February, 1928.
TOBEANEGR'diNADAY
LIKE THIS
J. Warren Whitten.
(Dedicated to Negro History Week)
There are problems which the race must
face, but the greater number of these
problems are caused by the lack of confi
dence in ourselves and our fellowmen.
To be Negroes in a day like this, we must
have a backbone, a backbone to demand
our rights, a backbone that will force us
not to be slackers, but will cause us to be
up and doing. To be a Negro in a day
like this, it demands confidence in one’s
self enough confidence to feel that we
can attain the uttermost height. We must
remember that the foot of the ladder is the
place that is crowded, but at the top there
is plenty of room.
To be Negi'oes in a day like this, we
must learn to encourage our people in
whatever step they take for the advance
ment of the race; let us not be crab-like,
but always be willing to grant him aid
who desires it. If one is aspiring for a
high position, let us give him our co-opera
tion. We have had men in the city coun
cils and also in the Senate. Why have we
no men in these positions now? The reason
is, because we have no backbone to support
them; our confidence in ourselves and our
fellowman is failing. But to be a Negro
in a day like this one must have an un-
THE UNIVERSITY STUDENT
failing confidence in ourselves and our fel-
lownien, or else he will never be able to
come into his own. To be a Negro in a day
like this, one must learn to acquire—ac
quire those things which cause a man to be
recognized in the world.
To be a Negro in a day like this, one is
compelled to have courage—courage, to ask
for what we want; courage to stand our
ground and not stand back and be too
ready to give way tothe other fellow. We
cannot afford to be procrastinators, be.
cause time and tide wait on no one.
To be a Negro in a day like this, we are
to expect blow after blow, but instead of
dodging we must strike back, and never
give up the goal. We must expect disap
pointments, oppressions and discourage
ments, but yet let us strive to win the
race.
To be a Negro in a day like this, we
must live to help the man who tries to keep
us down; greet him with a smile who greets
us with a frown, and be too big to view
the things that others do to us. We should
not be contented to sit and wait for oppor
tunities to present themselves to us, but we
should go out into the world and make op
portunities, and if the door of opportunity
fails to open to our polite knocks, let us
kick it open and grasp everything there is
in life to make the best of it.
We are living in an age which forces us
to pave our own way or else the same
shall not be paved. We must not go
through life feeling ourselves inferior to
any race; but let us endeavor to attain
success and surprise others, thereby stim
ulating ambition for generations to come.
As a man thinketh so is he; therefore let
us think that we can succeed and we will
succeed. Some men are born great, some
achieve greatness, and others have great
ness thrust upon them. There are very
few of us who are born great, and fewer
still who have greatness thrust upon us;
so unless we achieve greatness we will not
be great. Frederick Douglass, one of the
world’s great libei'ators, had his oppres
sions and discouragements, but he made
his way; likewise did Paul Laurence Dun
bar, Roland Hayes, Nathaniel Dett, Booker
T- Washington and other great men of our
I’ace. Lives of great men all remind us,
how far from great we are.”
To be a Negro in a day like this, we
must do less talking and more actual work.
We cannot make ourselves satisfied with
simply getting by, but we need to continue
to prepare ourselves to face the world and
the many problems which are confronting
us each and every day. We must come
up to the standard or else we will not' be
able to stand the test which the world re
quires.
To be a Negro in a day like this means
the patronizing of our own enterprises; we
must learn to confide in our people, and
feel that they can give us the same service
that any other people can, and in that ser-
■vice there is quality and quantity.
To be a Negro in a day like this, last
but not least, we cannot afford to forget
our God; we must not forget that without
his help we can never attain the desired
heights. Trusting and having confidence in
God, we can say, as has been said by the
Great Liberator, “I have seen dark hours
in my life; I have seen the darkness grad
ually disappearing and the light gradually
increasing. One by one I have seen obsta
cles renioved, errors corrected, prejudices
softened, proscriptions relinquished and my
people advancing in all the elements that
make up the sum of general welfare. I
remember that God reigns in eternity, and
that whatever delays, disappointments and
discouragements may come, but truth, jus
tice and humanity must prevail.
ALTRUISTICiOPHO-
MORES
“Fats” Whitehead.
Page Five
Compliments of
ZUMNITURmtWUHI^Al^Y INC.
305 E. Trade Street,
Charlotte, N. C.
We wish to Announce that we have Purchased
GREENE’S PHARMACY
and have a Fresh, Complete Stock of Drugs &
Medicines and will Appreciate your Trade
TRY THE DRUG STORE FIRST
JOHNSON DRUG COMPANY
13 Severs Ave. Phone H-5341
Ag-ency for Nyals Remedies
The ‘Sophs” have recently undergone a
mental strain, striking at the balls and
strikes, pitched by “Profs.” like “G. G. M.”
and “Ole Identity.” The game started
Monday, January 23rd, and the last inning
was over the 27th when the class fell a
victim to the pitching of a certain French
“Prof.” All of us were found out—no man
got on first. We knew this “Prof. ” as a
teacher; but his pitching showed that he
was a athlete also. The game is over, the
diamond is clear again, and we are able to
say, “Audentis Fortuna Juvat.”
This semester finds us with a heavy pro
gram on our slate, and we are putting forth
strenuous efforts to that end. The class
is working in corroboration with the Uni
versity Annual Project, and it cannot be
doubted that the “Soph” section will be the
hottest in the book. Here, allow us to ex
tend our appreciation to Professor Brown,
founder and Legal Adviser of the Pro
ject.
Hitherto we have been proud of our
class, even in “dog days” for its loyalty,
sincerity, ideals and congeniality; but now
that ‘‘Idawise” Vick, ‘Crump Watkins”
Dunmore and “Zickie” Dusenbury are
taking philosophy, we have an inferiority
complex in comparison with these good
chaps. Nevertheless, we are sure that the
Socratic Doctrines, syllogisms, inductions
and premises will tend to give them the
idea that they are to wear a cap and a
gown in June. The advice of the class is,
“don’t mistake ’28 for ’30, but stay in there
and fight—you will win—why not ?
Charlotte is fortunate in being able to
offer the theatre goers such productions
as “Rose Marie,” and “Zeigfield’s Follies.”
If more “Ziegs” and “Rose Maries’ ” come
“Naps,” “Red,” “Klem” and “Jack” will be
dropped from the University for the lack
of text books. It’s a shame to let book
money go this way, boys!
We regret to announce that “Pap” Wil
liams did not get a chance to wear his
‘frat” pin long enough to become acquaint
ed with its looks, before allowing it to
decorate the breast of a “fair damsel.”
“Pap,” it is hard to support two. We hate
for you to leave us; but in parting we say,
“Luck to you and your lady fair.”
ANDREWS MUSIC STORE
235 North Tryon Street
EVERYTHING IN MUSIC
Buy Yours From Us
FLOWERS
LOUIS G. RATCLIFFE
322 South Tryon Street
Charlotte, North Carolina
Keep Your Appearance up by calling- frequently ‘
C.L.ELLI0nC0. I
711 W. Trade St. |
Cleaners and Dyers I
Phone Hemlock: 7217—7218 !
Charlotte, N. C. !
I You will need a lot of j
I TOILET ARTICLES, STATIONERY, STAMPS, Cl- |
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j 6 Rozzell Ferry Road. Phone H—248. |
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j T. W. Kendrick, Ph. G. J. C. Cardell, Ph. G. j
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