The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-07-14
BY LILLIAN SMITH


"a speech given nv the author at
Ford Hall forum in Boston. at the
Institute OF Race Relations In
Louisville, XIV, and TO several 9TH
er groups, spring ls45.
(The following speech nv Lillian
Smith will he reprinted in two parts
here. The second part will appear
in next weeks psper)
Ever since the first white Chris
tan enslaved the first black man.
the conscience OF America has
been hurting
Had we as a people not been
Christian, had We not believed in
the teaching Of love and brother
hood. il would have been easier.
For a man who does not believe in
the equality Of human need. who
does not claim a stake in the demo-
cratic ideal. has no problem with
his conscience when he takes a
stand for white supremacy He
Can exploit others feel superior
10 them. prosecute them, discrim-
mate against them and 20 to bed at
night. knowing he will sleep.
Mos, OF US have an idea that the
Germans slept we'll during those
years when they segregated the
Jew. prosecuted him. starved HIM
IN the name Of Nordic superiority.
For Hitler was shrewd enough 10
know that a conscience is a heavy
thing 10 take with you on a journey
back 10 savaGerv. Hence he tried
TO destroy utterly the concepts OF
Christian love and brotherhood: he
tried 10 wipe ou, notions about the
equality Of human need; he tried
10 burn all books that gave insight
INTO human relations; he did
everything possible 10 keep the
he conscience Of the German peo-
pie clear so that they would be free
% give their minds and hearts COM
pletely to the job of destroying the
rights Of others 10 live like human
blngs think sometimes that per-
hsps We hate the Nazls even more
bitterly than we otherwise would
because We know that their con-
science has hurt so little while
oars has ached and PANIED Us for
800 years. And nowhere has /:
hurt Us more than IN the Deep
South where We have lynched.
burned. and segregated human
beings simply because their skin
was darker than ours. And no.
where Is haired Of the German Nazl
worse than in the Deep South q.
NOW today. as we look a, these
Nazis. stripped Of love, naked in
ther hate. We see 'heT as worse
han savageS - far worse - for a
man who has once had a conscience
and gives II up. betouls MS spirit
and becomes an unclean thing.
Role Of Conscience
And we: Let us look at our
selves in humility and honesty:
The white man in America was
willing neither to give up Jesus
nor ID give up the slave. He was
willing neither to give up de-
mocracy, nor white supremacy.
He was willing neither TO give
up his conscience nor his way Of
life. Today he is still unwilling
with the result tina; in many area.
of his lie he has given up his san
" instead We cannot understand
America and race without under
standing the role that conscience
has PLAYED in our national drama
and our personal lives and Is
still playing today
What 2 profound conflict il has
created a contlic. that tears the
heart and mind 81 Americans CO.
~ strange ;hincS - our culture,
orr personalities. our children.
sce7ing through every .evel O. our
lfe like q Slow-spreadng poison
Our conscience has never let US
rest B.: We have learned. as
the wears passed. 70 talk back 20
i. We we're compelled to think
UP : 10. Of things 10 say and We
have sad them;
We began bv giving name 10
fhlS trouble, for folks feel better
when they can find name for
what IS troubling them We called
j; the Negro problem" project
rng upon me Negro. the milestone
that our conscience had hung
aro nd our Own soul Yes. and to-
day We actually are still calling II
the Negro problem. though We
actually are 81. calling 3; the Ne
gro problem ,noGcH We don; know
Why and never have known why
he Negro : problem We
simply 'cN ourselves he IS FOR Ne
cannot bear 20 axe tHa' T,,ls,one
back ard rut - on our own hearts
u-here 4, heIopcS ENr Ie~aIS< Ne