ADDRESS
DELIVERED AT THE
School Komnwenrat
GLASCOW, MISSOURI,
BV
W. FUIiJ35i<S¥T,
MAY I2TH» 1943,
ADDRESS
DELIVERED AT T H E
GLASCOW, MISSOURI,
BV
W. 5. FUIiP3I©ST.
MAY I2TH» 1913,
W R. FULBRIGHT-
ADDRESS
BY
W. R. FULBRIGHT,
Delivered at the High School Commencement May 12th.
Glascow, Mo.
Being born of a race and having an ancestry unnoted for elo¬
quence, as well as oratorical powers, who were treated so as to
stunt their natural growth of reason; and, having therefore, no
mind of a trained and disciplined thought coming to me through
hereditary transmission, I rise in your august presence, ladies and
gentlemen, and plead "Not Guilty" to the charge in the indict¬
ment of being the "Silver Tongued" Orator from Springfield,
the "Queen City" of Southwest Missouri.
In response to an invitation, I am here to address this vast
audience and to deliver "diplomas" to the Graduating Class,—
an honor which I shall hold in fond remembrance as long as I
have my presence of mind. The American negro is a new race
of people—separate and distinct from all other nationalities; he
was born December 18th, 1865, just two years after the sur¬
render of General Lee at Appomattox Court House Square, and
is "fifty" years of age.
Born during the darkest period in the history of the Amer¬
ican Government, as human slavery existed in its most crude
form, resisting humanity and defying for a time, both heaven
and earth; born in a country, where no manhood is so depreciat¬
ed as Negro manhood; no color so despised as Negro color; no
flesh so hated as Negro flesh; no blood so cheap as Negro blood;
no rights so denied as Negro rights and no immunities so abridg¬
ed as Negro immunities, and surrounded by a class of people,
whose only idea of the law was, that "might makes right" and
whose conscience was so elastic as to be stretched so as to cover
the legitimate accretions of honest labor. Ah! my friends, the
road which he travelled was rough; and the test, crucial, yet, by
the help of God, he came out, a full fledged man; basking in the
sunlight of heaven, drinking from the "fountain of liberty," rid¬
ing the "fast going horses" of progress and milching the "fat
cows" of financial prosperity.
Ours, then, is a precious birth; for it cost the government
"hordes" of gold and "rivers" of blood, and while I regret the
sad incident that brought the government at the verge of dis¬
memberment, I rejoice in the fact, 197,000 Hamatic Sons, march¬
ed to the battlefield; and with "teeth" gleaming and "eye balls"
shining, fought for freedom; 50,000 of their number were slain,
but not until slavery was exterminated and the Union saved. 1
mention this fact, because I want Negro boys and girls to know
that freedom came to the race through a "Military Tragedy" in
which Negro soldiers played a conspicous part, and not as a
"token" of love on the part of the dominant race as many would
have us believe. Yes, the death of slavery gave birth to the
Negro; set him free without shelter, food, raiment and money,
to start life over again, after cementing the "Corner Stone" of
this republic with innocent blood and serving its government as
a "source of revenue for over two hundred and fifty years."
As a race, his starvation was predicted, but thank God, he
has risen from 4,000,000 ignorant blacks to 12,000,000 pro¬
gressive freemen. He was charged with being ignorant and in¬
capable of receiving or imparting knowledge; but thank God,
he has erected 1 25 universities, high schools and colleges, 1 1,000
churches and 25,000 public schools; from which have come 3000
physicians, 1500 lawyers, 1000 skilled mechanics, 30,000 teach¬
ers, and 50,000 preachers and evangelists, he has published 500
books, added 2,500,000 Negro volumes to his library and has
reduced his illiteracy 83 per cent.
He was charged with being lazy, but thank God he owns
300,000,000 acres of land, 1,000,000 homes, 850,000 farms,
68 banks and pays taxes on over a billion dollars worth of per¬
sonal property free from all incumbrances; and this financial
progress does not include the $57,000,000 that he lost by the
failure of the Freedmens Bank in 1871, and which to the shame
of the National government has never been refunded.
Great as the numerical, intellectual and material advance¬
ment of the Negro, I am proud to say, his moral progress has
kept pace, and while his enemies hurl the charge of "immoral¬
ity" in his face, statistics shows that of the 12,000,000 Negroes
today, over 8,000,000 are professed followers of the Lowly
Nazereene-—they love their Savior and have fashioned their
lives after the "formation principles" of the "Holy Writ"; and
I declare unto you, they are not immoral—it is incompatible to
the laws of human nature.
