Franklin's paper the statesman., 1912-11-09
By WHITTIER II. WRIGHT.

By WHITTIER II. WRIGHT.
Philadelphia. - Mayor Blankenburg
was recently visited by delegation of
colored men who requested him to take
a special interest in the celebration Of
the fiftieth anniversary of the freedom
of the colored people. with view to
having the exposition held in this city
next year. The mayor heard the dele
cation very interestedly and promised
to cooperate with the colored citizens
in making the exposition a success.
Among those in the delegation We're
Bishop Benjamin T. Tanner. Bishop
Levi J. Coppin, Bishop Evans Tyree
of the African Methodist Epis copal
church. Bishop ]. S. Caldwell and Bish-
op G. l.. Blackwell of the A. NJ. E.
Zion church. Hon. Harry w. Bass.
member of the Pennsylvania legisla-
ture; Hon. Richard A. Cooper. member
of council; Richard r. Wright, Jr.. edi-
tor Of the Christian Recorder: Walter
P. Hall, leading colored merchant. and
others.
The principal! speech was made by
r. X. Wright. Jr.. Phi. D.. author of
the History of the Negro In Pennsyl-
vania." who is the director of exhibits
of the proposed exposition. DR.. Wright
said that Jan. |. 1913. will mark the
fiftieth anniversary of the famous
emancipa ton proclamation issued by
Abraham Lincoln for the freedom Of
the slaves. The coored population of
Pennsylvania will celebrate this jubilee
l.b1 hn
progress of the race during the fifty
years of its freedom.
There has been remarkable progress
of the Negro from a physical point Of
view. showing his ability to survive.
According to the United States census
of 1850. there were 4.441 $50 Negroes
in the country. Fifty years later, in
1910. the census gave the number Of
Negroes as 9.S2S.294. an increase of
Over 100 per cent. Fifty years ago they
were located chiefly in the south. To-
day they are scattered over all the
states.
Fifty years ago these people We're
largely iliterate. Not more than ten
in a hundred could at that time read
and write. their illiteracy being esti-
mated in 1850 at 80 per cent. Slowly
this has been cut down until in 1910
it was reported by the census at 3O.5
per cent The remarkable progress Of
the Negro in cutting down illiteracy is
realized by comparison with foreign
countries. According to the latest re-
port of the bureau of education. the II
literacy of Austria was 26.2 per cent.
of Hungary 40 per cent. of Italy 4S
per cent. og Spain 4S.7 per cent and
of Russia 10 per cent
This progress in education has been
made chiefly by the growth Of the
public school system. Fifty years ago
practically no Negroes attended public
schools. There are today more than
100000 colored children In the pub
liic schools of the country. and these
are taught by some 25OOO coiored
heachers. who have developed within
the last fifty years. The colored people
have developed during these years
nbout $50 private institutions. manned
and controlled by colored people.
They have contributed during these
fifty years to these schools something
over S5O,OOO.0OO. besides the amount
which they have contributed in taxes.
The best Information available gives
the part of taxes contributed to edu-
cation by Negroes in the south as
something like $55.OO0,OO0. Fifty years
ago there We're hardly a dozen Negro
college graduates During these fifty
years more than 5000 Negro young
linen and women have graduated from
colleges and have won honors in Har
Ward. Yale. Columbia. Pennsylvania
IOberlin and other well known Ameri
lean universities.
In 1900 there were l .ISG manufactur
iers. so bankers and brokers. 9.O9S re-
itail merchants. 149 wholesale mer'
fchants. 1877 commercial travelers. Ala