Light Ahead for the NegroJohnson, Edward A. (Edward Austin)
Science
Light Ahead for the Negro
Johnson, Edward A. (Edward Austin)
African Americans; United States -- Race relations
“Now,” said Doctor Newell, on his return, “I am sorry our conversation
was interrupted, but let us proceed. I believe you desired to ask me
some questions about the Negro farm laborers, did you not?”
I replied that I did, and recalled my statement as to their condition
when I last knew of them.
“Oh, it is very different from that now, Mr. Twitchell. Many changes;
many, many, have occurred! You will recall that, about the time you
left, the different Southern states were re-reconstructing themselves,
as it were, by making amendments to their constitutions which virtually
disfranchised a large proportion of the Negro voters--enough to put
the offices of the states absolutely into the hands of white men, as
outlined in the magazine article you have just read, and as you stated
in your brochure for the Bureau of Public Utility. Some passages from
a book I have on the subject may remind you of the discussion of this
question that was going on then.”
Signifying to his secretary what he wanted, he read to me the following
excerpts from the history of those times:
“NEGRO DISFRANCHISEMENT
“WHAT DR. F. A. NOBLE THINKS
“In civil as in business affairs there is nothing so foolish as
injustice and oppression; there is nothing so wise as righteousness. By
the letter of the amended Constitution, by the spirit and aim of the
amendments, and by all the principles of our American democracy, the
Negro is in possession of the elective franchise. Men differ in their
views as to whether it was good policy to confer this right upon him
at the time and in the way, and especially to the extent to which it
was done; but the right was conferred, and it is now his. To deprive
him of this right, for no other reason than that he is a Negro, is to
nullify the fundamental law of the land, discredit one of the most
sacred results of Emancipation, and flaunt contempt in the face of
the idea of a government of the people and by the people and for the
people. To discourage the Negro from attempting to exercise the right
of the ballot is to belittle him in his own estimation, put him at a
serious disadvantage in the estimation of others, and by so much remand
him back to the old condition of servitude from which he was rescued at
such cost to the nation. Wrong done to the colored race involves the
white race in the catastrophe which must follow. To withhold justice is
worse than to suffer injustice. A people deprived of their rights by
the state will not long be faithful to their duties to the state.
“WHAT HON. CARL SCHURZ THINKS
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account