Apology for Trotter; Poem Appealing for Equality
Title
Apology for Trotter; Poem Appealing for Equality
Creator
Whitney, Salem Tutt
Identifier
CS50
Date
1914 November 15
Description
Letter expressing regret over the Trotter incident and talking about the race problem in the U.S.
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
Beaumont, Texas
Nov, 15th 1914
Mr. Woodrow Wilson
President U.S.A.
Washington D.C.
Confident that you have a deeply human interest in all that concerns the people, individually or collectively, of these United States of America; and believing you to be a christian gentleman, doing the right, as God gives you to see it, is what prompts me, one of the least beneath your executive rule, to address you.
I believe that I voice the sentiments of the major portion of the Negros of America, when I say I regret sincerely, the unhappy termination of the interview between your Excellency and the committee from Boston, which came to protest against segregation at the Nation's Capitol.
The unfortunate affair has been given undue publicity, many of the facts have been distorted by the Daily papers; while many of the headlines and editorial comments have been hostile to the Negro 's best interests.
No doubt Mr. Trotter was sincere in his declarations, and while I feel it impossible to believe that he would purposely offend your Excellency, I am forced to admit, that by a lamentable lose of self-control, he defeated the object of the committee and injured the Negro's cause at the Capitol and abroad.
The Race Problem, in these United States, is too complex, too comprehensive, to be solved or defined by the puny efforts of Party or creed. It will not admit personalities, and politics should be excluded. It can only be solved by men and women, in whose hearts dwells the fear of God, love of humanity, Charity for the weak, sympathy for the oppressed, forbearance for the trespassor, forgivness for the penitent and the courage to do the right regardless of Party or Creed, Race or Nationality, selfish interests or personal aggrandizement.
Your Excellency, has the Colored peoples goodwill and confidence, and should any crisis come upon this Country that threatened its unity or integrity, no matter what the labor, duty or sacrifice necessary to maintain these essentials, no class of citizens or people would rally more quickly or loyally to the Standard than the Colored people of America.
May God lighten the almost intolerable burden that rests upon your shoulders, and bless you with health, happiness and long life, is the prayer of one, born behind the veil, but optimistic, because he has not lost faith in God and humanity or the Nation’s Chief Executive.
Yours sincerely,
Salem Tutt Whitney
#610 North 39th St.,
Philadelphia, PA
AN APPEAL.
WE COME TO YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
We come to you, Mr. President,
Who art head of this mighty Nation.
We come not as wards, with heads low bent,
But as citizens, Worthy that station.
We come, not begging for charity.
We are asking for naught but our due.
Freedom should know no disparity;
Nor should rancor e'er darken its view.
We come, not arrogant, making demand.
Nor in our hearts is there enmity.
We ask the aid of your good right hand.
We crave your love and your sympathy.
Tis a compLex problem we bring to you,
Not to be solved by faction or creed.
We ask that you do, what a man may do
Who has God for his light and his lead.
We come to you as a Christian band,
Trusting God that you will hear our plea.
He’ll lighten your load, strengthen your hand,
Clear your vision that Truth you may see.
Forgive, if our speech, strong feelings show,
And remember we have suffered much.
A Wound, oft opened, is sure to grow
More tender and sensitive to touch.
Pheaton, Lost way in infinite space,
His Sun-chariot too near [the] Earth came;
Its fierce heat burned [and] blackened our face;
Must we carry, forever, [the] blame?
Must our dark skin, like the curse of Cain,
Be a badgе оf ѕhаmе in all men's eyes?
Ah no! The God, from whom Races came,
Never sanctioned the right to ostracise.
Must we hide for aye behind the veil,
Without counting our valor or Worth?
If our skin be dark instead of pale,
Tis an accident only of birth.
We're here to stay, Mr. President,
And we need you and you need us all.
We must be reckoned in every event.
With us, this Nation, must rise or fall.
We've explored the depths of Pluto’s realm,
And sipped the Juice from the hemlock cup.
This SHIP OF STATE, with YOU, at the helm,
Must hearken our cry and lift us up.
Let Erebus, no more, dominion sway.
Aurora, rose-tinted promise has shown.
Good SHIP, sail on, and at brightest day,
Anchor us all in Liberty's home.
We come to you, Mr. President,
As part of this glorious nation.
We ask for our freedom heaven sent
From God, in omniscient creation.
