National Humanities Center Resource Toolbox The Making of African American Identity: Vol. III, 1917-1968 New York Public Library ____William Pickens Field Secretary, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Racial Segregation Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life *December 1927 I ACIAL SEGREGATION is synonymous William Pickens, ca. 1909 with Race Problem: where there is no R segregation, there is no problem; where there is less segregation, there is less problem; dren into institutions that befit their ages. There where there is more segregation there is more is economic and incidental segregation in our problem. The amount and the meanness of the type of society, of the richer from the poorer. problem varies exactly with the extent or the Then there is, always has been, and will be much degree of the segregation. Everywhere in the voluntary segregation of like to like and of United States there is some segregation, there- common interests together ⎯ the flocking of the fore, everywhere in the United States there is birds of a feather. But we are speaking here not some race problem. The difficulty of the of economic and conditional but of statutory and problem, like the amount of segregation, varies mandatory segregation not of private and from the hypocritical pretenses at “equality” in voluntary withdrawal but of public and compul- Boston, to the frankly degrading and insulting sory discrimination, under tyrannical custom, spirit and arrangements in New Orleans. This constant relation between the intensity of the even where there is no statute ⎯ a society problem and the degree of the segregation need wherein a more numerous or better armed not be accepted on mere theory and argument; it people prevent a less numerous or otherwise can be seen by simply looking at the face of the weaker people from enjoying absolute equality map and doing a few minutes of thinking: in places of public accommodation. consider, for example, the varying conditions Whenever one form or degree of segregation and the changing states of feeling from New is established it always calls for another. It is a York City to Washington and New Orleans; or monster that grows by that which it feeds upon, from Mississippi to Missouri and Minnesota. and whose appetite is not appeased but magni- We are speaking here of racial segregation, fied by what is thrust into its mouth. Consider wherein the sole criterion of the differentiation is the schools: segregation in the kindergarten race or color. There are, of course, other forms stimulates a desire for segregation in the grades; and other bases of segregation in human society: when it is established in the grades, there is sure as of the diseased into hospitals and pest houses; to be a call for segregation in the high schools; of criminals into jails and other prisons; of chil- then the atmosphere around the universities becomes less tolerant toward any group which * National Humanities Center: 2007: nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/. In Opportunity: Journal of Negro Life, December 1927, pp. 364-367. Copyright holder unidentified; permission pending. Complete image credits at nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/maai3/imagecredits.htm. has already been cast out by the rest of the Mississippi, where white people fill all the school system. Then, of course, people who are public offices and control the distribution of the not fit to sit with you in college, are certainly not school funds, Negroes of the state should be good enough to sit with you in the moving pic- expected to get what Dr. Du Bois’ investigation ture shows, or on the street cars, or on the park shows that they do get ⎯ one dollar for each benches. Segregation in the churches must colored child to ten, fifteen or twenty dollars for logically anticipate segregation in heaven. In each white child. If there were complete school New Orleans we have segregated grave yards ⎯ segregation throughout the nation, nobody in his for segregation alive calls for segregation dead. right mind can suppose that the Negro tenth of So easy are the steps! the population would in a thousand years be given exactly equal conveniences and oppor- Many times have we discussed segregation tunities for getting an education as those given from the viewpoint of its effects on Negro-white the white majority. Such a duplication of effort relations in America. But it is our purpose now and costs and supervision would not be possible, to review briefly the effects on Negro-white even if desired. Somebody would have to be relations, and then to consider what is usually handicapped, and present human nature will lay not considered in such discussions: namely, the the handicap on the disadvantaged group. Public effects on the intra-group relations of the handi- segregation can only be had by relegating an capped race ⎯ the secondary, but most impor- already disadvantaged group to a place of per- tant, effects of interracial prejudice inside of the manent inferiority. The only impartial arrange- Negro race. ment for the education of such a minority must be in the common school of all the people. The fight for equality of opportunity is essentially a II fight against public segregation. IRST, then, let us review the effects on A similar weakness is inherent in laws forbid- the inter-group relations of white and ding marriage between two such groups. The F black. It is clear that there can be no such artificial marriage is the only thing prevented by thing as equality for a dominated group if it is such laws, while the natural marriage goes on publicly segregated from the dominating and unchecked. As between a weaker and a stronger controlling group. For example, in residential group the natural marriage always takes place segregation, the race that controls the govern- between the male of the stronger and the female ment and the appropriations will get first consi- of the weaker group; so that the forbidding law deration in the provision of sewers, pavements, prevents only the harmless and non-essential lights, policing, and other public services; while formalities of the priests, the ceremonies and the the segregated minority will get what is left ⎯ signing of the papers. These laws all pretend to maybe. If there is segregation on the trains and defend race integrity and to prevent amalga- other public carriers, the weaker race is not mation; but everybody knows that priests and going to be given the better accommodations; ceremonies and the signing of papers do not nor will it be given “equal tho separate” accom- cause the amalgamation. Experience demon- modations ⎯ for to think that people are not fit strates that the natural marriage, which is the to ride in your coach and to think at the same sole cause of all amalgamation, takes place the time that they are fit to ride in a coach as good more rapidly when the foolish law moves out of as your coach, is a psychological impossibility. the way such petty inconveniences and partial The words “separate but equal accommodations” obstructions as priests, ceremonies and papers. in segregating laws are a mere legal fiction, There are millions of mulattoes in this country written in for the purpose of defending the who would never have come into existence if it enactment against constitutional technicalities. had been necessary to prepare for their existence But every sound mind knows that real equality by contract and agreement. If the right of under such conditions is neither possible nor contract had been strictly enforced instead of desired. If there is segregation in the schools of being denied, it would have effectually National Humanities Center. William Pickens, “Racial Segregation,” Opportunity, December 1927. 2 prevented the existence of nine-tenths of them. colored and a premium on being white, shows When a stronger race faces a weaker one, strict- itself to be an arrant hypocrite when it says: ures in the laws that protect the rights of mother- “You ought to be proud to show that you are hood are the best checks on amalgamation. colored.” Self-defense is a more primary instinct When these checks are removed, the result is than pride; pride is most abiding when it is a immunity and greater temptation for the only method of self-defense. Any act or attitude that active amalgamator ⎯ namely, the male of the is self-destructive, will not long be supported by stronger group. There is no preventive of amal- pride. If in the United States it meant no more gamation. It is as inevitable as the process of the nor less to be black than to be white, there would suns. There can only be cheeks upon it. And the be complete indifference as to color. Why most effective check is equality of the races, the should a beautiful brown skin want to become a strictest equality in law. If the female of the white one? But as it is, perhaps a million weaker group had the right to enforce cere- mulattoes have passed over permanently and monial and legal marriage whenever natural clandestinely into the white race. If passing for marriage was forced upon her, then race pre- white will get a fellow better accommodations judice, caste pride and economic interests would on the train, better seats in the theatre, immunity tend to discourage them natural unions. But the from insults in public places, and may even save same race prejudice and caste pride which would his life from a mob, only idiots would fail to tend to check amalgamation as between two seize the advantage of passing, at least races who are on a plane of legal equality, will occasionally if not permanently.