The Omaha guide., 1945-01-06
by Dan Gardner

WE BUY, BUT DON'T SELL. And DON'T Make OUR MONEY
DO GOOD JOB IN GETTING WHAT IT SHOULD RECEIVE
Tied onto the fact that We buy but don't sch as a race is tie disheart
ening fact that we don't buy in the right places IN sufficient volume and have
consequently, are o the tall end of the economic procession, it would appear
that W e should be able to make or buying power a kind Of instrument for
pressure to bring about some change in the employment situation IS concerns
us, especially in communities where u buying power keeps nonresident
merchants in high-priced cars, downtown offices, country homes yachts and
But the fact is. we don't. Instead, &c break Our collective neck rush
them, spend at least 9oRs Of our earnings with them for goods Of varying
quality ad sniff eontempmousfy at the struggling Negro trying to make
make and keep prosperous. Once in a while, as in Harlem, Chicago Chve-
land, and several other big cities with large Negro populations, we act up
and scare the white merchant q business mai into hiring ne Or two Ne
groes as fronts, dummy managers, fo0men, etc, but evn with that, he
(the white merchant) knows he's still far ahead and that we are still playing
a dismal game of catch up
THE BLAME. ...
Part Of the blame for this situation rests squarely 2 The shoulders of
ton for the Advancement Of Coored Peofe, and the National Urban Lea
que. These two organizations by their very names and nature should long a
go have taken the lead in teachisg our great massest the strength of their
purchasing power and educating them to demand things concrete and worth
while that will establish US Or a firm and sound pass in our attempt 10 com
pete economically with other racial groups. It il to Be recognized, Of
Urban League have been concerned wei the decades are of profound impor-
lance in their far-reaehing intentions, but what we want is something W re a
It would seem that the NAACP By its very title would have long ae
owned businesses and enterprises. An association for The Advancement d
Cdored People" could hardly be such unless it recognized our economic STA
thousands of misguided Negroes who sub a Negro business for a whit
prices in favor Of some future hope for complete ntegraion Of the races in
the American melting pot including the blacklist of Negroes-dOesnt Civ
much hope or relief from what W e suffer.
FIGURES ON NEGRO ~N....
David J Sullivan, head Of the Negro Market organization, in a adj
dress delivered Dec. s. 1914 to the New York Chapter Of the American Mar
ketnng Association at the Hotel Sheraton Oh Broadway, gave the following
figures of the Negro consumer, prefacng his remarks with the U. s. De-
partment of Commerce statement in 1920 that Nego purchasing power was
TWO AND A HALF BILLION MORE" for that year:
Actually, according to Mr.. Sullivan, 1O464131 Negroes in 1920 had
gross income Of $3O55400OOO- In 1925 ii was $31138OO 1000 In 1929 n
was $416630oOOO and in 1885 $3343 100000. Sullivan said that his organiz
ton found that IN 1910 when this country was modifying Tor var. Negro
gross income was S467S540O00 and in 1913, with war-born prosperity Ne
gro income was S1O290O00OO0. Thus, according to Mr.. Sullivan. thu
NEGRO MARKET is BIGGER IN SIZE THAN THE ENTIRE DO
MlNlON OF CANADA BY APPROXIMATELY 45%, according 10 N,
estimated Negro population Of 13190543 in 1913. The U. S. Negro popu
iahon vas blessed with overs $3.50 million more income in 1919.
WE GET JOBS TO REPAY WHITES
! an inclined, ass re all weI+thinking persons to laud the efforts Of
ne NAACP and the Urban League to the fullest in their efforts 70 back
permanent Fair Employment Practice (FEPC legislation BY law. This
creates more JOBS tor Negroes, opens more avenues OF opportunity. But "a
LAT avail is all this effort time and money spent if there is n o ont to teach
ne Negro by example to hold on to some of what he earnsi instead of giving
It III back to the man he got it from?
Negro income is leaving Negro communities in huge chunks rost 49,
all u II destined never TO be returned, because n q organization or pressure
crop las Deen formed to force white business men and merchants TO ;nvr,
made. !" a.
In other words, the average white merchant is in a position 70 n,ck ~
II 4 moHem notice INC move out, take everything with him excent ~, sidaa
walk Y tn poor'd eluded Negro can't put his hands on a thing. It's IKE !
oonndence man working on the street corner-whe the O s come ato,o III
ne las to d IS stick his cards and handkerchief in his pocket, rul his derh"
loo"n owe. ms ears M run to the next corenr to await nor fools
WIN the power and influence Negroes have given the NAAcp INN,
ue OrDdh League over the years, it would be very EASY for thee a-~-:-
atoms 70 set U IN each city and community where they have branches nrae-
SURE e gannzato that would do nothing else but teach and instruct ~ -
pie IN sound business principles based on race pride. ' po