Salem Tutt Whitney
#610 North 39th St,
Philadelphia, Penn’s
Nov, 15th 1914
Mr. Woodrow Wilson
President U.S.A.
Washington D.C.
Confident that you have a deeply human interest in all that concerns the people, individually or collectively, of these United States of America; and believing you to be a christian gentleman, doing the right, as God gives you to see it, is what prompts me, one of the least beneath your executive rule, to address you.
I believe that I voice the sentiments of the major portion of the Negros of America, when I say I regret sincerely, the unhappy termination of the interview between your Excellency and the committee from Boston, which came to protest against segregation at the Nation's Capitol.
The unfortunate affair has been given undue publicity, many of the facts have been distorted by the Daily papers; while many of the headlines and editorial comments have been hostile to the Negro 's best interests.
No doubt Mr. Trotter was sincere in his declarations, and while I feel it impossible to believe that he would purposely offend your Excellency, I am forced to admit, that by a lamentable lose of self-control, he defeated the object of the committee and injured the Negro's cause at the Capitol and abroad.
The Race Problem, in these United States, is too complex, too comprehensive, to be solved or defined by the puny efforts of Party or creed. It will not admit personalities, and politics should be excluded. It can only be solved by men and women, in whose hearts dwells the fear of God, love of humanity, Charity for the weak, sympathy for the oppressed, forbearance for the trespassor, forgivness for the penitent and the courage to do the right regardless of Party or Creed, Race or Nationality, selfish interests or personal aggrandizement.
Your Excellency, has the Colored peoples goodwill and confidence, and should any crisis come upon this Country that threatened its unity or integrity, no matter what the labor, duty or sacrifice necessary to maintain these essentials, no class of citizens or people would rally more quickly or loyally to the Standard than the Colored people of America.
May God lighten the almost intolerable burden that rests upon your shoulders, and bless you with health, happiness and long life, is the prayer of one, born behind the veil, but optimistic, because he has not lost faith in God and humanity or the Nation’s Chief Executive.
Yours sincerely,
Salem Tutt Whitney
#610 North 39th St.,
Philadelphia, PA
AN APPEAL.
WE COME TO YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
We come to you, Mr. President,
Who art head of this mighty Nation.
We come not as wards, with heads low bent,
But as citizens, Worthy that station.
We come, not begging for charity.
We are asking for naught but our due.
Freedom should know no disparity;
Nor should rancor e'er darken its view.
We come, not arrogant, making demand.
Nor in our hearts is there enmity.
We ask the aid of your good right hand.
We crave your love and your sympathy.
Tis a compLex problem we bring to you,
Not to be solved by faction or creed.
We ask that you do, what a man may do
Who has God for his light and his lead.
We come to you as a Christian band,
Trusting God that you will hear our plea.
He’ll lighten your load, strengthen your hand,
Clear your vision that Truth you may see.
Forgive, if our speech, strong feelings show,
And remember we have suffered much.
A Wound, oft opened, is sure to grow
More tender and sensitive to touch.
Pheaton, Lost way in infinite space,
His Sun-chariot too near [the] Earth came;
Its fierce heat burned [and] blackened our face;
Must we carry, forever, [the] blame?
Must our dark skin, like the curse of Cain,
Be a badgе оf ѕhаmе in all men's eyes?
Ah no! The God, from whom Races came,
Never sanctioned the right to ostracise.
Must we hide for aye behind the veil,
Without counting our valor or Worth?
If our skin be dark instead of pale,
Tis an accident only of birth.
We're here to stay, Mr. President,
And we need you and you need us all.
We must be reckoned in every event.
With us, this Nation, must rise or fall.
We've explored the depths of Pluto’s realm,
And sipped the Juice from the hemlock cup.
This SHIP OF STATE, with YOU, at the helm,
Must hearken our cry and lift us up.
Let Erebus, no more, dominion sway.
Aurora, rose-tinted promise has shown.
Good SHIP, sail on, and at brightest day,
Anchor us all in Liberty's home.
We come to you, Mr. President,
As part of this glorious nation.
We ask for our freedom heaven sent
From God, in omniscient creation.
Salem Tutt Whitney
#610 North 39th St,
Philadelphia, Penn’s
Original Format
Letter
To
Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
Files
Collection
Citation
Whitney, Salem Tutt, “Apology for Trotter; Poem Appealing for Equality,” 1914 November 15, CS50, Race and Segregation Collection, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.