Evening star., 1961-05-24
THE NEGRO IN WASHINGTON
Youngsters Scorn Elders Resignation
Continued From FYfst Page

bay that all men are created
eQual," !" Q coed ct Howard re-
marked. I'VE read the words
and then we 60 out In the world
and find it pretty hard to ac-
cept."
This same girl said she felt
cheated II she didn't partici-
pate in the Sit-in movement.
That was one Of the reasons
why she marched In q picket
Iine around the White House
last year.
Even going to jail has be-
come q symbol Of honor for
mary students.
I'VE feel our cause is worth
going to jail for" . student
who went to college In the
South said. eff that's what it
takes, we're willing.
"To be jailed is TO ridicule
She persons In authority. To be
arrested because one dareS to
bit at q counter to be fed-and
don't forget that your money
Is accepted IN that same store
II you buy something else-is
part Of diSparaging the person
In power, you see. It's also GER
tain to make the headlines"
Most middle aged Negroes
are solidly behind the students,
but often they express annoy
ance at being told their genera
hon failed.
'Tt Takes Time"
"The youngsters don't un-
herstand that 1t takes q lot Of
kime," q District Government
employe said. And you must
remember that they're also get
ting legal and financial back
ing from the older group and
that much Of the groundwork
has been done for them.
IF may use a parable" he
said, ''in our time one would
have almost been pushing HIM
self off q 18th story building
II he attempted to do what the
youngsters are doing now. The
older generation actually
started it.
Each generation has 1t a
little bit easier and that has q
1ot to do with what they feel
they will accept or wiz not
accept" +
Then he went on to criticize
today's young Negroes for
wanting money and advantages
without being willing to work
hard for it.
They have things . little
TOO easy" he said. 1T makes ,
them think they can determine
Swhat I viii take and what I
win not"
So II the two groups do not
completely understand each
other, at least they are IN
agreement on the principle.
And that principle is the bet
ferment Of the Negro. |,
Not An Kmpetuous
On the other hand. many ]
youths are more tolerant Of the 1
older group. As one student
said, "1t's hard to teach an old
dog new tricks. all right. And i
that's the way with most Of
the older ones. They're Just
going along In the old way.
They aren't as willing to |
change. People get set In their
ways. But from my dealings Z
with the older group, I think 1
they're behind the young ones. /
The majority thinks the Negro
has been moving too slow.
After all. we've been held back &
nearly 100 years" I
This attitude Of moving too
slow" or the failure" Of Negro )
leaders Of Q generation or two !
ago often touches Q sensitive I
nerve in some Negroes. 4
Historian Denies Inertia '
/. In discussing this subject a
with . Negro historian. It was ]
mentioned that . Negro busi- q
nesSman said his generation p
tried but failed because of the
inertia Of its own leaders. :
The teacher exploc,d at that. r
II do not accept the idea that
my generation did not fight"
he said. "I was born in WASH =
ington, and I grew up here.
! remember the riots in 1919. !
We were prepared TO continue .
the fights. I remember when +
the Ku Klux Klan marched :
down Pennsylvania avenue. We 3
were ready to fight If they +
broke ranks.
. I'VE didn't know anything Ih
about non-violence in those e
days. and that should be ],
brought out. AS q teacher Of
history, ] can say that 1t Is not 7
true that in the early part of c
the century Negroes did not O
fight for their rights" a
Thus the attitudes clash:
Pride and doubt and perhaps a
D sense Of hurt In. believing h,
that the younger generation z
does not appreciate what was 4
done for them; that the leaders h
Of tomorrow cannot completely L
appreciate what it was like to +