Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1935-01-11
HERE and
THERE
BY w. NJ. Smith


and published four years ago. The
fact that there is no perceptible
change in the conditions pointed
out then and the conditions of to-
day make its republication now
matter of current interest:
A good many White people and
all too many Colored people have
the thought that all the troubles
of the Negro inheres in his color.
This is unfortunate because it is
not true. 1t prevents many friend
ly Whites from lending the only
kind of assistance that can prove
helpful and encourages many of
our group to side step the only
path that leads to real freedom.
The fact is that his trouble is eco
nomic weakness and political inef-
fectiveness: His color simply makes
these things glaringly apparent.
1t lies within the Negroes power
to overcome both these handicaps
in large measure, and no one else
is going to attempt it. The friendly
White doesn't realize the way it
exists; the others are not inter
ested.
A large number of Negroes, by
surrounding themselves with eco
nomic power and buttressing them
selves with political strength, have
escaped the unfavorable reactions
of color, save when they leave
their accustomed environment and
mingle with the group when they
become undistinguishable from the
mass. The same conditions face
the Jew. But, with only about a
fifth of the Negroes numerical
strength, he has overcome almost
completely the prejudices which
gather about his Racial character
istics in these United States. And,
because he has conserved the two
things the Negro neglects-his
economic power of his political
strength.
1t has been said that the Negro
and the Jew possess many traits in
common. Like other careless ex-
pressions, it won't stand investiga-
ton. They are as unlike as pos
sible. The Minneapolis Negroes of
Sixth Ave. No. and the Jews of that
section furnish a good example of
their wide divergence. Living in
close proximity, their only associa-
ton is that of business, and the
only business relations is in the
business the Negro carries to the
Jew. Forming possibly 500 of its
population, the Jew does $3.50 of
the business of the section. If all
the Negro patronage should be
withdrawn from the Jew, he would
reduce his business places to the
number which the Jewish popula-
ton could support, and he would be
sure of that patronage in it's en-
tirety. If under such circumstances
Walgreen should establish one of
his up-to-the-minute drug stores on
the avenue, the one drug store
maintained by a Jew would still
survive; and that, perhaps, is the
reason Walgreen has up to now
made no such investment.
In contrast, walk up and down
the avenue and note the number of
Negro men and women in the Jew
ish groceries, drug stores, baker
les, shoe stores, soda fountains and
what not, with never a Jew in a
Black mans place.
Needless to say, all this can be
changed and by the Negro himself,
by taking unto himself the bust
ness of his group. I have no re-
sentiment against the Jew. / adj
mire his enterprise and his Race
fealty. He keeps all his own bust
ness and gets all he can from any
one willing to trade with him. And
he doesn't try to stop anyone from
doing the same.