When we remember that it required 450 years to bring the
Children of Israel out of the Land of Bondage, 600 years to
ameliorate the feudal condition of Europe, 900 years for New
England to reach its present stage in civilization and 1 800 years
to make the Brittain a citizen, we can better understand, why
the progress of the American Negro makes him the cynosure of
the eyes of the Universe.
Why, my friends, it's a "New Era" in Negro history, and
another "Mile Post" in the world's onward march in civilization
—that's all. The Negroe's progress ought to be an element in
bringing to pass the "Bfotherhood of man"; but it seems to me,
it is creating untold dissension among us and arousing unneces¬
sary jealousy among the races of the earth to the exent that we
are divided among ourselves and almost legislated beyond the
pales of civilization. As a race, the Negro has peculiarities that
are indeed quite noticeable; for while it is unjustly the "back¬
bone of contention" among the races of the world, it is forever
splitting hairs over the color question. Many of them are vis-
timized by color-phobia and stand off from the mass like an
"oasis" in a desert land.
Why, some are so ashamed of their color and disgusted with
their hair that they are trying with all their puny might to upset
the laws of nature and make themselves white; but as the Ethio¬
pian can no more change his skin than can a "leopard" its spots,
they might as well get where God and Nature has placed them
and stand there, Gibralta-like, by the fadeless color of a race,
the excellent and magnetism of whose blood, like the Immacu¬
late Jesus, is established by the fact, one drop of it claims every¬
thing it touches.
Our condition this evening is horrible to contemplate; and
if it would ever be changed to our liking, we must come together
and work in harmony.
But, asks some of the dominant race, Why so much com¬
plaint on part of the Negro; and I must say to those inquisitive
ones, "If they put themselves in our place for a few moments,
they will readily see what it is to have good brains and a clean
soul enveloped in black integument—they'll come nigh thinking
they are in "Hades" being entertained by the "devil" and his
4
imps." We complain, because our freedom, citizenship and
suffrage are denied us in part. We complain, because the "door
of hope" is being closed against us. We complain, because pre¬
judice keeps us, "hewers of wood" and "drawers of water."
We complain, because the "Square Deal" policy is not applied
to us in the functions of the government we helped to establish.
We complain, because "justice" in the courts is withheld from
us and even "mercy" seemingly has flown.
500,000 full fledged Negro citizens have been disfranchis¬
ed and are moving perforce upon the political chessboard as
mere automatons; 50,000 Negroes have been mobbed under the
"Stars and Stripes" for which Negroes fought, suffered, bled
and died—mobbed by motly men and disloyal citizens, who
trampled the Pyramidic Principles of the United States Consti¬
tution under their unhallowed feet and who arrogated to them¬
selves powers that God Almighty has never seen fit to delegate
anyone. Jim Crow laws have been passed by various states to
the discomfort of our best citizenship; segregation laws are en¬
acted prohibiting Negroes from purchasing homes and living in
certain localities in various cities; and in a few states, to the shame
of the National Government, Negroes are denied the rights of
perfecting Fraternal and secret organizations.
Yet, fellow citizens, we continue to speak of this govern¬
ment as "Uncle Sam"; but it does seem to me that, if this gov¬
ernment recognizes any kinship with us at all, it would hand us
down a slice of justice once in awhile at least.
But, be it as it is, such state of affairs will not always exist,
for the church and school—the two greatest civilizing agents of
the world, are lighting their "torches", sending forth gleams over
the dark and dancing waves of the turbulent state of affairs, rev-
lutionizing thought, moulding sentiments, amelorating condi¬
tions, brightening hopes and guiding black wayworn travelers in¬
to a "haven" of tranquility.
* * ❖
And now to the Class of 1913:
You have completed your High School "curriculum," and
are entitled to these "diplomas"—a just remuneration for your
hardships, perserverence and achievements. Your education,
however, is not complete, as the whole period of ones life is the
course of his education and you are no exception to the rule.
