The Petal paper. [volume] (Petal, Miss.) 1953-19??, 1959-10-29
A Letter . .

among white or colored persons.
Equality is totally non-existant
anywhere on the face of this
earth. presume you meant some
thing relative to Negroes visit
ing in white homes, and vice
versa. And in answer to that, let
me say to you that it isn't done,
and isn't likely to ever be done,
considering the fact that every
single one of us is superior to
everyone else. Equality? There is
no such thing.
But you may be interested in
knowing this. I have heard few
whites confess that they knew
many Negroes they would prefer
to have in their homes in pref
erence to some whites they know.
But, assuming they visited, would
that make them socially equal?
No, it would not. Who would not
be honored to have DR.. Ralph
Bunche visit him? But, honor or
not, DR.. Bunche would never be
invited to a white home in Mis-
sissippi. DR.. Bunche is unques-
tionably a great man, a great
American, and has done much
toward keeping peace in tn e
world . but is he socially
equal in Mississippi? No, he isn't.
Not because of intelligence or &C.
complishment but because
his skin is darker than ours.
Now, as to what we have done,
as state, about the situation. /
would like to point out that we
have, in gigantic way, display
ed an unattractive part of our
anatomy in a most spectacular
way. To be sure, that's putting
it rather mildly. Of course, we
have passed a few laws all
based on currently magic word
in the state: Segregation is the
word nowadays. Has magic.
Generally speaking, the Negro
can't vote. know, TO course, that
our Senior Senator has told the
nation on a television program
that the Negro can vote. / would
not be SO disrespectful as to in.
dictate that our Senator would
tell fib, but let US presume he
is uniformed as to the law pass
ed by the State Legislature last
year about voter registration. 1t
is within the power of the person.
whose business it is to register
voters to keep anyone from vot-,
ing, if he SO desires. And the vast
majority SO desire, considering
that they ran on that platform
in the elections last August.
Let me give you an example
with which I am familiar. Right
here in Forrest County there are
approximately $4,000 Negroes, all
OF which are citizens of the Unit
ed States. Of that number, and
this figure was as of last August,
8 can vote. And with reference to
those 8, last month, January,
was tax paying time here. Two
of those 8 Negroes who are reg
iStered to vote went to the For
rest County Court House to pay
their property tax, and at the
same time to pay their poll tax;
they could not find anyone who
would accept their poll tax pay
ment. What can they do? Now
Forrest County has 6 Negroes
who are registered and qualified
to vote. Indeed, it's entirely pos
slble that we have none.
So, for the most part in the
state of Mississippi, a Negro ask
ing to register to vote is about
like asking Satan for a drink of
ice water =. just amt no use in
wasting breath.
And, my friend, we have pass
ed other laws. We went to the
polls and, like a bunch of idiots,
gave the State Legislature the
power to abolis h the public
schools. That, you will under
stand, was another anti-seg1H
cation move. And it might be of
interest to you to note that at the
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