Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1926-01-02

no vXN0A11A veoaHs on I'm
sys .sv rr,: Nnn10 80
tBycsrssr asAw.a wselssal
Free Negro Head, Of Fsniliss in
tho United Stntes IN 1885," $500
Free Negro OSrnsss Of slaves in
tho United States In 1885," 500
These works are ths product Ok
tho we'll known editor q ehe Jouru-
M Of Negro History and author 'lof
various Interesting and vnluable
works on the Negro. As he has
devoted tho last Hfteea years of, His
life TO tho special study o. this Io-
elected group, he Is now pcblishtng
at rapid ra<e numerous. books
treating the various aspects OF Me-
sro tss and history. These two
publications are brought ont nv the
Research Department. OF the Asso-
citation for the Study OF Negro Life
and History. which the author found
ed ten years ago and has directed
up to the present Tina IS
The aim Of this work Is to Nacil-
itate the further study Of 6his ne
elected group. Most OF the people
of this country have forgot that
about half q milton. almost one
seventh OF the Negroes In this
country. were free prior 70 the
emancipation In 1855. These were
leaders OF this desnised c ass, toiliug
UP somstimes' against the teeth, OF
opposition into positions Of ease and
culture. Many were prosperous
farmers and efficient mechanics. A
few OF them were printers, editors.
teachers, ministers physicians and
lawyers prior to the Civil War
Tho statistics report on Free
Negro Heads of Families is intro
duced nv va'r'b'e -l'e"uasion Of the
free Negro from various points o.
view. He there,r ably discusses or
igin of the FREQ Nesro the proven
ton OF the increase If this q ass, the
free Negro beHore he Jaw. economic
achievement rad sc'nI distinctions.
Probably the most interesting part
of the treat $40 5-i-N -ment os
early race ADM ure as the origin
OF the free EsE1r 9hn Judy is well
documented, by :afere' cos to incon-
trovertibe sonrcrc which ,nsnire con
fdence ~ .hs ',sr's production
and enbanco $50 vs. Of the work.
The facts al $50 a''stica part OF
he work weY7 s,.~acted from the
manuscript schu riaa returned by
those who tocH No census of the
United StafsF s.. Ie2n After the
Editor haa Grrt copind the record OF
one state TO acauaipt himself in
detail with the infor alton given in
these census reports. the statistics
were then copied under hisadirection
by three; persons. The matter thus
collected was then verified by the
Editor and one OF, ahis assistants.
Accompanying tables give the
raines OF about so .O0a heads Of
families, showing in each case the.
which each lived. In some CAGES,
oven the streets Of the cities on
which some resided are given There
ssssear $3.50 .he n9grce'rrate age OF
thet head Of the fanny and the total
Number or persons IN .re family in
Nudine the Saves S.,rne one has
Assyerred 70 this as n. ver'tob.e blue
Book on the Negro aristocracy OF a
fury ago. Z -s~f &
:, The study OF FEE Negro Owners
aof Slaves is of. unifsua interest n.
''Nse os the opportunity II offers Cor
understanding i'he Nero hinse-f
Tho records show. however tha' the
Nc~ro overs of snves we're such
largely from the nosnt Of view OF
NH anthrorv. In rranv instarc es
he husband purchased the wife or
-'>e vecsa The Slaves b orging to
ag wore few compared
with the srre numbers found among
he white ~ &c vel developed
a'antat'o~s
Saver % Negroes we're in some
c,ses the children or free father
who had purchases his wife II he
t ''ornof'cv amancipate the
't''or SC 20 macv zach husbands
could no, do without becoming sep
80 ~ r"r' thnm ',.s own chi iren
were born his slaves ard were thus
reportel Nv the enumnrators Some
OF these husbands were not anxious
to liberate their wives immed iately.
They considered 1t advisable to put
them on probation for a few years,
and If they did not find them salts
factory they would sell their wives
as other shareholders disposed Of
Negroes. For example, a Negro
shoemaker in Charleston, South
Caro- ina, purchased his wife for
$500; but, on finding her hard to
please he sold her a few months
thereafter for $3.50, gaining $50 by
the transaction.
Benevolent Negroes often purchased
saves to make their lot easier by
granting them their freedom Cor a
nominal sum, or by permitting them
to work 1t out on liberal terms.
John Barry Meachum, Negro Bap-
tist minister Of st. Louis, thus came
into possession Of as many as twenty
slaves by. 1885, The exploitation
type of Negro STAKEHOLDER, moreover,
sometimes feeling the sting OF con-
science, liberated his slaves. Thus
did Samuel Gibson q Naorn 40 N,,