Mr.
William Hannibal Thomas Defends his Book
of "The Critic"
To the Editors
" THE AMERICAN
:
" is a
NEGRO seri
ous sociological study; the matured
fruit of personal observation and pains
taking analysis of the mental and social
habits of the Negro and negroid types
of people. During the last twenty
years the subject-matter of this work
has been given to the public through
various colored and white newspapers
and magazines, but without arousing
protest or denial in any quarter. When
it was deemed fitting to present these
discussions in book form, the prepared
manuscript was sent to the Macmillan
Publishing Company, accompanied by
a brief note from the author requesting
its consideration with a view to publi
cation. Acceptance followed without
further intervention on the part of
the author, or of any one else acting in
his behalf. It is also befitting to say
that the writer did not then, nor has he
now, personal acquaintance with any
member of the Macmillan Company.
Some confusion in the public mind
has been observed regarding the appli
"
cation of the word Negro," which
has been employed to designate the
subject-matter of this book. That this
word is neither an exact nor an inclu
sive term, and therefore cannot be cor
rectly applied to all persons of color,
was presumed to be well understood.
It was used, however, in this instance,
partly for the sake of brevity, but
largely on account of its association
with that class of persons under discus
sion. But as there are those of negroid
descent and affiliation among them
who have a greater percentage of alien
blood, derived from Danish, French,
Spanish, German, English, Jewish, and
white American sources, it follows that
such persons cannot be fairly consid
ered either as Negroes or white men.
These people, who number hundreds
of thousands, and of whom the writer
of this book is one, may, however, so
far as color enters into racial definition,
be very properly termed colored
Americans.
The foundation on which the essen
548
tial arguments of this book rest is a
full acceptance of the self-evident fact
that the pure Negro type of mankind
is not only a physical monstrosity, but
of such mental and moral perversion as
renders it incapable of self-regeneration,
or of any substantial uplift, otherwise
than through physical amalgamation
and the assimilation of exotic mental
and moral ideas. This type of the
human form, as is well known, has
these inseparable physical characteris
tics. It is dense black in color, with
broad, flat feet, elongated heels, ape
like body, protruding under-jaws, wide
mouth, thick lips, flat nose, egg-shaped
head, stiff, woolly hair, with a brain
located in the apex of the cranium,
and whose range of mental activities is
limited to rudimentary physical wants.
This, it will be observed, is the an
cestral type from which all American
Negro classes are derived, though it
has now but limited existence in this
country, and its ultimate eradication is
believed to be practically assured. But
while amalgamation has largely extin
guished the physical traits of the im
ported Negro stock, it is none the less
true that its American descendants con
tinue to exhibit in a greater or less de
gree pronounced traces of transmitted
mental and moral characteristics. Con
fronted by these undeniable facts, there
is no escape from the conclusion that in
any given example where a maximum
degree of mental, moral, and physical
characteristics is manifest, these pre
dominant traits fix upon such individ
ual the status of a Negro.
It is evident then that, excluding
physical features, the final determina
tion of Negro identity hinges on mental
and moral qualities. For example, a
man may be black in color and have
pronounced traces of Negro features,
but should he have acquired through
any degree of amalgamation and as
similation superior mental and moral
endowments, he is no longer to be re
garded as a typical Negro. On the
other hand, there are innumerable ex
amples of negroid types having the
 Mr. W. H. Thomas Defends his Book 549

color, features, and hair of white men, found in all walks of life. These per
but who, in all other respects, have the haps reach a scant million, though be
most pronounced mental and moral their number what it may, to them is
characteristics of the Negro, and un dedicated this work, and they alone
doubtedly should be classed as such. are pointed out as praiseworthy ex
Racial types of the freed people may amples of negroid regeneration.
be divided into three classes, — the Clearly, then, no colored man or
awakening, the unawakened, and the woman of good moral character and
unawakable. For the latter class, fair intelligence is included among the
which is of formidable proportions, various immoral types to which refer
there exists not the slightest hope of ence is made in the chapter on
" Moral
actual enlightenment. As for the Lapses," and elsewhere in this book.
other classes, suffice it to say, the There ought to be neither animosity
most pronounced results will be se nor pleasure in portraying the degrad
cured only in those cases where ances ing conditions surrounding any class of
tral traits exert the least influence on people; there certainly was absence of
individual life. These conclusions both in writing of the freed people,
emphasize the absolute need of intelli though there was ever present infinite
gent study of Negro characteristics by regret that incontestable facts forbade
all persons employed in movements for the drawing of a fairer picture of their
the upliftment of the Freedmen. moral living. Every sane man is aware
"
The American Negro
"
is an evo that there is no data in existence that
lutionary work, dealing with three would give with exactness the degree
aspects of race condition and develop and extent of Negro immorality; any
ment. Its discussions embrace such one, however, by a careful analysis of
" Decre
topics as" Alien Chattelism," a variety of facts, may obtain approxi
tal Freedom,"
" Industrial Bondage," mate results worthy of public confi
" Material Thrift," "
Characteris dence. Moreover, it is evident to all
tic Traits," "Ethnic Beliefs," fair-minded people that one who has
"
Moral Lapses,"
" Criminal In made a careful study of race conditions
stincts,"
" Mental Training," " Social is in a much better condition to state
Rights,"
" Enfranchised Functions," actual facts than those who have made
"
Chimerical Expatriation,"" Feasible no such study, or, at best, superficial
" National Assimi It is also apparent that no
Regeneration," and enquiries.
