I now recall the name of Ira Aldridge, a colored man from New York City, who was covered with princely honors as a successful tragedian.

Alexander Dumas was not forced to conceal his origin to succeed as a novelist.

When I was in St.Petersburg I was shown the works of Alexander Sergevitch, a Russian poet, who was spoken of as the Byron of Russian literature, and reckoned one of the finest poets that Russia has produced in this century.

He was also a prominent figure in fashionable society, and yet he was of African lineage.

One of his paternal ancestors was a negro who had been ennobled by Peter the Great.