Several people have asked, over the years, if I had written anything about the race problem-what I thought about it. To some I mentioned my first novel, 'NO USE CRYIN', which I worked on during an extended period of six years, and which deals more completely with the race question. But even at this sitting that novel has a few months before it comes off the press; and the re­quest for some of my "personal reflections on the sub­ject" has been in constant insistence.

Therefore, I have finally agreed to simply "reflect" upon the problem as I have experienced it as a Negro in America. In agree­ing to do this, however, I made myself clear in regard to the nature of this work. That is to say, this is by no means a compilation of scientific data, nor is it a schol­ar's report resulting from controlled experiments and years of professional research. Instead, I have concur­red to record some of the events and experiences from my own life.

As a student of experience, it is true that mine are broad and varied. Yet, the attempt here is not to write an autobiography. And as these are personal experiences, they are not to be considered "the last word" in any sense of the phrase. I have been in strong disagreement with other Negroes on certain aspects of the race pro­blem; I have disagreed with professors on aspects of the subject; I have been criticized by many people; and I have some strong objections to the apathy of our Chris­tian Churches and Jewish Synagogues in regard to the problem of human injustice in general. In some circles I am considered a "radical", in others a "lover of white people" still in others a "fool" . There is some truth in all of these accusations. But what some people fail to see, which I think is of maximum importance, is that I also have a theology of racism. In other words, what­ever my views or whatever my actions are, I find my starting point on the Cross of Calvary. I form my attitudes and base my convictions on what I understand about the Christ of history, who died for my sins.