The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1915-06-26
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 Leagues History - Many
Bodies Will Assemble In August.


Bodies Will Assemble In August.
The fifteenth anniversary of the
founding Of the National Negro Bust
ness league will be celebrated at Bos-
ton on Wednesday, Thursday and Fri.
day, Aug. Is, 10 and 20, 1915.
The Boston local Negro Business
league, as well as the local Negro Bust
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 a 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 lttingly celebrate
the fifteenth anniversary of the found
ing OF the league, afford an 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 firmer 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 25O
drug stores; now they have 695
In 1900 there were 45O undertaking
businesses operated by Negroes; now
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 a remarkable increase From
1900 to 1910 the value Of domestic an.
imals owned by Negro farmers In.
creased from $s5.216,337 to SITTER
1856, or 107 per cent; poultry from $3,-
7SS,792 to $5,113, 756, or SO per cent;
implements and machinery from $751;
5S6,225 to $36,S61, ,41S,. or 90 per cent:
land and buildings from $50, ,636, 420 to
$273,5O1. .665, or 293 per cent In ten
years the total value Of farm property
owned by Negroes increased from $177,-
404, ,6SS to $492. .S92. .21S. or lit 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 the
far south to the Boston meeting. is al
ready being planned for and, in addi-
tion, arrangements will also be made
for the friends from the west, with
Chicago as the center. to make the
trip to Boston In a 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, the
National Negro Bar association and the
National Association Of Negro Insur-
ance Men, are each individually plan.
ming their several programs so as to
add interest and to make them con-
structiveIy worth while.
I Further information as to detailed
plans for the coming meeting, etc.. may
be secured from Booker 7. Washing
ton, president; J. G. Napier. chairman
executive committee. or from Emmett
]. Scott, secretary. Tuskegee institute.
Alabama.