DARK MUSINGS

              DARK MUSINGS 
 
By DOROTHY SYKES 
 
It would be an easy matter for me to tell you some things about the need of more educational facilities among the Negroes and to tell you that improvement in the education of Negroes for effective occupational adjustment is largely dependent on the improvement of general education, that improvement in the number of schools offering vocational education and in facilities for vocational instruction is needed as well as financial support. Or, I could tell you, about the disadvantages of discrimination against Negroes in national defense. I could tell you that discrimination of this type tends to retard production, intensify the shortage of labor, contribute to the competition of labor, and make prominent the shortage of housing in certain areas, which also causes rents to rise and compels government expenditure for defense housing. However, instead of telling you that improvements in the educational facilities and that the employment of Negroes will not completely solve these problems, but will help to minimize them. I am going to tell you about two stamps. 
There are two stamps honoring Negroes: The Booker T. Washington stamp was the first United States postage stamp to honor an American Negro. It went on sale for the first time April 7, 1940, at the Tuskegee Institute, marking the end of a seven year campaign begun by Major R. R. Wright of Philadelphia, who won the support of interested organizations and individuals. Booker T. Washington, whom the stamp honored, was born a slave. In 1881, he founded Tuskegee Institute and remained head of the school until his death in 1915. The stamp pictures the bust of Washington. 
The Emancipation stamp was issued by the U. S. post office during 1940. Referred to as the Emancipation stamp, it was issued on October 20 at the New York World’s Fair, to commemorate the ratification of the 13th amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery. Major R.R. Wright was also given credit for leading the campaign for this stamp. 
The stamp pictures Thomas Bull's Emancipation Group, which Abraham Lincoln with his hand extended over the head of a kneeling slave.