Friday, February 24, 2017

Book Review: WHEN BLACK MEETS WHITE

"WHEN BLACK MEETS WHITE' by JOHN LOUIS HILL, A.M., RD.
 is about the 'race problem'. In the beginning itself the book predicts "the real Armageddon to come within th e present decade, will be a conflict between Christians and Mohammedans, the latter to be aided by the Mongolians and the extreme radicals of Europe," mentioning that the real reasons for wars are racial traditions and aspirations. It talks of the formation of united states with "a popular superstition that a special Providence takes care of idiots, infants and the United States,” perhaps alluding certain complacency. Thereafter, the consideration the negro received from the south, which still wanted to look at him as dependent, and north, which wanted to give negro  social positions for which, he was in no sense prepared. How the negro got sympathy and affection in the south, but with hardly any opportunities, and how they found many opportunities in the north, but with no sympathy or affection.
The next chapters study this in psychological and historical planes. What progress have been achieved in economic, educational and religious spheres of life. Closely following this is an assessment of the material contributions from the black. Outstanding achievers of this race comes next. Wistar Gibbs, business man, lawyer and the first Negro judge ever elected in the United States, Amanda Smith, a colored woman, an evangelist in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and John H Murphy of Baltimore, editor and publisher of The Afro American, one of the greatest of Negro publications are only some of the ones discussed. 
Blacks' historical loyalty is then examined. "No Negro ever struck down a president of the United States. No Negro ever sold a military map or secret to a foreign government. No Negro ever ran under fire or lost an opportunity to serve, to fight, to bleed and to die in the Republic’s cause. Accuse us of what you will, justly or wrongly," not disloyalty.  How amalgamation of the two races, of the colored race in America and the white race, though repellent to many, is in progress, another chapter describes. The book comes to an end by heralding, "that full understanding, permanent co-operation and eternal brotherhood between the black and the white races in America will obtain in the future."
This perhaps is, more than a good theoretical study, a reflection of the days to come. Most data in this regard points to USA gradually warming up to the idea of a Black and White union. For example, a 2013 survey(http://madamenoire.com/432922/swirl-interracial-couples-america-numbers/) shows 96 percent of Blacks are okay with inter-racial marriages, as well as 84 percent of Whites. With better material standards in life, I think our outlook towards race problem is bound to mellow.

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A Thought

Governance by Default, till Democratically Removed