COLOUR PROBLEMS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4954, 11 February 1937, Page 6

COLOUR PROBLEMS

BLACK AND WHITE; IN AMERICA “When a man who happens to be dark-skinned is caught in a crime, or when he is merely accused of misdoing, by hysterical or malicious white-skinned persons, the headline writer pulls out one of his well-worn stereotypes: ‘Negro Gunman. Sought,’ or ‘Black Assailant Captured,’ or ‘Negro Suspected of Arson.’ When an athlete who happens to be darkskinned runs the fastest, or jumps the highest, in competition with the champions of all other nations, our headline writer, being still on the job, reaches for another set of phrases: ‘America Captures Many Olympic Prizes.’ What is the underlying

principle ? Simple enough, as all great principles are. Wlhen he’s bad he’s a negro. When he’s bringing glory to his native country, he’s just cne of us Americans. We Nordics seem to intend that the negro shall always keep his distance, except when he’s breaking a record that we can claim for Uncle Sam—and ourselves!” “Northwestern Christian Advocate.”