up from slavery-第26章

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onscious　of　the　fact　that；　while　I　must　be　true　to　my　own　race　in　my　utterances；　I　had　it　in　my　power　to　make　such　an　ill…timed　address　as　would　result　in　preventing　any　similar　invitation　being　extended　to　a　black　man　again　for　years　to　come。　I　was　equally　determined　to　be　true　to　the　North；　as　well　as　to　the　best　element　of　the　white　South；　in　what　I　had　to　say。

The　papers；　North　and　South；　had　taken　up　the　discussion　of　my　coming　speech；　and　as　the　time　for　it　drew　near　this　discussion　became　more　and　more　widespread。　Not　a　few　of　the　Southern　white　papers　were　unfriendly　to　the　idea　of　my　speaking。　From　my　own　race　I　received　many　suggestions　as　to　what　I　ought　to　say。　I　prepared　myself　as　best　I　could　for　the　address；　but　as　the　eighteenth　of　September　drew　nearer；　the　heavier　my　heart　became；　and　the　more　I　feared　that　my　effort　would　prove　a　failure　and　a　disappointment。

The　invitation　had　come　at　a　time　when　I　was　very　busy　with　my　school　work；　as　it　was　the　beginning　of　our　school　year。　After　preparing　my　address；　I　went　through　it；　as　I　usually　do　with　those　utterances　which　I　consider　particularly　important；　with　Mrs。　Washington；　and　she　approved　of　what　I　intended　to　say。　On　the　sixteenth　of　September；　the　day　before　I　was　to　start　for　Atlanta；　so　many　of　the　Tuskegee　teachers　expressed　a　desire　to　hear　my　address　that　I　consented　to　read　it　to　them　in　a　body。　When　I　had　done　so；　and　had　heard　their　criticisms　and　comments；　I　felt　somewhat　relieved；　since　they　seemed　to　think　well　of　what　I　had　to　say。

On　the　morning　of　September　17；　together　with　Mrs。　Washington　and　my　three　children；　I　started　for　Atlanta。　I　felt　a　good　deal　as　I　suppose　a　man　feels　when　he　is　on　his　way　to　the　gallows。　In　passing　through　the　town　of　Tuskegee　I　met　a　white　farmer　who　lived　some　distance　out　in　the　country。　In　a　jesting　manner　this　man　said：　〃Washington；　you　have　spoken　before　the　Northern　white　people；　the　Negroes　in　the　South；　and　to　us　country　white　people　in　the　South；　but　Atlanta；　to…morrow；　you　will　have　before　you　the　Northern　whites；　the　Southern　whites；　and　the　Negroes　all　together。　I　am　afraid　that　you　have　got　yourself　in　a　tight　place。〃　This　farmer　diagnosed　the　situation　correctly；　but　his　frank　words　did　not　add　anything　to　my　comfort。

In　the　course　of　the　journey　from　Tuskegee　to　Atlanta　both　coloured　and　white　people　came　to　the　train　to　point　me　out；　and　discussed　with　perfect　freedom；　in　my　hearings；　what　was　going　to　take　place　the　next　day。　We　were　met　by　a　committee　in　Atlanta。　Almost　the　first　thing　that　I　heard　when　I　got　off　the　train　in　that　city　was　an　expression　something　like　this；　from　an　old　coloured　man　near　by：　〃Dat's　de　man　of　my　race　what's　gwine　to　make　a　speech　at　de　Exposition　to…morrow。　I'se　sho'　gwine　to　hear　him。〃

Atlanta　was　literally　packed；　at　the　time；　with　people　from　all　parts　of　the　country；　and　with　representatives　of　foreign　governments；　as　well　as　with　military　and　civic　organizations。　The　afternoon　papers　had　forecasts　of　the　next　day's　proceedings　in　flaring　headlines。　All　this　tended　to　add　to　my　burden。　I　did　not　sleep　much　that　night。　The　next　morning；　before　day；　I　went　carefully　over　what　I　planned　to　say。　I　also　kneeled　down　and　asked　God's　blessing　upon　my　effort。　Right　here；　perhaps；　I　ought　to　add　that　I　make　it　a　rule　never　to　go　before　an　audience；　on　any　occasion；　without　asking　the　blessing　of　God　upon　what　I　want　to　say。

I　always　make　it　a　rule　to　make　especial　preparation　for　each　separate　address。　No　two　audiences　are　exactly　alike。　It　is　my　aim　to　reach　and　talk　to　the　heart　of　each　individual　audience；　taking　it　into　my　confidence　very　much　as　I　would　a　person。　When　I　am　speaking　to　an　audience；　I　care　little　for　how　what　I　am　saying　is　going　to　sound　in　the　newspapers；　or　to　another　audience；　or　to　an　individual。　At　the　time；　the　audience　before　me　absorbs　all　my　sympathy；　thought；　and　energy。

