The Dignity of the Race
It is for the Colored American to help smother the remaining shadows of former prejudices by maintaining the dignity of his race, and by education, fitting himself to stand beside any race on the earth. He has done it, is doing it, and the incentives are offered for still doing it.
Remember what Colored Americans are doing; the positions they are filling by their education and energy; none of them are asleep in the furrow but are busy harvesting—doing something. If they do nothing else, they are demonstrating that Colored Americans can do the same things, fill the same positions as the other races, and that they possess an equally balanced intelligence, and have the same brain power as others. They never spend their time quarreling with fate, but overcome fate, and manufacture opportunity and ride upon destiny as upon a fiery steed, curbing it with the whip and the lash of education and intelligence, mingled with energy and persistent determination.
These are the reasons why the Colored American must win if he tries.