DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Dorothy Schramm newspaper clippings, 1949-1955 (folder 2 of 2) | 1950-05-20 Burlington Hawkeye Gazette Article: "A Negro's Point of View"

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Dorothy Schramm newspaper clippings, 1949-1955 (folder 2 of 2)

1950-05-20 Burlington Hawkeye Gazette Article: "A Negro's Point of View"

A Negro's Point of View
The Hawk-Eye Gazette: Upon reading your editorial of May 11 regarding the matter of "No Race Problem Here", I felt a pressing need to air a few of my opinions concerning the implication of such a statement, as well as a desire for an understanding of its underlying philosophy. 
First of all, it seems to me that small numbers of people, whether they constitute a minority or any other cultural segment of a society, do not mean that their presence is insignificant or that their compatibility and integration with the whole is to go unnoticed or regarded as being non-problematic. That cultural differences and individual differences exist among all mankind is readily discernible, and no doubt desirable and inescapable, yet an imperative counterpart to these conditions, it would seem, is that such diversities be understood and coped with when they are encountered. I ask, just what is a race problem?
With respect to local Negroes (or, for that matter, Negroes nationally) being "gainfully employed", I would be quick to question the validity of such a statement. If one defines "gainfully employed" as bare economic existence; lack of opportunity for development and application of skills and abilities, where such aptitudes exist; forced acceptance of menial and common labor employment (with very few exceptions here and there), I might go along with such a statement. Likewise, the fallacy of many local Negroes being home owners can be seen when one considers their (for the most part) low socio-economic status.
Without alluding to any other specific statements which were made in the editorial, I would like to express another opinion pertaining to the basic subject matter of the article. To begin with, I should like to command, not disparage, the efforts of those participating in the leadership and functioning of the Burlington self-survey. These people, in my opinion, not only have industriousness and concern about the welfare of their community, but have also shown self-honesty and sincerity in wrestling with the much-loaded civil rights issue.
Much is said about Christian principles and democratic ideologies by way of lip service, but for certain, what it must take by way of concern and conviction to make these "ought to be's" realities.
As a closing thought, I should like to say that what I want as a Negro (a Negro because I'm identified by skin color and a few other superficial traits) is what I want as any other human being, and that is a right to pursue happiness in every sense of the word, and to have opportunity to enjoy all of life's experiences to come. When these things are not forthcoming, a "race problem" (better still, a problem of human adjustments towards happiness) will always exist within my mind as well as having an external or objective existence.
J. RICHARD WHITE,
513 S. 3rd.
(Editor's note: This is an ably written statement by a young Burlington Negro. By way of clarification, however, let the record show the Hawk-Eye Gazette's editorial did not criticize or condemn anything that is being done here for the betterment of the Negro. It simply warned against the possibility of engendering one of those regrettable community race problems on which communism can feed and flourish.)

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A Negro's Point of View The Hawk-Eye Gazette: Upon reading your editorial of May 11 regarding the matter of "No Race Problem Here", I felt a pressing need to air a few of my opinions concerning the implication of such a statement, as well as a desire for an understanding of its underlying philosophy. First of all, it seems to me that small numbers of people, whether they constitute a minority or any other cultural segment of a society, do not mean that their presence is insignificant or that their compatibility and integration with the whole is to go unnoticed or regarded as being non-problematic. That cultural differences and individual differences exist among all mankind is readily discernible, and no doubt desirable and inescapable, yet an imperative counterpart to these conditions, it would seem, is that such diversities be understood and coped with when they are encountered. I ask, just what is a race problem? With respect to local Negroes (or, for that matter, Negroes nationally) being "gainfully employed", I would be quick to question the validity of such a statement. If one defines "gainfully employed" as bare economic existence; lack of opportunity for development and application of skills and abilities, where such aptitudes exist; forced acceptance of menial and common labor employment (with very few exceptions here and there), I might go along with such a statement. Likewise, the fallacy of many local Negroes being home owners can be seen when one considers their (for the most part) low socio-economic status. Without alluding to any other specific statements which were made in the editorial, I would like to express another opinion pertaining to the basic subject matter of the article. To begin with, I should like to command, not disparage, the efforts of those participating in the leadership and functioning of the Burlington self-survey. These people, in my opinion, not only have industriousness and concern about the welfare of their community, but have also shown self-honesty and sincerity in wrestling with the much-loaded civil rights issue. Much is said about Christian principles and democratic ideologies by way of lip service, but for certain, what it must take by way of concern and conviction to make these "ought to be's" realities. As a closing thought, I should like to say that what I want as a Negro (a Negro because I'm identified by skin color and a few other superficial traits) is what I want as any other human being, and that is a right to pursue happiness in every sense of the word, and to have opportunity to enjoy all of life's experiences to come. When these things are not forthcoming, a "race problem" (better still, a problem of human adjustments towards happiness) will always exist within my mind as well as having an external or objective existence. J. RICHARD WHITE, 513 S. 3rd. (Editor's note: This is an ably written statement by a young Burlington Negro. By way of clarification, however, let the record show the Hawk-Eye Gazette's editorial did not criticize or condemn anything that is being done here for the betterment of the Negro. It simply warned against the possibility of engendering one of those regrettable community race problems on which communism can feed and flourish.)