Double Standard
February 7, 1903
Summary
In Roanoke Virginia, the Pastor of First Baptist Church permitted the body of a black man to be allowed inside of a church for his funeral.
Transcription
It was published that Rev, R. R. Jones, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Roanoke, Va., refused to permit the body of Rufus Moore to be brought into the church or to officiate at the funeral, because a white undertaker had charge of the remains.
It seems to us that this was a case of giving the white brethren a dose of their own medicine. Let us presume that a white family in this city employed a colored undertaker to bury a white man, which one of the white pastors in this city would permit the remains to be brought into the church or would officiate at the funeral?
Some things that look all right when white folks do them, look all wrong when colored folks practice the same kind of tactics. Our people are learning some things slowly, but they will know them all after a while.
It seems to us that this was a case of giving the white brethren a dose of their own medicine. Let us presume that a white family in this city employed a colored undertaker to bury a white man, which one of the white pastors in this city would permit the remains to be brought into the church or would officiate at the funeral?
Some things that look all right when white folks do them, look all wrong when colored folks practice the same kind of tactics. Our people are learning some things slowly, but they will know them all after a while.
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Lower Left Quadrant
Contributed By
Rose Williams
Citation
“Double Standard,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed December 7, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/283.