up from slavery-第30章

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o　spur　any　speaker　on　to　his　best　efforts。　I　think　that　next　in　order　of　preference　I　would　place　a　college　audience。　It　has　been　my　privilege　to　deliver　addresses　at　many　of　our　leading　colleges　including　Harvard；　Yale；　Williams；　Amherst；　Fisk　University；　the　University　of　Pennsylvania；　Wellesley；　the　University　of　Michigan；　Trinity　College　in　North　Carolina；　and　many　others。

It　has　been　a　matter　of　deep　interest　to　me　to　note　the　number　of　people　who　have　come　to　shake　hands　with　me　after　an　address；　who　say　that　this　is　the　first　time　they　have　ever　called　a　Negro　〃Mister。〃

When　speaking　directly　in　the　interests　of　the　Tuskegee　Institute；　I　usually　arrange；　some　time　in　advance；　a　series　of　meetings　in　important　centres。　This　takes　me　before　churches；　Sunday…schools；　Christian　Endeavour　Societies；　and　men's　and　women's　clubs。　When　doing　this　I　sometimes　speak　before　as　many　as　four　organizations　in　a　single　day。

Three　years　ago；　at　the　suggestion　of　Mr。　Morris　K。　Jessup；　of　New　York；　and　Dr。　J。L。M。　Curry；　the　general　agent　of　the　fund；　the　trustees　of　the　John　F。　Slater　Fund　voted　a　sum　of　money　to　be　used　in　paying　the　expenses　of　Mrs。　Washington　and　myself　while　holding　a　series　of　meetings　among　the　coloured　people　in　the　large　centres　of　Negro　population；　especially　in　the　large　cities　of　the　ex…slaveholding　states。　Each　year　during　the　last　three　years　we　have　devoted　some　weeks　to　this　work。　The　plan　that　we　have　followed　has　been　for　me　to　speak　in　the　morning　to　the　ministers；　teachers；　and　professional　men。　In　the　afternoon　Mrs。　Washington　would　speak　to　the　women　alone；　and　in　the　evening　I　spoke　to　a　large　mass…meeting。　In　almost　every　case　the　meetings　have　been　attended　not　only　by　the　coloured　people　in　large　numbers；　but　by　the　white　people。　In　Chattanooga；　Tenn。；　for　example；　there　was　present　at　the　mass…meeting　an　audience　of　not　less　than　three　thousand　persons；　and　I　was　informed　that　eight　hundred　of　these　were　white。　I　have　done　no　work　that　I　really　enjoyed　more　than　this；　or　that　I　think　has　accomplished　more　good。

These　meetings　have　given　Mrs。　Washington　and　myself　an　opportunity　to　get　first…hand；　accurate　information　as　to　the　real　condition　of　the　race；　by　seeing　the　people　in　their　homes；　their　churches；　their　Sunday…schools；　and　their　places　of　work；　as　well　as　in　the　prisons　and　dens　of　crime。　These　meetings　also　gave　us　an　opportunity　to　see　the　relations　that　exist　between　the　races。　I　never　feel　so　hopeful　about　the　race　as　I　do　after　being　engaged　in　a　series　of　these　meetings。　I　know　that　on　such　occasions　there　is　much　that　comes　to　the　surface　that　is　superficial　and　deceptive；　but　I　have　had　experience　enough　not　to　be　deceived　by　mere　signs　and　fleeting　enthusiasms。　I　have　taken　pains　to　go　to　the　bottom　of　things　and　get　facts；　in　a　cold；　business…like　manner。

I　have　seen　the　statement　made　lately；　by　one　who　claims　to　know　what　he　is　talking　about；　that；　taking　the　whole　Negro　race　into　account；　ninety　per　cent　of　the　Negro　women　are　not　virtuous。　There　never　was　a　baser　falsehood　uttered　concerning　a　race；　or　a　statement　made　that　was　less　capable　of　being　proved　by　actual　facts。

No　one　can　come　into　contact　with　the　race　for　twenty　years；　as　I　have　done　in　the　heart　of　the　South；　without　being　convinced　that　the　race　is　constantly　making　slow　but　sure　progress　materially；　educationally；　and　morally。　One　might　take　up　the　life　of　the　worst　element　in　New　York　City；　for　example；　and　prove　almost　anything　he　wanted　to　prove　concerning　the　white　man；　but　all　will　agree　that　this　is　not　a　fair　test。

Early　in　the　year　1897　I　received　a　letter　inviting　me　to　deliver　an　address　at　the　dedication　of　the　Robert　Gould　Shaw　monument　in　Boston。　I　accepted　the　invitation。　It　is　not　necessary　for　me；　I　am　sure；　to　explain　who　Robert　Gould　Shaw　was；　and　what　he　did。　The　monument　to　his　memory　stands　near　the　head　of　the　Boston　Common；　facing　the　State　House。　It　is　counted　to　be　the　most　perfect　piece　of　art　of　the　kind　to　be　found　in　the　country。

