Now they pretend otherwise in
self-defense.

You think of some little device for testing race love; try it--it will
do the rest. The white people have found that nothing is to be feared
of colored people when it comes to helping racial cause. The
individual who is loudest in defense of his race generally gets the
most generous cursing from Negroes. Newspapers are often held in
abomination by Negroes. A Negro editor would be mobbed if he told the
truth about Negroes; they say, let the white people do it. Negroes who
engage in business of any kind are usually criticised most severely by
Negroes who are incapable of engaging in any kind of business for
themselves. They are always full of suggestions as to how Mr. "A" and
Mr. "B" should conduct or run their business; still they have nothing
substantial to offer. Criticisms coming from such a source simply
amount to nothing. It is about time for all of us to stop going out of
our way, and making occasion, where none exists, to blackguard the
Negro, and instead encourage him to industry and correct living and
increase our efforts to make him a steadier laborer and better
citizen. It is hardly fair to place the whole race under a common
condemnation because of the slothfulness and lawlessness of some of
its members; it would hardly be fair even if this percentage were
larger than it is, and it is hardly worthy of a people to continue
nagging at, and seeking to arouse further prejudice against its own
race. No man can reach the elevated plane of good character and worth
who drags behind him a great load of little and mean dislikes for his
fellowman. The possibilities of higher professional standing of
colored men and women depend upon the unity and determination of the
colored people to push their professional and business men to the
front. I appeal to you as a race to cultivate race pride, not race
prejudice. Stand up like men and women and cultivate unity and protect
and defend each other's interest. Let the elevation of one be the joy
of the other, instead of pulling down those who are trying to elevate
themselves and the race. The possibilities of colored professional men
will be great to the extent that the colored people will allow their
greatness. Their destiny is with the colored race. This world is not
a place of peace and unmixed happiness. There has always been a
struggle of individuals and races for existence and mastery.

It is beginning to dawn on the Negroes ge