Poems by the Century Poet—Acclamations for Declamation
Title
Poems by the Century Poet—Acclamations for Declamation
Creator
Sampson, E.
Identifier
CS103
Date
c. 1914
Description
Debate of the Trotter Incident in verse.
Source
Library of Congress
Wilson Papers, Series 4, 152A Reel 231, Manuscript Division
Wilson Papers, Series 4, 152A Reel 231, Manuscript Division
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
Trotter, William Monroe, 1872-1934
African-Americans--segregation
Contributor
Althea Cupo
Maria Matlock
Language
English
Provenance
Digital copy acquired from federal archives by previous WWPL Archivist, Heidi Hackford.
Text
Poems by the Century Poet—Acclamations for Declamation
Copyright by Black Sampson the Great United States Missionary Poet
Debate
Between Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States and Wm. Monroe Trotter, spokesman for the Equal Rights League on the agitation of a Democratic administration.* Sonnets by the Century Poet. A Message to the Negro for the reorganization of all organizations to amalgamate, to promote the progress of the National Association for the advancement of Colored People, blend to Negro’s cause for equal rights under the constitution. Sonnets XV to XIX.
Sonnet XV
To the Chief Executive of the United States:
Mr. President, ten million citizens, sir, we represent,
Protesting against the segregation
In the departments of our national government,
Solemn emotion shown in his face
When his eyes met the President’s.
Segregation is discrimination against the Colored race
And to loyal citizens a humiliation
Unmerited, far reaching and a degredation.
This League called on you a year ago,
For segregation is a gratuitous blow,
The Afro-Americans in this nation-
Many aided and supported your elevation,
The President replied:
Sonnet XVI
My cabinet has made an investigation.
It is friction between black and white
That is the cause of the segregation;
And my cabinet thinks it is right-
That is my view of the situation;
And that is the best thought of the administration.
The white people admire the progress of your race.
Still there is great prejudice in the peoples’ minds.
Segregation is a benefit and not a humiliation,
And I prefer they progress on independent lines.
If it is regarded as an elevation by your organization,
And a benefit, your race will regard it the same.
You can cause them to regard it a humiliation,
A degradation or a national shame.
The Spokesman:
Sonnet XVII
Replied as quick as he could open his mouth:
We are delegates of a league for equal rights
That is why we came to the White House
Demanding the same rights that are accorded to whites.
We do not protest segregation as dependent wards of the nation,
But as full-fledged American citizens under the constitution.
It is not in accord to acclaim that friction was the cause of segregation
It is untenable in view of the facts of the situation,
To maintain that friction was the cause of the segregation,
In harmony for fifty years they worked under the constitution
Side by side in our national government.
But soon after the beginning of your inauguration
Segregation was drastically introduced into the departments
By your appointees to our national government.
The President replied:
Sonnet XVIII
This organization must have another spokesman
If it ever has another hearing before me.
Looking at the spokesman his face turning red-
He was angry the League could see.
Then after a glance carefully around,
He said, we cannot control the Negroes minds on segregation.
They once regarded you the second Abraham Lincoln,
Now the pulpit will denounce us as traitors to our race.
Then the Equal Rights League arose in a body,
Traitors, how? Said the President, looking in the spokesman’s face.
Because in nineteen twelve we supported your party!
Sonnet XIX –Today
To the Afro-Americans this message is sent:
Legislators have legislated and enforced the laws
That were sanctioned by the President
That oppresses the Negro and the Negro’s cause.
Senators have stood all day on our capitol floors
Loudly talked and pulled their nose,
Enforcing the laws that were filled with flaws
To oppress the Negro and the Negro’s cause.
The Negro has fought in the world’s great wars
And today I say the Negro must blend to the Negro’s cause.
What Is Progress?
Was it progress
That hewed the forest oaks,
Cultivated the soil and sowed the oats;
Erected cabins on the hills,
And on the rivers great sawmills-
Was it progress?
What is progress?
Was it progress
That built schoolhouses in a day
And erected churches on her way;
Cabins were torn from hills in haste an mansions erected in their place,-
Was that progress?
What is progress?
Was it progress
That surveyed off the blocks,
Moulded tools and erected the shops
In America’s early days-
Today she builds great factories-
Was that progress?
What is progress?
Today she moulds great iron steels
Her railroads run through thousands of fields
The motorcycle appeared with its swift speeding wheel
Today there is a great demand for the automobile-
Is that progress?
What is progress?
