Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1961-11-04
THE ADDRESS OF
BOOKER i. WASHINGT
DELIVERED AT THE
ATLANTA COTTON STATES AN
international EXPOSITION
IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA IN 1903

Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN OF THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CITIZENS
One-third of the population of the South is of the
Negro race No enterprise seeking the material civil
moral welfare of this section disregard this element
OF our population and reach the highest success but
convey to you Mr. President and Directors the senti
ment OF the masses of my when say that in no
way have the value and manhood of the American Ne
gro been more tngly and generously recognized than
by the managers of this magnificent Exposition every
state of its progress. 1t is recognition that will do
more to cement the friendship of the than any
occurrence since the dawn of freedom
Not only this, but the opportunity here afforded
Will awaken among of industrial progress
Ignorant and inexperienced it is not strange that the
first years of life began at the top instead Of
at the bottom that seat in Congress or the state leg
islature sought than real estate or indus
trial skill that the political convention of stump speak
ing had more attractions than starting dairy farm or
truck garden.
ship lost at sea for many days suddenly sighted
friendly vessel From the mast of the unfortunate vessel
a signal water water we die of thirst! The
from the friendly vessel at came back Cast
down your bucket where you are" second time the
signal, Water, water; send water!' up from the
distressed vessel and answered. Cast down your
bucket where you are" And third and fourth signal
LOT water was answered. cast down your bucket where
you are The captain of the distressed vessel at last
needing the injunction, cast down his bucket and it
came up full of fresh sparkling water from the mouth
of the Amazon River To those of my race who de-
pend on lettering their condition in foreign land or
who underestimate the Importance cuvating friend
y relations with the Southern white man. who is their
next-door neighbor would say Cast down your buck
ct where you are"-Cast it down in making friends i'm
every manly of the people of all by whom we
are surrounded.
Cast it down in agriculture, mechanics, in commerce.
in domestic service and in the professions And in this
connection it is well bear mind that whatever other
sins the South may be called to BEAR when comes to
business, pure and simple, it is in the South that the
Negro is given mans chance in the commercial world
and in nothing is this Exposition eloquent than in
emphasizing this chance Our greatest danger is that in
the great leap from slavery to freedom may overlook
the fact that the of live by the produc
tons of hands, and fail to keep in mind that we
shall prosper in proportion learn to dignity and
glorify common labour and put brains and skls into
the occupations of life; shall prosper pro-
portion we learn to draw the line between the super
fical and the substantial the ornamental gewgaws of
life and the useful. NO RACE CAN PROSPER TILL 1T
TILLING FIELD AS IN WRITING POEM. 1T is
AT THE BOTTOM OF LIFE WE MUST BEGIN, AND
NOT AT THE TOP NOR SHOULD WE PERMIT OUR
GRIEVANCES TO OVERSHADOW OUR OPPORTUNI-
TIES.
To those OF the white race who look to the incoming
of those of foreign birth and strange tongue and habits
for the prosperity OF the South, l permitted
would repeat what say to my own race, Cast down
your bucket where you are" Cast it down among the
eight millions of Negroes whose habits you know whose