The guardian., 1953-09-12
BOSTON
BAKED
BY MABE KOUNTZE

j
knowledge is the only in
strument of production that is
not subject to diminishing re-
turns"
]. NJ. Clark
LABOR DAY, celebrated last
week, found over go millions OF
our total American population
gainfully employed as free men.
The day and total both held
special significance to colored
Americans. Labor and employ
ment have been "key factors"
in our life as Americans, more
than any other group. Africans
were forcibly brought to Ameri-
ca to provide the Labor market.
No people have labored as hard
and as long for economic pro-
greSs.
MARCUS GARVEY, the con-
troverSial leader of the Back
To Africa" movement, launched
in 1917, was only one of small
group of mostly sincere people
who believed that economic ad-
vancement and equality for CO.
lored people in America was
impossible. Garyey's dream of
taking back African territory
from powerful European powers
is still unattained. Indeed, South
Africa is one of the worst places
to live to-day.
BOOKER WASHINGTON, an
other controversial colored lea
der, and far more successful
than Garvey, advocated his
famous land most widely sc-
ceptedJ slogan, Let Down Your
Bucket Where You Are" which |
was just the opposite of the
"Black-t Africa" idea. DR..
Washington, for all his contro-
versial sides, held this most /
praiseworthy stand. He had |
faith in America.
FRED DOUGLASS, perhaps
one of the most physically SUI
fering men during his bondage
period, was also a colored leader
who decided to stay and fight
for his rights until he and his
people were completely accepted
as Americans. Douglass opposed
programs to send eolored peo-
pie to other lands. He helped /
enlist Tan Yanks to fight in
the Union Army. He refused to
live in any other country, He
too had faith in America.
THESE THREE colored lea
ders, Douglass, Washington and
Garvey, were all sincere IN
their different beliefs toward |
bettering the economic and So
cial progress of their people. Ger
tainly, during periods of violence
and injustice the only solution"
did seem that colored people |
should pack up and take boat
to some new homeland, like the /
Pilgrims. And especially since
some politicians" were eager
to ship colored Americans over
seas.
THE FAITH of the colored |
people in America is one of the !
most noble chapters in U. S.
History. In spite of all sorts of /
hardships and even terrorism,
the colored man voted over
whelmingly against leaving. He |
Just let down the bucket where
he was and Slaved and worked /
to become a citizen. For over /
300 years he has been fighting
the good fight and never has |
he ceased working for a strong
and better democracy in the /
U. S. A.
THE REWARDS for all these
past sacrifices are just begin /
ming to show real concrete form
to the American citizen of color. |
He has, or is attaining, the best |
economic and social levels of /
any colored citizenry in the |
world. There is no comparison
in Africa, or Asia, in economics. |
Other countries, including Eur I
ope and South America, boast I
of better social equalities. But /
even this phase will improve /
with time.
10 WORK for recognition and |
success is still the best formula
for a people as well as indivi- /
duals. And in spite OF all the /
''lazy story" propaganda the |
800 year history Of colored |
Americans has been mostly |
directed toward securing a
chance to work and become a
better citizen. If some Tan
Yanks we're forced to make their /
careers abroad, that is our loss.
But the vast majority who re-
manned, fully deserve a federal
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