The broad ax., 1912-07-20
Ry y. RARNETT DoDsoN.

0kANNH Ug9al @~~N9N~@N~-
Scholarship Of Author IN EVidsnes
By N. BARNETT DoDS0N,
PhiIadelphia.-Included In the Juni
output Of periodicals. published by the
A N. z. Book Concern In this city
Is Dr.. r. r WrIght's long expected
volume. entitled The Pennsylvanis
Negro-A Study In Economic History
The book is the result Of DR.. Wrights
sociological investigations made while
he held the research fellowship In 50
ciolOgy at the University OF Pennsyl
Vania.
The book contains $50 pages, Is neat.
Iy bound and shows the excellent
handIWork of the Book Concern FILL
ed with facts and figures showing the
marvellous progress Of the Negro
through many years. 1t ought to be In
the home Of every family Of the race.
The author treats after the careful
manner Of thoroughly trained mind
the various present day problems Of
the Pennsylvania Negro from the
point of view of his historical devel-
opment. He not only asks, for exam
pie, what is the amount Of crime
among Negroes, but what is the his
tory Of Negro crime In the state and
what are the various agencies tending
to produce crime.
The chapters are: Slavery In the
Colony Of Pennsylvania" The Aboi-
ton Of Slavery" 'SThe Free People OF
Color In Pennsylvania Prior 70 1860"
'sThe Negro Population Since the Civil
War" Occupations Of Pennsylvania
Negroes" Their Business Enter
prises," Ownership of Property"
Churches and Secret Societies" ed
ucation of Pennsylvania Negroes"
Negro and. Crime" Poverty Among
Negroes" 'Interracial Contact and So
cial Progress"
Illustrating the method and material
used by DR.. Wright, the following
quotations are to the point Under
the chapter Of slavery In the Colony
of Pennsylvania" he says: "When the
colony of Pennsylvania was founded
by William Penn, Negro slavery was
recognized institution in the new
world. The Dutch and Swedes who set
tied along the Delaware had slaves.
But whence they came Is not exactly
known.
at is known. however. that as early
as 1859 an offender. one Coinclesse,
was sentenced to serve along with the
blacks of South river 1.-THE Delaware),
- q. rG-[ Crry,dar1anGr. e
said to have been Shareholder in
the Delaware neighborhood.
The Penn colony arrived In 1852.
Though there Is no record Of any Of
them owning slaves az that time. 1t is
probable that slaves were early pro
cured by many.
"James ClaypOOle. an Englishman,
upon deciding to come to Pennsylvania
In 1862, wrote. Advise me in thy
next what / might have two Negroes
for William Penn himself
owned slaves. The Pennsyl-
vania colOnists procured their slaves
chiefly from the West Indies" Sum-
ming up his chapter on slavery. DR..
Wright says: "On the whole, as CON-
pared with other colonies, slavery in
Pennsylvania was mild. Yet there
was a distinct status"
DR.. Wright's discussion OF the Negro
slaves legal status Is exhaustive and
exceedingly scholarly. He concludes
by pointing out some Of the legal diff
ferences between Negroes and whites:
AS to morals. for example, it was tax
en- for granted that the Negro had but
few and was punishable for offenses
against morals only when whites were
involved For adultery n white person
was imprisoned one year and fined ESQ,
but there was no penalty for Negroes
committing this crime. Ne
groes were punishable by death for
i've oHenses, whites for only one. Ne
groes were usually whipped for minor
Ofenses. while whites were hned.S
The most thrilling chapter Is that On
The Rise Of the Free People Of Color"
showing the WORK OF that magnificent
group Of anti-slayery men and women
Of color as they StroTe to HIT them
selves and their fellows to q higher
plane Of civilization
IN introducing chapter 4 Dr. Wright
RayA @The civil war marks q
distinct break In the history OF the
Nero population Of PenhsyiVania,
eausing decided changs in its char.
seteE.S There was q less selected Kind
of Negro immigration from the south.
Newer ayenues Of labor ana opportn-
nifies for self expression caused the
better class Of Negroes to remain at |
tho soutk. Another influence was the |
neglect of the Rortheru NesrO by ths
northern whites. who were - busy
% TIE needs Of the southern |
freedmen that they forgot ths brother |
at their aooa.
Ihe Negro population. hoWevef. grew !
VeEY rapidly amer the war. the Eesroes
IN the ctiea Aors than
haIf q PunnzyivEniS,s Negroes life in |
the cIties Of Pittsbarsh ana PEIladei.
nhIa3 Discussing causes o. immtgra-
don, DE. Wrieht sdegesSs the hope 0f |
hichat vases and niors personal ne |
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