Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-03-02
THE NEGRO MIGRANT IN
PITTSBURGH"

DIR. Abraham Epstein continues his
critical analysis of the condition of
olle colored people who migrated to
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He says:
The figures obtained from the Cor
oners Olllce also Indicate an abnor-
maj increase i'll the number of color
Cd bodies received and disposed of by
inc county Morguc. There were more
than twice us many morgue cases with
IN the first six months of 1917 Jas dur
ing the same period of 1915. Thai
the majority Of these bodies were
CLAIMED and not disposed of at public
expense, is doubtless due to tine high
wages paid this year. High wages at
least provide for burials which are
considered of paramount importance
ny the Negroes, because OF their prim
it've superstition and adherence of
having their bodies turned over for
the purpose Of dissection.
There is no doubt about the colored
folks believing dn big" funerals. They
lave hard timo ekeing out an ex-
istence during life but they will carry
enough insurance 10 justify proper
recognition at death and to ensure
their friends free ride to the city
OF tho doad. He says:
The proceeding analysis indicates
Cnat the conservation OF the health
Oh the Negro in Pittsburgh, is n very
complex problem, and is interrelat eli
WITH his social moral, industrial hous
ing ana racial situation The Negro
is affected by all the clements which
render difficult the preservation or
health among whites but in n great
or degree. Many of the factors which
work continuously to undermine his
health are to il large extent cl:minat
cd nmeng whites; and on the Their
hand much Of the effective work done
by whites to counterfeit these bad in
tFuences is entirely lacking among
Negroes.
"The Triad of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ty, ignorance and ncglcct'-says DR..
Sobel Of the Now York Heauth De
partment works havoc among Ne
gro children to Il greater extent even
than among tho whites"
"Phc Wcll-known relationship be
tween family income and infant NOR
't''''J SHiStS ulHollS NSSTOCS us among
the whites. The crude death rate is
exceedingly high in all Negro dis
tricts. TAcre are, however, well-defin-
ed differences in their respective
rates, resulting. we think, from Geo.
monte conditions. In the districts
where the family income is highest,
the death rate is lowest confirming
the opinion that if we can improve
the social and economic condition OF
the Negro. an npprcciable reduction
i'll their death rate will have been
secured" august, 1917 Bulletin OF
the Department of Health New York
City pages 81 and SS.)
And again:
While we may admit the claim
often advanced that even under the
same conditions disease and infant
mortality among Negroes would ordi
nnrily be higher than that Of the
whites. because. due to the climatic
and environmental maladjustments.
his racial power of resistance is not
as great rs that of the white; the Nc
gro is still confronted with many
forces which handicap and work
against him. but which are almost
non-.eXiStent among the whites.
From our discussion OF employ
ment. housing and opportunities for
advancement in Pittsburgh, the read
cr will realize the difficulties and
hTdshNs which the Negro is compel
cd to face in this city. Only very
few Of the Negro migrants earn more
than $500 Il day for twelve hours
work. Half OF the families here
live in one room dwellings,. Practical
ly all Of the mothers are doing some
work outside the home. The Negroes
have as yct no organization for mu
tual cooperation. They live separate
ard apart from each other. In many
cases for instance, it was found in our
survey. that women living next door
to each other for months would hard
ly know one another although often
they would both come from the same
state and even from tho same city.
the Negroes are more exposed and
liable to disease because their social
industrial, educational and moral de-
velopment is more handicapped than
that Of the white man. The Negro Is
apparently ias yet not free even in
the North; he is still held captive in
economic bondage, and Is deferred
from rising above the lowest servant
class He is Judging from the present
situation, limited to common labor
at thirty cents an hour during pros
porous times.
If this is true and the Negro is
hold in economic bondage, where shall