Howard University - Bison Yearbook (Washington, DC)

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President .WoRDECAl . JOHNSON

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Contents I. Administration II. College of Medicine III. College of Dentistry IV. College of Pharmacy V. Law School VI. College of Arts and Sciences VII. Organizations VIII Athletics IX. Fraternities X. Sororities XI. Advertisements

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 3SE iSicliictiemrnt •v- c- THE MOST INTRICATE PROBLEMS of the universe become as mere puzzles to be solved by trial and error, when compared with the problem of man’s existence and cultural development — an , .enigma ot which the gods despair, and the bane of human life. When in 1863 the Emancipation Proclamation struck the : shackles from thousands and thousands of the Negro race who had been held in bondage by the American Southland, the greatest blot on the text of American history, was thereby removed, but the age old problem confronted this freed group—the problem of existence and cultural development. Would they measure up. could they measure up. to the standards of other civilized peoples? These were the uuestions in the mind of all the world. The Negro, with an undaunted soul filled with the music of Jubilee, Iih heart throbs attuned to the heavenly lyre, a smile forever on his up lifted face and n prayer upon his lips, fortified by the courage of centuries of noble African blood which even the white man had not been able to seriously prostitute or weaken, courageously began at the foothills of achievement (as we have attempted to depict on a previous page), and by sheer force of an indomitable will and mental courage and stamina fought His way step by step up the treacherous mountain, for thereon he dimly discerned a high and shining light seeking to stretch out its beams to him through the murky darkness in which he was stranded. When nights seemed most dark and the future less hopeless, there always arose a new and shining star to beckon him on: Douglass, Washington. Braithwaite, White, Gilpin, Carver, Hayes. Woodson. Burleigh. Dunbar, Just. DuBois. and Molon were some of these encouraging stars, proving that his course was aright and his judgement sound. Now there has come to one of tlie pioneers in this struggle, for the first time since its creation, a man to lead whose stock has been of the fight. Howard Universitv has at last come into its own with its own Mordecai Johnson, as leader. Having sent into the world several thousand of her sons and daughters to prove her cause to a dubious populace, having had these men and women match strength and skill with the best the world affords after only sixty-five years of preparation, we feel that we have pictured aright this struggle that has been ours. And, as a climax, we depict the struggle not won. but proven worth while as Negro youth, after marching up the treacherous sides of the mountain reaches the ‘•Hill-lop. and with arms outstretched joyously greets the rising sun of a new day. And now with undaunted soul, filled with the music of Jubilee, his heart throbs attuned to the heavenly lyre, a smile forever on his uplifted face, and a praver upon his lips, fortified bv the courage of centuries of noble African blood, and with the added courage of sixty-five years of cultural development and education, he courageously and hopefully welcomes this new star to his firmament and reverently beseeches an Omnipotent God for morale and opportunity to continue his efforts to carry on. and offers his life to his Maker as evidence of his appreciation of His care and devotion with the solemn vow that Negro youth at Howard and ail over the world shall carry on to Ackie.remcnt. ITM uonr