Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1962-07-07
Say Negro Must Change Many
OHis Ways of Living

Since the Negro struggle for full civil rights
and first class citizenship has itensfied during the
past few years and up to the present time few Ne
gro leaders have shown the courage to point out
and called for the correction of the more obvious
shortcomings of the group, and the few who have
shown such courage have Immediately become the
target OF those classed as the militant leaders of
the race and subjected to all kinds of ridicule and
caumny. Under such condition the race is being
allowed to go it's merry but disastrous way with
the responsible Negro leaders afraid to offer criti-
clsm themselves and reactng to criticism by those
outside the race as though Negroes had under the
impact of the struggle for civil rights and first
class citizenship, had suddenly sprouted wings
In the current issue of Harper's Magazine there
is article about Negroes that we think should be
read, re-read, and pondered by every intelligent
Negro
Here's what the article has to say:
If the Negro wants to take his place in the
white community he will have to change manv of
his ways OF living, urges John Fischers Editor of
Harper's Magazine Writing in the July issue, Mr.
Fischer cites four areas in which he believes white
people have valid reasons for distrustng and fear
ing Negroes
Crime-Mr. Fischer cites statistics which show
that as the preparation of Negro in a community
increases, the crime rate usually rises sharply.
Nelghborhood deterioration - Many areas be-
come slums after Negroes move in. "In part this
is due to overcrowding, and to incomes so low
that the owners can't afford to keep their places
up properly. But it is also partly due to plain old
Civic apathy - Few Negroes seem willing to
invest time and effort in the web of civic political
and voluntary organization which hold every Amer
lean community together" says Mr.. Fischer
Moral irresponsibilty - White people are
bothered by the casual attitude of many Negroes
about sex and their family responsibilities. Mr.
Fischer says that such worries have some statis-
tical justification.
10 all of these complaints the traditional Ne
gro leaders have ready answer" says Mr. Fis-
cher The Negroes shortcomings, they argue, are
the inevitable consequence of three hundreds of
years OF slavery and discrimination When you hold
a man down for that long he can't spring upright
overnight when the pressure is removed" AL
though Mr.. Fischer believes that these are valid
explanations, he also thinks they are dangerous
ones because they easy to use as excuses for
DONG nothing. So long as the Negro blames his
pight entirely on circumstances, history, and the
white man, ne is going to stay in that plight He
Will get out OF it only when he begins to change his
circumstances, make new history and shoulder
bigger share of responsibility for the fix he is in"
he says
To help the Negro ntegrate into the normal
stream of American life, Mr. Fischer proposes new
Negro organization. He calls the organization s'The
First Class Citizens Council "He suggests as it's
motto: Let's Make Every Negro First Class Citi-
zen. He believes that it's goal should be not merely
to win the full rights which belong to every Amer
lean, but to make sure that these rights are used
that the average Negro is both willing and able to
carry the full responsibilities of good citizenship"
Once ne does, he may be surprised to see how fast
white prejudice begins to melt away, says Mr..
Fischer.