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independence of America. But today the descendants of Crispus Attucks are the step-children of Boston - denied an equal chance for education, for employment, doing harder work for lower wages, doomed to live in the city's most squalid section. The difference between the North and the South of the Mason-Dixon line is only a difference of degree. Throughout the country, powerful forces are allied to prevent our people from having an equal chance to live a decent, rich, happy life. Let us listen to the story of a young Negro whom we shall call George. George does not tell a "hard-luck" story - his life is typical of the obstacles faced by the more fortunate Negro. He Wanted To Become President George came from a family with eight children. His father worked in a Mississippi sawmill, earning $9.75 a week. This was not enough to keep the family of ten, and George's mother, in addition to keeping the house clean and neat, washing, ironing, cleaning, and cooking for the family, also took in the washing from the rich white people to supplement the family income. George's parents never had a chance to go beyond the second grade in school. They had no great hope in life for themselves - only the hope that their children could live a better life than they had lived. For them, this revolved around the question of getting a better education. Knowledge, they taught George and his brothers and sisters, was power - the power to live a better life. 14 George was determined to justify the confidence of his parents. His mother wanted him to become a doctor. His father thought he should be a preacher. George's aspirations ran higher; he wanted to become a senator - perhaps even President. Why not? Hadn't he been taught in school that every American had an equal opportunity - that his chance was as good as the next fellow's - that if he worked hard and studied hard, he could not fail? George Learns About Money George soon learned the meaning of work an the meaning of sacrifice. He had to get up every morning before it was light - before the rich white folks had gone to bed - to bring his father's dinner to the sawmill. His father had to leave home at three o'clock in the morning in order to get to work on time. Every morning, George's father would say a few words of encouragement to him - keeping up his courage to work hard for the education that would bring liberation. George's mother gave him warm words of encouragement, too. Nickels were scarce and children were many - but George's mother managed to find pennies so that the children could have a piece of candy or an apple with their lunch. George could see that his family were denying themselves everything so that he could have a chance. He wanted to help. He knew that even fifty cents - even a quarter a week - would have meant more greens on the table, more meals, more blackeyed peas, or perhaps even molasses for 15