The Booker T. Washington Papers, Vol.6, page 394, Feb. 1902, U. of Illinois Press

The page presentation framework of the Booker T. Washington papers is designed to provide researchers worldwide with searchable access to the thousands of pages comprising the fourteen volumes, most of which are out of print. Adapted from the National Academy Press's Open Book framework, this framework allows searching down to the page level, provides sorting of search results chronologically, enables easy navigation across multiple volumes, and allows page-by-page local printing (via PDF) of every page.

[ Top of Page ]

[ Home ]

[ Contact Us ]

[ Help ]

OCRed data provided for searching only.
The BOOKER T. WASHINGTON Papers There is one thing in which ~ do not want you to misunderstand me or do any injustice to yourself. ~ am standing by the President solely for the reason that I believe his intentions are right and that he is straightforward and honest and means to do the proper thing by our people, the thing that will in the end result in the greatest good to the greatest number. So long as I feel this I shall stand by him regardless of whether he may confer any personal benefit upon me or not. Of course it is hardly possible for a man living ir1 the North to see from the same point of view that many of us do in the South. The Negro sooner or later has got to take the position, and I am glad to say that many of the most thoughtful ones in the South are already doing so, that we are to reside in this part of the country, and in every manly straightforward manner we are to make friends with the people among whom we are to live for all time. You are most wise and far-sighted, for example, in cultivating and retaining the friendship of the white people in the city of Red Bank where your family lives. The Negro in the South must learn to do the same thing. I have no hesitation in asserting that the interests of the Negro will be vastly more enchanced through the recognition of such a man as Gov. Jones in Alabama, a native white man who has an honest and courageous heart and who also has such a standing in the community that he can protect the Negro and assist in securing him additional privileges. The white Republicans whom the Negro has kept in office during the last thirty years in the South in most cases not only have no interest in the Negro, but have no ability to help or protect him even if they have the disposition. Of course there are exceptions to this statement. For example, in Alabama recently, one of these old time Republicans went to Gov. Jones and congratulated him upon his selection for the judgeship and stated at the same time that he was glad of it because his being judge would mean that the court would be rid of the Negro on the grand jury and petit jury. Gov. Jones instantly called him to time and told him that he was talking to the wrong man, that he expected to see that Negroes were kept on the juries just as long as he was judge. The recognition of such men cannot help but eventually to split the Democratic Party and end in the formation of two distinct parties in the South. Until this is done, it is hardly possible for the Negro to receive any kind of political recognition. should fee! very awkward and uncomfortable were it apparent 394