The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-19
WASHINGTON NEGRO LIFB
An Interesting Character Study of
the Local COlored Man.
The Church StiII the Centre of His
Old South-ProfessionaI brethren.
breaking Away From Political Po-
sitions-Some Promising Conditions

Washington is the city where the big men
Of little towns come to be disillusioned.
Whether black or white. the little great
soon seek their level here. 1t matters not
whether it is Ezekiel Corncray of Pndunk
Center. Vermont. or Isaac johnson OF the
Alabama black belt-in Washington ne Is
apt to come to a realization OF his true
worth TO the world.
In city OF such diverse characters IL
is natural that the life Of any portion OF It's
people should be interesting. But when 1t
is considered that here the experiment of
sudden freedom has been tried
most earnestly, and l may say,
most successfully. upon large
percentage of the population, 1t Is
to the lives OF these people that one in
stinetively turns for color. picturesqueness,
and striking contrast.
1t is the delicately blended or boldly diff
ferentiated light and shade effects of Wash
ington negro life that are the despair oil
him who tries truthfully to picture 1t.
1t is the middle class negro who has i'm
bibed enough of white civilization to make
him work to be prosperous. But he ms
not partaken OF civilization so deeply that
he has become drunk and has forgotten his
own identity. The church to him is still
the centre of his social life. and his preach
er great man. He has no;-and l am
not wholly sorry that he has not-learned
the repression Of his emotions, which IS the
mari. Of a high and dry civilization. lie IS
mpIlslve, intense, fervIl, and-himse1.
He has retained some Of his primitive in
genuousness. when he gees to a party he
goes to enjoy himself and not to pose. II
there be onlookers outside his own circle,
and he be tempted to pose, he does 1t with
such childlike innocence and good humor
that no one is for moment anything but
amused, and he is forgiven his h.t-e de-
ception.
Possibly in even the lower walls Of life
warmer racial color is discoyerable. For
instance, no other race can quite SHOW me
counterpart OF the old gentleman who
passes me on Sunday on his way TO church.
An ancient silk hat adorns head which
! know instinctively is bald and black and
shiny on top; but the edges are fringed
with a growth of crisp white hair. like
frame around the mild old face. The bread
cloth coat which is buttoned tightly around
the spare form is threadbare, aud has
faded from black to gray-green; but al
though bent a little with the weight OF his
years, his glance is alert, and he moves
briskly along, like a character suddenly
dropped out of one OF Pages stories. He
waves his hand in salute, and l have
vision of Virginia of fifty years ago.
A real bit OF the old South, though, rs
one sees It in Washington, is the old black
nanny who trundles to and fro little
baby carriage with its load of laundry
work, but who tells you, with manifest
pride, YES, sub, has nussed. off'n on,
mon a dozen chillun OF de X family, an
some OF de men OATS ginuls now er In
Cong'ess was jes nachully raised up off'n
me-" But she, like SO many others. came
to Washington when it was indeed the
Mecca for colored people, where lay all
their hopes of protection, OF freedom. and
Of advancement. Perhaps in the old days,
when labor brought better rewards. she
saved something and laid 1t by in.'the i'll
fated Freedman's Savings Bank. But the
story Of that is known; SO the old woman
walks the streets today, penniless, trund-
ling her baby carriage, a historic but pa
thetic figure. .-..'
Some such relic OF the past, but more
prosperous withal, is the old lady who
leans over the counter Of 4 tiny and dingy
restaurant on Capitol Hill and dispenses
coffee and rolls and fried pork to her col
Ored customers. She wears upon her head
the inevitable turban or handkerchief In
which artists delight to paint the old
mammies of the South. She keeps IN
wavering the deep religious instinct OF her
race. and is mighty in her activities on
behalf OF one or the other OF the colored
churches. Under her little counter she al
ways has a contribution book. and not a
customer, white or black, high or low.
who is not levied upon 10 hep de church
outen hits stress" But one who has sat
and listened to her, as. leaning chin on
hand she recounted one OF her weird su,
perstitious stories OF the night doctors and
their doings, or the awful Judgment on
a sinnah man. is not unwilling to be nut
at some expense for his pleasure
The old lady and her stories are Of a diff
ferent cast from that part OF the Wash
ing;on life which is the pride of her proud
est people. 1t is far cry from the smoky
little restaurant on the Hill, with its
genial and loquacous old owner, TO the
great business block on Fourteenth Street
and its wealthy, shreyd. and eu1tiyited
proprietor.
Colored men have made money here. and
some OF them have known how TO keen il.
There are several OF them on the Board of
Trade-hve. | think-and they are regard
ed by the. fellows as solid, responsible.
and capable business men. The present
assessment Law was drafted by a colored
member OF the board. and approved by !
them before ii was submitted TO Congress |
AS for the professions. there are So many /
engaged in them that it would keep one /
busy counting or attempting to count the |
dark-skinned lawyers and doctors on |
meets In day.
The cause OF this IS not far TO seek. |
Young men come here to work in the de- |
partmeuts. Their evenings are TO a certain /
extent free, II is the most natural thing |
in the world that they should improve their |
time by useful study. But why such pre-
ponderance in favor of the professions you 1
say. Are there not other useful pun suits |
arts and handicrafts? To be sure there /
are. But then your new people dearly |
love title, and Lawyer Jones sounds well. |
DIR. Brown has an infinitely more dgnified !
ring, and as for professoT-wen. that is /
the acme of titular excellence, and there !
are more dark professors in Washington /
than one could find In a days walk through |
a European college town.
However ii is well that these department /
clerks should carry something away with |
them when they leave Washington, for |
their condition is seldom financially i'm |
proved by their sojourn here. This. though, |
is perhaps apart from the aim OF the pres |
ent article. for it is no more true OF the |
negro clerks than of the white confreres. |
Both generally live up to the limit OF their |
salaries.
The clerk has much = enc is in |
consequence O .ety m1H iil m.sr dress |
veil and smoke a. so1e a cigar e. 90 East |
crn Congressman. IL an costs money. and |
it is not unnatural that at the end o. the |
year ne is a little long on u1receipted bills !
ard short IN gold The tendency * 'tne
schOoIteachers, now, seems 'c. De entirely
different There are a zEs5at many Of mem
no. q tH.a
than me Goyernnent employees. But ber-