The　exercises　connected　with　the　dedication　were　held　in　Music　Hall；　in　Boston；　and　the　great　hall　was　packed　from　top　to　bottom　with　one　of　the　most　distinguished　audiences　that　ever　assembled　in　the　city。　Among　those　present　were　more　persons　representing　the　famous　old　anti…slavery　element　that　it　is　likely　will　ever　be　brought　together　in　the　country　again。　The　late　Hon。　Roger　Wolcott；　then　Governor　of　Massachusetts；　was　the　presiding　officer；　and　on　the　platform　with　him　were　many　other　officials　and　hundreds　of　distinguished　men。　A　report　of　the　meeting　which　appeared　in　the　Boston　Transcript　will　describe　it　better　than　any　words　of　mine　could　do：

The　core　and　kernel　of　yesterday's　great　noon　meeting；　in　honour　of　the　Brotherhood　of　Man；　in　Music　Hall；　was　the　superb　address　of　the　Negro　President　of　Tuskegee。　〃Booker　T。　Washington　received　his　Harvard　A。M。　last　June；　the　first　of　his　race；〃　said　Governor　Wolcott；　〃to　receive　an　honorary　degree　from　the　oldest　university　in　the　land；　and　this　for　the　wise　leadership　of　his　people。〃　When　Mr。　Washington　rose　in　the　flag…filled；　enthusiasm…warmed；　patriotic；　and　glowing　atmosphere　of　Music　Hall；　people　felt　keenly　that　here　was　the　civic　justification　of　the　old　abolition　spirit　of　Massachusetts；　in　his　person　the　proof　of　her　ancient　and　indomitable　faith；　in　his　strong　through　and　rich　oratory；　the　crown　and　glory　of　the　old　war　days　of　suffering　and　strife。　The　scene　was　full　of　historic　beauty　and　deep　significance。　〃Cold〃　Boston　was　alive　with　the　fire　that　is　always　hot　in　her　heart　for　righteousness　and　truth。　Rows　and　rows　of　people　who　are　seldom　seen　at　any　public　function；　whole　families　of　those　who　are　certain　to　be　out　of　town　on　a　holiday；　crowded　the　place　to　overflowing。　The　city　was　at　her　birthright　fete　in　the　persons　of　hundreds　of　her　best　citizens；　men　and　women　whose　names　and　lives　stand　for　the　virtues　that　make　for　honourable　civic　pride。

Battle…music　had　filled　the　air。　Ovation　after　ovation；　applause　warm　and　prolonged；　had　greeted　the　officers　and　friends　of　Colonel　Shaw；　the　sculptor；　St。　Gaudens；　the　memorial　Committee；　the　Governor　and　his　staff；　and　the　Negro　soldiers　of　the　Fifty…fourth　Massachusetts　as　they　came　upon　the　platform　or　entered　the　hall。　Colonel　Henry　Lee；　of　Governor　Andrew's　old　staff；　had　made　a　noble；　simple　presentation　speech　for　the　committee；　paying　tribute　to　Mr。　John　M。　Forbes；　in　whose　stead　he　served。　Governor　Wolcott　had　made　his　short；　memorable　speech；　saying；　〃Fort　Wagner　marked　an　epoch　in　the　history　of　a　race；　and　called　it　into　manhood。〃　Mayor　Quincy　had　received　the　monument　for　the　city　of　Boston。　The　story　of　Colonel　Shaw　and　his　black　regiment　had　been　told　in　gallant　words；　and　then；　after　the　singing　of

