Trotter

In the Paternalism chapter of Renda's book, William Monroe Trotter is shown as facing President Wilson in regard to segregation in the federal government. The short section of this chapter is telling part of President Wilson and through the words and actions that Renda recalls of Trotter, reflects how several other people of color felt about segregation in the federal government.

Renda writes of Wilson's words, "I think that I am perfectly safe in stating, that the American people, as a whole, sincerely desire and wish to support, in every way they can, the advancement of the Negro race in America. They rejoice in the evidences of the really extraordinary advances that the race has made" (110). Through these words Wilson is othering the African American race and marking that the race as a whole is less than. Wilson openly admitted to the world through his language that he believes that people of color are not equal to whites.

Renda goes on to state, "On the contrary, however "splendid" the progress of the race, the very need for "advancement" signified for Wilson that African Americans were still in the early stages of a process of political and economic development that Anglo-Saxons had mastered over generations, indeed, centuries"(111).  The connection that Renda makes between Trotter and Wilson, connects the feelings shared by most of the country during that period. Wilson's total disregard for language and the reflection of his own thoughts in his speech is alarming.

Renda goes on to say that Trotter, after realizing he was not getting through to Wilson had to attack his gender politics. Wilson was questioning Trotter's masculinity by deeming his emotions as unjust because they were impairing Trotter's judgement. Renda writes, "Faced with such repeated, if indirect, assaults on his status as a rational grown man, and thus a full and right full citizen, Trotter finally brought gender to the surface, questioning Wilson's character as a man of faith" (111).  Trotter uses this tactic to attack Wilson, it is successful, causing Wilson to dismiss Trotter because he had enough. Renda shows the dismissal of Trotter through Wilson's actions and words. Only does Wilson really listen and take Trotter seriously when he questions his faith, because that some how is more important than the lively hood of the person standing in front of Wilson's face.