Evening star., 1961-05-21
The Negro in Washington Social Role He Seeks
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Page
is no single Negro problem"
in Washington. any more than
there is a white problem"
Among the Negro population,
there are conflicting attitudes
on many subjects. One of the
lasting impressions from talk
ing to Negroes is the range and
scope of the opinions expressed.
These attitudes are a part of
the story of the Negro in
Washington.
In telling this story, The
Star is not presuming to pre-
sent q definitive treatise on the
Negro here. We are attempting,
in D series of IA articles, of
which this is the first, to report
what some Negroes are saying
about. some of the things that
concern, affect and influence
them&
What draws the Negro in ever
increasing numbers to Wash
ington? When he gets here,
what are his experiences?
What are some of the sources
of conflict among the colored
population? What does the
Negro think of the class struc-
lures within his own race?
What does he have to say
about crime in Washington? To
whom, if anyone, does he look
for leadership? And how is
that leadership being provided?
When he votes, which party
will receive his support?
How the Negro answers these
and , other questions will be
reported in future articles.
1t is commonplace to observe
that WaShington-or any city
provides study in contrasts.
This Is especially true in the
Negro communities.
There are Negroes in Wash
ington today living in condi-
tions Of squalor. Many of them
seem unconcerned about their
situation. Some live from relief
check to relief check, angry at
the world and the society into
which they were born. Others
five day after day transfixed
before their television sets,
without even the most modest
dreams for their children. They
are the people whom the So
cial workers and sociologiStS
so inadequately describe as
isolated"
There are Negroes in Wash
inton who have struggled and
have been defeated, who cannot
understand what the ferment
among their people means.
There are others who live with
midnight in their hearts.
There are Negroes in Wash
ington who live in fine
homes, luxuriously furnished
who gather at night for bridge
for polite conversation. In
some of these homes the word
Negro" hardly exists. 1t is
something to be put behind
the door; it calls forth bad
memories. To many of these
Negroes, the man who writes 6
numbers at Seventh and T !
streets or who stands on the :
corner idly watching the city :
pass by is as foreign as the I
average Negro is to the average
white man.
Think Of it this way" one I
of the Negro intellectuals was Z
saying. THE businessman on :
Seventh street may tell you the !
Negro is shiftless, he's lazy,
he doesn't pay his bills, he's a
poor credit risk and all that.
That's his impression of the :
Negro. Those are the only Ne 5
groes he comes into contact
with. At Woodies they may say,
Yes, the Negro's a good Gus {
toner. He pays his bills 1t all {
depends on the contact, the t
kind of people you meet. ]
YOU keep hearing how the Z
Southern Congressman or Sem
ator says he really knows the {
Negro. he grew up with him,
he understands him.
Does he really? Think about
1t awhile. What Negro does he :
know? He may know the serv-
ant in his home. but does he
know. the colored professional
group? When he gets sick, does
he 60 to a colored doctor?
When he has a prescription to
be filled, does he go to colored
pharmacist? When he goes to
church. does he go to a colored
church9"
The man paused and shrug-
ged slightly.
Maybe the lines Of commu-
nicatton have to be expanded"