The Booker T. Washington Papers, Vol.9, page 237, Mar. 1907, U. of Illinois Press

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AIARCH · 1 go7 In my opinion, we are here to stay. So far as I can discern the activities and the ambitions of the masses of my race, I do not believe that the time will come in this or any other near generation, when any large proportion of them will leave the South for any other portion of the United States, or for any foreign territory. So, it seems to me, that we had just as well make up our minds that both of us are here to stay, as I discern no signs of your going away. (Laughter.) I suppose you have heard the story of the old colored man in Virginia who had lived on a plantation up there for about seventy years, in slavery and in freedom. One of the young men who used to be a part owner of this old fellow went to New York to live and afterwards went back to his Old Virginia home for a little visit. He found this old colored man around there and he got a littl impatient with the old fellow because of his slothfulness and be cause of the way In which he performed some of his duties. He said to him one morning, ''Jim, I think we will have to part; I can't put up with your slothfulness and carelessness any longer; Jim, I think we shall have to part.'' The old fellow replied, ''Boss, I's sorry for it, but I don' know whar you is a-goin.'' (Laughter.) We don't want to part from you and you don't want to part from us. If you want to see a real lonesome Southern white man, meet him in Europe or somewhere in a portion of the world where h can't see any colored people; he is the most lonesome creature you ever saw. Both of us, in my opinion, are here to stay. When two races are living in the same country, are living side by side, it seems to me that the only logical, the only sensible course for those races to pursue is to find methods by which they can live together in peace, in harmony and in complete friendship. It is so often true of races as of individuals, each race becomes so wrapped up in the prosperity or happiness of its own race that in too many cases it forgets the duty that it owes to the other race, especially to the weaker race that is right by its side, forgetting the fact that it and its interests are not the only interests to be considered. I believe that the educated young men of the South can be of service in the present condition of our progress in a larger degree than has been true in the past if in every large—perhaps I should modify that and say if in many of the large colleges and universi237