Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1957-05-25
On The Speech On Congressman Diggs
At The NAACP Rally Here

We went out to the state NAACP rally in OBJ
of the Third Anniversary of the May 18th
1854 decision of the United States Supreme Court out
having segregation in the nations public Schools held
at the Masonic Temple here where Congressman Charles
L. Diggs Jr., of Detroit Michigan democrat, and
of the only three Negro members of the u S. House of
Representatives, delivered the principal Speech noting
among the than 1000 present many responsible
Negro citizens from other cities and towns from
rious sections of the state who have previously, and
who and should now exercise considerable influ-
ence among the better class of members of both groups
in their local communities.
We listened with undivided attention to the young
Congressmans speech and considering the fact that,
although having just turned his 35th birthday, he is
now in his second term member of the Congress,
we confess that somewhat startled by his final
and concluding admonton to the Negro citizens of the
state, when with cenched fist raised he called on them
in their struggle for civil rights and frstcass citizen
ship, to have faith in their fists, if necessary"
Looking about us we also observed sudden change
In the countenance and expression the faces of many
in the audience who had generously appauded laughed
and otherwise given vent to their emotions during the
of his speech.
AS followed the crowd leaving the auditorium
upon reaching the sidewalk in front of the building
accosted by leader and businessman of unques-
tionable respect and influence in his community whose
name need not be mentioned here who said, editor
are sure that going to print full report of the
speech In your but fastened to advise that the
call for faith in fists if necessary would be
better left out of our paper.
Among little groups gathered the sidewalk
discussing the speech noted the depth of in
the often expressed wish that he had not said what he
did about having faith in fists if necessary"
The best way to keep such Incorporate and i'll
considered remarks and statements out of the
papers, is for Negro speakers to not allow themselves
to be vctmsed by the continued applause and emotional
outbursts of their audience
Before proceeding further, and despite certain
glamour that may surround his name, in the minds of
the less informed Negro masses we think it is we'll to
point out here to the Negro citizens of Mississippi that
Congressman Dggs, not elected to Congress to rep
resent all the Negroes of the United States but only to
represent those of his district which includes only
part of the city of Detroit and that only under the
most favorable circumstances his vote be of any
help to the Negroes of Mississippi and under such ia
vorable circumstances only by nfntesimal degree
While we listened to that part of his speech
corning conditions in Mississippi could not help but
think of the town of Dearborn, Michigan, little more
than good walking distance from his home in Detroit
where they don't have ntegraed schools because they
don't allow Negroes to live in the town. and where the
Mayor who helps keep Negroes from living in the town
was recently reelected and given raise in salary fol-
lowing criticism of his policy. We point this out
simply to the burden of the Negroes of the state
who inclined to believe that there is heaven every
where but in state.
We belated the NAACP and Congress-
man Dggs telling the Mississippi Negro that number
target should be the right to vote and point here
that from 1916 until 1854, uder the all but single hand
ed leadership of the Jackson Advocate the Negro
rose in the state from almost nothing to upwards of
$4,000, with the help of many prominent white people,
but that since the NAACP in with its alor-noth-
ing philosophy, and its court action cure-a and the
Incorporate and considered statements and remarks
OF its spokesman the opposition to Negro voting has
hardened throughout the state and the made
from 1916 to 1854 is now at standstil
On the subject of Negro voting in Mississippi,
point out here that the only sound for Negroes
in the state wanting the right to vote is that they
will be able to join with the better class white people
in bringing about whatever is best in the state and in
their local communities.
Congressman. Diggs also pointed out in his speech
that Southern white leaders deliberately dscourag
ing cooperation OF the races which, it is fact today
did not exist hffore the NAACP stepped in with its
al-or-nothing philosophy followed by the Incorporate
and lconsidered remarks of its spokesman. In sober
Judgment and consideration intelligent Negro in
Mississippi fail to the total lack Of logic and good
sense in turning around asking for the cooperation of
white leaders after they have been lambasted rdi-
culed, insued and magned by Negro leaders, who ask
for their cooperation and goodwill in the same voice.
During the years of the Democrat Administration
we made many trips to Washington of which were
great moments in the history of the Mississippi Negro
I'm these visits able to talk to of the most
able members of the United States Senate and of the
House OF Representatives and coupled with our expert