Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1950-07-01
An Open Letter To MY Fellow Citizens: c

In recent months have had increasing pride in the
face of my being Negro, Southerner, and a Misss-
sppan For read the signs of the times this truly
the Century of the underprveged Our evolution toward
fuller democracy awfully slow at times but it
is definite that experiences it almost daily
through his physical 1t is challenging it is in
MIGRATING to be aware of ones identity with Gods
folding purpose.
On July 10th shall take a flight from New York
to Paris the beginning of what is called tour of good
will and international understanding Having de-
MED racial identity the state of my BIRTH shall
not do now, though know these two facts will
put me ION the spot many times in my country and
abroad.
On this trip, as l have always DONE shall exploit
opportunity to negate of the bad impressions
about people in Mississippi 1t is good that the events
of recent months and my experiences have
conspred to make this easy for me.
AS prepare to leave, the things uppermost in my
mind include the facts surrounding the Kosciusko sua
ton in which the home of Negro violated and most
of the family killed by white intent savage
venge for an imagined offense and how white people
from all including the Governor and the State Leg
stature expressed publicly their indignation the
incident. | am also remembering somewhat similar
actions to the tragic in which irresponsible
whites beat to death coored man. who according to
them, hogged the road with the wagon in which he and
his family riding.
Not very far back in my consciousness is the recent
trend in the daily press towards iberay in the treat
ment of RACE in the news. Especially gratifying
front page editorials championing changes in the think
ing and practices of white people, generally and particu
larly those who are vested with public trust
For the last three four years. have had occasion
to tell people of the North and West we'll Geor
gians who remark Georgia always thanks God for Mis-
sssippi that Eat least the atmosphere in Mississippi is
conducive to the thriving of the Ku Kux Khan" Hap
penings in my own home town have substantated my
contention, that can still face the word-wth my
head bloody perhaps, but unbowed.
If the occasion presents ITSELF shall tell the peo-
pie that in Mississippi colored people free to
the tools of democracy They vote in increasing
bers; they file lawsuits for the equalization of educa
tonal facilities and for the exercise of citizenship rights
without restraint intmidation they speak up for
what they think is right in few instances they have
been employed policemen and serve jures. Just
important my way of thinking, is the parallel fact of
increasing goodwill. Many times Negroes are told, 'be
hind closed DOORS, and occasionally in the open by
whites of high and low estate that their is just
and that the is inevitable Notwithstanding the
resistance of those who would retard progress.
While remembering events around me which
to portend the NEW DAY in Mississippi, | have re-
assurance in my personal experiences. Within the
five years have lived in Jackson have sensed chang
ing atmosphere In 1915 the climate charged with
tension that could almost feel it with his fingers.
Drivers city buses hateful policemen gen
orally mean elevator girls and people you bumped into
on the street usually hostile Now the eyes of bus
drivers do not emit and hate. For truth, on
those few occasions when find it necessary to ride
bus the driver does not especially when enter
THAT makes it little easier for to take back seat)
Jackson policemen the kndest men have
tered anywhere AS if to prepare for this trip Fate
decreed that should encounter policemen six times in
the last thirty days. They were all minor traffic Incl
dents and only did the cop growl at All the
others spoke gently and three helped out of the
permit to enter elevator, or the door of store
be made to carry forward this work well begun
evidenced by the recent decision
To continue to carry forward this work the NAACP
must have the necessary money Every individual among
II IL.