solation.
And in the case of the American Negro this situation is aggravated by
the fact that the white man has developed a determination to keep him in
isolation--"in his place." Now, when the isolation is willed and has at
the same time the emotional nature of a tabu, the handicap is very grave
indeed. It is a fact that the most intelligent Negroes are usually half
or more than half white, but it is still a subject for investigation
whether this is due to mixed blood or to the fact that they have been
more successful in violating the tabu.

The humblest white employee knows that the better he does his
work, the more chance there is for him to rise in the business.
The black employee knows that the better he does his work, the
longer he may do it; he cannot often hope for promotion.

All these careers are at the very outset closed to the Negro on
account of his color; what lawyer would give even a minor case
to a Negro assistant? Or what university would appoint a
promising young Negro as tutor? Thus the white young man starts
in life knowing that within some limits and barring accidents,
talent and application will tell. The young Negro starts
knowing that on all sides his advance is made doubly difficult,
if not wholly shut off, by his color.

In all walks of life the Negro is liable to meet some objection
to his presence or some discourteous treatment. If an
invitation is issued to the public for any occasion, the Negro
can never know whether he would be welcomed or not; if he goes
he is liable to have his feelings hurt and get into unpleasant
altercation; if he stays away, he is blamed for indifference.
If he meet a lifelong white friend on the street, he is in a
dilemma; if he does not greet the friend he is put down as
boorish and impolite; if he does greet the friend he is liable
to be flatly snubbed. If by chance he is introduced to a white
woman or man, he expects to be ignored on the next meeting, and
usually is. White friends may call on him, but he is scarcely
expected to call on them, save for strictly business matters.
If he gain the affections of a white woman and marry her he may
invariably expect that slurs will be thrown on her reputation
and on his, and that both his and her race will shun their
company. When he dies he cannot be buried beside white corps