The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-09-06
AroNG RAISnow RoM.
Heart of Little Africa Lively Place On
"A Summer Night.

There is II certain mile-long section
81 sIenoN avenue in Harlem = Little At
rIca that is known as Rainbow Row be-
cause its carefree, smiling frequenters
reflect in dress and department the coll
Ors and brightness OF that heavenly
arch. 1t is duh enough place in win
ter, but on summer nights it swarns
with life and activity. If the Negro hi
bernates in winter he seeks the street
ina summer, and the hottest days have
no terror for him ..
Seeing these throngs that till the
street from building line to curb-they
are eyorywhere-the visitor il puzzled
to know whereg they all come from. 1t
does not seem possible that there is
! room for them all in $he apartment
houses, numerous as they are Yet the
! Negro issHsed TO cramped quarters. He
may inhabit a lodging house where he
rents his bed for so many hours, when
he surrenders 1t to someone else. This
! is sometimes done when Negro works
! in the daytime and another Negro works
/ a night as #.r
! Ii is small wonder then that he likes
/ TO wander out at night and stretch his
! legs on Rainbow Row Here he may find
I much in the way of mild entertainment.
! 1t is pleasant enough to stand at the
curb and watch the procession pass and
! repass. As n creator of fashion the Ne
/ gro is as daring as he is original. He IS
]
! fashion, and if he IS sometimes ahead
OF the style he Is seldom behind it.
! That the Negro is fond of dress there
! is no denying. He is ever seeking the
! latest vogue: he wants the latest cut
/ to his clothes. and if they are wearing
/ sack coats with one button he wants his
suit built that way. If he appears out
of style or antiquated the chances are
+. ten to one that he was deceived b. his
| tailor. Nor does he hesitate to array
himself in colors that are sure TO draw
upon him a fire of criticism. He will
wear a suit of light green, or any color
| IN fact that IS odd and unusual
! There are Negro haberdasheIy shops
on Rainbow Row, and the displays in
| their windows go far to reflect he taste
/ of their patrons. Like some other races.
/ the Negro has a genuine love for silk
shirts and bright hosiery. Here in n
! W indow Is a white shirt with a broad
| Llood-red stripe, and another with a
/ broad yellow stripe. Near the shirts is
| an assortment of gaudy- colored neck
| ties. purple, pink and vivid blues and
! green's.
The women, too. like to dress up. The
| highway is dotted here and there with
beauty parlors that do a thriving bust
ness. Much attention is given TO the
/ hair and face. and day and night the
! shops are filed with young women be-
, ing dolled up. Many OF these women
appear IN cool white dresses. They are
/ by nature skilled as dressmakers. and
| they make a wholesome appearance on
| the street
| Negroes like to be well shod. They
! do not hesitate to spend money on a
! good pair of shoes. They wear great
/ variety of shoes Many affect shoes
with cloth uppers, preferably steel color.
They have Il weakness for patent
feathers and caters. They are sticklers
! for having their shoes well polished,
and bootblaels on the row do a rush
/ ing business.
/ Most of these Negroes of gaudy raj
ment and exaggerated styles are com
! nosed of the younger element. On Rain
bow Row there are to be seen many So
! ber-clad men and women. They are to
he seen any pleasant night walking on
! the avenue, or taking in its sights from
! the tonneau of their motor cars. for not
i a few of them have amassed comfort
i able fortmes.-New York Times.