The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1948-11-24

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"Nigger'-The Real Meaning
Of the Word
The term "nigger" is a mean,
evil and vicious word that SYM
bolizes End class citizenship, op-
preston, discrimination and all
the dehumanizing influences which
have been used against Negro
Americans for $50 years. To Ne
groes, 1t means slavery, lynching,
police brutality, lack of educa-
tional opportunities, wanton rape,
and the breeding of their women
like animals. 1t means malnutri-
ton and slum housing, hurt, hui
initiation and the positive denial
of job opportunity. It means
doors slammed in faces and white
only signs. 1t means hungry chill
dren. second hand shoes, the In
ability to purchase needed medical
attention. II means the confusion
OF color and quality of the indi-
yidual. 1T MEANS THE ANTI
THESIS OF THE AMERICAN
CREED AND THE HOLY BIBLE.
| think there is no single word
in the English language which
packs the wallop and means so
much to so many people. It is
understandable that Negroes and
all democracy loving Americans
respond with such immediacy
land sometimes violence) to the
use of the term.
Copy of Letter Sent BY
Urban League Of Portland
Nov. IL, 194S
Mr.. Stephen T.. Smith. Principal
Washington High School
531 s. e. 14th
Portland, Oregon
Dear Mr.. Smith:
have just received a telephone
account of the statement which
appeared in your school bulletin
this morning, intending to clear
up the Armistice Day incident in
your assembly. / sincerely hope
the explanation in your bulletin
accomplishes the intended pur-
pose. However, shall be very
much surprised if it is success
full. Here are my reasons for this
point of view
1. The wording indicates a half
hearted effort. 1t suggests that
the term "nigger" is considered
offensive to Negro boys and girls.
Let me point out that the term
is offensive, not merely consid-
cred offensive. Furthermore, the
use of such derogatory terms is
an offense to all intelligent,
democracy loving Americans, not
only to Negroes. 1t is my opinion
that your statement is vague.
sounds insincere and probably
will leave your student body
cold.
2. The statement also leaves the
impression that the administration
at Washington High School is re-
gretful of this incident because 1t
caused some trouble. This is a
negative approach. The positive
unprecedented think we have
right to expect from educators
would have forthrightly regret
ted the incident because it was
undemocratic, morally indefensi-
BILE and utterly stupid.
8. Your explanatory statement
does not give assurance that such
things will not recur.
The fact that regular teacher
in the Portland School System
could be so poorly informed that
he did not know how to avoid
such Technology, certainly shakes
my faith in our education system
and causes me to seriously ques-
ton this teachers fitness for the
position he occupies. The situa-
ton looms more serious and
seems to eliminate the possibility
of oversight when two factors are
considered.
Mr.. Bogard made a statement
prior to the presentation of the
offensive song in the first as
sembly. In his statement, he made
1t known that he was aware OF
the offensive quality of the word
niger" However, he used the
song in spite of this.
2. After the Negro students dis
played their resentment by walk
ing out of the first assembly, he
repeated 1t IN the second dsseih-
bly,. We believe this was mex
cusably malicious for him to want
to repeat it and that it was
serious dereliction for the school
administration not permit the repe-
| tition.
Please know that the Urban
League of Portland is anxious to
cooperate with you in the extern
sion of American democracy. We
are especially insistent that the
school setting be such that ALL
students are enabled to make
maximum use of the educational
| experience. The incident under
consideration, caused hurt and
humiliation to forty-four Negro
students in your school The stiff
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