Advice Freely Given

Black men are being encouraged to call out other black men who commit crimes, as they do not accurately represent black men.

Colored men, we must not fail to assert our manhood. This does not imply that we should be Insulting. We cannot demonstrate our position of equality before the law by boorishness or by an appeal to ill mannered methods.
We must condemn the vicious of our race and discounterance any act which is not justified by the surrounding circumstances.
Even though we condemn a crime alleged to have been committed by member of our race, we must insist that the law mete the punlshment.
In taking this course we do not endorse the act of the criminal but stand for the maintenance of the law.
In this course rests the safety of the Republic, and the perpetuity of free Institutions.
We should stand by our leaders, and not join in with white men in crying down the worthy members of our race.
We should condemn the venal and corrupt element of the white race, and commend the true and honest elements of it.
When assertions are made that we hate white people,lt should be denied for we are their friends.
We have been the oppressed and they the oppressors. There are honorable exceptions and we should not forget to state the fact. We should steer clear of the demagogue, be he white or black, democrat or republican.
Ruin follows in his pathway and disaster awaits his blind followers before the end of the journey has been reached.
Radical action should seldom be resorted to, and then only when the other side has forced us to it.
Reason should supplant prejudice, and the faults we condemn in certain white men, we should be careful lest we practice them ourselves.
To live right ls to do right. We should be positive in our action, slow to operate but sure to perform the necessary duty. We should foster a Christian, brotherly spiritual one to the other and not allow bitterness which kindles the fire of hate and allows the moldering embers to remain within the breast to keep us apart.
Spite will satisfy petty prejudices but will sacrifice the fondest hopes.
Let us be men,-honest, Industrious, liberty-loving men. Let us exercise all of the rights and privileges guaranteed under the Bill of Rights of Virginia and the Constitution of the United States and let us merit the respect and esteem of all persons with whom we come in contact.

“Advice Freely Given,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed January 20, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/1539.