The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 1995, Memorial IssueVarious
History
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 1995, Memorial Issue
Various
African Americans -- Social conditions -- To 1964; Civil rights movements; Martin Luther King, Jr., Day; United States -- History
Stories on the other side might be given showing that a certain class of
white people, both at the polls and in the Legislatures, voted just as
unreasonably in opposing politically what they thought the Negro or the
North wanted, no matter how much benefit might ensue from a contrary
action. Unfortunately such antagonism did not end with matters
political, but in many cases affected the relation of the races in
nearly every walk of life. Aside from political strife, there was
naturally deep feeling between the North and the South on account of the
war. On nearly every question growing out of the war, which was debated
in Congress, or in political campaigns, there was the keenest difference
and often the deepest feeling. There was almost no question of even a
semi-political nature, or having a remote connection with the Negro,
upon which there was not sharp and often bitter division between the
North and South. It is needless to say that in many cases the Negro
was the sufferer. He was being ground between the upper and nether
millstones. Even to this day it is well-nigh impossible, largely by
reason of the force of habit, in certain states to prevent state and
even local campaigns from being centred in some form upon the black man.
In states like Mississippi, for example, where the Negro ceased nearly
a score of years ago, by operation of law, to be a determining factor
in politics, he forms in some way the principal fuel for campaign
discussion at nearly every election. The sad feature of this is, that
it prevents the presentation before the masses of the people of matters
pertaining to local and state improvement, and to great national issues
like finance, tariff, or foreign policies. It prevents the masses from
receiving the broad and helpful education which every political campaign
should furnish, and, what is equally unfortunate, it prevents the youth
from seeing and hearing on the platform the great political leaders of
the two national parties. During a national campaign few of the great
Democratic leaders debate national questions in the South, because it
is felt that the old antagonism to the Negro politically will keep the
South voting one way. Few of the great Republican leaders appear on
Southern platforms, because they feel that nothing will be gained.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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