Early　in　the　morning　a　committee　called　to　escort　me　to　my　place　in　the　procession　which　was　to　march　to　the　Exposition　grounds。　In　this　procession　were　prominent　coloured　citizens　in　carriages；　as　well　as　several　Negro　military　organizations。　I　noted　that　the　Exposition　officials　seemed　to　go　out　of　their　way　to　see　that　all　of　the　coloured　people　in　the　procession　were　properly　placed　and　properly　treated。　The　procession　was　about　three　hours　in　reaching　the　Exposition　grounds；　and　during　all　of　this　time　the　sun　was　shining　down　upon　us　disagreeably　hot。　When　we　reached　the　grounds；　the　heat；　together　with　my　nervous　anxiety；　made　me　feel　as　if　I　were　about　ready　to　collapse；　and　to　feel　that　my　address　was　not　going　to　be　a　success。　When　I　entered　the　audience…room；　I　found　it　packed　with　humanity　from　bottom　to　top；　and　there　were　thousands　outside　who　could　not　get　in。

The　room　was　very　large；　and　well　suited　to　public　speaking。　When　I　entered　the　room；　there　were　vigorous　cheers　from　the　coloured　portion　of　the　audience；　and　faint　cheers　from　some　of　the　white　people。　I　had　been　told；　while　I　had　been　in　Atlanta；　that　while　many　white　people　were　going　to　be　present　to　hear　me　speak；　simply　out　of　curiosity；　and　that　others　who　would　be　present　would　be　in　full　sympathy　with　me；　there　was　a　still　larger　element　of　the　audience　which　would　consist　of　those　who　were　going　to　be　present　for　the　purpose　of　hearing　me　make　a　fool　of　myself；　or；　at　least；　of　hearing　me　say　some　foolish　thing　so　that　they　could　say　to　the　officials　who　had　invited　me　to　speak；　〃I　told　you　so！〃

One　of　the　trustees　of　the　Tuskegee　Institute；　as　well　as　my　personal　friend；　Mr。　William　H。　Baldwin；　Jr。　was　at　the　time　General　Manager　of　the　Southern　Railroad；　and　happened　to　be　in　Atlanta　on　that　day。　He　was　so　nervous　about　the　kind　of　reception　that　I　would　have；　and　the　effect　that　my　speech　would　produce；　that　he　could　not　persuade　himself　to　go　into　the　building；　but　walked　back　and　forth　in　the　grounds　outside　until　the　opening　exercises　were　over。



Chapter　XIV。　The　Atlanta　Exposition　Address

The　Atlanta　Exposition；　at　which　I　had　been　asked　to　make　an　address　as　a　representative　of　the　Negro　race；　as　stated　in　the　last　chapter；　was　opened　with　a　short　address　from　Governor　Bullock。　After　other　interesting　exercises；　including　an　invocation　from　Bishop　Nelson；　of　Georgia；　a　dedicatory　ode　by　Albert　Howell；　Jr。；　and　addresses　by　the　President　of　the　Exposition　and　Mrs。　Joseph　Thompson；　the　President　of　the　Woman's　Board；　Governor　Bullock　introduce　me　with　the　words；　〃We　have　with　us　to…day　a　representative　of　Negro　enterprise　and　Negro　civilization。〃

When　I　arose　to　speak；　there　was　considerable　cheering；　especially　from　the　coloured　people。　As　I　remember　it　now；　the　thing　that　was　uppermost　in　my　mind　was　the　desire　to　say　something　that　would　cement　the　friendship　of　the　races　and　bring　about　hearty　cooperation　between　them。　So　far　as　my　outward　surroundings　were　concerned；　the　only　thing　that　I　recall　distinctly　now　is　that　when　I　got　up；　I　saw　thousands　of　eyes　looking　intently　into　my　face。　The　following　is　the　address　which　I　delivered：

Mr。　President　and　Gentlemen　of　the　Board　of　Directors　and　Citizens。

One…third　of　the　population　of　the　South　is　of　the　Negro　race。　No　enterprise　seeking　the　material；　civil；　or　moral　welfare　of　this　section　can　disregard　this　element　of　our　population　and　reach　the　highest　success。　I　but　convey　to　you；　Mr。　President　and　Directors；　the　sentiment　of　the　masses　of　my　race　when　I　say　that　in　no　way　have　the　value　and　manhood　of　the　American　Negro　been　more　fittingly　and　generously　recognized　than　by　the　managers　of　this　magnificent　Exposition　at　every　stage　of　its　progress。　It　is　a　recognition　that　will　do　more　to　cement　the　friendship　of　the　two　races　than　any　occurrence　since　the　dawn　of　our　freedom。

