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Editorials

On the passing of Fred Weaver

"This is the history of a human heart, the tale of a Black boy who many long years ago began to struggle with life that he might know the world and know himself. Three temptations he met on those dark dunes that lay gray and dismal before the wonder-eyes of the child: the temptation of Hate, that stood out against the red dawn; the temptation of Despair, that darkened noonday; and the temptation of Doubt, that ever steals along with twilight. Above all you must hear of the vales he crossed: the Valley of Humiliation and the Valley of the Shadow of Death."

Our Fred Weaver never succumbed to the temptation of hate, he loved and served humanity; Fred never yielded to despair, he fought the righteous fight no matter the odds; Fred never entertained doubt, he believed in our people all of his life and in death he counseled us in the way of his great forebear, Frederick Douglass, "Agitate, agitate, agitate!"

The Amsterdam News is proud of the relationship we had with Fred Weaver. We loved and respected him. For we are confident that whenever our views differed, they were honest differences. For all that Fred Weaver said in his "The Lash and The Cross" was said out of the conviction that it was best for Black people.

The words which begin this editorial were written by Dr. W.E.B DuBois, ten years before the birth of Fred Weaver, about Alexander Crummell. They are just as fitting for Fred. He too suffered the abuses and humiliations that have been the history of the treatment of African people in America.

There may be those in New York City who believe that the death of Fred Weaver will lessen the voice of the Amsterdam News. They are wrong. For Fred Weaver yet lives. He lives in all of us who struggle against the curse of racism.

[[image - cartoon entitled, The opera is over!]]
Large woman, singing from castle tower while FRED WEAVER dressed as a charging knight on horseback, 
lance down, labelled as LASH AND THE CROSS,
scattering suited men labelled PUBLIC ENEMIES WHOMEVER THEY MAY BE
[[cartoonist credit: Melvin Tapley]]


[[boxed]]
Somebody said that it 
couldn't be done.
But he with a chuckle
 replied,
 that maybe it couldn't.
 But he'd not be one to
 say so until he tried.
 So he buckled right in
 with a bit of a grin
 on his face.
 If he worried, he hid it.
 He started to sing
 as he tackled the thing
 that couldn't be done
 and he did it.

Anonymous

FREDERICK S. WEAVER
1912-1982
[/boxed]]

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