IN 1619 a Dutch vessel landed twenty African natives at Jamestown, Virginia. They were quickly bought by colonial settlers. This was the beginning of the African slave trade in the American Colonies. To supply this trade Africa was ravaged of millions of men, women and children. As many as survived the passage were immediately thrown into slavery. These people came from various localities in Africa. They did not all speak the same language. Here they were, suddenly cut off from the moorings of their native culture, scattered without regard to their old tribal relations, having to adjust themselves to a completely alien civilisation, having to learn a strange language, and, moreover, held under an increasingly harsh system of slavery; yet it was from these people this mass of noble music sprang; this music which is America's only folk music, and, up to this time, the finest distinctive contribution she has to offer the world.

By JAMES WELDON JOHNSON

A Catholic missionary had no better luck with the Shilluk. He was delivering a moving address and had gathered round him a large crowd of natives. He told them how delightful it was to live in Europe, how fertile the land was, how well watered, and a lot more about similar beauties. A young Shilluk warrior then stood up in full war-paint and said, "That isn't true or you white men would stay in that land instead of disturbing us here!"

"We don't want to disturb you," said the preacher gently, "we only want to teach you."

"Oh, then tell me what you can really do. Can you build a hut?"

"No," said the missionary.

"Can you make a spear?"

This was also an unfamiliar art to him.

"Well then, can you at least mould pots?"

He was forced to disclaim this too.

"You see, amongst us even the women can do that and you fancy that you can teach us something!"

The missionary defended himself: "Those are all trifles. Look at the steamers on the Nile—that's what we can do."

"All right," said the Shilluk, "show us how to do that!"

OLYMPIC "BRONZE STATUE" SHATTERS

WORLD RECORD

Great 100 Metres By Owens

BERLIN, Monday.

JESSE Owens, the negro crack from Ohio, was the star of the Olympic Games to-day. He took the final of the 100 metres as easily as the natives here take a stein of lager and with as little flourish in 10.3s.—equal to the world's record.

The chocolate-coloured boy—he is a student at the Ohio University—led from the start and the others had about as much chance of catching him as they had of catching measles.

It was a particularly fine performance, for in an earlier heat Jesse had not been as impressive as he was yesterday. He won it, of course, but Wykoff, one of the Americans, was leading him half a yard at the fifteen metres stage.

But in the final, Owens got into his stride as the pistol went, and with that extraordinary skimming movement of his, when he appears to touch the cinders so lightly that in spite of his spikes one would scarcely be nervous even if he were running over one, he never let the others get out of his shadow.

Metcalfe, another of the coloured Americans, was second, and Osendarp, a Dutchman, third.

BERLIN, Sunday.

THE first day proper of the Olympic Games—and what a day! Records disappeared so quickly that I really thought the Stadium had got mixed up with Maskelyne and Devant.

The first man to set the cinders on fire was Jesse Owens, the Ohio negro, not only the most astonishing sprinter, but also the most magnificently-built athlete I have ever seen.

In his first heat of the 100 metres, in the morning, Owens equalled the world's record of 10.3s. We said then that he was like a flash of black lightning—which is impossible. But, then, so is he.

Then, in the afternoon, he went even better. Streaking down the track looking like some amazing bronze statue brought to life, he knocked 1-10s, off the official world's record. And he still looked as though he could have done it running backwards—on his hands, if necessary.

His feet never seem to hit the track. They skim over it, always seeming to be coming up. There is no explanation of running like his—unless he has swallowed a racing engine, and even that would not be more incredible than his speed.

“BRONZE STREAKS AGAIN AT OLYMPIC GAMES

THE two coloured American athletes, Jesse Owens and Metcalfe, were first and second in the 100 metres at the Olympic Games yesterday.

But they were presented with their laurels in comparative silence—while Osendarp, a Dutchman, who was third, received a great ovation. When Owens, the “bronze statue,” who broke the world's record for 100 metres the previous day, won his heat, he was loudly cheered.

But when he got home in the final yesterday, with Metcalfe hot on his heels, the applause was sufficiently isolated to suggest that it came only from foreigners to Germany.

Easily the busiest person of the whole day was Jesse Owens, the Ohio black streak, who on Monday won the 100 metres.

For more than three hours in the afternoon he was engaged in the broad (long) jump, but he also found time to run in a heat of the 200 metres.

He won this as he liked in 21.1secs., which broke the existing Olympic record by one-tenth of a second.

It is the custom of the German spectators to chant in unison the phrase, “We congratulate you,” when anything exceptional is accomplished.

BORED

Owens heard the refrain so many times during the afternoon that he must finally have felt a little bored.

HOLDS 3 WORLD TITLES, ALMOST 4

Although Jesse Owens's time of 10.2 secs. in the Olympic 100 metres heat on Sunday beat the official world record by 1-10 secs., it will not count.

The International A m a t e r i o r   A t h l e t i c   F e d e r a t i o n   m a d e this decision yesterday because there was a following wind when Owens made the fastest time.

But there is some consolation for the American negro marvel. When the International Athletic Association, according to Reuter, confirmed twelve new records at their meeting in Ber- lin yesterday, three of these records—the 220 yards in 20.2 secs., the 220 yards hurdles in 22.6 secs., and the long jump of 8.13 metres, were awarded to Owens.

And Owens, to show his appreciation, afterwards equalled the world record in the 100 metres final.

And the largest cheer of the day went up at 6.30, when it was broadcast—mistakenly—that he had broken the world's record for the event.

His effort was officially stated to be 8.06 metres (26ft. 54ins.), the previous best being 7.98 metres (25ft. 43ins.).

Actually the jump was not a world record, though this great athlete holds the distinction with 8.13 metres (26ft. 84ins.), made in the U.S. in 1935.

Owens, by winning the jump, is thus the first double Olympic winner.

It is confidently anticipated that he will win two more.