Richmond planet., 1907-06-08
PLAIN STATEMENTS
OF BUSINESS NEGROES
Mr.. RAY STANNARD BAKERS RECITAL
FOLLOWING THE COLORIINE"-CONDITIONS
GRAPHIC PORTRAYAL

and dentists Time was when all
Negroes preferred TO go to white
practitioners. but since educated col
ored doctors became common, they
have taken a very large part-prac-
tically all, I am told-of the prac-
tice in Atlanta. Several OF them
have had degrees from Northern un-
iversities. two from Yale; and one
OF them. at least. has some little
practice among white people. The
doctors are leaders among their peo-
pie. Naturally they give prescrip-
tion TO be filled by druggists of their
own race; hence the growth Of the
drug business among Negroes every
where in the South.
The first store TO be established in
Atlanta occupies an old wooden build
ing I'm Auburn Avenue. It Is opera
ted by Moses Amos, mulatto. and
enjoys / understand. high degree
OF prosperity. / visited st. a post
Office occupies one corner of the room
and It is a familiar gathering place
Tor colored men. Moses Amos told
me his story. and I found It SO in
teresting. and so significant of the
way in which Negro business men
have come mp. that / am setting it
down briefly here:
RISE OF a NEGRO DRUGGIST.
Il never shall forget" he said.
my first day in the drug business.
IL was in 1876. / remember / was
with a crowd OF boys in Peachtree
Street, where Or. Huss. a Southern
white man. kept a drug store. The
old doctor was sitting out IN front
smoking his pipe. He called one
little Negro after another, and final
ly chose me. He said:
Il want you 20 live with me, work
in the store. and look after my
horse
He sent me 10 his house and told
me to tell his wife to give me some
breakfast, and / certainly delivered
the first message correctly. His wife
who was a noble lady. not only fed
me, but made me take a bath in a
sure enough porcelain tub, the first
/ had ever seen. When I went back
TO the store, l was so regenerated
that the doctor had to adjust his
spectacles before he knew me. He
said TO me:
"'You can wash bottles, put up
castor oil, salts and turpentine, sell
anything you know and put the
money in the drawer"
"He showed me how to work the
keys OF the cash drawer. 4 am
going to trust you he said. Don't
steal from me; If you want anything
ask for it, and you can have II. And
don't lie; ] hate a liar. A boy who
viii lie will steal, too
II remained with DR.. Huss thir-
teen years. He sent me to school
and paid my tuition out of his own
pocket; he trusted me fully, often
leaving me in charge of his business
for weeks at a time. When ne died,
| formed a partnership with DR.. But
ler, DR.. Slater and others, and bought
the store. Our business grew and
prospered, so that within few
years we nad a stock worth $4,000,
and cash Of $500. That made us
ambitious.
We bought land, built a new store.
and went into debt TO do 1t. We
didn't know much about business
that's the Negro's chief trouble
and we lost trade by changing our
location, so that in spite OF all we
could do we failed and lost every
thing, though we finally paid our
creditors every cent. After many
trials we started again in 1896 In our
present store; to-day we are doing a
good business; we can get all the
credit we want from wholesale nous
es, we employ six clerks, and pay
good interest on the capital invest
ed"