The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1944-11-11
BROWN AMERICANS" HAVE OUTSTANDING RECO
SAYS CORNET

For editorial comment this week. using the fol-
lowing
"A well known Negro orator used tell the story of
Negro boy who went out for the team Of Northern uni
versty begins article in the November issue of Corone
teammates jumped the bar held at the announced mark
But when the Negro participated the white boys would raise
the bar The result that the Negro having to make
that extra bit of height became the best jumper and
the championship
The story may apocryphal says Coronet But ithas
enough of the truth to be characteristic of the long uphill
climb of Americas Is million Negroes Handcaps imposed
by prejudice condemn the less strong to poverty and
Illustration But Jump. that extra inch and achieve
heights equal to beyond their white brothers, Five OF
these Sketched briefly
Brig Gen Benjamin O. Davis first Negro to attain this
rank promoted soothe the feelings of Negro
who became ncensed at the objectionable behavior of
White House secretary The Of his elevation might
have been embarrassing anyone of less stature than Gen
eral Davis But he ignored comment an the promotion he
had in reality earned years before and set about his job
with the faithuness and seafceent that has char
acerzed him since he entered the army in July 1898 dur
ing the with Spain
derson to sing in Constitution Hall in Washington the dis
tngushed American contrao became unwilngy the
trail figure of national controversy One Of the most dis
tngushed citizens committees organized thereupon
ranged to have her sing at the Lincoln Memorial Easter
Sunday and $4,000 stood to hear the young
who had fought not only prejudice but abjec poverty
to become of the nations great artists and of whose
voice Toscanin has said "a like yours heard
in hundred years.
The rolls American athletes are filled with the names
OF such Negro track stars Jesse Owens Euace Peacock
Howard Drew and others who eXceed short distance
running But it remained for longegged Frank Dixon III
of New York to capture the distance championships AS
student at New York University he undeeated in
dual meet he entered the three
top mile distances Last March he exchanged track shoes
and further championships for G. issue and service in
Uncle Sans Army, relates Coronet.
When the Red Cross began to collect blood pasma that
of Negroes not accepted Later it received but
segregated although eminent scientists say there means
of distinguishing racial characteristics in paSma 1t there
fore ronic that Charles Richard Drew graduate of Am
herst with medical degrees from McCil Columbia
verstes the who than any other responsible
for the discovering the of plasma Negro It
DR.. Drew who put the blood bank program an exact
scientific basis and who developed the successful mythology
for standard practice in collecting pasa that human
beings of all colors could live Yet many them may
never hear his name, says Coronet
It's long road from poverty and prejudice a South
Carolina plantation to the awarding of honorary degrees
by Dartmouth College, Atlanta University other Aner-
schools and the association with the great
and of other nations But to those who know Mrs Mary
Mcleod Bethune such journey is miracle. Fighting
every inch of the way for her educaon Mrs Behune
small cabin with boxes desks she's enlarged her
work until the buildings of her school valued
than a million dollars
These five stories give glimpse Coronet concludes of
the belief in the American dream which Negroes
jump the extra inch
An excellent example of Negroes jumping the extra inch
experienced locally when few weeks ago because the
William Johnson Bethlehem Center had been dropped from
the local Community Ches Fund Negroes got together and
raised for this very worthwhile organization sum of
$4,000
To way of thinking, it would be very splendid
thing for good if and be forced
to Jump the extra nch thereby gaining for ourselves
better standard of living in all fields