Negro Character as Seen by White Authors

Abstract

There are three types of Negroes, says Roark Bradford, in his sprightly manner: nigger, the 'colored person,' and the Negro-upper case N. In his foreword to 01' Man Adam an' His Chillun, the source from which Marc Connelly drew the Green Pastures, and a book causing the author to be considered, in some circles, a valid interpreter of the Negro, Roark Bradford defines the Negro's character and potentialities. Negro, he says, is the race leader, not too militant, concerned more with economic independence than with civil equality. person, frequently of mixed blood, loathes the blacks and despises the whites . ... Generally he inherits the weaknesses of both races and seldom inherits the strength of either. He has the black man's emotions and the white man's inhibitions.' Together with the white trash it is the colored persons who perpetuate racial hatreds and incite race riots and lynchings. The nigger interests Mr. Bradford more than the rest. He is indolent, entirely irresponsible, shiftless, the bugaboo of Anglo-Saxon ideals, a poor fighter and a poor hater, primitively emotional and uproariously funny. Such are the original contributions of Mr. Bradford, who states modestly that, in spite of the Negro's penchant to lying: