Black Man's Burden, Chapter 18

A reading of William Holtzclaw's autobiography, Black Man's Burden. Chapter 18. William Holtzclaw was the founder of the Utica Normal and Industrial Institute, a "Little Tuskegee" in rural Utica, Mississippi. His book, the first published by an African American in Mississippi, recounts his journey in establishing the school.

Chapter 18 highlights the challenges and progress in agricultural education in the Southern United States, particularly focusing on racial disparities in access to educational resources. Holtzclaw discusses how recent initiatives to enhance agricultural education and resources were primarily benefiting white farmers, with Black farmers largely being overlooked due to systemic neglect rather than deliberate exclusion. This neglect became particularly evident when legislation in Mississippi proposed agricultural high schools for whites only, prompting Holtzclaw to take action. His efforts, and a lawsuit by a Black citizen refusing to pay taxes for a whites-only school, eventually led the Supreme Court to deem the school law unconstitutional, forcing a legislative rethink to include Black individuals.

Holtzclaw's advocacy didn't stop at agriculture; he also tackled the rampant issue of lynching in the South. He describes his personal correspondence with the Governor of Mississippi, where he appeals for a stronger enforcement of law to protect Black citizens and curb mob violence. These efforts illustrate Holtzclaw's broader commitment to improving the lives of Black Southerners not just through education but also by striving for social justice. His work underscored the importance of equitable educational opportunities and legal protections as foundational to advancing the rights and welfare of the Black community in the South.

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