Evening star., 1934-04-22
PROFESSIONS OF NEGROES
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

For many years the only profession
invaded by members of the Negro
race to any considerable extent was
the clergy. In the earlier days Of the
emancipation Negro preachers were
of a voluntary classification. Many
had educated themselves and many
more preached the gospel in response
to inspiration. There were no grad
yates of theological seminarieS. Many
of the early Negro preachers were
men Of great eloquence who welded
wide influence.
A study OF the latest census figures
reveals that the situation has mater
tally altered. While the clergy still
take second rank in the list of pro-
fessions in which members of the
Negro race are engaged. teachers are
far in the lead. There are more than
twice as many Negro teachers now as
there are Negro clergymen.
Very soon after the Civil War efforts
were begun to bring to the emanci-
pated Negro the benefits of educa-
ton. The Freedmen's Commission
was created by Congress and sought
to establish through the South a sys-
tenn of schools for free education
Organizations assisted in the founda-
tion of institutions of higher learning
Congress helped establish Howard
University. named for Gen. o. o.
Howard, who headed the Freedmen's
Commission.
The process was a long, tedious one,
While here and there were Negroes
who desired education, there were
many who regarded an opportunity to
work for wages as a sufficient gradu-
alton for their generation. The same
attitude is diScernible in many men,
bers of other races, too.
With the passage of years there has
been gain in the number of Negroes
admitted TO professional ranks The
latest figures of the Bureau of the
Census show that there are approx
mately 100000 Negroes now in pro-
fessional status.
More than half of the professional
group is made up of school teachers.
These now number 54,439, and to the
numbers listed merely as teachers
must be added the separate class of
college presidents and professors who,
or course, also are teachers. There
are 2,l46 Of these Negro presidents
and professors. There is still another
group Of special teachers, but they
are not listed separately. They are
covered in a single classification of
music teachers and musicians. Prob
ably the majority in this classification
are musicians who perform but do
not teach. but it is practically i'm
possible to separate them because
many performers also teach The
combined group numbers 1888.
Where the Professionals Practice.
A college president might be in
clined to balk at CHASING as a pro-
fessional a Negro minstrel the scope
OF whose learning is extremely mar
row. But in this general census class
there is many highly skilled doctor
OF music as well as Bones and Mr..
lnterlocutor. And. any way, the Ne
gro minstrels as often as not. or
oftener, are burnt-cork- faced mem
berS of another race.
There are still a great many occu-
pants of pulpitS of Negro churches
who probably never have seen a class
room in a theological seminary, but a
great many of these volunteers who
have answered the call are among the
most eloquent. The clerical profess
sion numbers 25.034.
There are 1906 Negro physicians
and surgeons and many of these are
Of high standing The Howard Uni
yersity Medical School at Washing
ton is an approved medical college.
Its diplomas command the highest re-
Spect and not a few white medical
students have been graduated from