Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-01-05


the creation of new Negro quarters
and the dispersion of Negroes
throughout the city, but also tle ut
most utilization Of every place in the
Negro sections capable of being trans
formed into Il hab.tat:on. Attics and
cellars. Store-rooms and easements,
churches. sheds and warehouses had
to DC employed for the accommodate
ton Of these newcomers. Whenever
II Negro had space which he could
POSSIBLY SPARE, it was converted into
Il sleeping place; as many beds as
possible were crowded into 1t, and
the maximum number Of men per bed
were lodged. Either because their
own rents were high, or because they
were unable to withstand the tcmpta-
ton OF the sudden. and, for all they
knew temporary harvest, or, perhaps
because OF the altruistic desire to as
sist their race fellows. Il majority of
the Negroes in Pittsburgh converted
thtir homes into lodging houses.
The lack of improvements in the
Negro quarters North is in line with
the lack of improvements in Negro
quarters South. In the latter section,
though, there is enough vacant land
to enable the thrifty colored folks TO
build their own homes and to live in
peace and Contentment. Colored min
:sters have gone from the Southland
in large numbers. following their
congregations rather than having
their congregations following them.
But what inducement is there for q
colored family to go to the northern
cline in the light of these disclosures?
All else being equal, any colorcd per-
son would prefer to 1.-Two among the
scenes Of his childhood. He continues:
Because rooms wee hard to come
by, the dodgers were not disposed to
complain about the living conditions
or the prices charged They were
only too glad to secure Il pl &c VIII re
they could share a nalf or at least
part Of an unclaimed bed. 1t was no
easy task to find room for family,
as most boarding houses would accept
only single men. and refused to adj
nit women and children. Many
man who with his family occupied
Only one or two rooms, made place
FOR friend or former townsman and
his family. In many instances this
was done from unse)fsh motives and
in humane spirit
a realization Of the need for eccu-
rate information concerning the Ne
gro migration, and the belief that in
an Intelligent treatment Of the prob
lem lay the welfare Of the entire COM
munity as well as that OF the local
Negro group, prompted the attempt at
Il scientific study of the situation.
me primary purpose Of the study was
10 learn the facts, but there was also
nope That the data obtained might
lead to the amelioration of certain
existing evils and the prevention of
threatening ones.
In order to ascertain rs many Of
the facts as possible concerning hous-.
ng conditions, rooming and boarding
houses, three or four family tenement
houses. single family residences,
camps, churches and other lodging
PAGES were investigated. A compar-
alive study Of health and crime
among Negroes of Allegheny County
before and after the period Of the
Northern migration was also at
tempted.
A QUESTIONABLE concerning kinds
OF labor in watch Negro migrants en-
gagged, and wages paid them both i'll
Pittsburgh and III their native South
was prepared; and answers to it
from over five hundred individuals
were obtained during the months OF
July and August, 1917. Information
rotating TO housing, rents, health and
social conditions was elected in a
similar manner. An effort was made
TO visit and study every Negro quar-
Ter in Pittsburgh. Data was secured
from the Negro section sin the Hill
District and upper Wylie and Bed
fora Avenues; the Lawrencevillc dis
trict, about Penn Avenue, between
and Twenty-e 6 h t Ii
Streets; the Northsidc Negro quarter
around Beaver Avenue and Fulton
Street; the East Liberty section in
the vicinity of Mignoncttc and Shakes
peare Streets, and the new downtown
Negro section on Second Avenue.
Ross and Water Streets.
Labor agents picture a glowing pic
ture of conditions North. We have
been there. We have found that the
wages were all right, but the hign
cost of living tended to nullify the
benefits obtained therefrom. The eli
mate agrees with some colored folks
and ii disagrees with many others.
The cry of equal rights and privileges
in the North Is as misleading as any
thing can possibly be. Race preju-
dice there s. more irritating than it
Is in the South. In the one place it
is expected and III the other it Is not
understood and not welcomed. But
we did not intend to discuss this
pAasc OF most important subject.
Mr.. Epstein continues:
Ninpt " hrcc nor cont Of those who