For Frederick Douglass' Paper.

BROOKLYN, Oct. 7th, 1854
F. DOUGLASS: DEAR SIR:—I see in the
last number of your paper an article written
by "Ethiop,"Wilson, William Joseph ("Ethiop")

William Joseph Wilson (1818–?), a free black man from New Jersey, operated a bootmaking shop in New York City as early as the 1830s. In the 1840s he became a secondary school teacher and later a principal of a black school in Brooklyn. He was an activist on behalf of black education, encouraging access and attendance, and even opened his own library. Wilson also campaigned to secure the franchise for New York African Americans. He served as a member of the Committee of Thirteen, organized by New York black leaders to stop enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act. In the early 1850s Wilson’s letters appeared frequently in Frederick Douglass’ Paper, and Douglass referred to him as the newspaper’s “Brooklyn correspondent.” Wilson’s letters to the newspaper, published under the pseudonym “Ethiop,” were often part of an ongoing debate about the condition of blacks in New York and the United States. Wilson’s most frequent sparring partner in the war of letters was “Communipaw,” actually James McCune Smith, a prominent black physician in New York City. Carleton Mabee, Black Education in New York State: From Colonial to Modern Times (Syracuse, N.Y., 1979), 54, 63-67, 123, 129, 155, 158; Foner and Walker, Black State Conventions, 1:79-88; Quarles, Black Abolitionists, 87, 212, 229; Ripley, Black Abolitionist Papers, 4:144-45n. in reference to a meeting
held in the Siloam Presbyterian Church of
this place. Some of the statements made
in that article I feel it to be my duty to
contradict.

Now, sir, I must say that I was somewhat
surprised to see an article of that character
from a man in good and regular standing,
and an Elder in the Presbyterian church.—Why such an article should appear from
him, so devoid of truth and justice, I cannot
possibly divine. For, first—let me say
that it is not true that it was asserted at
the meeting, to which allusions have been
made, that better associations are found in
the white, than in the colored schools.

Second—it is not true that any "Doctors"
spoke or took any part in the meeting
during the whole evening; and, moreover, I
may say that so far from being true, I believe
that there were none present during the
evening; and

Third—it is not true that more than one
spoke against the article referred to, tho'
it would seem to appear to the contrary.

But, sir, I will say that it is true that
Ethiop did say that he did not blame
anyone for sending where the higher branches
are taught, and that he would do the same
thing; and, sir, I think that it can be shown
that he has been known to express the wish,
that he could send his little daughter to a
white school, on account, merely, of bet
ter association. Will he deny this? But
how strange it is, that white schools should
prove to be so degrading to colored children,
and yet be the means of producing such a
man as Ethiop, who told me himself that he
never attended a colored school ! and yet
don't deny his people. Now, let me say
here, that I am not for abandoning our
colored schools, nor never have been. I
should as soon think of giving up our col
ored churches as our schools. But, sir, I
am not in favor of newspaper discussions,
and will therefore leave the gentleman after
this to all the glory that he can possibly se
cure by making any statements in any way
that he may think proper, whether they be
true or false.

A.N. FREEMAN.