The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1920-10-21

Negroes who left the South for the
factories in the North are coming
back and all express themselves AZ
being glad to get home," saws j. n.
Curtis in Wednesdays Commercial
Appeal
Passenger officials of railroads saw
there is a heavy travel of negroes
from north to south. They are NOV
ing their families. Many Of Che bic
factories in the North have closed
down. Others are closing. There is
no work for the negro to do, SO he is
returning to the country where ne ID
understood and where his labor n an
preclated. That is the way passenger
men put it.
Many Of these families are said to
be going to Mississippi. Some pass
through Memphis for Arkansas. sew
eral leave the trains at Memphis.
Jim Freemond, of middle age and
black, stood on the platform Of the
illinois Central passenger station yes
terday shortly after the train from
Chicago arrived.
He was Mississippi bound Under
rs arm was small bundle. Sitting
Hear his feet was a suit case packed
with clothes. He was we'll dressed.
His long legs were incased in striped
trousers. He wore heavy blue coat
and vest over white shirt. His col
lar was white and his tie sky blue.
"Ah been in Detroit TO- nigh On
two yeahs," Jim told railroad EN-
ploye, "Hit sho' do look naturallv
good 70, me to git back heah in a
niggah's' country.
Dem white folks up north calls a
nlggah 'mistah, but if he hongrv.
dey amt none OBJ dem gwine to cib
you nothin' to eat"
Before Jim went North he helped
ms father grow cotton down on
plantation not many miles from Lula
Miss. He was lured away from his
home by offers of high wages. He
responded and drew these wages. but
he said:
want no use to draw SO much
money when yo1l haid to give it up
to eat and sleep"
There were two carloads of negroes
on that train. Many had children.
Among them were old men and wo-
men. Their hair was turning white.
one OF these old men climbed out of
the coach to get sandwich.
Here, old niggah," said train
man, "over there you'll get sand
"Phanky, boss. thanky," replied the
Did man. dat de fus' thing done
SAID to me causin' me to know All Il
pack 'mongs't, de folks dat unerstan'
4 colahed man"
these negroes, it was told. came
rom Detroit, Chicago and Milwau-
zee. Some had been away for three
years. others only a few months. All
we're delighted. They walked about
he train platforms in peace. There
was no staring at them. They were
understood and their return was ap-
by several planters who
boarded the same train.
Moth amt no place fo' colahed
man, said Jim Freemond. Gus acted
regular fool goin' up there, am us is
nj glad to git back
6rlng them children out here and
ct us give them something to eat"
poke a planter, wearing a broad
trimmed hat Half a dozen children
'lled out of the car. He took them
o lunch stand, where they were
'lven sandwiches and coffee.
MY gran'ma in dat cah," said one
4 the crowd.
take her sandwich" said the
'lanter.
When the train departed south
yard some of the negro men and wo-
nen struck up Dixie" They sang the
ong in their characteristic stvle.
I'm glad to see that" remarked
he planter "There isn't a man In
lissisippi but what will welcome
very one Of those people back home"
Reports from railroads show that
very train coming south is crowded
nth negroes. Extra equipment must
e provided to handle them out Of
'hicago. It is the first of such q
lovement of consequence noticed BY
he railroads in two wears