Largely at my suggestion, Mr. I.
Garland Penn, of Lynchburg, Va., was selected to be at the head of the
Negro department. I gave him all the aid that I could. The Negro
exhibit, as a whole, was large and creditable. The two exhibits in
this department which attracted the greatest amount of attention were
those from the Hampton Institute and the Tuskegee Institute. The
people who seemed to be the most surprised, as well as pleased, at
what they saw in the Negro Building were the Southern white people.
As the day for the opening of the Exposition drew near, the Board
of Directors began preparing the programme for the opening exercises.
In the discussion from day to day of the various features of this
programme, the question came up as to the advisability of putting a
member of the Negro race on for one of the opening addresses, since
the Negroes had been asked to take such a prominent part in the
Exposition. It was argued, further, that such recognition would mark
the good feeling prevailing between the two races. Of course there
were those who were opposed to any such recognition of the rights of
the Negro, but the Board of Directors, composed of men who represented
the best and most progressive element in the South, had their way, and
voted to invite a black man to speak on the opening day.
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