The Denver star., 1915-01-02
Progress Made by the Race
In Fifty Years.
SOME HISTORICAL FACTS.
How tho Colored People Regard Day on
Which Lincoln Issued Emaneip patton
Proclamation - Importance of the
Coming Exposition to Be Hold In
Richmond, Va, In July.
By N. BARNETT DODsON.

Lincoln issued the emancipation procla-
nation which had for its object the
abolition of slavery in the United
States, the colored people have held
celebrations on the first day Of each
succeeding year in honor OF the event.
1t was not, however, until after the
surrender of Lee at Appomatto1 Court
House. Va, on April 9, 1865, that the
act of Jan. l, 1868, became truly eff
fective and general freeing Of the
slaves throughout the country took
place.
The first slaves were landed at
jamestown, Va, in 1919, said to be
twenty in number. At the close Of the
civil war this number had increased to
100000, and fifty years later, or reck-
oning from Jan. l, 1863, to the present
time, the colored race in America is
variously estimated at from 100000
to 100000. 1t is therefore Of his
torical interest to note that between
jamestown. where the first slaves were
landed, and Appomattox Court House.
where Lee surrendered, great expo
Is u De uelu ILLS edl Aeal ANASh-
mond to commemorate the fifieth an
niversary of the freedom of the colored
people and to show what progress the
race has made along different lines
since 1865.
The exposition will be held under the
auspices of the Negro Historical Asso,
citation Of Richmond, Of which the Hon.
Giles B. Jackson is the president and
who is also the recognized head OF the
commission appointed by the governor
of Virginia to arrange for and carry
out the celebration. Mr.. Jackson Is a
man Of wide experience and Is known
throughout the country as man of
ability and great capacity to handle
successfully such large undertakings
as the coming exposition.
The progress Of the race has been
quite phenomenal considering the cir
cumstances under which this progress
has been made. A glance at the sue
cess of the race in agricultural pursuits
which follows here will give the reader
very clear idea of what the Negro
has accomplished as a farmer and the
circumstances under which he has Ia
bored to bring about such marvellous
results.
From 1865 to 1872 there was very
large emigration of Negro workers
from the country into towns. The
movement did not cease when normal
conditions We're re-eStablished in the
south. though it is now in the nature
OF natural current toward the towns.
about equal in degree to the parallel
movement on the part Of the white
population and due to analogous
causes
But while the number Of Negro agri
cultural laborers has been diminishing
relatively by comparison both with the
number Of Negroes employed in other
occupations the opposite is true Of the
other classes of Negroes engaged in
agriculture. Relatively the share crop
pers. tenants and proprietofs are in
creasing.
This is reassuring circumstance. as
it shows that the tendency is for the
Negro to improve his position. He
rises slowly and gradually from the
lowest form Of share tenancy. which Is
really only method OF hiring labor,
the laborer being kept on the land by
that part OF his salary which is paid In
kind, up to the more developed forms
OF share tenancy and finally to tenancy
with complete responsibility.
Whereas in 1861 the few free Ne
Sroes living in the United States own
ed but an Insignificant amount Of the
total farm land. the census of 1900
gives the value OF the property owned
by Negro cultivators as about $3.50.
100000, and the following census in
1910 places the value of the agricul-
tural property uand and buildings) be
longing to colored farmers in the
southern states alone at S272.oooooo
as against SlOG. 600 900 in 1900
This result must he considered re
markablc when it is remembered that
fifty years ago the Negroes possessed
nothing. neither Inherited land nor the
money to acquire land for themselves.
To reach the point at which they are
today the Negro farmers have had to
exhibit powers of working and of saw
Ing which might In some cases with
justice be called heroic.
The various agricultural aSsociatiS
which exist, uniting MS they do the
scattered efforts of the wurthiest rep
resentatives of the race. have contrib.
uted much to the progress Of the Ne
gro in agriculture. Equally admirable
has been the work OF the fcdcrai gov
ernment and OF the separate states. o
universities, Of religious Institutions
and of Individual patriots and phllan-
thropists.
With the help Of all these forces the
Negro farmer Is making rapid progress.
not only economically, but intellectual
ly and socially ns well. He Is becom-
ing a better farmer and more vnlu-