Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1915-04-23
AFRO-AMER|CAN CULL|NCS

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Improved housing conditions and In
crease In individually owned homes
have decreased the death rate among
Negroes in the United States SO for
each one thousand population. in the
last census decade, according to a
bulletin on Negro mortality soon TO
be issued from the bureau OF the
census at Washington.
In an area representing 1877 per
cent OF the total Negro population of
the United States, from which com
parative figures were available. the
department found that In 1910 the
death rate among Negroes was 25.5 to
each one thousand population. while
In 1900 the rate was 294.
The decrease In death rate among
the Negroes OF the prescribed area
was greater than the decrease in white
deaths, although the death rate among
whites is much lower than that OF the
Negroes, from 1900 10 1910.
The mortality rate for all races Is
greater in southern cities shan In
northern. 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.
II Is discovered that the diseases
which prove most fatal 10 Negroes
over the country are malaria, all forms
OF tuberculosis. pneumonia and whoop-
Ing cough. The other diseases and
causes Of death. inclyding accident.
homicide and suicide, are more evenly
distributed among the whites.
One of the chief causes OF the de-
creased death rate among the Negroes
In the South is believed TO be an in-
crease Of 314 per cent in home owner
ship. That increase, along with Inn
proved sanitary and housing condi-
tions, is believed TO have been In d.
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 10 the Negroes many years
ago, and everywhere there were 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 1e4s. In fact. the church 10
that city was the first one started in
the South. After the Civil war. how
ever, this organization grew by leaps
and bounds.
Soon II took not one bishop. or two.
but six. then ten. then twelve and now
fifteen to supervise the work Churches
were organized In every state in the
Union and these at once became cen-
ters of great uplifting influence for the
newly emancipated people. The preach
ers became the recognized leaders. so
regarded by both races. and much OF
the progress Of the Negro IS due to
their intelligent and unselish aid.
But not only In America has the Az
rican Methodist Episcopal church been
active. but In Africa. South America
and the islands AS early as 1890 Dan
lei Cocker. one OF the members OF the
first meeting In 1916. went TO Liberia.
West Africa. and started a church. In
1924 a minister named John Gordon
went 10 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 II Is
now looked after by resident bishops.
Bishop J. Albert Johnson is resident
bishop of South Africa. and has his
headquarters at Capetown. Bishop
William II Heard. native OF Georgia.
is bishop Of West Africa. and has his
headquarters at Monroyia.
Six hundred and ninety-one names
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