St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1957-04-19

. a--.' A't existence nN the Ne
gro population. have made ID a fair
index 0f the common Impulses
moving within that group Even
LNnse Nf-rues who had been taught
from birth not 90 trust ANYTHING.
proposed managed or operated by
Negroes. and who. because Of their
training, tended 90 CriJCise that
press, usually turned 20 o.. when in
..tIaNA.lN or when they wanted 20
learn the truth about some coutr0-
NeFsF revolving around white-N
gro relationships
Just as the Negro freedman and
slave influenced delibcratiou and
troubled the CnUsuieucys Of the men
who framed the Constitution. the
Negro press by It's very presence
has influenced the public and the
nations leaders.
by It's iusisteuue on complete
equality as guaranteed hy the Con-
-t|tT'lnn. 30 has always bggu per-
forming actually necessary task
for the whole people OF these United
states. To must he plain Co am Toa-
snnabln men that until the Negro is
freely granted Dis rights. no more.
mo- less this country will not bo
the democracy. that DO claims TO be,
nor that which its founding fathers
hoped 10 would be
The Negro Press. therefore rec
nEuIZgs that its chief contribution
fn pressing Tor freedom and Justice
Is not alone for the 10 million Ne
Erugs but 90 the 100 million CitI-
Gems Of this great country Of ours,
regardless Of race, creed or color
II recognized this truth 90 years
ago. even before the late Wendell
WIIkio popul8riZCd and projected
the one World theory. This press
believed that II the uon-white pso-
Pile who We're beginning 90 emerge
from the polite slavery Of colonial
ism. ever learned that the American
Negro 80 years after the civil War
st.il had mo- rights that any white
man need 90 respect our country
would lose the great respect and
moral leadership, among the so
called darker races and nations OF
the world.
Negro newspapers in World War
] period We're warning the ma
ton that It's racial caste system,
would sooner or later lose IL friends
who might be useful Ga the COM
ing world crises. More or less these
warnings were ignored, or lost eN-
copt upon the readers Of this Press.
The Negro Press early la its eN-
lsteuCe consistently advocated
freedom for the colonial possessions
from the European powers II has
consistently Identified itself as
have the Negro people with the un-
der privileged people the world
over. no matter what their creed
or color. II could be said with a
great degree Of truth, that this
press. has been far more intcrna-
tiuuaIIy minded than the daily press
which has afforded and boosted
news bureaus In all the principal
foreign capitals OF the world.
Despite this Identification with
the rest of the world and especially
world, and despite it's caustic criti-
ctsm OF the racial mores which
have poisoned "a large part Of this
uHfi0U-the Negro Press has been
super patriotic in support and de-
yotlon TO the American flag, and
the country 10 symbulIzes.
70 may reIlgiousIy and contiuu-
ousIv attack race segregation. race
discrimination and an such evils,
but 10 completely rejects any solu-
tIou OF these problems that means
Identification or alliance with any
influence or force. political or so
rlal outside the framework Of the
r. $.
This accounts for a large degree
for the failure OF the Russian dt-
rected American Communist party
American Negro community. despite
what almost any outside observer
would have considered a fertile
field. because Of the oppression
which many American Negroes, stiu
live under i'm their own land.
II this nation had not nurtured
free Negro Press, whose editors
were and are determined TO see the
problems of their people worked out
under fh, orderly processes Of
American Constitutional govern
ment b. might have been a differ
emit story
Even iu the darkest hours Of
nIght-r.ders lTuchiugs buruiuEs,
riots. bomhinEs ana other hate
demonstrations the Negro Press.
while heuIEcroutly CoudemninE
such manifestations has, advised its
people against counter violence. a.
eaIusf race hate and bitterness. II
has conducted Itself In such a way
that Its behaviour has given hope
rIEhf and justice, are bound TO pre-
vail 100 the end. 10 was pioneer iu
advocating that its people not re-
turn the thoughtleSsuoss visited
upon them by more hatred
The Negro minority press IN this
country IU contrast 20 a similar
press 300 other countries has al
ways been "a patriotic press, deter
mined 20 oppose affiliations with
any group that had any other mo-
tive except the highest patriotism
and loyalty 70 America.
This oau be attributed largely 10
the American insisteucc on free
speech and free press. Not an Of
the Negro press even today is as
completely free as 90 should be or
would like 20 be- Not all Of the
papers are free 20 open their col
IWUa rH as free discussion u the
racial situation as they would Ike
fn because Of their location and
conditions existing 90 the com
wuuffE BOO which some publish
However. the mere existence Of
Negro paper. even In a city where
|fa publisher feels 20 unwIse 20
race issue. influences public opinion
fHsf fHe same. The paper may De In
nnUnnUa Boo its editorial treatment
az tho supreme Court decision but
10 can efHI. with "a degree Of safety.
publish comments and news stories
ON fhr erEregafInu issue from other
uaw papers. .n other parts 0f the
country
2. .r. dilemma. which viii even
r.a"H .r#. these Nn-r8 papers are
r. Moor. ~."'r..naI Boo their rights
than most .. fH. white papers.
#.... .U. weekly .n certain rHr-
..... .. OBJ. country. many 90 which
#.. ".. .... .#.a with what .H.r
'. ... prevailing opinion H-
-.... ....-. ~."I# b. The first 90
..-. .... ..' -H-" ~ sou may zee
.... ... .."HE white editor of one
...' .... r.H papers
..... Hr south Caroline had
B.. .... ..u...r even anE news