Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-26
CONDITION OF NEGROES
STUDY OF THE POPULATION OF
ZENIA, OHIO.
Eight Instances Of Inter- Marriage Be-
r tween Whites and Blacks-Many
Own Their Homes.

The bureau of labor has issued a report
of a very complete study of the negro pop
ulation of Xenia. Ohio. This investigation
was made by Mr.. Richard R. Wright and
enters into the various social conditions
of the negroes Of Xenia, showing the ex-
tent to which intermarriage between whites
and blacks has taken place.
The population of Xenia IN 1900 was $685.
of which 6. 7O5 were white and ], 901 colored
1t is shown that had not the colored popu-
lation been reinforced by country people
from the south the birthrate of the colored
people Of the town would have shown a
decrease rather than an Increase The col
ored population now constitutes 229 per
cent Of the population of xenia-
The nego population of Xenia Is concern
trated in a restricted section of the town.
Included in this population for the pur-
poses OF the study OF the social conol-
ton of the negroes are eight white women
who have married colored men and one
white child adopted into the family Of coli
ored people, There was offspring in all ex-
cept one case of intermarr1age.
Number Of Pure Blacks Small.
OF 1895 persons. who were reported as
black. or brown, or light. 40, or 25.7 per
cent, were reported black; 915. or sol per
cent, brown, and AL, including whites,
or 24.2 per cent. light. The percentage Of
pure blacks Is very small. indeed. From
this report 1t might be safely estimated
that As per cent Of the negroes of Xenia
are half white and half black. In 1860 the
census gave Greene county 932 blacks and
543 mulattoes. or 63.2 per cent and 1858 per
cent, respectively.
Eghty-seven per cent of the children
from six to fifteen years of age, inclusive,
or go out Of 327, were reported as attend
ing school.
The reason given by the negroes Of Xenia
for going there from the farms of the south
always included their desire for the exer-
else of the franchise and to get away from
race prejudice. In one case a woman from
South Carolina returned to her home after
living in Xenia thirty-three years and made
such favorable report of her condition in
Xenia that within a short time there was
a stream of migration from that state and
there has now grown up very considerable
colony from South Carolina. The condi-
lions Of Xenia are shown to have held out
great inducements to negroes in the way Of
securing employment.
Many Own Their Homes.
In Xenia there are two negroe physicians
who have practically the entire practice
among the members of their race. There
are ten clergymen. OF the 501 families in
Xenia 31S own their own homes. The as
sessed value of the property owned by ne
groes in Xenia is Sis. 267. and according to
the auditors statement that is supposed to
represent from two-thirds to one-half of
the value of the property. A great deal
of this property was bought through build
ing and loan associations and paid for at
the rate of from 50 to 81 week
1.-The church., the report states. docs
not occupy the social life of the negroes
completely as formerly. or as is now
the case in some southern towns The
home is fast becoming. among the more
intelligent classes in Xenia. the real social
unit. But, leaving aside the home, next
to the church are the secret ORDERS