Progress and Achievements of the Colored People / Containing the Story of the Wonderful Advancement of the Colored Americans—the Most Marvelous in the History of Nations—Their Past Accomplishments, Together With Their Present-day Opportunities and a Glimpse Into the Future for Further Developments—the Dawn of a Triumphant Era. A Handbook for Self-improvement Which Leads to Greater Success

by Kelly Miller; Joseph R. Gay

THE RISE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Nations rose and fell, leaving the earth to a few powerful ones who attacked one another until, finally, the vast and powerful Roman Empire rose upon the ruins of the others. The central point of unification was nearer, and it appeared when Christ was born, the Saviour of all the world.

From that time began a movement toward another unification, but not a national movement, a human movement, an uplift into higher aims and more complete brotherhood.

The conquest of Rome by barbarians did not stay this movement, because the barbarians fell in with it and moved along with it. Every great act on the chessboard of nations, whether war, or the present peace movement toward universal peace, demonstrates that the purpose of the entire human family, as a unit, will be fulfilled sometime. It is rapidly reaching that point.

The great nations that stood in the way of this onward movement toward unification, have been abolished politically, but not individually, the individuals becoming merged, unified into the great moving mass, and progressing onward with it to the end in view.

Of these unified nations or rather peoples of nations who have no more political power or significance, we find the following:

The Jews, the Semitic division of the human race.

The Colored Men, the Hamitic division of the human family.

The American Indians, Aborigines with tribal government.

We shall add to these, by way of illustration to demonstrate the power of civilization, the following:

The Japanese, an offshoot of the Turanian.

The Chinese, pure Turanian.

The two latter races are foreign to our unification in the United States, many of their people, however, have inserted the thin edge of a wedge into our civilization and time alone will tell what the upshot will be.

We have in the United States a most remarkable unification, or merger into one political status, of the descendants of three great divisions of the Human Family, who are living together substantially in peace and amity. Whatever differences and difficulties arise are purely personal.

Of the Colored Americans in the United States, this book refers almost exclusively; in fact, it is dedicated to them and their interests, and intended for their benefit. Hence, we may omit them in this chapter, there being a full account of them elsewhere.

A short sketch of the Jews may be considered as pertinent to the subject and as having a bearing upon the status of the Colored men.