The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1931-05-21
Million Negroes Leave
Southern States
Continued from Page j
Philadelphia Has Largest Negro
Population


Population
So far census bulletins have been I
issued covering several Northern cit I
les with heavy Negro population.
In every instance, the increase has
been enormous Baltimore, Wash
ington. Cincinnati, and Indianapolis,
on the border line. have shown an in
crease far exceeding that of the
previous decade. The two industrial
eenters of the North SO far covered,
with large Negro contingency, are
Detroit aand Philadelphia. Detroit
shows the astounding number of
100 900 Negroes, while philadelphia
merely dumbfosnds US with a total
of $4,000.
This is the largest number of Ne
groes under any municipality within
the civilized or savage world. Re
turns from Chicago, Cleveland, Pitts
burph. Saint Louis and New York
still await to be announced. These
bulletins will doubtless be issued
within few weeks. We may stand
prepared for almost any astounding
result If these cities sustain the
increment indicated by Detroit and
Philadelphia, we may as we'll be pre-
: pared for line of discussion as to
: the economic, political and social adj
iustment of these sable newcomers
to their new environment. The IN
flux would be greater than these
several communities are prepared t6
absorb by their normally established
! regimes. Emphasis is added to Thu
J, suggestion by reason of the deep ant
y distressing depression in which in
4 dustry and business find themselve
i involved The Negro population o
= Detroit grew from forty-two thou
> sand to one hundred twenty thou
\ sand during the past decade. In tn
II meantime the automobile industry
s. the chief supporting industry OF tn
Id city, declined to fraction of its fol
g. mer volume and seems destined
ID reach lower levels vet. Here as els'
ly where, the Negro loiters around II
e. outer edge of the basic industrie
ke and must mainly depend upon WIFI
IN is left after the white workmen a
A supplied. The outlook does not see
ne roseate. In case of Philadelphia, Il
re prospect is more gloomy still. II
" Negroes constitute eleven percent
u the population of the city of brothe
ne " love. But brotherly love, be
as noted, applies only to the theoretic
,.s aspect of brotherhood, but has lit
w or no bearing upon the battle I
i'm bread.
RS. While we must of course await t
ng publication of the bulletins beari
Ter upon the Negro population of N
he York Chicago, and other great =
to gro centers before we are prepar
a to venture any general conclusio
in vet we are already in possession
uld sufficient data to warn the Northt
ek7 CITY Negro that there are serit
WI times ahead. He may look anv
no for dominant dailies touching
nc pressing problem of adjusting
Negro influx to his new environm
under conditions which place he;
tax on the resources and resouf
fulness of these great centers OF
ilization. 1t might not be amiss
IT, its own responsibility in the pr
VII Use, and to the necessity Of RET
an site race craftsmanship to cope v
''h- conditions. For after all the era
-: men of the race problem for the Il
ing few decades, at least, will Ger
i me- about the concentrated masses in
NY great cities. 1t will tax the wise
noh and good sense of the best coope
pep- ing minds of both races to meet
, ano demands of the situation in Il
Wv depressing times.