The Red Record: Tabulated Statistics and Alleged Causes of Lynching in the United StatesWells-Barnett, Ida B.
History
The Red Record: Tabulated Statistics and Alleged Causes of Lynching in the United States
Wells-Barnett, Ida B.
African Americans -- History -- 1877-1964; Lynching -- United States; Lynching -- United States -- Statistics
Men! whose boast it is that ye
Come of fathers brave and free,
If there breathe on earth a slave
Are ye truly free and brave?
If ye do not feel the chain,
When it works a brother's pain,
Are ye not base slaves indeed,
Slaves unworthy to be freed?
Women! who shall one day bear
Sons to breathe New England air,
If ye hear without a blush,
Deeds to make the roused blood rush
Like red lava through your veins,
For your sisters now in chains,--
Answer! are ye fit to be
Mothers of the brave and free?
Is true freedom but to break
Fetters for our own dear sake,
And, with leathern hearts, forget
That we owe mankind a debt?
No! true freedom is to share
All the chains our brothers wear,
And, with heart and hand, to be
Earnest to make others free!
There are slaves who fear to speak
For the fallen and the weak;
They are slaves who will not choose
Hatred, scoffing, and abuse,
Rather than in silence shrink
From the truth they needs must think;
They are slaves who dare not be
In the right with two or three.
A FIELD FOR PRACTICAL WORK
The very frequent inquiry made after my lectures by interested friends is
"What can I do to help the cause?" The answer always is: "Tell the world
the facts." When the Christian world knows the alarming growth and extent
of outlawry in our land, some means will be found to stop it.
The object of this publication is to tell the facts, and friends of the
cause can lend a helping hand by aiding in the distribution of these
books. When I present our cause to a minister, editor, lecturer, or
representative of any moral agency, the first demand is for facts and
figures. Plainly, I can not then hand out a book with a twenty-five-cent
tariff on the information contained. This would be only a new method in
the book agents' art. In all such cases it is a pleasure to submit this
book for investigation, with the certain assurance of gaining a friend to
the cause.
There are many agencies which may be enlisted in our cause by the general
circulation of the facts herein contained. The preachers, teachers,
editors and humanitarians of the white race, at home and abroad, must have
facts laid before them, and it is our duty to supply these facts. The
Central Anti-Lynching League, Room 9, 128 Clark St., Chicago, has
established a Free Distribution Fund, the work of which can be promoted by
all who are interested in this work.
Antilynching leagues, societies and individuals can order books from this
fund at agents' rates. The books will be sent to their order, or, if
desired, will be distributed by the League among those whose cooperative
aid we so greatly need. The writer hereof assures prompt distribution of
books according to order, and public acknowledgment of all orders through
the public press.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account