Arkansas State press., 1951-03-23

long nights Of yearning when he, along with
thousands Of other slaves, looked northward
towards Canada and a seeming fantastic
freedom floating out yonder in the North
ern heavens. Just few more if given the
same cdnndtaton. will give our readers
slant at the mind and daily thought Of the
average black member Of Americas Forth
Estate. They follow: Wichita Protest Chi
eago Defender Oklahoma Eagle. Indianapo-
lis Freeman, Washington Sentinel. Boston
Guardian.
Despite he declared and obvious pur.
pose Of the Negro press there is always an
ever attempt Il SANDER and misrepresenG
We recall al The incipiencY Of the md world
war this writer was IN tfe office # a eel
tain white newspaper in the state. gaea 5ut
Of clear SKY The editor Of thai publication
bounced this astonishing question on our
head
Don't you think Negro publications do
more harm than good"
Instantly We answered NO, and We
followed with this statement:
Negro newspapers have no Justification
Tor existence other than that they print that
portion of the news white publications refuse
to present to their readers
Our contemporary flushed and looking
us squarely in the face said.
That's very challenging statement and
doubt seriously your ability to support this
false contention YOU have made"
We never quiyered because we knew
we had the best Of that argument. so W.
told him We could prove our charge and we
would prove it by his own newspaper
Go bring your afternoon edition to this
desk and Ill prove my point" / said TO the
embattled publisher TN prove il this way
u YOU bring your newspaper to this desk
I'll show yor pictures of white boys on ships
flying in air planes and marching in battle
formation. Every picture and story in your
afternoon publication is going to expose to the
readers of your publication the patriotism.
love and devotion young men OF your ethnc
stock have for the country in which they live.
But in the pages of your afternoon publ
cation YOU are entirely oblivious to the fact
that almost million sons Of black mothers
are fighting in the American armed forces do
ing dentieally the same things as sons of
white mothers. The Negro press feels it is
helpful and inspirational 10 the Negro to have
the story Of his yalor bravery and patriotism
told so when YOU do not publish these facts
the Negro press finds Justification in doing SO"
Needless to say that white editor did
not 60 and get his evening edition. but We
purchased il later to determine in our own
judgment whether we had our feet squarey
on the ground in our contention respecting
that particular edition. Needless TO say that
particular issue was unusually condemniug
We know occasionally incidents of unusual
important, such as the exploits of Dorc Mil
Ter, get into the white press. but there
would be no way for the American citizens
to know Of the responsibility and achieve
ment Of the Negro in many fields but lor
the Negro press.
1t is the Negro press that exposed the
slarderous hoax about Negro rapists." Be.
fore Negro publishers, at the risk of their
lives, invaded mob-rdden communities and
published the truth, Americans and the
world were led to believe that every black
man was a potential rapist 1t was the Ne
gro press which established the fact that
such violence had its roots in economics and
not in the protection Of white womanhood. If
the Negro press has done no more than re-
claim the good name Of black men, il has
y,lI. !..Mt i.