The Colorado statesman., 1915-11-13
AFRO-AMER|CAN CU[L|NCS

Home owning and the reduction OF
mortality among Negroes go hand in
hand What Hampton and other
schools have declared to be sound in
theory is now found to be true in prac-
tice; namely, education, to be truly
worth while, must furnish results in
the shape of, well and happy people
living in clean, attractive Christian
homes. The Negro death rate in the
registration area. according to the
census of 1910, was 25.5 per 1000 pop
ulation-a decrease as compared with
the rate in 1900, which was 294 The
white death rate in the same territory
was 146 per. 1000 population. While,
therefore. there is some reason for re-
joicing. the fight against the high Ne
gro death rate must be even more in
telligently directed. More attention
must be given to Negro housing, the
care of consumptives, the feeble-mind-
ed and other handicapped classes,
child conservation and public health
education, The figures from selected
cities show. with few exceptions, a
decrease, according to the census of
1910 in the Negro death rate as COM
pared with that shown by the 1900
census. A study of typical southern
cities discloses, however, in spite of
decreasing Negro death rate,
health problem which white and col
ored people must face bravely, intel
ligently and Immediately. When Ne
groes are dying at least as fast again
as their white neighbors. there is no
health security for educated and
wealthy people. regardless of their
color. Better health for Negroes!
This cry should be needed by school
and health officers. business and pro-
fessional men. church and Sunday
school workers. indeed, by all classes
of citizens. regardless of race or creed.
The question as to whether the de-
crease in mortality among Negroes in
1910 as compared with 1900," says a
recent bulletin issued by the census
bureau, was due to permanent causes,
such as improved housing conditions,
better medical attention, and general
ly improved sanitary conditions, and
not to the absence of epidemics, is an
important and interesting one" Then
follows this significant statement, and
the figures which accompany it war
rant respectful hearing: "Undoubt
edly one of the factors which have
caused the decrease in the Negro
death rate is the increase in home
ownership among the Negro popula-
ton" Alabama and Virginia, in which
Tuskegee and Hampton are located
make good showing. In Alabama
Negroes owned, in 1910, 33,941 homes
including 1927 farmhouses), an in
crease of 44.2 per cent over 1900, or
one owned home for every 27 Negro
inhabitants. In Virginia there were, in
1910, 56.933 homes (fncluding 32,52S
farmhouses), an increase of 23.1 per
cent over 1900, or one owned home for
every ~ Negro inhabitants. For the
southern states as whole, the figures
were, in 1910: Total owned homes of
Negro families, 430,449 (including 212,-
507 farmhouses). an increase of 31.4
per cent over 1900. or one owned home
for every 20 Negro inhabitants. To
offset this good record for whole
groups of states and for the entire
South. there is the clearest kind of
evidence that the city Negro is not
essentially home owner despite the
lowering Negro death rate in typical
cities. Important work remains to be
done, not only in forcing down and
down the Negro death rate, but also
in helping the Negro, rural as well as
urban, to own his home. The good
work of reducing Negro mortality
through home owning should be con-