The Crisis, June 1915

Current events continue to convince me of The Crisis's importance as an object of study. I will teach it for the first time this fall, and hope that it will spark some strong discussion of what has changed, and what hasn't, in race politics over the last century.

The issue contains a powerful open letter by Moorfield Storey, in the editorial section, page 78. While it should be read in full, here's the last paragraph: 

"We appeal to every warm-hearted, high-minded man or woman in this country, and urge them to organize a new anti-slavery movement. We beg them by voice, vote and example to rouse their neighbors and to make our public men feel that their political careers are not to be advanced by yielding to the advocates of discrimination. We must organize our political, our religious, our educational, nay all our forces to the end that our country may be relieved from the influence of all who believe that they help themselves up by keeping others down. Our motto is "All men up" and that spirit must conquer, or terrible disaster awaits the country which we all love."

This issue has another beautiful cover photograph, this time of a young woman. Again, the subject of the photograph isn't a particular person--this is an art photo, by C.M. Battey, who deserves a Wikipedia page. Read about him here, page 71. 

The first thing inside is a full-page advertisement for "A new Book by Dr. Du Bois, The Negro." The link is to the Project Gutenberg edition: I haven't cracked it yet, but hope to look at it soon. Check out the description:

Reminds me of Langston Hughes' "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," down to the figure of the Negro as one man across space and time. 

Then, the monthly "Along the Color Line," which as usual is an incredible parataxis of events from a range of categories. I count 98 mini-articles! In ten headings! Each is only a paragraph, maybe two, and they contain records of concerts, student strikes, the firing of black postal workers, and the monthly compilation of lynchings and murders. It it always a rush to read: I don't know enough about the history of newspapers to know how unique this paratactic arrangement is, but I am certain that du Bois is a master of letting the record of facts speak for itself. 

Quick Notes:

"Men of the Month" follows, with its usual portraits of successful black men and women, and of allies. Many are obituaries. One is for a white woman who works at Hull House. Others, for a social worker, for a famous New York City caterer, a police sergeant, etc. 

On page 81, there is a response to the sinking of the Lusitania: "European civilization has failed. Its failure did not come with this war but with this war it has been made manifest... This [European superiority, justifying imperialism] was a lie and we know it was a lie. The Great War is the lie unveiled... It is a great privilege in the midst of this frightful catastrophe to belong to a race that can stand before Heaven with clean hands..." See also the section in "Opinions" titled "The Great War," which summarizes recent articles by Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois, the first about the myth of racial superiority, the second about the imperialist roots of the war. 

The issue contains a long poem by Leslie Pinckney Hill, titled "The Zeitgeist," a blank verse mini-epic about blackness in the context of World War One (I'm oversimplifying here). I think it's pretty cool, much better than many mini-blank-verse-epics that show up in these journals. The opening is almost Yeatsian:

"Before the whirlwind and the thundershock,
The agony of nations, and this wild
Eruption of the passionate will of man,
These tottering bastions of mighty states,
This guillotine of culture, and this new
Unspeakable Golgotha of the Christ,
My heart declares her faith, and, undismayed,
I write her prompting—write it in that poise
Of judgment undisturbed to which our Head
Admonishes the nation..."

There's so much more in this issue, but that's all for now...