ew home of the
Myrtilla Miner Normal School of Washington is named in honor of the
same noble woman. It stands on a site formerly owned by the University
and looks upon Miner Hall several hundred yards away across the
campus.
[225] Much credit for the skillful financial management of the
institution during these critical times is due to the secretary and
treasurer, Mr. James B. Johnson, who was a potent factor in the early
struggles of the institution. He was secretary and treasurer for many
years, dying while still in service in 1898.
[226] William M. Patton, _The History of Howard University_, 1896, pp.
21, 22.
MORE ABOUT THE HISTORICAL ERRORS OF JAMES FORD RHODES
In its issue of October, 1917, THE JOURNAL OF NEGRO HISTORY published
an article of which I am the author, pointing out some of the
historical errors made by Mr. Rhodes in his "_History of the United
States from the Compromise of 1850 to the Final Restoration of Home
Rule at the South in 1877_." Since it appears that Mr. Rhodes has no
personal knowledge of the important historical events referred to, he
sent a copy of the journal containing the article to a friend who was
presumed to be better informed along those lines. Mr. Rhodes referred
to him as an expert, with the request that he make a careful
examination of the article and write a reply to the same, or perhaps
to make such comments as would furnish Mr. Rhodes with the information
desired. I have been favored, through a mutual friend, with a copy of
that reply, which is now before me and to which I shall now proceed to
make a reply.
In a labored effort to weaken the force of what I have written, this
expert in his opening generalization made several observations which
may be classed under three different heads: first, if the white men
referred to by me were of such a high character, why should the acts
accredited to them have been of such a low character? second, that I
am influenced in what I write about that period by racial bias and the
fact that I was an active participant in the events referred to;
third, that what I write is based upon my own experience and memory,
much of which is liable to be inaccurate through the treachery of
memory, the same not being fortified by references to other historical
works.
This expert says:
An obvious general comment on the article is that if the
Reconstruction period throughout the South and in Mississippi in
particular
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