1. Noah K. Davis, “The Negro in the South,” Forum (April 1886): 126-35.


Ambivalent account of the plight of African Americans during Reconstruction. On one hand, the author is sympathetic to the dismal prospects former slaves faced following emancipation. On the other hand, he sees no prospect for their achieving social equality, even if they elevate their status through education and hard work. Nevertheless, the author concludes with this optimistic note. “The time may come when a negro shall be our Secretary of State; and who will be foolish enough to object? With a sublime faith in the vigor of Anglo-Saxon blood, we do not apprehend the dominance of any other race, but hopefully look forward to the day when the best men, regardless of their origin, shall be our public servants.”