Our White Children's Education Is Disgracefully Neglected But They're 10 Times Better Off Than Negro Students, April 16, 1919

From the editorial page of The Independent, Elizabeth City N.C., Friday, April 16, 1919

What About the Negro?

Everybody is supposed to be committed to the idea of public education. But facts disclosed in a casual survey of the public schools of Elizabeth City show that most of us need an awakening to the educational needs of the Negro.

We have here in Elizabeth City a population of several thousand Negroes. The peace, health, happiness and prosperity of every white man, woman, and child in this city is dependent in large measure upon these colored people. The safety of white people living in close proximity to so many Negroes lies in an educated Negro citizenship. Ignorant, poverty stricken, dirty and indolent Negroes are a menace to any society. And here in Elizabeth City we are showing an utter disregard of this vital fact and giving the Negro just as little education as Negro taxes will pay for.

Our white children of school age are disgracefully neglected, but the white children are 10 to one better off in educational opportunity than the Negroes.