lation." Each of these chapters, in knowledge of any worth regarding the
telligent people concede, has to do Negro people as a whole can be had
with matters of profound interest to through casual intercourse with the
the public welfare. It is to be regret
" best colored There are
people."
ted, however, that the one on
" Moral millions of freedmen out of touch and
"
Lapses should have received such away from the influence of any uplift
overshadowing prominence, as greatly ing agency. Of such, no one who has
to obscure the paramount aim of this not been in their midst, and is familiar
work, which is "to. build a feasible with their ways, has any right to speak
structure over the chasm, which divides with any degree of authority.
the Negro as he is from that which he The sources from which the author
may become." Still, it is obvious that derived his information concerning the
no discussion of the Negro question immoral and non-moral features of
would be complete which did not in Negro life were a personal investiga
clude the moral status of this people. tion of a large variety of facts con
Readers of the
" American "
Negro nected with individual membership in
are, however, warned in advance not to many Negro churches and localities:
" indiscriminate inclu The disclosures of clerical immorality
indulge in any
sion of all persons of color in the same as attested by the records of Negro
category." They are frankly told that associations and conferences ; facts
men and women of color, of strict in of current knowledge in the lives
tegrity and upright living, are to be and acts of Negro preachers ; the
550 The Critic
confidential disclosures of many colored
and white physicians ; an intimate and
comprehensive personal acquaintance
with all phases of Negro social condi
tions, supplemented by clinical re
ports, presentments of Grand Juries,
police records, court convictions, and
the statements of prison officials. Ob
viously to enter into details here re
garding specific persons or acts, either
to gratify prurient curiosity or to ren
der individual lives notorious, would
be a cruel and barbarous proceeding,
though were it feasible to institute a
commission of open-minded persons,
having the character and intelligence
of the late ex-President Harrison, such
information and proof could be sub
mitted, as would substantiate in each
particular every statement made in this
book. Meanwhile it is a significant
confirmation of the veracity of this
work that not one of its statements has
been refuted, nor has there been any
serious attempt made in any quarter to
" facts with facts." It
meet may also
be said with entire confidence that no
adequate answer within the limits of
truth is possible.
It may be further observed that the
disclosures made in this book, regard
" moral
ing the lapses" of the negro
ministry, and others of the race set
in authority, are not made public to
create sensation, nor purposely to bring
odium upon this people, but, in keep
ing with the spirit and aim of this
book, they point out the fallacy of any
hope that the Freedmen will ever be
come worthy members of society, so
long as they are kept under a system
of spiritual and mental training utterly
wanting in Christian integrity. They
also serve to emphasize the extent of
Negro turpitude, which is so powerful
in character and reaches out in so many
directions that any serious attempt to
eradicate its abuses would necessarily
involve every Negro religious associa
tion in ecclesiastical destruction.
There are vast areas of Negro de
pravity North and South whose depths
no moral plummet has yet sounded,
and of whose existing phases a higher
morality is totally ignorant. Hence,
to seriously deny the right to make
public the facts, coincident with race
submergment, with a view to future
amelioration, is to exhibit a studied in
difference to the fate of a hapless class,
or else betrays such alliance with its
racial defects as shrinks from that ex
posure which the slightest investiga
tion is bound to reveal. To question,
then, under any pretext, the right of
any American citizen to investigate
social or civic conditions and express
judgment thereon is an odious attempt
to silence free speech and free man
hood. And to acquiesce in assump
tions that logically lead to the extinc
tion of all intelligent research would
evince a cowardice that is altogether
foreign to one who, neither in blood or
bearing, has the inheritance of a slave.
The remedial agencies suggested by
this work constitute its chief merit.
They embrace measures for Negro
betterment through education, land
acquirement, moral culture, social
privileges, and civic relations. The
futility of indiscriminate individual
training is clearly pointed out; the
value of community education is
strongly emphasized, with greater
stress laid upon the institution of co
operative industries within the race,
the whole being advisedly placed under
efficient white supervision during form
ative periods.
The author of this work makes no
pretensions to scholarship, but does
claim to be thoroughly familiar with
his facts, and to have some substantial
convictions concerning them. One is
that Negro inferiority in mind and
character is incontrovertible, despite
the commendable achievements of in
dividuals of mixed blood. He has
abounding faith in all sane efforts for
human betterment, but admits scant
respect for the delusions of optimistic
folly. He retracts nothing which ap
" The American Negro," be
pears in
cause he knows, as others may know
who seek the truth, that negroid ele
vation will never be achieved otherwise
than through the acquirement and as
similation of such ideals, principles,
and qualities of mind and character as
are now wholly foreign to Negro nature.
WILLIAM HANNIBAL THOMAS.