Chapter 45 Mourning Dr Du Bois

The first time I saw Dr. Du Bois was in the early spring of 1959, upstairs in the Beijing Hotel, in the hall where Dr. Du Bois celebrated his 90th and 1st birthday.In the jubilant and lively atmosphere full of congratulatory scrolls and burning red candles, no one would have thought that this dignified and funny, steady and kind brown-skinned old man who looked only about sixty years old would dedicate himself to his beloved Our compatriots - the liberation movement of the African Americans has a history of more than sixty years!At the evening party on this day, when Dr. Du Bois and his wife talked and laughed happily with their Chinese friends around them, I sat silently on the side, and many things I saw and heard about the lives and struggles of black Americans things.

I remember that when I was only five years old, my uncle told me about "Negro Calls to Heaven" every night. The inhuman atrocities committed by the so-called civilized Americans to the black people in the United States were left in my mind. Made a very deep and painful impression.Every night, I always hold the handkerchief soaked in tears tightly and toss and turn on the pillow, unable to fall asleep for a long time. When I was in my twenties, when I was studying in the northern part of the United States, I encountered a few things that made me very injustice and anger. Although I rarely met black people in the northern part of the United States, these things are said to be extremely common.

In the dormitory of our school, there is a black classmate who is a member of the honorary society and is excellent in her studies, but no one ever goes to chat with her.I had a chat with her at the breakfast table, thought she was lovely, and visited her in the evening, and she was delighted and thanked me repeatedly for my "come".She said: "You know, our school still allows a very small number of blacks with excellent grades to study. If it is in the South, it is impossible to dream...Here, I am lonely, I swallow isolated tears, but I When I think that I can do some work for my compatriots after I gain knowledge, I will be comforted!" These words aroused my infinite sympathy and resonance, so I often went to talk to her, and some of my white classmates Disapprovingly, those who are a little more familiar with me said bluntly: "Don't waste your time and affection on a black man!"

Once, a pastor invited me to his house for the weekend.The female chef in his family is black and only in her twenties.After dinner, I went to the kitchen to help her wash the dishes and chat with her. It turned out that she was still studying in her spare time and joined an amateur drama club.She told me about their Shakespeare play, and we had a great conversation.The next morning, when the pastor and his wife invited me to the chapel, I also ran to invite her.She shook her head again and again with a look of great surprise and gratitude on her face, and said, "Thank you, I can't go, the pastor and madam never let me go to church with them.

We also have our own chapel..." I was stunned at the time. I remember when I attended "Sunday School" in Beijing Church Middle School, there was a picture of Jesus with children of various colors hanging in our lecture hall A picture of a Chinese child leaning on the arms of Jesus, a black child leaning on Jesus’ shoulders, and a white child sitting on the ground in front of Jesus’ feet. It turns out that this painting is for Chinese children! In the synagogue where God is worshiped, "apartheid" is practiced, so is that still a religion that promotes freedom, equality, and fraternity? At this time, she pushed me behind her and said, "Go by yourself, they are waiting for you.You are too naive, you see too little, you don't understand! "

Another time, I visited Washington, D.C., and stayed at the National Women's Club.When I returned in the evening, in the living room of the clubhouse, a member of the "Revolutionary Daughters Association" came to chat with me.I talked about the fact that white people and black people sit separately on the streetcar in Washington, which surprised me. She suddenly became emotional and said with a red face: "This is not surprising at all. You can go to the South and see, there is nothing better than this." Strict things. You don’t know, black people are not human at all, they have no human reason, no human feeling, in short, they should all get out of the United States!” It was a “revolutionary’s daughter” who said this!

