Lena Mason on African American Education - 1902
Essay by Lena Mason 1902
This essay is reprinted from Twentieth Century Negro Literature, edited by D. W. Culp (Dr. Daniel Wallace Culp), published 1902. The biographical sketch of Lena Mason is presumably written by Culp. Related articles on this site include:
- More African American Women's Essays from Twentieth Century Negro Literature
- African American Women's History
- African American Women: Biographies
The Negro and Education
BY Mrs. Lena Mason.
Mrs. Lena Mason, the Evangelist, was born
in Quincy, Ill., May 8th, 1864. Her parents, Relda and Vaughn Doolin, were
devout Christians, and they brought up their daughter Lena, as far as they
knew how, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, so that Lena became a
Christian at a very early age. She attended the Douglass High School of
Hannibal, Mo. She also attended Professor Knott's School in Chicago. She
married March 9th, 1883, to George Mason. Of this union six children were
the result—four boys and two girls; of these only one, Bertha May, survives.
At the age of 23 Mrs. Mason entered the ministry, preaching for the first
three years to white people exclusively, and later preaching to mixed
congregations. She now belongs to the Colored Conference. Mrs. Mason has
preached in nearly every state in the Union, and the preachers are few who
can excel her in preaching. She has, since she has been preaching, been
instrumental in the conversion of 1,617 souls. Her five months' work in
colored and white churches in Minneapolis will never be forgotten by those
who were greatly benefited by her services. Mrs. Mason possesses
considerable ability as a poet, and has written several poems and songs that
do not suffer by comparison with poems by the best poets. Mrs. Mason is
powerful in argument and picture painting. Rev. C. L. Leonard, pastor of the
Central German M. E. Church, in speaking of Mrs. Mason, says: "I desire to
express my highest appreciation of Mrs. Mason's church and effective
evangelical work in my church and in many others. Mrs. Mason is now making a
tour of the South, and by her lectures and sermons is doing a work among the
colored people that will bear good fruit in the future. One only needs to
hear Mrs. Mason lecture and preach to understand how it is that one never
tires listening to her."
1. Said once a noble ruler,
Thomas Jefferson by name,
"All men are created equal.
All men are born the same."
God made the Negro equal
To any race above the grave,
Although once made a captive
And sold to man a slave.2. Of all the crimes recorded
Our histories do not tell
Of a single crime more brutal,
Or e'en a parallel.
It was said by men of wisdom (?)
"No knowledge shall they have,
For if you educate a Negro
You unfit him for a slave."3. Fred Douglass' young mistress,
Moved by a power divine,
Determined she would let the rays
Of knowledge on him shine,
But her husband said, "'Twill never do,
'Twill his way to freedom pave,
For if you educate a Negro
You unfit him for a slave."4. But there is no mortal being
Who can the wheels of progress stay;
An all-wise God intended
He should see the light of day.
God drew back the sable curtains
That shut out wisdom's rays,
He did give unto him knowledge
And unfit him for a slave.5. But God's works were not completed,
For he had made decree,
Since all men are born equal,
Then all men shall be free.
He removed the yoke of bondage,
And unto him freedom gave;
He did educate the Negro
And unfit him for a slave.6. When the Negro gained his freedom
Of body and of soul,
He caught the wheels of progress,
Gave them another roll.
He was held near three long centuries
In slavery's dismal cave,
But now he is educated
And unfitted for a slave.7. He's able to fill any place
On this terrestrial ball,
All the way from country teacher
To the legislative hall.
He has proved himself a hero,
A soldier true and brave,
And now he's educated
And unfit to be a slave.8. We have lawyers and we've doctors,
Teachers and preachers brave,
And a host of noble women,
Who have safely crossed the wave.
We are pressing on and upward,
And for education crave,
For it's written now in history,
We shall never more be slaves.
A NEGRO IN IT.
BY MRS. LENA MASON.
1. In the last civil war,
The white folks, they began it,
But before it could close,
The Negro had to be in it.2. At the battle of San Juan hill,
The rough-riders they began it;
But before victory could be won
The Negro had to be in it.3. The Negro shot the Spaniard from the tree,
And never did regret it;
The rough-riders would have been dead to-day
Had the Negro not been in it.4. To Buffalo, McKinley went,
To welcome people in it;
The prayer was prayed, the speech made,
The Negro, he was in it.5. September sixth, in Music Hall,
With thousands, thousands in it,
McKinley fell, from the assassin's ball,
And the Negro, he got in it.6. He knocked the murderer to the floor,
He struck his nose, the blood did flow;
He held him fast, all nearby saw,
When for the right, the Negro in it.7. J. B. Parker is his name,
He from the state of Georgia came;
He worked in Buffalo, for his bread,
And there he saw McKinley dead.8. They bought his clothes for souvenirs,
And may they ever tell it,
That when the President was shot
A brave Negro was in it.9. He saved him from the third ball,
That would have taken life with it;
He held the foreigner fast and tight,
The Negro sure was in it.10. McKinley now in heaven rests,
Where he will ne'er regret it;
And well he knows, that in all his joys
There was a Negro in it.11. White man, stop lynching and burning
This black race, trying to thin it,
For if you go to heaven or hell
You will find some Negroes in it.12. Parker knocked the assassin down,
And to beat him, he began it;
In order to save the President's life,
Yes, the Negro truly was in it.13. You may try to shut the Negro out,
The courts, they have begun it;
But when we meet at the judgment bar
God will tell you the Negro is in it.14. Pay them to swear a lie in court,
Both whites and blacks will do it;
Truth will shine, to the end of time,
And you will find the Negro in it.
This essay is reprinted from Twentieth Century Negro Literature, edited by D. W. Culp (Dr. Daniel Wallace Culp), published 1902. The biographical sketch of Lena Mason is presumably written by Culp. Related articles on this site include:
