THE

COLORED GIRL

BEAUTIFUL

By

E. AZALIA HACKLEY

Author of "A Guide in Voice Culture" and
"Public School Lessons in Voice Culture."

BURTON PUBLISHING COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

Copyrighted 1916
By E. Azalia Hackley

Dedication.

To colored women in whom I have faith and to colored children whom I love, I send this little message.

Foreword.

This volume has been compiled from talks given to girls in colored boarding schools. The first talk was given at the Tuskegee Institute at the request of the Dean of the Girls' Department.

It was an impromptu talk after an hour's notice. Just before the Dean closed the door to leave me alone with the girls, I repeated my question, "What shall I talk about?" The reply was, "Tell them anything you think they should know. They will believe an experienced woman like you who travels and knows the world and life."

As I looked at the sea of faces, "wanting to know," and as I thought of all they had to learn, the vastness of all of it almost overpowered me. "May I sit down, girls? Now, what shall we talk about that is interesting to every one of you?"

"Would you like to talk about Love—real Love?" "Yes, yes," came the answer. "Would you like to talk about Beauty—real Beauty?" "Yes! Yes!" they answered and the chairs were pulled forward. For forty minutes we had a heart to heart talk. The dean and teachers had perhaps told the girls the same words, but the message seemed to come more directly to them from one who had daily contact with the great, busy world.

The talks were very informal and personal and as the girls asked questions the thought came to me to jot down the points, that similar talks might be given to the girls in other schools. Then came the request, "You come so seldom, can you print the talks?" Much of the talks could not be printed because many of the questions and answers were personal.

If I had a daughter I would desire that she should know these things and more, that she might be a beacon light to her home and to the race. As I have not been blessed with a daughter, I send these thoughts to the daughters of other colored women, hoping that among them there is some new thought worthy of a racial "Amen."

E. AZALIA HACKLEY.

Chicago, Ill., August, 1916.

CONTENTS

The Future.

The beautiful part about the colored race in America, is the future. As a mixed race we are undeveloped. We may become whatever we WILL to become.

This race is a growing people. The future is veiled but it may reveal some strange