At this time, the snow-white dome of the U.S. Capitol building, which was forced by the strong electric lights outside the window, suddenly dimmed in my eyes.Looking at her dog-like image of gnashing teeth, I suddenly thought of the famous black singer Paul Robertson's singing I heard in the auditorium of our school a few days ago: "No one knows the suffering I see" , His voice is so passionate, so heart-throbbing!How cruel is the discrimination and abuse suffered by black Americans. What I have heard and witnessed is only a small part. However, at this time, I also knew that there was a leader of the black liberation movement named W. E． B．Du Bois, who was born in the same state where I went to school—Massachusetts.He is a brave fighter against imperialism and defending world peace.As early as the First World War, he believed that imperialism was the root cause of war, and only the eradication of imperialism could ensure peace.He was also a fearless spokesperson for black Americans fighting for freedom and equality.

He studied history and social sciences in order to write many academic works about Africa and blacks. At the same time, he continued to write many works that reflected the struggle of blacks and inspired the fighting spirit of blacks.He taught at the university, edited publications, and at the same time initiated and participated in many black liberation movements... He continued to fight for the liberation of black Americans...It was not until forty years later that I was in the capital of New China Beijing, I am so excited and honored to pay my respects to this African-American writer, poet and soldier!My second meeting with Dr. Du Bois was even more memorable.

It was one night in the winter of 1962. In a small but warm dining room of the Beijing International Club, we gave a farewell party to Dr. Du Bois and his wife, who had been recuperating in China for several months and were returning to Ghana. .Not long ago he underwent two operations for prostatitis in London. I thought he would look weak, but unexpectedly, this ninety-four-year-old soldier, except for being helped by people when he went in and out, was still talking and laughing, his brows and eyes were full of kindness. Humor, appetite has not diminished. He said that he likes Chinese food, Beijing, and everything about New China.He said he was working on an encyclopedia of Africa in Ghana.

He said that the Africa in the minds and writings of Europeans and Americans is smeared and distorted, not the truth of Africa. He wants to devote his remaining years to this cause of introducing African culture and civilization to the world.As he spoke, he smiled generously, and we were all relieved for his health and courage. On August 29 this year, the sad news came that Dr. Du Bois passed away on the 27th of this month in Accra, the capital of Ghana! A black giant star has fallen!During his lifetime, the late leader of the American Communist Party, William Foster, gave him the following evaluation: "As the new outstanding leader of the blacks, Du Bois spent at least 30 years roughly determining the general struggle line of the blacks. It led to the brilliant progress of the Negro. . . . For decades many of the best fighters and thinkers in Negro America have actively rallied around Du Bois."

A black giant star has fallen!However, on the difficult, tortuous and long road of struggle, the banner of striving for black liberation, opposing imperialism, and defending world peace that he held high will be upheld by his compatriots and the vast majority of people of all races in the world .His bell-like call to black people in the United States and Africa to fight for their own liberation will be like the sound of African drums reaching far and wide, passing through forests, fields, rivers and oceans, and spreading to Africa and other continents. We read with sorrow and comfort the words of joy that Dr. Du Bois' lover and comrade-in-arms, Sherrie Graham, spoke to our Xinhua correspondent in Accra after reading Chairman Mao's statement in support of the struggle of the Negroes in America, She said: "Never before has a leader of a powerful country issued such a call to the world." "My husband, Dr. Du Bois, and I express our gratitude to Chairman Mao, a great leader and friend of mankind."We all remember that Dr. Du Bois himself, when he came to China last time, also enthusiastically said: "The black continent can get the most friendship and sympathy from China." The Chinese people will always remember their Thank you, and redouble the cause of opposing imperialism and supporting the struggle of black people, and spur yourself to move forward forever! We are also happy for Dr. Du Bois, and as Shelley Graham said in reply to Premier Zhou's message of condolence, "while he was alive, he saw the black people in America rise up and rebel against the incredible power of the America in which they lived. endured conditions. When he was dying, the sound of marching footsteps rang in his ears. " The struggle of the black people in the United States is vigorously developing. Dr. Du Bois's decades of hard work are sprouting and blooming. We would like to stand together with Shirley Graham, the black people in the United States and the people of the world , with the same indomitable will and determination to continue the struggle until final victory is achieved. "Victory is a memorial to him"! Dr. Du Bois lives forever! (This article was originally published in the September 1963 issue of World Literature.)