Not　only　this；　but　the　opportunity　here　afforded　will　awaken　among　us　a　new　era　of　industrial　progress。　Ignorant　and　inexperienced；　it　is　not　strange　that　in　the　first　years　of　our　new　life　we　began　at　the　top　instead　of　at　the　bottom；　that　a　seat　in　Congress　or　the　state　legislature　was　more　sought　than　real　estate　or　industrial　skill；　that　the　political　convention　or　stump　speaking　had　more　attractions　than　starting　a　dairy　farm　or　truck　garden。

A　ship　lost　at　sea　for　many　days　suddenly　sighted　a　friendly　vessel。　From　the　mast　of　the　unfortunate　vessel　was　seen　a　signal；　〃Water；　water；　we　die　of　thirst！〃　The　answer　from　the　friendly　vessel　at　once　came　back；　〃Cast　down　your　bucket　where　you　are。〃　A　second　time　the　signal；　〃Water；　water；　send　us　water！〃　ran　up　from　the　distressed　vessel；　and　was　answered；　〃Cast　down　your　bucket　where　you　are。〃　And　a　third　and　fourth　signal　for　water　was　answered；　〃Cast　down　your　bucket　where　you　are。〃　The　captain　of　the　distressed　vessel；　at　last　heading　the　injunction；　cast　down　his　bucket；　and　it　came　up　full　of　fresh；　sparkling　water　from　the　mouth　of　the　Amazon　River。　To　those　of　my　race　who　depend　on　bettering　their　condition　in　a　foreign　land　or　who　underestimate　the　importance　of　cultivating　friendly　relations　with　the　Southern　white　man；　who　is　their　next…door　neighbour；　I　would　say：　〃Cast　down　your　bucket　where　you　are〃cast　it　down　in　making　friends　in　every　manly　way　of　the　people　of　all　races　by　whom　we　are　surrounded。

Cast　it　down　in　agriculture；　mechanics；　in　commerce；　in　domestic　service；　and　in　the　professions。　And　in　this　connection　it　is　well　to　bear　in　mind　that　whatever　other　sins　the　South　may　be　called　to　bear；　when　it　comes　to　business；　pure　and　simple；　it　is　in　the　South　that　the　Negro　is　given　a　man's　chance　in　the　commercial　world；　and　in　nothing　is　this　Exposition　more　eloquent　than　in　emphasizing　this　chance。　Our　greatest　danger　is　that　in　the　great　leap　from　slavery　to　freedom　we　may　overlook　the　fact　that　the　masses　of　us　are　to　live　by　the　productions　of　our　hands；　and　fail　to　keep　in　mind　that　we　shall　prosper　in　proportion　as　we　learn　to　dignify　and　glorify　common　labour　and　put　brains　and　skill　into　the　common　occupations　of　life；　shall　prosper　in　proportion　as　we　learn　to　draw　the　line　between　the　superficial　and　the　substantial；　the　ornamental　gewgaws　of　life　and　the　useful。　No　race　can　prosper　till　it　learns　that　there　is　as　much　dignity　in　tilling　a　field　as　in　writing　a　poem。　It　is　at　the　bottom　of　life　we　must　begin；　and　not　at　the　top。　Nor　should　we　permit　our　grievances　to　overshadow　our　opportunities。

To　those　of　the　white　race　who　look　to　the　incoming　of　those　of　foreign　birth　and　strange　tongue　and　habits　of　the　prosperity　of　the　South；　were　I　permitted　I　would　repeat　what　I　say　to　my　own　race：　〃Cast　down　your　bucket　where　you　are。〃　Cast　it　down　among　the　eight　millions　of　Negroes　whose　habits　you　know；　whose　fidelity　and　love　you　have　tested　in　days　when　to　have　proved　treacherous　meant　the　ruin　of　your　firesides。　Cast　down　your　bucket　among　these　people　who　have；　without　strikes　and　labour　wars；　tilled　your　fields；　cleared　your　forests；　builded　your　railroads　and　cities；　and　brought　forth　treasures　from　the　bowels　of　the　earth；　and　helped　make　possible　this　magnificent　representation　of　the　progress　of　the　South。　Casting　down　your　bucket　among　my　people；　helping　and　encouraging　them　as　you　are　doing　on　these　grounds；　and　to　education　of　hea