The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1919-03-15
NEGRO MIGRATION TO
NORTH TOTALS $4,000
IN 1916 AND 1917
Lack of Labor in the North and
General Dissatisfaction with Con-
ditiOns in South were Principal
Causes.

Investigation of Negro migration
to the north during the war, jus
issued by the Department of Labor
indicate that the total migration ma!
have been as great as 100000, ex
tending over a period of about II
months during 1916 and 1917. Tha
figures is fixed as the maximum limit
and 10000 as the minimum limit, anC
the estimate of James H. billiard
who had charge of the inquiry, il
100000.
The movement had been under way
for a long time before any effort was
Negroes moving north. Moreover
so many left separately and unob-
served that complete statistics would
have been impracticable. The inves.
tigator in Georgia estimates thai
between $4,000 and $4,000 Negroes
left that state in 1916-17, and the
number to leave Alabama during the
same time is estimated at $4,000
State officials, however, made higher
estimates, placing the number tc
leave Georgia at $4,000 Alabama
10000 and Mississippi 100000.
Lack Of labor in the north, due
to the cessation of migration, was
the principal cause, the investigators
agree. Among the causes operative
in the South to induce migration
were general dissatisfaction with con
ditions, the ravages of the boil wee
vii, floods, change of crop system
Tyo
schools, unsatisfactory crop settle.
ments, rough treatment, cruelty oi
the law officers, ,unfairness in court
procedure. lynchings, desire to travel
labor agents, aid from Negroes In
the north, and the influence of the
Negro press.
The movement of large numbers
at the same, time was due largely tC
labor agents, but after these initial
group movements Negroes kept going
north in smaller numbers, attracted
by the letters Of their friends who
had already gone. Better wages were
important. Every Negro who made
good in the North, started a new
group on the way" one of the inves-
tigators reported.
About half the migrants, according
to one investigator, went from the
towns, Another investigator found
that the counties in Black Belt of AL
ALBANIA which had suffered most were
those in which there was most pow
erty among the Negroes, and that
the shortage of labor was most acute
among the landowners who made nc
attempt to keep their Negro tenants
by providing for their subsistence.
One of the promising movements to
improve relations between white and
Colored persons in The South and
thus remove causes of the migration
appears to be the Community Con-
gress" plan, put under way in Bolivar
Co., Mississippi. The feature of this
plan is committee organization in
cluding prominent white business
men md agriculturist, and prominent
Colored men, in each county. Com
mitteeS are chosen from the main
body to consider special subjects-for
example, there IL a committee on
labor supply. This type of organiza-
ton is interesting in emphasizing
the common interest of the races in
community development, and in pro-
viding contact between racial leaders
in ways designed to promote harmony
prosperity and good will.
Bureaus on Negro affairs as ad-
juncts to Chambers Of Commerce ere
also highly recommended, as means
of bringing together desirable Negro
tenant: and white landlords and
planters, Frequent and confidential
conference upon community problems
and active cooperation between the
local leaders OF the races are urged as
measures toward better
ment.
Better housing is recommended,
both for North and South. The ne
cessity Of higher wages, better homes
and better surroundings in the South
has come to be generally recognized.
Fair treatment, opportunity to labor
and enjoy the legitimate fruits of
labor assurance of even handed JUS
tice in the courts, good educational
facilities, sanitary Living conditions,
tolerance and sympathy" are urged
by the Southern University Commits
sion on Race Relations as means
of keeping Negro labor in the South.
A summary of the investigation
has been published in bulletin en-
titled, Negro Migration in 1851"
which the Department of Labor now
has available for distribution.