The Denver star., 1915-07-10
BUSINESS MEN
PLAN BIG MEET
League Convention In Boston
Assured Of Success.
WILL SHOW RACE THRIFT.

In Every Line Of Endeavor Negroes
Have Made Splendid Progress in
Fifteen Years Of National Negro
Business Leaeuss History Many
Bodies Will Assemble In August.
The fifteenth anniversary Of the
founding of the National Negro Busi-
ness league will be celebrated at Bos-
ton on Wednesday, Thursday and Fri
day, Aug. 1s, 10 and 20. 1915.
The Boston local Negro Business
league, as well as the local Negro Busi-
ness League of Cambridge, is hard at
work perfecting arrangements for the
reception and entertainment Of the del
egates who are planning to be present.
Aside from the regular business ses-
sions Of the league. the social side Of
the convention will not be neglected.
A guarantee fund has already been Sc
cured for the purpose of financing ev
cry feature of the entertainment and
reception of the delegates
Historic Boston, with its many ira
ditions intimately connected with the
life and history Of the Negro people,
and particularly with the movement
which led to their freedom and enfran-
chisement, is mecca toward which
our race should from time to time turn.
1t was in Boston that the first meet
ing Of the league was held Aug. % and
"a, 1900, and in holding the meeting
there this year 1t will 1ttingly celebrate
the fifteenth anniversary of the found
ing Of the league, afford all opportunity
for taking stock"-an inventory. as ii
were-.of racial progress and develop
ment since the organization of the
league, and, fortified by the accumulat
ed knowledge and experiences of these
years. the business men and women OF
the race may face the future with
greater inspiration and frmer grasp
Of the complex problems Of modern
business.
In 1900. when the National Negro
Business league was organized, there
were about 10000 Negro business en-
terprises; now there are $4,000.
In 1900 there were two Negro banks;
now there are 81.
In 1900 Negroes were running 30
drug stores: now they have 695.
In 1900 there were 45O undertaking
businesses operated by Negroes; how
there are about 1000.
In 1900 there were 149 Negro mer
chants engaged in wholesale business
now there are 24O
In 1900, fifteen years ago, there were
10000 Negro retail merchants; now
there are 25.OOO.
In the fifteen years since the Nation
al Negro Business league was organ
lied farm property owned by Negroes
has made remarkable increase. From
1900 to 1910 the value Of domestic an.
imals owned by Negro farmers in
creased from $S5,216,337 to $l77.273..
7S5, or lot per cent; poultry from $3..
7Ss,792 to $5.113.756. or 36 per cent;
implements and machinery from $1S.
5S6,225 to $36. .S61 ,418, or 96 per cent
land and buildings from $69. 1886, 400 to
$273, sol .665. or 293 per cent. In ten
years the total value of farm property
owned by Negroes increased from SIT.
404,GSS to $492. S92, ,21S, or 1T per cent
Arrangements are already being made
for the comfort OF delegates who In
tend to attend the meetings. a Nation
al Negro Business league special train
which will carry delegates from tho
far south to the Boston meeting. is al
ready being planned for and, in add
ton, arrangements will also be mad.
for the friends from the west. with
Chicago as the center. to make the
trip to Boston in body. Further de
tails with reference to these arrange
ments will be published shortly.
The officers of the affiliated organiZa
tions of the National Negro Business
league, including the National Negro
Press association. the National Negro
Bankers association. the National Ne
gro Funeral Directors association, thu
National Negro Bar association and thu
National Association Of Negro Insur
ance Men, are each individually plan
ming their several programs SO as tt
add interest and to make them con
structively worth while.
Further Information as to detailed
plans for the coming meeting, etc, may
be secured from Booker T. Washing
ton, president; j. c. Napier, chairman
executive committee, or from Emmett
]. Scott, secretary, Tuskegee institute
Alabama.