The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1957-09-06

True Picture of South
Missed by Writers
Editors Note: The following is
an editorial written BY Davis
Lee, editor Of the Newark, N. J.
Telegram. a Negro newspaper.
Editor Lee is frequent visitor
to the South and takes an OPP
posite view from the prevailing
( Negro press. The reprint is from
A he Southern Presbyterian
Journal. Weaverville, N. G.
Writers from throughout the world
have visited the South during the
last ID months to get a closeup
glimpse of the so-called race issue
The large publications in our coun-
Try have sent their best staff re-
porters into the various Southern
states, but not one writer has gone
to the core Of this issue. and pre-
sented a truthful, factual. intelligent
analysis.
Practically every article has dealt
With the social aspect the feelings
and reactions of Negro and white
people Of the region covered The
mixing of the races or resistance to
it, has been the dominant theme
There is more to the Negro and
white relationship III the South than
Jim Crowism. than political and
social equality or the mixing Of
Negro and white kids in the same
classroom Nothing has been said
about the economic opportunities
that Negroes enjoy, or the bust
nesses which they own. the security
which they enjoy, the desire on the
part If most SMthcrners to help
worthy and enterprising Negroes
Get ahead
No one seems to be concerned
about the best III the South but only
with the worst Not one writer has
come Up with the fact that Negro
Is clerk in white drugstore in
Rdsedale. Miss, and that two Negro
sharecroppers have $4,000 each OIL
deposit at the Valley Bank III Rose
dale
None has pointed out that Negro
mechanics work at the Ford and
Buick garages III Cleveland Miss.
and enjoy the same privileges and
pay scale as the white employees
Or that Negro customers com
pletely take over the two banks iii
Port Gibson, Miss. and get more
coi rteous consideration than do the
white customers.
Not one writer has pointed out
that Mississippi has thousands Of
top-notch Negro businesses, and that
Negro progress III keepink pace with
that in other states.
None has pointed out that the
Negro-owned Safe Bus Co., winston
Salem, n O.. is the largest Negro
owned bus company III the world :;
that Negroes in North Carolina own
100000 acres OF farmland and that
there are more Negro farmers in
the state than in any other state in
the nation.
North Corolipa ie tj,o o,,i,, s-+at n
in the nation that employs Negro
specialists in agriculture extension
work. There is state staff of Is.
There are 40 county agents, % as
sistant agents, and 81 home agents
with 10 assistants. In the state are
IL farm managers who manage
farms for white owners.
| A lot has been written about inte-
grafton in the schools of the state.
However, the fact that the Negro
schools. In most instances, are bet
ter than the white has not been
mentioned or that Negro teachers
receive higher pay than white.
FOR instance, IN WdfrcntOn, N. G..
John Graham the white high-school
principal. gets $3.50 a year. John
Hawkins. the Negro high-school
principal, gets s70S5 year In the
county are Go white teachers who
draw on an average OF S35l.43 per
month There are l49 Negro
teachers who draw on an average
Of 1852 Is per month.
The Negro in North Carolina eats
better. dresses better. lives better.
and enjoys more individual respect
from white people than does his
northern, eastern, and western coun-
terpoint.
Much is being written at present
about civil rights legislation and op-
position to its passage by Southern
ers in the House and Senate. Those
not familiar with the facts will get
the impression that the Southern
bloc Is against the Negro. Nothing
is further from the truth. These
Southcrners have done more. and
will do more. for the Negro than
Will those from other sections.
For instance, Congressman Boy
lan. Of Alabama, sent a Negro to
law school. so has Congressman L