The Wisconsin weekly blade. [volume] (Madison, Wis.) 1916-1925, 1917-08-09
DISCUSSION ON
RACE MIGRATION
Enthusiastic Public Meeting
Held In New York.
SPEAKERS PLACE BLAME

Lyncnln9 ana OtneF rorms OF Bar
barity Given as Cause of the Great
Exodus-South Losing Millions, Says
Or. A. Clayton Powell.
In the discussion of any great ques-
ton affecting the interest of more than
one race or individual it is always well
to hear the point OF view Of each The
speakers at the great public meeting
held early in July at the Ahyssinian
Baptist church, New York, the Rev.
DR.. A. Clayton Powell pastor, gave the
colored mans view of the causes OF
race migration from the south. The
New York Times gives the following
account of the meeting:
A mass meeting of New York Ne
grOes TO discuss the problems created
by the wholesale Negro migration from
the south in the last year was held in
the Abyssinian Baptist church, 240
West Fortieth street. 1t showed
plainly that the northern Negroes
are watching the exodus of their peo-
pie with deep interest and approval
and that they believe the reason for it
is not higher wages in the north, but
treatment in the south to which they
object. The church was packed to the
doors, and the speakers were freely
applauded.
Several Of the speakers alluded to
nf
the south in the last year. Mr.. Powell
estimated that $4,000 Negroes had left
Georgia, Alabama, Florida and other
southern states within ten months, and
he placed the economic loss to that re-
glon due TO their departure. at $780,
100000. In Ocala, Fla, he said, the
Rev. y. l. James, a Negro clergyman,
found his flock so depleted that he
gave up his parish and came to New
York. Arriving in Harlem, within two
days he found twelve families from his
flock and was busy re-establishing his
church here.
This migration" said the Rev. Clay
ton Powell, pastor of the church, diff
fers from all others In that it has no
visible leader. To say that the Negro
is coming north for higher wages Is
grossly to misinterpret the spirit of
the exodus. The Negroes are leaving
the south because life to them has
been made miserable and unbearable
They are tired of being kept out of
public parks and libraries. of being de-
.1pivnd of aouaI aIuaatIonal opnortt,
mites for their children. for which
they are taxed; of reading signs, Ne
groes and Dogs Not Admitted The
men are tired of disfranchisement, the
women are tired of the insults of white
hoodlums, and the whole race is sick
of seeing mobs mutilate and burn I'M
convicted Negro men. These migrat-
ing thousands are not seeking money,
but manhood rights. All the people
coming here are not poor. II the $780,
600 Negroes who have recently left the
south were offered s. day and free
transportation back not 10 per cent
would return in whole year If they
We're assured that these horrible in
justices would be removed. especially
the helllSh institution OF lynchng. 50
per cent of them would return almost
as quickly as they came away"
Fred Moore. editor of the New York
Age. the Negroes organ. pointed out
that In New York you could see white
and Negro children going home from
school side by side under the protec-
ton OF the same policeman. There
is no race friction in the north" he
said. who is responsible for race
friction in the southl How can white
people In the south expect the black
people to respect them when they are
always drawing the color line2 Can
the white south expect the black south
to stay there forever under these con-
ditious?
I'VE have been patriotic: we have
been faithful We wanted to fight for
our country, but the man In the White
House drew the color line ON us. The
south is in the saddle in Washington,
but unless the New York Times and
the other northern papers that have
spoken for us cry out now 20 the south
and tell them where they are heading
il will he too late for them TO save
themselves.
I'VE have been patient We have
never taught our children To hate the
white man, but right now the southern
white child is taught in his own home
10 hate not Only the Negro. bat the
northern white man who wants 10 give
the Negro the square deal The only
people who can stop this emigration
are the white people Of the south. and
they can only stop ii In one way-hy
putting an end To lyuchlng and inJus
tice 10 our race"