Then came the Revolution of 1876, the suppression of the
Negro votes, the changing and shifting of ideals, and the
seeking of new lights in the great night. Douglass, in his old
age, still bravely stood for the ideals of his early manhood,
--ultimate assimilation through self-assertion, and on no other
terms. For a time Price arose as a new leader, destined, it
seemed, not to give up, but to re-state the old ideals in a form
less repugnant to the white South. But he passed away in his
prime. Then came the new leader. Nearly all the former ones
had become leaders by the silent suffrage of their fellows,
had sought to lead their own people alone, and were usually,
save Douglass, little known outside their race. But Booker T.
Washington arose as essentially the leader not of one race but
of two,--a compromiser between the South, the North, and
the Negro. Naturally the Negroes resented, at first bitterly,
signs of compromise which surrendered their civil and politi-
cal rights, even though this was to be exchanged for larger
chances of economic development. The rich and dominating
North, however, was not only weary of the race problem, but
was investing largely in Southern enterprises, and welcomed
any method of peaceful cooperation.
Pages:
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82