Jackson advocate., 1963-02-23
100 YEARS
LATER

cost
Will be blessed again and
again."
This is the first verse of an
original poem l read at pa
triotic meeting in Minnesota q
years ago back in the dark
despairing days of the Great
Depression.
Since that time thousands Of
Americans have died in the de-
fense of our liberty on land and
sea and in the skies all over the
world first in the second
World War and then in the "po-
lice action" in Korea. Even now
we live from day to day under
the dismal threat Of a nuclear
holocaust.
1868 brings the Tooth anni-
versary of the issuance of the
Emancipation Procl amation.
There could be no better time
to evaluate the progress OF the
Negro citizens of America, and
the status of our freedom one
century after that historic dec
laration that forever ended
chattel slavery on these shores.
The theme of the above men
toned poem is as obvious as it
is unmistakably true. Freedom
can and will never be won or
sustained without paying its
price; and the payments will be
demanded as required and or
time.
We Negroes are not yet the
recipients of these blessings ir
the fullest measure. There j:
much to be done, but most ot
the doing must be done by our
selves. AS this column ha.
stated repeatedly, we can never
disassociate our own destiny
from that of our country. NJ
American worthy of the name
would ever accept any othel
concept of his or her own free
dom.
There is an old question whicl
says, "When you are fearful o:
how far you still have to go
just look back and see how faI
you have already come Ever,
day of the centennial year
propose to keep raminding my
self of how far we have come
what is still needed to complete
the journey, and the untold sac
l'ifice that has been made b,
others which has brought vi
down to this milestone.
During the six years of m!
service in the Federal govern
ment as the Special Assistan
to the Administrator of Vet
erans Affairs, I was CONSTANT,
confronted with the awesom,
cost Of my liberty. With tears
streaming down my cheeks,
have walked with reverent sill
ence betnween the long, Ions
rows of crosses for cur hal
lowed military dead those
who had shed their lifeblood il
order that l might share in al
Of those blessings that God ha:
bestowed upon me as a citizer
of the greatest country tht
world has ever known. l hav,
stood at the bedsides of a vas
host of patients in the VA hos
pitals who are still paying will
suffering and agony for m.
right to live in peace and tho
pursuit Of my we'll being.
In the years Of the Emanci
patton Centennial / will devout
ly renew my dedication to m,
duties as one of Americas chill
dren. / will continue to b.
the implacable arch foe of ev
cry enemy of my country, from
within and from without. l will
continue to see that my patriot
ism transcends the mere shout
ing of patriotic clinches ant
platitudes, but will daily mani
fest itself in service to my com
munity, state and nation. l will
walk the streets of Mississippi
heart-to-heart with other loya
citizens who are determines
that America will remain
strong, united and free.
And having the full knowl
edge that freedom and riehteus
ness are inseparable, I viii
never allow mvsef to forge
for one moment what You sait
Dear lord. two thousand year
ago "render unto Caesar tn.
things that are Caesars, ant
unto God the things that ar,
Gods"
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