The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-05-31
THE NEGRO NORTH.
THEY ARE STEADILY LEAVING
THE OLD CALLINGS.
Their Work as Barber, Laundrymen,
Whitewashers and Caterers
Usurped by Other
Races.
Chicago Record-Herald.

Chicago Record Herald.
The steadily increasing tide of emf
grafton of the negroes from the South to
northern cities will form the cardinal
to be held at the Institutional Church,
1926 Dearborn street, June 8. The
leading spirit of the inquiry is Prof, ".
G. V. Du Bots of the University of At
lanta. He is an expert sociologist
All the cities of the North show large
gains of negro population during the past
ten years. Chicago gained $1,000 negroes
or Ill per cent. the greatest on record.
The census shows that 10 out of every
100 women either work away from home
or take work to their homes This means
that their children are neglected. 1t Is
suggested that settlement may be es-
tablished containing kindergartens, day
nurseries, cooking and sewing schools and
an employment agency. About Sbuo VIII
be needed, and hopes are entertained
that this sum will be obtained in snort
time.
The black movement" to Central At
RIGA is frowned down by Rev. a. r. Muir
ray of Bethel Church and other promi-
nent negroes of Chicago.
Quits Old Callings.
Another subject of inquiry will be the
gradual ousting of the negro from occu-
pations which were always regarded as
peculiarly his own. His work as be.fber,
iaundryman. whitewa asher and caterer
has gradually passed into the hands of
the white race. IncSe OcCupdtlo'lS are
now developed by money and a newer in
telligence to such a degree that II Is
more difficult for colored people to carry
them on successfully than IL is to WIN
success in the mercantile ana INDUSTRIAL
field.
The negro as barber has almost
ceased 10 be in the northern States. Inc
shops owned by them are now almost
wholly for the accommodation of ter
own race. The men who are still in this
business say that colored men have lost
interest in this trade to such an extent
that first-class BARRIERS are very hard TO
find.
The younger men of the race have
come to associate this and few other
callngs above mentioned with the ser
vile conditions of former days and sure
badge of inferioritv. This false notion i
probably chiefly responsible for the loss
to the negro of a business that artistic
taste and money have developed into one
of the most respectable Of calinga
What Is true of the 'tonsorial art Is
true of the laundry business, save that
in this case machinery. steam laundries
and the Chinaman are chiefly the cause
of the negro s loss
Few Are Whitewashers
The artistic decorator" is the new
name for the old whitewash business,
While most of this work is done by
white men in we'll organized companies
and corporations with ample capital col
ored men have not entirely lost their hold
on this occupation. MOI rev men INT
Oscar DePriest and Mr.. Chisholm of this
city have taken pains TO equip themselves
for this occupation by training and the
application Of business methods. and
they find no prejudicial hindranees TO
their success.
The business of catering is also one of
the callings that used to be considered as
belonging exclusively to colored men:
The colored caterer Of Philadelphia used
to be famous, and still retains his dis
tincton of fifty years ago. when he en-
icyed the friendship and confidence Of the
distinguished men of his day to an eX-
tent that no other set Of coloCed business
men ever enjoyed. Their efficient servir-
won many friend TO the cause of aboli-
ton. John S. Trower, who Was a dele
gate to the recent convention. and c. FL.
Smiley of this city are typical represen-
tatives of this philadelphia school of
caterers Their statements to the con-
vention of the negros achievements in
this line of business were among the
most interesting features Of the session,
In New York the negro caterer has not
Jared so well. the busint SIS having lonG
since passed out of his control into the
larger interests like the DeImonicos and
the Sherrys.
Ambition of the Youth.
The colored men Who arc still in the