Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-04-09

crease In individually owned homes
have decreased the death rate amcni
4 Negroes in the United States 80 fol
Aach one thousand population. IN the
last census decade, according TO
bulletin on Negro mortality soon to
be issued from the bureau OF the
census at Washington.
Inn m area representing 1871 per
n cent Of the total Negro population OF
The United States, from which COM
ss narrative figures were available. the
n department found that in 1910 the
death rate among Negroes was 25.6 TO
81 each one thousand population, while
{ il, 1900 the rate was 29.4. s, ..s..a
The decrease in death rate among
tie Negroes OF the prescribed area
Was greater than the decrease in white
Deaths. although the death rate among
fhites Is much lower than that OF the
FegrOes. from 1900 to 1910.
The mortality rate for all races is
Greater in southern cities than in
j 1Orthern, the report shows. but every
city In the South except Memphis and
KEY West showed decrease in deaths
in the last decade, owing to improved
housing conditions. Vs..
M d discovered that the diseases
which prove most fatal to Negroes
over the country are malaria, all forms
OF tuberculosis, pneumonia and whoop-
\ ing cough. The other diseases and
causes Of death, including accident,
homicide and suicide, are more evenly
distributed among the whites.
One Ut the chief causes of the de-
creased death rate among the Negroes
q the South is believed to be an in.
crease Of 31.4 per cent in home owner
ship. That increase. along with i'm.
proved sanitary and housing condi-
tions. II believed to have been in d.
I rect ratio with the abatement of dan
Gerous epidemics.
The idea OF having their own church,
/ with their own pastor. with a Negro
presiding elder and Negro bishop,
appealed to the Negroes many years
ago, and everywhere there we're free
Negroes the church rapidly spread
into New England. into Ohio, Illinois,
Indiana, Missouri and the West
A church was started In New Or
leans In 1S4s. In fact, the church In
that city was the first one started in
the South After the Civil war, how
ever, this organization grew by leaps
and bounds.
Soon It took not one bishop, or two.
hut six. then ten, then twelve and now
Afteen to supervise the work. Churches
were organized in every state in the
Union 4and these 1t once became CEN
terst q great uplifting influence for the
newly emancipated people. The preach
aers became the recognized leaders, SO
sregarded by both races. and much Of
the progress Of the Negro is due to
their intelligent and unselfish aid
But not only in America has the AZ
rican Methodist Episcopal church been
active. hut In Africa. South America
and the islands As early as 1920 Dan
lei Coker, one OF the members Of the
first meeting in 1916, went to Liberia,
West Africa, and started a church. In
1924 minister named John Gordon
went to Jamaica, Cuba. British Guinea,
/ South America, Sierra Leone and Gold
Coast West Africa, Cape Colony and
other parts Of South Africa. So great
has the foreign work grown that it is
now looked after by resident bishops.
Bishop ]. Albert Johnson is resident
bishop Of South Africa, and has his
! headquarters at Capetown. Bishop
William II. Heard, q native Of Georgia,
\ Is bishop Of West Africa, and has his
I headquarters ct Monrov;a.