Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1925-02-28
exceed one.half of the colored popula

exceed one.half of the colored popula
ton of Richmond. Durham is the
home Of the N. c. Mutual Life In
surance Company, a company doing
both life and sick benefit business;
It is the largest insurance company
owned and operated by Race people
in the world. The Bankers Fire
Insurance Company. the first ire In
surance company operated by race
| people in the United States is To-
Gated at Durham. The second one
was organized at Chicago during
1924.
There were two oolored banks at
Durham, which were consolidated
during 1923, and they now have a
m lion dollar Race bank, the out
growth of this consolidation. me
Race group at Durham has strong
Fraternal Institution. a Drug Store
Building and Loan Association and
; other enterprises, as we'll as some
wealthy citizens. Among their latest
ventures are the Million Dollar FL
nance Corporation. and the new LIN
coin Hospital recently completed at
. reputed cost of $150,000.0O.
Reader, / know you feel like taking
off your hat to pucky little Durham
and also feel like suggesting some
thing to help big Colored Richmond
to regain it's lost glory and to replace
Itself in the former position of Racial
Progress. Any suggestions will be
gladly received.
Thrifty. industrious, intelligent and
som etimes well-tG do colored people
migrate from one place to another.
They are usually looking for better
ment; better schools for the educa-
ton of their children; better church
connect fcns; better homes; better
business advantages and a COM
munity with live community
spirit, with at least one first class
modern hospital for colored people,
in which colored physicians may
practice so that when hospital case
develops in their family, their own
family physician may treat it. 1t is
not difficult to understand why the
thousands seeking such betterment.
in the past few years. have all given
Richmond the go-by in favor of other
cities.
What will the reader 90 to help
improve the conditions in Richmond?
What would the reader think of a
business or a professional man, who
lives in community for number
OF years tbrives on the commun.ty's
support and patronage. and never
manifests any interest in any of the
public movements for the benefit of
the community that sustains him i?
He is only interested in his own per
sonal success and shows no interest
In the welfare and the success Of the
community or other. This is, of
course, selfishness, and selfishness on
] the nart of the citizens will slow
/ down the progress of any community.
A man, who is succeeding in a
j community, owes that community
something; he ought to be in such
close touch with the community that
others will learn from him how to
succeed. The man who is failing in
community ought to he in such
close touch with those who are sue
ceeding in the community as to learn
from them the art Of success. Can
tn be done by remaining selfishly
to ourselves, or by working in COM
munity efforts for the benefit of all?
There are many among us who
excuse themselves from all commun-
itv efforts, on the preteXt that they
are busy, while as matter Of fact,
they are succeeding, are satisfied and
care nothing about the fellow around
the corner who is failing, but who,
perhaps, would be made a success if
he only could get the friendly CO.
operation of those who are succeed
ing but who are void' of any friendly
community spirit.
Colored Richmond has good church
es: It's educational advantages have
been wonderfully improved, with
more promised. A movement is on
foot to improve housing and living
conditions. The business and pro
fc7aional development will be con-
tra'led largely by the increase in
population and other advantages.
Then. before any substantial progress
can be made the one crying need
must be provided, a modern hospital.
What will we do about it?
Just ahead of the holidays, the
writer prepared a communication for
use in securing subscription pledges
for a new, modern hospital building
for Colored Richmond. The COM
munication was printed, as we'll as a
subscription blank form and a
stamp addressed envelope, and en-
closed in another envelope and sent to
five hundred and eighteen (51S)
persons, business concerns, churches
sunday schools fraternal societies
and social clubs,-all without
penny of cost to the hospital.
The writer selected the names from
the city directory himself. and in
cluded such as he felt were leaders
in the community and in position