The very book for which the Public Schools have long waited---THE PEOPLE

"History," one has said, "is the witness of the times, the torch of
truth, the life of memory, the teacher of life, the messenger of
antiquity." It is clarified experience. According to Cervantes, his-
tory is the depository of great actions, the witness of what is past,
the example and the instructor of the present, and the monitor to
the future.

## AFRICANS BROUGHT TO AMERICA 9

**African Religion.** The Africans worshiped spirits and gods found everywhere and told charming stories about them. For almost everything which existed there was a spirit which had something to do with it. The Africans endeavored to appease these spirits very much in the way the Hebrews used to offer up sacrifice. Some of their ideas about creation, the conflict between good and evil, and life after death were very much like ours; but we call their religion fetishism, because the main religious duty was to worship those spirits. But it was colorful and dramatic. It was the foundation of African art which the modern world is just learning to appreciate.

A WAR DANCE

**Advanced Civilization.** The Africans, then, had advanced far in civilization before the Europeans came to their continent. They had a mode of living which is merely the record of the successes and disappointments, the vices, the follies, and the quarrels of those who have contended for power. In other words, these writers have done little more than to make history a register of the crimes and misfortunes of mankind.

## CONTENTS

### Chapter

I. AFRICANS BROUGHT TO AMERICA

II. THE NEGRO IN DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATION

III. TRADERS AND THEIR TRADING

IV. THE MAROONS A PROBLEM

V. KEEPING THE NEGRO QUIET

VI. EARLY FRIENDS OF THE NEGRO

VII. THE NEGRO AND AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE

VIII. THE RISE OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS

IX. AMBITIOUS UNDERTAKINGS

X. A CHANGING ATTITUDE

XI. TRYING TO FIND FREEDOM

XII. THE NEGRO AND THE INDIAN

XIII. NEGROES TO THE SOUTHWEST

XIV. SLAVERY FULLY DEVELOPED

XV. FREE PEOPLE OF COLOR

XVI. THE NEGRO ON FREE SOIL

XVII. COLONIZATION PROJECTED

XVIII. LIBERIA ESTABLISHED

XIX. EMIGRANTS TO OTHER LANDS

XX. INITIATIVE OF NEGRO WORKERS

XXI. AUTHORS AND EDITORS

XXII. THE TALENTED OF THE EARLIER DAYS

XXIII. GENIUS IN SPITE OF HANDICAP

XXIV. EFFORTS FOR FREEDOM

XXV. GROWING SENTIMENT FOR LIBERTY

XXVI. DIFFERING OPINIONS

XXVII. A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF

XXVIII. PARTIES OF THE CRITICAL PERIOD

XXIX. THE NEGRO IN THE WAR OF THE STATES

XXX. PREPARATION FOR FREEDOM

XXXI. REBUILDING THE WASTE PLACES

XXXII. THE READJUSTMENT

XXXIII. PRACTICAL EDUCATION MADE POPULAR

XXXIV. EVIDENCES OF PROGRESS

XXXV. HIGHER STRIVINGS

XXXVI. REACTIONARY EFFORTS COUNTERACTED

XXXVII. THE NEGRO IN THE CLASH OF NATIONS

XXXVIII. RURAL PROGRESS

XXXIX. NEGRO ART APPRECIATED

## INDEX

Viewing history from higher ground, men have spoken of it as the complement of poetry, a picture, "a mighty drama enacted upon the theatre of time, with suns for lamps and eternity for a background." The world's history, then, according to a distinguished man, is "a divine poem of which the story of every nation is a canto and every man a word."

## 104 NEGRO MAKERS OF HISTORY

ment possible. The United States had gone into a second war with England. The complaint was that England had impressed Americans into its service, had not respected their rights on the high seas, and had failed to carry out certain provisions of Jay's Treaty and the peace closing the Revolutionary War. After several reverses the struggle was finally won with brilliant victories such as those of Perry and McDonough on water, and Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans. In all of these encounters, too, the aid of Negroes was significant.

FIGHTING ON WATER

**The Bravery of Johnson and Davis.** Nathaniel Shaler, an officer in a successful naval engagement of this war, said, "The name of one of my poor fellows who was killed ought to be registered in the book of fame, and remembered with reverence as long as bravery is considered a virtue. He was a black man, by the strains of history "have been pealing along down the centuries, and though there have been mingled the discords of warring cannon and dying men, yet to the Christian philosopher and historian —the humble listener—there has been a divine melody running through the song which speaks of hope and halcyon days to come."

Written from the point of view of the Child

At the end of each chapter, too, there is a summary of important facts to be kept in mind. This summary is followed by hints and questions which test the progress of the student and suggest plans for further study.

234 NEGRO MAKERS OF HISTORY

of the leadership of slaveholders. Its language seemed bitter, but it presented logically the economic situation of the South as it really was. Slavery was keeping the poor white man down by destroying the dignity of labor and by keeping industries away from the South. The book alarmed the slaveholding States. It could be easily seen that in a country where there were only about 225,000 persons who actually owned slaves or only one out of every five who had an interest in slaves, if the non-slaveholding element combined against the institution, it was doomed.

Facts To Be Kept in Mind

1. The slavery question was an economic one in that it was a question of slave or free labor, a question of a progressive country or a backward country. Among the abolitionists the question was largely one of sentiment. Many others, who could not join in the attacks of the abolitionists, opposed slavery because it kept the country in a backward condition. Most people, however, never think. They agree to almost anything that a few influential persons among them may say. If these happen to be selfish, the case of the multitude is a deplorable one.

2. The various compromises of slavery gradually brought its friends up to the high water mark of protecting slavery as set forth in the Dred Scott Decision. This, however, merely made bad matters worse and hurried things on to a crisis. The question then went into politics and everybody began to take sides one way or the other. As this decision was that slavery was national, the people of the free soil became determined not to have it so. They still had no inclination to interfere with slavery where it was at that time, but they resolved that it should not go any farther.

Hints and Questions

1. What advantage has free labor over slave labor?

2. What was the purpose of the compromise of 1850?

3. What did Stephen A. Douglas hope to accomplish by the Kansas-Nebraska Bill?

4. Tell the story of Dred Scott.

5. What do you know of Uncle Tom's Cabin?

6. Did any political party declare itself in favor of abolition in 1856 or 1860?

7. What was the thought of Lincoln on this question? What was his plan for getting rid of slavery?

8. What were the teachings of Helper's Impending Crisis?

9. Would you add here any names to the list of friends and helpers of Negroes?

10. Would you note any important events and dates?

This book is an adaptation of the leading facts of Negro History to the capacity of children in the elementary schools. The author has tried to simplify the language and condense the treatment to supply the needs of such pupils. Many illustrations have been used in this work, and important new facts are given.

The aim here is to facilitate the teacher's task of preparing children to play their part credibly in this new age. The teacher must hold up before them the examples of their own people, who have done things worth while. Those who have no record of what their forbears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history.

With these things in mind the author has not only presented the essentials of this history but also extensive sketches of those who have done these significant things. In almost every chapter, then, will be found the story of some prominent figure set forth as a maker of history.

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