One may get the idea, from what I have said, that there was bitter feeling toward the white people on the part of my race, because of the fact that most of the white population was away fighting in a war which would result in keeping the Negro in slavery if the South was successful.
Washington discusses the complex feelings of his race towards white people during the Civil War.
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I think I never saw a community of people so happy over anything as were the coloured people over the prospect of this new building.
Ever since I have been old enough to think for myself, I have entertained the idea that, notwithstanding the cruel wrongs inflicted upon us, the black man got nearly as much out of slavery as the white man did.
I pity from the bottom of my heart any nation or body of people that is so unfortunate as to get entangled in the net of slavery.
Until that question was asked it had never occurred to me that there was no period of my life that was devoted to play.