Evening star., 1963-09-02

NoAAAACO ASllOAC WlldJ lletD DCCIl
said; for it has been his at
titudes in the past that have
consigned the Negro to the
rear seats, to carry-out
counters and to a thousand
and one daily indignities and
it will be his attitudes
in the future that determine
whether the Negroes attain
full citizenship amid ven-
geance and strife or in an
atmosphere of dignity and
brotherhood.
James T. Diffin
4 + 4
Two recent columns by
David Lawrence, Abraham
Lincoln and Civil Rights"
and Backward Step in U. S.
Evolution" gave me great
satisfaction. A year ago 1
gave a talk and quoted much
of this information about
Lincoln. I was speaking to
an educated audience, yet
twice I was stopped and
asked, Did you say you were
quoting Abraham Lincoln?
Where did you get such in
formation? We have never
heard of this before" To
which 1 replied, You can
find it in any complete
American history book but
certainly not in the public
school versions that have
been screened to brainwash
the coming generation"
Guanetta Gordon.
+ Il 4
David Lawrence was prob
ably quite disappointed that
the March" did not erupt
in violence. His rather chur-
lish squawk, American citi-
zenS were prevented from
pursuing their customary
ways" sounds quite funny
in the light of what happen
ed. The whites who covered,
indoors watching TV, must
have felt quite ashamed,
when what they saw was a
true miracle of brotherhood
and goodwill.
AS for our Image" abroad.
Mr.. Lawrence should not be
naive. The whole wide world
already knows that we preach
freedom and deny it to Ne
groeS. The wonderful thing
about the March" is that
it could happen, and that
in the United States a mas
sive, peaceful, protest march
was welcomed by the PreSi-
dent himself.
No, Mr.. Lawrence, this was
no day of disgrace. We whites
are bit shame-faced today.
for our lack Of faith, that's
all.
Janet RiOch
+ 4
1t is a shame that no
speaker at the March on
Washington even suggested
that the Negro could only
gain his demands "someday. >
I'VE want freedom now" is
a phrase of defiance which
suggests a mood of emotional
disorder. The Negro will rise,
but only as fast as the in
dividual rises. Equal oppor-
tunity will come, but only
with equality responsibility
and intellect.
Booker T. Washington "hit
the nail on the head" when
he said: Our greatest dan
ger is that in the great leap
from slavery to freedom we
may overlook the fact that
the masses Of us are to live
by the productions OF our
hands, and fail to keep in
mind that we shall prosper
in proportion as we learn to
dignity and glorify common
labor and put brains and
skill into the common occu-
pations Of life; shall prosper
in proportion as we learn to
draw the line between the
superficial and the substant-
ial, the ornamental gewgaws
OF life and the useful. No
race can prosper till it learns
that there is as much dignity
in tilling a field as in writing
a poem. 1t is at the bottom
OF life we must begin, and
not at the top"
Daven HOlIar
4
The March put to flight
the Jeremiahs who predicted
dire results, many Of whom
hoped for riotous behavior.
Black Muslims and their fell
lows in spirit we're gravely
disappointed.
This demonstration OF
unity, sacrifice and service
to a great cause will histori-
cally rebound to the credit
Of Christianity, Judaism,
democracy and the entire
Nation.
+. b. Henderson.
Publicity Director,
Virginia State NAACP.