EVIDENCES OF PROGRESS
AMONG
COLORED PEOPLE.
BY
G. F. RICHINGS,
Originator of Illustrated Lectures on Race Progress.
EIGHTH EDITION.
PHILADELPHIA:
GEO. S. FERGUSON CO.,
1902.
INTRODUCTION.
It is a pleasant thing to introduce an individual ora friend to another individual or a friend; but to introducea book is more important than an individualintroduction. Books are good and they are bad, justin proportion as their contents tend to producingright or wrong action of life; or convey truth orerror. When the mission of a book is to presentfacts versus theory about an individual or a race, itought to be encouraged by all who believe in fairplay.
The author of this book has for a number of yearsbeen collecting facts in relation to the Progress of theRace since Emancipation. He has traveled East andWest, North and South, with his eyes and ears open.For several years he has thrown these facts on thecanvas to be seen and read in the New and OldWorld. He now proposes to present them to alarger and greater audience. It was impossible forall to attend his entertainments, but now he proposesto send the entertainments to the audience.
The pages of this book will take the place of thecanvas; the dim light of the lantern will be supersededby the clear light of reason, and the race thathas been so long misrepresented will appear in a new[Pg iv]light as the representative characters of this bookpass a thorough examination as to their capabilityof self-culture, self-improvement, self-support andself-defence.
BISHOP B. W. ARNETT.
The Home, the Store, the School and Church, andthe Factory are the infallible signs of civilization; thepeople who support these exhibit the true signs ofenlightenment.
In this volume you will have an opportunity oflearning how the leading schools were started by the[Pg v]friends of the race. You will learn how men andwomen left their homes of ease and comfort and wentamong the new-born Freedmen, and assisted in reconstructingthe individual and home life. You willalso learn the names of noble men and women whohave founded, supported and endowed institutions forthe training of the head, hand and heart of the cominggeneration.
An account will be given of the schools founded,manned and supported by the race itself; and, for thefirst time, the world will be enlightened as to whatthe race is doing for its own education; illustrationsof buildings, presidents, professors and students willgladden your eyes.
Short sketches of men and women who have shownskill in the professions, and achieved success in business,will be presented, calculated to give inspirationto the youth of the future.
Having w