The Dayton forum. [volume] (Dayton, Ohio) 1913-1949, 1939-05-12

in the So-called Black Belt OF South
side Chicago and the attendant prob
lens Of juvenile delinquency, adult
crime and the appalling increase in
adult and infant mortality rates, is
situation that holds nationwide
significance between the overcrowd-
ing Of Negro districts in other cities,
with almost identical resulting con-
ditions.
In a greater or lesser degree,
conditions disclosed in Chicago by
the Land-Use survey similar investi-
cations, will find duplication in
many Of the metropolitan centers
of both North and South. In Chi
cago, the housing shortage took on
a serious aspect at the turn Of the
century.
In 1900, the Negro population in
chicao Was $4,000. By 1884 ii had
increased to the surprising total of
$4,000. At present it is estimated
that z7O,Od0 Negroes live in Chica-
go, most of them on the Southside.
In the area between Chicago and
Wentworth avenues (about | LIZ
mneaJ and 18th and list streets
(about I miles) are to be found
nearly 100000 persons. The entire
movement Of the colored commun-
ity Southwark has been attended
with great deal OF friction, and the
Negro population has had to liter
ally tight for the space which it oc-
cupies, At no line has the commu-
nifty had an area sufficient to acco-
modate the persons forced to live
there.
THE NEGRO IN CHICAGO, a
survey of race relations made alter
the riot III 1917, repor,ed tnaL in
1917 only one OUT OF every Ii APP
piications for houses made by Me-
gro migrants coming to the city
could be taken care Of by real es-
late agents. Since 1aen, as each
year passed, the housing shortage
mas become increasingly acute.
The resulting problem Oh over
crcwding, the douDhng-up OF FAM
lilies. keeping Of lougers anu room
ers has caused an increase in juyen-
lie delinquency, auuit crime, poorer
health and adult and infant moral
ity. The boundaries OF the Black
Belt have been liked through re-
strictive covenants and by the an
tagonism Of white realtors. Result
is that by a conservative estimate
there are housing facilities for only
10000 persons, while there arc
over 100000 to be housed. This
means that in the Southside district
there are $4,000 persons who need
homes.
Two results have followed: first,
all available housing units, regard
less of their condition, are used;
and second, with the demand for
housing exceeding the supply, rent
in the Negro area has been driven
TO an abnormal height. Despite
the latter, however, property values
have deprecated because most OF it
is owned by absentee landlords,
of them white (about per cent Of
the homes are owned by the occu-
pantsl. Because the white land
lords know the property will rent
regardless Of it's condition, little or
no repairs are made, which natu-
rally results in an increased fire and
accident hazard.
In recent years, many landlords
have turned their houses into kitch-
el.et5e apartments. thereby packing
more people into the buildings, but
bringing more revenue to the own
ers. The investigation which fol-
lowed the recent tragic incendlary
fire near the goth street and Mich
igan avenue revealed that 45 per-
sons were living in the tWo-story
rooming house, with only two toll
cts available and no fire escape at
the rear. Eight persons, including
five children in one family, were
killed in that fire, and a score or
more were injured.
Particularly offensive to colored
residents of the Southside are the
Restrictive Covenants in the West
Woodlawn district. In the area be-
tween 60th and 63rd streets and
Cottage Grove to South Parkway, is
located what is termed as q small
island Of whites Forty years
ago this area was the site of the
Old Washington Park Racetrack,
where the famous American Derby
was held annually. This district is
surrounded on three sides by color
ed families and it has forme dthe
center Of the fight over restricted