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240 The Crisis [[image - black & white photograph of Sumner Fletcher]] [[caption]]Sumner G. Fletcher M.A. University of Pennsylvania[[/caption]] [[image - black & white photograph of Marechal Ellison]] [[caption]Marechal Neil V. Ellison M.A. University of Pennsylvania[[/caption]] [[image - black & white photograph of Valerie Justiss]] [[caption]Valerie O'Mega Justiss M.A. University of Toledo[[/caption] [[image - black & white photograph of Lawrence Wilson]] [[caption]Lawrence Bertell Wilson M.A. University of Illinois[[/caption] [[image - black & white photograph of Florence Beatty]] [[caption]Florence R. Beatty M.A. University of Illinois[[/caption] Going Is Rough (Continued from page 233) knows that its head excuses discrimination by arguing that "Negroes here do not pay enough to buy coal." And sometimes, this courageous attitude and enlightened point of view is all that is needed to insure justice and a fair deal for Negroes. Where the public opinion of a state frowns on and revolts against practices of race discrimination, both college president and faculty are less inclined to be inconsiderate and ruthless in their behavior, and frequently, this potential public opinion will act as stimulus and support to a president, or to professors, who want to curb anti-Negro sentiment and practices. How Professors Help The courage of individual faculty members is an important factor in saving an institution from remaining, or becoming, burdened down by its prejudices. When it happened that a university could not elect a Negro to membership in an honorary speech fraternity because the national constitution prevented, it was the courageous leadership taken by the professorial staff that kept the fight to amend the constitution going for four years until enough votes could be garnered to delete the anti-Negro stipulation. In one of the schools where Negroes cannot eat on campus, or anywhere nearby, several professors, sick of existing discriminations, recently initiated the establishment of a restaurant where Negroes may eat, together with faculty members and white students who also patronize the place. In many a social science course, other professors, knowing how textbooks, magazines and inherent attitudes unite to keep the Negro inferior, put special emphasis in portraying the other side of the Negro and by speakers and outside reading help to change the stereotypes which so many white students bring to college with them. Incidentally institutions, Negroes get an opportunity to be their best and do their utmost because there are enough student leaders who are advanced into thinking far beyond even their professors, and refused to join the band who become jingoistic and a scatter-brained on the Yellow Peril of Japan, the Rising Tide of Color, the necessity for war, or what William Randolph Hearst would call the sellout of American education to the Communists. Where the articulate study body Will not join in oppressive discriminations against Negroes, such discrimination do not go far. These attitudes and interests of president, faculty and student, separately, or jointly, explain why one university refuses to bar Negroes from its dormitories, while another keeps them out; why Negroes are admitted as teaching fellows and instructors in one institution, while such a practice would be heresy in another; why Negroes are not singled out in any particular in one place and are marked persons in another; why a Negro approaches certain departments with fear and trembling, not knowing he will get the grade he actually makes, while in another institution, he believes that he'll get what he earns, whether his instructor hails from Dixie or not. And to keep the record straight, let it be noted, that there seems to be no evidence that professors of southern background are more inclined to show prejudice and practice discrimination against Negroes then our northerners. Negro Students Can Help Negro students, themselves can contribute greatly to free their alma mater from narrow prejudices and to win for themselves fuller rights, privileges and opportunities. The first step is for the Negro student so to conduct himself that nothing in his outward and visible demeanour will help to appear to make true the stereotype that Negroes act this way all that, that Negroes are obnoxious, that they are different in manner and makeup. This does not mean, however, that the Negro student must be cringing all sycophantic, or that he must attempt to be "teachers pet." It means that he will be himself – a gentleman, whatever that term may mean in our changing and democratic America. Co-equal, certainly – perhaps even more important – is academic standing. Gentlemanly action may be interpreted differently by different people, but good grades, like dollars, come to have an unmistakable meaning and to speak an understandable language, and win recognition for those holding them. This recognition may be obtuse at times, and bring down jealousies and ill-will on the head of the ranking student, but if one has the grades, he has tremendous compensatory factors on his side and most potent instruments with which to beat back the opposition. Students and professors eventually learn to respect the Negro who can make the grades and take things in his stride without becoming "cocky." Too much cannot be said about making friends both with the students and instructors with whom one comes in contact. This means that Negroes will not believe that all the whites are against them and intend to insult them. Rather they will realize that in any community of five to ten thousand people everyone is not going to love and hold in high esteem everyone else. There will be many casual acquaintances, they will be warm friendliness, just growing out of a common experience, they should also be some deep, sincere, all-weather friendships. Some of these acquaintances and friendships will not come on the play field, in club meetings, at forums and in numerous other extra-curricular avenues. Negro students cannot afford, therefore, to isolate themselves from the campus – certainly not from those significant and worthwhile activities which they have a normal liking for and would (Continued on page 252)