　Mine　eyes　have　seen　the　glory　　Of　the　coming　of　the　Lord；

Booker　Washington　arose。　It　was；　of　course；　just　the　moment　for　him。　The　multitude；　shaken　out　of　its　usual　symphony…concert　calm；　quivered　with　an　excitement　that　was　not　suppressed。　A　dozen　times　it　had　sprung　to　its　feet　to　cheer　and　wave　and　hurrah；　as　one　person。　When　this　man　of　culture　and　voice　and　power；　as　well　as　a　dark　skin；　began；　and　uttered　the　names　of　Stearns　and　of　Andrew；　feeling　began　to　mount。　You　could　see　tears　glisten　in　the　eyes　of　soldiers　and　civilians。　When　the　orator　turned　to　the　coloured　soldiers　on　the　platform；　to　the　colour…bearer　of　Fort　Wagner；　who　smilingly　bore　still　the　flag　he　had　never　lowered　even　when　wounded；　and　said；　〃To　you；　to　the　scarred　and　scattered　remnants　of　the　Fifty…fourth；　who；　with　empty　sleeve　and　wanting　leg；　have　honoured　this　occasion　with　your　presence；　to　you；　your　commander　is　not　dead。　Though　Boston　erected　no　monument　and　history　recorded　no　story；　in　you　and　in　the　loyal　race　which　you　represent；　Robert　Gould　Shaw　would　have　a　monument　which　time　could　not　wear　away；〃　then　came　the　climax　of　the　emotion　of　the　day　and　the　hour。　It　was　Roger　Wolcott；　as　well　as　the　Governor　of　Massachusetts；　the　individual　representative　of　the　people's　sympathy　as　well　as　the　chief　magistrate；　who　had　sprung　first　to　his　feet　and　cried；　〃Three　cheers　to　Booker　T。　Washington！〃


Among　those　on　the　platform　was　Sergeant　William　H。　Carney；　of　New　Bedford；　Mass。；　the　brave　coloured　officer　who　was　the　colour…bearer　at　Fort　Wagner　and　held　the　American　flag。　In　spite　of　the　fact　that　a　large　part　of　his　regiment　was　killed；　he　escape；　and　exclaimed；　after　the　battle　was　over；　〃The　old　flag　never　touched　the　ground。〃

This　flag　Sergeant　Carney　held　in　his　hands　as　he　sat　on　the　platform；　and　when　I　turned　to　address　the　survivors　of　the　coloured　regiment　who　were　present；　and　referred　to　Sergeant　Carney；　he　rose；　as　if　by　instinct；　and　raised　the　flag。　It　has　been　my　privilege　to　witness　a　good　many　satisfactory　and　rather　sensational　demonstrations　in　connection　with　some　of　my　public　addresses；　but　in　dramatic　effect　I　have　never　seen　or　experienced　anything　which　equalled　this。　For　a　number　of　minutes　the　audience　seemed　to　entirely　lose　control　of　itself。

In　the　general　rejoicing　throughout　the　country　which　followed　the　close　of　the　Spanish…American　war；　peace　celebrations　were　arranged　in　several　of　the　large　cities。　I　was　asked　by　President　William　R。　Harper；　of　the　University　of　Chicago；　who　was　chairman　of　the　committee　of　invitations　for　the　celebration　to　be　held　in　the　city　of　Chicago；　to　deliver　one　of　the　addresses　at　the　celebration　there。　I　accepted　the　invitation；　and　delivered　two　addresses　there　during　the　Jubilee　week。　The　first　of　these；　and　the　principal　one；　was　given　in　the　Auditorium；　on　the　evening　of　Sunday；　October　16。　This　was　the　largest　audience　that　I　have　ever　addressed；　in　any　part　of　the　country；　and　besides　speaking　in　the　main　Auditorium；　I　also　addressed；　that　same　evening；　two　overflow　audiences　in　other　parts　of　the　city。

It　was　said　that　there　were　sixteen　thousand　persons　in　the　Auditorium；　and　it　seemed　to　me　as　if　there　were　as　many　more　on　the　outside　trying　to　get　in。　It　was　impossible　for　any　one　to　get　near　the　entrance　without　the　aid　of　a　policeman。　President　William　McKinley　attended　this　meeting；　as　did　also　the　members　of　his　Cabinet；　many　foreign　ministers；　and　a　large　number　of　army　and　navy　officers；　many　of　whom　had　distinguished　themselves　in　the　war　which　had　just　closed。　The　speakers；　besides　myself；　on　Sunday　evening；　were　Rabbi　Emil　G。　Hirsch；　Father　Thomas　P。　Hodnett；　and　Dr。　John　H。　Barrows。

The　Chicago　Times…Herald；　in　describing　the　meeting；　said　of　my　address：

He　pictured　the　Negro　choosing　slavery　rather　than　extinction；　recalled　Crispus　Attucks　shedding　his　blood　at　the　beginning　of　the　American　Revolution；　that　white　Americans　might　be　free；　while　black　Americans　remained　in　slavery；　rehearsed　the　conduct　of　the　Negroes　with　Jackson　at　New　Orleans；　drew　a　vivid　and　pathetic　picture　of　the　Southern　slaves　protecting　and　supporting　the　families　of　their　masters　while　the　latter　were　fighting　to　perpetuate　black　slavery；　recounted　the　bravery　of　coloured　troops　at　Port　Hudson　and　Forts　Wagner　and　Pillow；　and　praised　the　heroism　of　the　black　regiments　that　stormed　El　Caney　and　Santiago　to　give　freedom　to　the　enslaved　people　of