved eastward toward the
Ohio Valley today leaving behind
it flooded streams and dozen tor
naco swept towns in the central
states.
Red Cross officials said IA per-
sons were killed. l4l injured, and
three reported missing in Arkansas,
Oklahoma, and Texas. The Red
Gross listed 10 cead in Arkansas
alone. A total of Sis families were
left homeless by the storms.
The Red Cross listed seven per-
sons dead in Monroe county, Arkan-
sas, two in Pulaski county, one in
Boone county, and two at Pine
Bluff. One person was killed at
Hamilton, Tex, and one at Cordell,
Okla.
Small twisters struck near Hutch
inson in western Kansas and Wal
nut in the southeast part of the