From the mast of the unfortunate vessel was seen a signal, “Water, water we die of thirst!” The answer from the friendly vessel at once came back, “Cast down your bucket where you are.” A second time the signal, “Water, water send us water!” ran up from the distressed vessel, and was answered, “Cast down your bucket where you are.” And a third and fourth signal for water was answered, “Cast down your bucket where you are.” The captain of the distressed vessel, at last heeding the injunction, cast down his bucket, and it came up full of fresh, sparkling water from the mouth of the Amazon River. Ignorant and inexperienced, it is not strange that in the first years of our new life we began at the top instead of at the bottom that a seat in Congress or the state legislature was more sought than real estate or industrial skill that the political convention of stump speaking had more attraction than starting a dairy farm or truck garden.Ī ship lost at sea for many days suddenly sighted a friendly vessel. Not only this, but the opportunity here afforded will awaken among us a new era of industrial progress. It is a recognition that will do more to cement the friendship of the two races than any occurrence since the dawn of our freedom. President and Directors, the sentiment of the masses of my race when I say that in no way have the value and manhood of the American Negro been more fittingly and generously recognized than by the managers of this magnificent Exposition at every stage of its progress. No enterprise seeking the material, civil, or moral welfare of this section can disregard this element of our population and reach the highest success. One-third of the population of the South is of the Negro race. The following is the address which I delivered:– So far as my outward surroundings were concerned, the only thing that I recall distinctly now is that when I got up, I saw thousands of eyes looking intently into my face.

As I remember it now, the thing that was uppermost in my mind was the desire to say something that would cement the friendship of the races and bring about hearty cooperation between them.

When I arose to speak, there was considerable cheering, especially from the coloured people. Joseph Thompson, the President of the Woman’s Board, Governor Bullock introduced me with the words, “We have with us to-day a representative of Negro enterprise and Negro civilization.” After other interesting exercises, including an invocation from Bishop Nelson, of Georgia, a dedicatory ode by Albert Howell, Jr., and addresses by the President of the Exposition and Mrs. THE ATLANTA EXPOSITION, at which I had been asked to make an address as a representative of the Negro race, as stated in the last chapter, was opened with a short address from Governor Bullock.

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