And how natural this is! The death of Denmark Vesey
and Nat Turner proved long since to the Negro the present
hopelessness of physical defence. Political defence is becom-
ing less and less available, and economic defence is still only
partially effective. But there is a patent defence at hand,--the
defence of deception and flattery, of cajoling and lying. It is
the same defence which peasants of the Middle Age used and
which left its stamp on their character for centuries. To-day
the young Negro of the South who would succeed cannot be
frank and outspoken, honest and self-assertive, but rather he
is daily tempted to be silent and wary, politic and sly; he
must flatter and be pleasant, endure petty insults with a smile,
shut his eyes to wrong; in too many cases he sees positive
personal advantage in deception and lying. His real thoughts,
his real aspirations, must be guarded in whispers; he must not
criticise, he must not complain. Patience, humility, and adroit-
ness must, in these growing black youth, replace impulse,
manliness, and courage. With this sacrifice there is an eco-
nomic opening, and perhaps peace and some prosperity.
Pages:
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273