The following article On negro nudism was transcribed from the August 1945 Issue of Sunshine and Health magazine. It is written by E.J. Samuels a pioneering African American in American nudism.
One of the natural heritages of mankind is nudism. The source of all light, heat and energy is the sun. The therapy of the sun is known to science, but due to conventions and lack of education, prejudices and false modesty, civilization for the most part has rejected this legacy from God. The so-called primitive peoples in all parts of the world have accepted their natural heritage. They only don clothes to appease our form of civilization.
Once upon a time there was heaven on earth. Adam and Eve were happy in the garden of Eden. They were naked and unashamed. You know the story about the “Forbidden Fruit.” It wasn’t until after the commission of the first sin, did Eve garb her loins with a fig leaf. Regardless of what man may say or do about nudism, God in His infinite wisdom invariably disregards man’s fi-nite intelligence and still sends people to this earth-naked.
The Negro is a natural child of God. We mean by that, that the Negro in Africa, away from so-called civilization, lives his complete life in the raw. They are children of the sun. We are told that our pigmentation is a product of the sun. Climatic conditions cause the different shades of complexion of the human race. The negro was exposed to the· sun in Africa. Although the American Negro is removed from Africa for over three hundred years he still retains his stamina and strength. It was because of this stamina and strength that he was imported to this country in slavery – build a new empire with the sweat of his brow.
Look at the sturdy, robust bodies of the black stevedores-look at Joe Louis, or Jesse Owens, the Olympic Champion in running and jumping. Look at the stamina and speed of Henry Armstrong -at the talented, lovely hunk of man-hood, Paul Robeson.
The Negro, along with his white brothers and sisters, is beginning to look towards the sun. Requests from Negroes for information pertaining to nudism are beginning to trickle into our national offices.This of course, brings up the question of how shall Negroes be regarded and treated. One suggestion has been advanced : that they form their own organization, have their own magazine.
Economically, this would not be feasible. While it is true that the white nudists number into the millions-they are definitely a minority group. Less than two per cent of the entire white population are nudists. And the Negroes, by themselves, financially, could only support about seven or eight camps in the nation. As to a Negro nudist magazine-it would be out.
The Negro nudists, even like the white nudists, definitely constitute a minority group. It isn’t fair for the Negro to complain about racial segre-gation and then form a nudist organi-zation and discriminate against white nudists. We out here in California were attacked by non-nudist pressure groups. They, in trying to pass the Dills Bill to outlaw nudism in this state, used racial prejudice as one of their grounds of attack. We do not mean prejudice against Negro nudists, either. The attack was made upon Americans of German descent.
Most readers of this magazine have read the first article we wrote which appeared in the November issue entitled, “Light Out of Darkness.” We are unmistakably Negro. We recounted our experience as a nudist. Our sucrcrestion is simply this : Let all nudists belong to the same national organization. Let the local clubs or groups be left free to exercise their prerogatives in the mat-ter of members. All support one magazine. In union there is strength. Use the word “Negro” for identification purposes and not dis-crimination. We simply mean that if a group of Negroes wish to form an all-Negro dub, it should be their privilege. If a white group should not want any colored members-that, too, should be their privilege. But a group which might happen to be macle up of a Negro membership should have the privilege of voting in a white member or members, if it chose to do so. And the same should be trul? if a white group wished to vote in colored members. Or if they wish to merge-let them. In other words I am of the opinion it should be left to the various group diversitymembers.
All sincere nudists have a great deal in common-they being a minority group natu-rally seek others who believe in th~ir way of life. During this war we have seen all sorts of groups uniting with other races, creeds and colors. Even in the deep, deep South we find attitudes changing. Several southern states have dropped their poll tax laws and you will find that both the Negro and whites are standing on the threshold of a new and great-er and better South. They are beginning to solve their racial problems. We as nudists, certainly do not wish to go backward-when all about us groups who have disliked one another because he was a Catholic, or a Jew, a Baptist, Spiritualist, Swede, Pole, Italian, Negro, Methodist or what have you-are now extending the hand of fellowship and brotherhood.
Our soldiers are fighting to preserve our democratic form of government. The desires of the black soldier do not differ from those of their white brothers in arms. Remember this – no Negro group would want a Negro who is filled with hatred to-wards white nudists. No Negro group would want a Negro as a member-if no white group would have him, if on grounds other than color. If he is morally unfit for a white group, no ‘Negro group would want him. A white person morally or otherwise unfit for a white group is unfit for a Negro group on the same grounds. My wife and I were both voted into a white group and camp as members here in California. They could have taken me in or kept me out-that is as it should be. I do not think that any agency away from the lo-cality should judge-but those whose prob-lem it is deal with it themselves. My wife and I as nudists have won stead-fast friends. We have been invited to visit the homes of nudists throughout the country. We have invited them to our home. We have become fast friends with various white soldiers throughout the world by correspondence. And let me say here and now that we are no different from a great many other people, regardless of race and color. I said that because you may say, “Samuels, my wife and I would love to have you visit us in our home, too. Because you are different.”
The same shades and social levels which exist in the white race also exist among Negroes. There would be both white and col-ored nudists groups with which I probably would not be inclined to be identified. This writer has been working rather close-ly with Lewis H. White in regard to Negro groups. I have been sort of an unofficial “weeder outer.” You see our greatest prob-lem is the fact that one may find a weed or two in the best of · gardens. So we have to be careful in selection-because the standard for the Negro has al-ways been the worst Negro. A white group can kick out ten white people and carry on. But if one bad Negro is discovered-that is the end of the Negroes ever in that camp. An entire race is penalized for the miscon-duct of one, whom the Negroes would not even want. God, in creating this earth, put all sorts of pretty colors in flowers. We who are nudists know that we live in a veritable garden of Eden. Why not have brown, white and black bodies drinking in the healthful bene-fits of our gorgeous sun. The writer realizes that this is a contro-versial subject-but he also knows that he is talking to nudists, and nudists as a rule are a little in advance when it comes to shaking off the isms, taboos and false modesty about nakedness-thus proving that they are closer to God and nature. We are children of nature, why can’t we romp and play together in the sun, if we wish to do so. The writer would appreciate the views of others in this respect. Write E. J. Samuels, 2181 West 27th Street, Los Angeles 7, Calif.