She has [illegible] oceans with her hands
And flashes [illegible] from land;
Her cables run through the sea
That tells of wars and wars to be-
Is that progress?
What is progress?
She is building houses of steel every day
And tearing her wooden structures away;
The Negro won the battle from Spain
And today man sails in the aeroplane-
Is that progress?
What is progress?
Copyright by Black Sampson the Great United States Missionary Poet
Debate
Between Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States and Wm. Monroe Trotter, spokesman for the Equal Rights League on the agitation of a Democratic administration.* Sonnets by the Century Poet. A Message to the Negro for the reorganization of all organizations to amalgamate, to promote the progress of the National Association for the advancement of Colored People, blend to Negro’s cause for equal rights under the constitution. Sonnets XV to XIX.
Sonnet XV
To the Chief Executive of the United States:
Mr. President, ten million citizens, sir, we represent,
Protesting against the segregation
In the departments of our national government,
Solemn emotion shown in his face
When his eyes met the President’s.
Segregation is discrimination against the Colored race
And to loyal citizens a humiliation
Unmerited, far reaching and a degredation.
This League called on you a year ago,
For segregation is a gratuitous blow,
The Afro-Americans in this nation-
Many aided and supported your elevation,
The President replied:
Sonnet XVI
My cabinet has made an investigation.
It is friction between black and white
That is the cause of the segregation;
And my cabinet thinks it is right-
That is my view of the situation;
And that is the best thought of the administration.
The white people admire the progress of your race.
Still there is great prejudice in the peoples’ minds.
Segregation is a benefit and not a humiliation,
And I prefer they progress on independent lines.
If it is regarded as an elevation by your organization,
And a benefit, your race will regard it the same.
You can cause them to regard it a humiliation,
A degradation or a national shame.
The Spokesman:
Sonnet XVII
Replied as quick as he could open his mouth:
We are delegates of a league for equal rights
That is why we came to the White House
Demanding the same rights that are accorded to whites.
We do not protest segregation as dependent wards of the nation,
But as full-fledged American citizens under the constitution.
It is not in accord to acclaim that friction was the cause of segregation
It is untenable in view of the facts of the situation,
To maintain that friction was the cause of the segregation,
In harmony for fifty years they worked under the constitution
Side by side in our national government.
But soon after the beginning of your inauguration
Segregation was drastically introduced into the departments
By your appointees to our national government.
The President replied:
Sonnet XVIII
This organization must have another spokesman
If it ever has another hearing before me.
Looking at the spokesman his face turning red-
He was angry the League could see.
Then after a glance carefully around,
He said, we cannot control the Negroes minds on segregation.
They once regarded you the second Abraham Lincoln,
Now the pulpit will denounce us as traitors to our race.
Then the Equal Rights League arose in a body,
Traitors, how? Said the President, looking in the spokesman’s face.
Because in nineteen twelve we supported your party!
Sonnet XIX –Today
To the Afro-Americans this message is sent:
Legislators have legislated and enforced the laws
That were sanctioned by the President
That oppresses the Negro and the Negro’s cause.
Senators have stood all day on our capitol floors
Loudly talked and pulled their nose,
Enforcing the laws that were filled with flaws
To oppress the Negro and the Negro’s cause.
The Negro has fought in the world’s great wars
And today I say the Negro must blend to the Negro’s cause.
What Is Progress?
Was it progress
That hewed the forest oaks,
Cultivated the soil and sowed the oats;
Erected cabins on the hills,
And on the rivers great sawmills-
Was it progress?
What is progress?
Was it progress
That built schoolhouses in a day
And erected churches on her way;
Cabins were torn from hills in haste an mansions erected in their place,-
Was that progress?
What is progress?
Was it progress
That surveyed off the blocks,
Moulded tools and erected the shops
In America’s early days-
Today she builds great factories-
Was that progress?
What is progress?
Today she moulds great iron steels
Her railroads run through thousands of fields
The motorcycle appeared with its swift speeding wheel
Today there is a great demand for the automobile-
Is that progress?
What is progress?
She has [illegible] oceans with her hands
And flashes [illegible] from land;
Her cables run through the sea
That tells of wars and wars to be-
Is that progress?
What is progress?
She is building houses of steel every day
And tearing her wooden structures away;
The Negro won the battle from Spain
And today man sails in the aeroplane-
Is that progress?
What is progress?
Original Format
Flyer
Files
Collection
Citation
Sampson, E., “Poems by the Century Poet—Acclamations for Declamation,” c. 1914, CS103, Race and Segregation Collection, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.