These diplomas are mere "pass ports" into the stern realities of
life and they are to notify the public that you are better prepared
to battle for its welfare, than when you first matriculated. In
receiving them you also receive the responsibilities belonging
with them. Don't deceive yourselves and whatever you do.
don't deceive the public; for you bring disgrace upon your Alma
Mater, teachers, directors, parents and friends, which time only
—5—
can efface. From your literary and music bombardment, this
evening, I am convinced you are exceedingly brilliant, intellect¬
ually; but tell me something about the salvation of your soul.
Can you sing the song of Moses and the Lambs? Is your heart
right with God?
These questions are of vital importance, for upon their an¬
swer rests the success of an individual in life and his eternal hap¬
piness after ^death. Literally speaking, education "is the act of
leading out.**
Mr. Webster defines it as a "drawing forth process; as
commonly used, it is "doing something, turning up something
and becoming some one."
These interpretations are all good, yet after all, the object
of education is to bring earth and heaven nearer together, so
that man may put his hand in God's hand and talk with Him,
face to face.
Education is a large word with a broad meaning; it deals
with man in his entirety; developing all the powers within him
that God to him have given; thereby giving us round boys and
girls, not lop-sided ones, while men and women, not halves. My
friends, you may be able tonight to soar in your mental flight, to
"yon numidian height," and ascertain the number, size, weight
and distance of the heavenly planets; in your mental descension,
you may land beneath the earth's crust and geologize diversified
stratas" of rocks, but, unless your heart has been thoroughly
trained as well as your head and hands, your education will be
of little service to you.
Africa s a good example; once the Mistress of the World
and Pride of Antiquity; the home of the Nimrods and Pharoughs;
the Place where Jacob was born and Moses exalted; the "Land
of Precious Promise," for God promised to call His Son out of
Egypt; the spot selected by Mary to build an asylum to hide the
infant Je3us, when the decree of King Herod searched for male
children to put them to death; the land reserved for the raising
of corn to feed the Children of Israel when fleeing from old Pha-
rough and his army; the Home of the Negro race and birth spot
of the world's civilization; the "fountain head" of systematic
knowledge and the "first school Master of the world, had her
corinthian columns, noble pyramids and wonderful obelisks to
represent her manuel efforts; her students of sanskirt and Hiero¬
glyphics to represent her mental attainment; but not having a
trained heart, fell from her exalted position and her honor fell
with her.
So, if the training of your heart is not commensurate to that
of your head and hands you are a failure to begin with and your
life's work is bound to be a complete hallucination. But, taking
for granted you are prepared for life's emergencies, I have the
honor of inviting you into the field of labor. Go forward, active
and determined; and,
"In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of life;
Be not like dumb driven cattle;
Be a hero in the strife."
Oppositions will overtake you and enemies will forever be
on your heels; but remember that people who achieve greatness
on earth have had them to deal with. Tonsaint L. Breda, bet¬
ter known as "Overature," met them; yet he chisled his name on
the "Temple of Fame"; Bishop Grant was not immune from
them, yet he leaped from an "Ox cart" to the "highest position"
in the gift of the Great A. M. E. Church; Booker T. Washington
encountered them, yet he lives tonight, the "Greatest Industrial
Educator" of the world; William Hensen was familiar with them,
yet he roughed his way to the North Pole by the side of Perry
and planted the "Stars and Stripes"; Phillis Weathley was born
among them, yet she elbowed her way to the front as a poetess
and the "intellectual world" speaks of her as a "soul of fire in a
shell of pearls"; W. T. Vernon was surrounded by them, yet he
wrote his name upon the "paper monies" of his country; Hanni¬
bal, the Carthegenian General, had them to battle against, yet
he crossed the Pyranese to the Mighty Alps, came down upon
the Romans and their allies and whipped them in a hard fought
battle.
"Ad Astra Per Aspera" was their motto; and may yours be
"No palms without dust, no excellencies without great labor."
I now present you your diplomas. All eyes are focused up¬
on you; and the world is waiting to see what you will do to fos¬
ter the intellectual, moral and material advancement of the race.
Go forward, meet the demands of the hour and help make
the age in which you live the "Diamond Age" of the world's
civilization. In conclusion, I quote from Daniel Webster: "If
we work upon marble, it will perish. If we work upon brass,
time will effact it. If we rear temples, they will crumble into
dust; but when we work upon mortal minds, if we imbue them
with principles, with the just fear of God, and love of fellowmen,
we engrave on these tablets something which will brighten to all
eternity."
Good night!