The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-07-08
NEGRO STATISTICS.
Great Birth and Death Rates arc
Race Charncteriatich

The census bureau Friday issued
the final bulletin on he negro popula-
tion of tie United States. The num-
Der OF negroes in the United Ssates,
iuciuding the entire area covered by
the 18th census Continental Unit, d
States, Alaska and HawaD and Puerto
Rico is 9,204, 53l, perhaps larger
number than is found in any otter
country outside OF Africa.
The report indicates that between
ii and IL per cent. OF the negro
population have or are believed by the
enume!ators to have some degree of
white blood. The centre Of the negro
population is in Dekalb county,
Alabama, about four miles from west
ern boundry of Georgia, having moved
thence from Dinwiddie county, Vir-
ginia, siEce 1890. Over II per cent:
of the negroes live in the country,
against over 81 per cent. of the
whites. Almost 90 per cent. Of the
negroes In ontinental United States
are in s,uthern States and three
tenths uf them are in Georgia, Missis-
sippi and Alabama.
Negroes constitute a out one fif-
teenth OF the city population and
about one seventh of the country
population OF Continental United
States. There was an increase among
the negroes OF l .345, 3lS or IS per cent.
in continental United States but the
rate OF increase declined steadily
through the nineteenth century.
The negro S, unlike the Indians and
the native white, have Slight excess
of females. lllteracy among them
is about seven times greater than
among the whites. There are 3,992,-
337 negroes in the United States en-
gagged in gainful occupations. Their
death rate approximates 30 per cent.
while that Of the whites under the
same calculation is II per cent.
The proportion Of mulattoes to all
negroes is usually higher in cities Of
the great cotton growing States than
1T is in the districts outside of the
cities. The district In which the pro-
portion OF negroes is greatest lies in
the Mississippi alluvial region along
both banks OF the lower Mississippi,
where live-eights Of the population is
negro, the maximum being in IsSaque-
ma county, Mississippi, with more than
10 negreS to each white person. Ne
groes form one-third OF the population
in the south both in cities and In
country districts while In the north
they are about -fOrtieth OF city and
one-ninetieth Of country districts. In
the country districts Of the south, ex-
cluding the population OF the 242 ctie
which had at least $500 Inhabitants
both in 1890 and in 1900 the negroes
increased 1890 to 1900 over 6 per cent. /;
In the 242 southern cities as whole
they increased 22.7 per cent. Their
increase In the country districts was
about two thirds as rapid as that OF the
whites In the same area; their increase
in southern cities was nearly five. sixths
as fast as that Of the whites in the
same cities.
In the five southern cities, having at
least l00,0 900 inhabitants in 1900, the
negro population increased 258 per
cent, 1890 10 1900; the white pOpula
tion OF the same cities increased only
20.S per cent. This is the only group
OF southern cities in which the rate Of
increase OF negro population exceeded
that Of the whites. In the 3S cities
OF this class Of continental United
States the per cent. OF increase was 3s
for negroes and 3D.. for whites.
The largest number of negroes liv-
ing In compact masses are found In
certain urban counties, several Of which
lie outside OF the great cotton growing
States. The four each having over
10000 negroes are: District of Colum-
bia, coextensive with Washington;
Shelby county, Tenn, containing
Memphis; Baltimore city, Md, and
Orleans parish, La, coextensive with
New Orleans.
The general conclusion seems war
ranted that the proportion OF mula-
toes to total negroes was found by the
enumerators TO be high or low, accord
ing as the proportion Of whites or ne
groes is high or low.
The total numbers OF negroes repor-
ted Dy the twelfth census was $50, :
7S0. TO this number may be added
the 1863, 742 persons of pure or mixed
negro blood in Puerto Rico, making a
total OF 9,204, 53l negroes under
American jurisdiction. This inc'ndes
S,S33, 994 negroes OF continental Unit
ed States, which excludes these of
Puerto Rico and few in Alaska, Ha-
/ wall and the military and navals, rvice.