The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1919-08-30
MEMPHIS PLANS MTERRACIAL
COOPERATION FOR INDUSTRI-
AL DEVELOPMENT.

Memphis, Tenn.-Last winter thirty
leading business men of Memphis,
met to discuss not '.the Negro prob
lem," but how to promote the indus
trial development by securing a
healthy, efficient labor supply, con-
tented, and therefore stable. The
10000 Negroes of the city offered
abundant material for this product,
if they could be held against North
ern competition by opportunities as
good at home as could be found else
where.
In order to find out what the Ne
groes themselves wanted, these en-
ployers called their leaders together,
organized among them a Central Civ
ic Committee, and told them that If
they would draw up a satisfactory
plan of civic and industrial develop
ment for their people white business
men would back it. 1t was suggested
by one of the employers that when
a plan was approved the Negroes
should provide one-third Of the nee
essary finances and the whites the
rest.
The program submitted by the Ne
groes has been approved by the In
dustrial Division of the Memphis
Chamber of Commerce, and by the
city's Employers Association. The
plan is given in full in folder en-
titled "a Vital Civic Program" which
may be had from Mark Fenton, In
dustrial Commissioner of the Cham
Der of Commerce, or from Hays Flow
ers, secretary of the Employers As
ISOLATION.
A community centre is to be built,
through which all welfare agencies
for Colored people will be coordinated
and a study of living conditions
among Negroes made to facilitate
proper adjustments. The centre will
provide recreation facilities, including
gymnasium, swimming pool, play
ground, roof garden, cafeteria, a
Colored, branch of the public library,
boys and girls club rooms, Two
suites of guest rooms for visiting
Negroes of distinction, and con-
vertible assembly room for lectures.
motion pictures, dinners, receptions,
etc. Offices will house the Colored
branches of the city's recreation de-
partment, the Y. w. G. A, the Wo-
mems Protective Association, and the
Feed memphis committee. The build
ing will also furnish quarters for
the Federation OF Colored Women's
clubs and the Three-States' Farming
Association. Extension work for phys
fcal, moral and industrial welfare
in city and surrounding country will
be undertaken; and a department
of publicity will advertise throughout
the country the opportunities offered
in Memphis for Colored people.
Forty-five thousand dollars is the
estimated cost of this building and
equipment, and 5000 Tor yearly run
ming expenses. The Negroee will OPP
crate and. control the activities.
White cooperation will be given by
a white Advisory Board annually
elected by the Industrial Division OF
the Chamber of Commerce. This
Board will approve the annual bud
get of the Colored corporation, and
yearly audit its accounts. All checks
will be signed by the Oolored treas
nrer, and countersigned by the chair
man of the white board.
Shelby county, in which Memphis
is situated was the first in the South
to put large sums into Negro rural
school buildings, appropriating $780,
900 for that purpose over a year ago.
Several counties in other states have
since followed this example; and u
is to be hoped that many cities will
profit by the broad-minded plan
which Memphis "big business" is
backing.