Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-12-29
"THE NEGRO MIGRANT IN
l'IrTSBURGH."

We have received "a Study in SO,
c.al Economics" published under tho.
supervision Of the. School Of Eco
Monies, University Of Pittsburgh, and
entitled "The Negro Migrant in Pitts
burgh," by Abraham Epstein B. S. in
Econ omics.S Prof. Francis Tyson
writes the introduction and says:
This little study OF the Negro MI
grafton to Pittsburgh was first sug-
gested as o. thesis subject in q uni
versity class In Social Economy in
May, 1917. Our great steel city Of
the North calls many unskilled
workers to It's mills. The migration
OF Negroes to fill THE gaps in the
ranks Of this labor force, opened up
by the cessation Of European immi-
grafton following the war has been
under way for, nearly eighteen months.
Expanding steel production continues
to call for more; workers. From the
first labor agents Of railroads and
steel mills as we'll as private employ
mont Agencies have been at work
gathering in the new army Of laborers.
BY last spring newspaper reports
Of housing congestion, and Of suffer
ing from pneumonia and other dis
eases, and tales OF the increase Of
crime and vice were being spread.
There was spoken comment Of the
new situation on every hand. But
, these reports. were inaccurate;. they
gave no concrete estimate Of the mum.
Der and character of the newcomers;
and no definite stateture Of their life
here or the problems of community
adjustment created by the influx Of
strange people. -,
Prof. Epstein says: go,
Afs. y =, >.-saS +.
The Negro population Of THE Pitts.
burgh Districts in Allegheny County,
was 27,753 In the year 1900 and had
Increased to 34,217 by the year 1910,
according to the latest United States
Census figures available. The ins
crease during this period was 1913
per cent. Assuming the continuation
of this rates of increase, the total Ne
gro population in 1915. would be about
as, 900,
From canvas Of twenty typical
, industries in, tho Pittsburgh district
1t was found that there were 1850
Negroes employed in 1915, and 1926
In 1917, an increase OF SITS or 227
per cent. 1t was impossible, to Oh.
tain labor data from more than ap-
(proximately sixty peg cent Of the Ne.
gro employing concerns, but 1t 81 fair
to assume that tho same ratio Of in
crease holds true OF tha remaining
forty per cent. Or this baeis the
number Of Negroes now employed in
une oist!Sct may be Raced at $4,000,
inns Leans tissftt. there are abo,.t $3.50
more NEGROES wor Mug III. stity, >tfstrict
today than there we're In 1915. an adj.
dition due to the migration from the
South. t2i, &
The following description Of con.
gested conditions in Pittsburgh will
tend to cause those OF us, who have
remained at home to stay there:
A schedule study of over five hun
dred Negro migrants Indicates that
thirty per cent. of THE new Corners
have their families with them, and
that the average family consists OF,
three persons, excluding the father.
Adding to the total number OF new
workers, (9,750) the product obtained
by multiplying thirty per cent by
three, (ayerage family !, we find u
probable total new Negro population
Of 1850 In 1917. 6, !,
This sudden and abnormal increase
In the Negro population within so
short time Of necessity; involves
tremendous change, and creates
new situation; which merits the at
tendon Of the whole community Be.
fore this great influx, Of Negroes from
the South, the Negro population
which constituted only IA per cent,