The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-11-03

Horace White slgnment OF the
young Negro
ballplayer has in il only tho fact
that he is very promising
player.
Negroes are not accepted yet
on the basis Of their merit. II will
be a long time comparatively
speaking before we will he so
accepted, II Is no fault Of the
Negro players that such is the
case-Our American race preju-
dice causes this particular situa-
ton as race prejudice causes
many other un-American acts on
the part of Americans.
II is nothing short of pathetic
to see a race of people so eager
for acceptance that the least
little crumb dropped to them
causes so much excitement. May
he that is the way II has To be.
There Is one thing sure, about
giving so much importance to the
ordinary and common place
events Of our lives. We set our
sights lower than we ordinarily
would. Young people accept
little achievement i'm terms Of
something really important. You
and I have seen how easily
whole race gets vicarious pleas
ure and a sense Of achievement
from the fact that one Negro has
been given some ordinary job or
position.
Many times young people are
Given the wrong evaluation OF
achievement when they see their
parents making such fuss over
small things. When small things
are assigned to Us as a race let's
be big enough with ourselves to
accept small thincS as small things.
II is nothing short Of weakness
on our part when we get and give
so much publicity TO any little in
cident of acceptance.
How can we get over this seek
ing Of approval from the major
ity at almost any cost? This is
no easy task. We have been de-
MED and we have looked for our
satisfactions from the people who
have denied us so very long. We
feel sometime that approval from
the majority group Is worth any
effort that we may make.
or course we can understand
why we seek so much approval.
The reasons are not far TO seek.
Any people living as a minority
group among majority group
seeks the approval Of the majority
group. The fact that there is a
majority group means that the
majority group seeks TO dominate
the minority group in all ways.
The majority group does its dom
nation through education. social
mores and economic controls.
The minority groups usually
succumb to these controls Of the
majority group. One way Of sue
cumbing to the controls OF the
majority Is to bite for every sop
that the majority group hands
out. The assigning Of Negro to
a berth In organized baseball Is
an example of what is meant
here. The Negro population has
been lead to believe that Negroes
have gained something by the
very fact that the young man has
been assigned to plav with the
Brooklyn Dodgers. Still, nothing
has been gained.
The boy is good II is good
business for the team TO sign him
10 play. More than this fact we
should as Negroes take the posi-
ton that tho recognition Of the
abilities Of Negro players is long
overdue. Therefore Negroes should
not EXPRESS so much JOY over the
fact that the very fine young man
has been signed We are glad for
him and that is all. g
This unusually overrated Incl
dent is no different than the
hell" that some Negroes are
raising" over the fact that Jane
White is taking the lead In
strange Fruit" The protest Of
Negroes is so silly to say the
least. Yes. II Is possible for a
Negro woman who has gone to
college IN fall in love with a M
good white man. Negro women
who have gone to college fall in
love with no-good Negroes.
Strange Fruit" Is a real novel.
The protest over Negro wom-
an playing "Nonnie" in Strange
Fruit" is a sign o. our total in
security We cannot face a situa-
ton without tears" Of wishfu'
thinking We always try to put
our best foot forward even to the
point OF being ridiculous.
Our family life must provide
the way for us to escape the basic
need for acceptance. Young peo-
pie must learn how to find inner
emotional strength within them
selves. Our families must pro-
vide a real basis for Negroes to
free themselves from a need to
seek affection and acceptance
from the majority group. We
must seek brotherhood. Broth
erhood means giving Of selves
equally. Anything else Is sub