The Journal of Negro History, Volume 4, 1919Various
History
The Journal of Negro History, Volume 4, 1919
Various
African Americans -- Periodicals
The need for this work is likewise a concern to the enlightened class
of southern whites. Seeing that a better understanding of the races is
now necessary to maintain that conservatism to prevent this country
from being torn asunder by Socialism and Bolshevism, they are now
making an effort to effect a closer relation between the blacks and
whites by making an intensive study of the Negro. Fortunately too this
is earnestly urged by the group of rising scholars of the new South.
To carry out this work a number of professors from various southern
universities have organized what is called the University Commission
on Southern Race Questions. They are calling the attention of the
South to the world-wide reconstruction following in the wake of the
World War, which will necessarily affect the country in a peculiar
way. They point to the fact that almost 400,000 Negroes were called
into the military service and thousands of others to industrial
centers of the North. Knowing too that the demobilization of the
Negroes and whites in the army will bring home a large number of
remade men who must be adapted anew to life, they are asking for a
general cooeperation of the whites throughout the South in the interest
of the Negro and the welfare of the land.
These gentlemen are directing this study toward the need of making the
South realize the value of the Negro to the community, to inculcate a
sympathy for the Negro and to enable the whites to understand that the
race cannot be judged by the shortcomings of a few of the group. They
are appealing to the country and especially to the scholarly men of
the South for more justice and fair play for the Negroes in view of
the fact that, in spite of the radical aliens who set to work among
the Negroes to undermine their loyalty, the Negroes maintained their
morale and supported the war. Men of thought then are boldly urged to
engage in this movement for a large measure of thoughtfulness and
consideration, for the control of "careless habits of speech which
give needless offense and for the practice of just relations. To seek
by all practicable means to cultivate a more tolerant spirit, a more
generous sympathy, and a wider degree of cooeperation between the best
elements of both races, to emphasize the best rather than the worst
features of interracial relations, to secure greater publicity for
those whose views are based on reason rather than prejudice--these,
they believe are essential parts of the Reconstruction program by
which it is hoped to bring into the world a new era of peace and
democracy. Because college men are rightly expected to be molders of
opinion, the Commission earnestly appeals to them to contribute of
their talents and energy in bringing this program to its
consummation."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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