Atlanta Daily World

The World "Negro"

WITHIN recent weeks the writer was privileged to sit in on a national Negro organization. There were no whites in attendance and no whites in the membership. To all intents and purposes then, the organization was a Negro organization.

The question of dropping the designation "Negro" was raised and it was unanimously voted that the term "Negro" would be dropped from the name of the organization.

The unanimity of the vote as well as the objective of the voting becomes very important in our bi-racial situation here in America. The larger question of trying to ignore racial thinking is thrust into the forefront of our serious considerations. Can the fact of race be ignored away by merely leaving it out of our organizational nomenclature.

The notion of race is made a fundamental of American thinking, which is dominated by the race-conscious white man. Can race therefore be ignored by merely dropping its designation from our racial organizations and from our activities in general? Here is posed a question that should have the serious consideration of our best minds.

SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT

It is not totally unlike the question of whether we as Negroes are going to be designated racially as "Negro" or as "colored." We have here two rabid schools of thought each boasting some truth and both containing much that is fallacious and irrelevant. This writer contends that "colored" pertains to any person not of the Nordic race, while "Negro" pertains to our African ancestry. Personally this writer wants to forever hold with pride to our African antecedents; for history is fast indicating that there is nothing to be ashamed of in these antecedents. There are reasons for just pride in considering the history of the Negro race and its African connections and origin.

There was a time when distorted historical perspectives made Africa a land of darkness, with nothing to serve as a basis of pride. How changed is the picture today. Just as it was once thought that no good could come out of Nazareth of Galilee, so it was long thought that no good could come out of Africa. But just as Jesus Christ Himself came out of Nazareth, so out of Africa has stemmed some of finest antecedents of civilization. What Africa has done in America shows the spiritual potentials of Africa. One of the great debts owed by the Negro race to any man is owed to Carter G. Woodson for his painstaking and laborious studies, which have been so instrumental in engendering pride of Negroes in Negroes: and a beginning is just being made. The half has not been told.

Now back to the present movement to drop the Negro designation from our organizations and activities. For a hundred years the press of our nation has appended the word "Negro" to the Negro criminal, while ignoring almost in toto the constructive activities of Negroes. In spite of all we say and do, the Negro has come to be regarded as America's arch criminal.

Particularly we know this is a base lie: but generally this opinion still prevails, perhaps throughout the civilized world: for the reason little to the contrary has been published.

When a Negro committed a crime it was so designated: but when a white person committed a crime no racial designation was given.

CRIME RAMPANT

It has come about that crime in the news can be definitely determined racially by the way race is or is not mentioned. But within recent years crime has become so rampant and criminality among whites has become so commonplace and glaring that it is a distinct advantage to keep the crime divided into white and Negro crime, for by this method we find the Negro standing to good advantage. Negroes are not more criminal than whites, as news accounts will abundantly testify. But even more important in this way the constructive activities of Negroes are coming to the fore.

We are beginning to read many good things about Negroes in the daily press. By having the designation Negro we can have just pride in our achievements. I must admit I want to read it Joe Louis, Negro: Jackie Robinson, Negro: Ralph Bunche, Negro: Larry Doby, Negro. Just about time the "Negro" begins to stand for something, we want to drop it. Is this wisdom?

There is no sense in our ignoring race unless the dominant white man also ignores it. Is he ready for the question is the more important question!