The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-07-28

y ANOtg. WIIH0n N
the author Of . book about the
Negro In the armed forces called
Jim Crow Joins Up"
Negroes are finding incomparsbly
greater opportunities for equality
in New York City than IN the
South. or in the armed services
OF course they vote here. and they
serve on juries and use all public
transportation without dlscrimina-
tion. In their struggle for equality
in housing, education. jobs. recre-
alton and religious worship there
are some real instances Of integrs-
ton in the Greater New York ares.
Although whites have moved
away from most areas where Me-
groes have come TO live, there are
some blocks and apartments houses
where the two races live together
without friction. New Yorks city
housing projects. with the excep-
ton of the Harlem River Houses,
which are all-Negro because OF
their locality. are all unsegresated.
running successfully on . mixed
racial pattern. The. South Jamaica
Project is the outstanding example
Of indignation in housing. For four
and a half years this project has
housed 448 families, about 20 per
cent Negroes and 30 per cent
whites. with 5000 the highest an
nusl income Of eligible tenants.
This project has friendly small
town atmosphere Not only do chill
dren Of both races play together.
but the grown-ups chat and carry
one .another's bundles from the
bus that connects the project with
the subway Tenants leave their
door-keyS with one another. and
in case OF mothers illness, the
neighbors. regardless az race. look
after the children and invite the
husband 70 their tables Tenants
also work together in victory gar
dens and keep the projects lawns
and hedges in good condition.
The project has q long waiting
list for apartments for which the
highest price week is IS 20 for FIVE
and q half rooms and the loves
81 SIS for two and half rooms. Al
though some southern white fsmi-
lies are always there. only one OF
them has Withdrawn its application
because Of the presence OF Negroes.
In education. non-segregstiea
has succeeded In much wider
areas than in housing. All public
and . few private schsels are un-
segregated. although. IS In heus-
ing, some become wholly Of enc
race according 10 their neighber-
hoods. Teaching stafs In public
schools are interracial. with no
restriction Of Negro teachers Ia
cofered areas. There Il now one
Negro principal and one assistant
principal.
Higher education in New York
has long been successfully unsegre.
gated More and more Negroes are
being graduated from City college,
Hunter. Brooklyn and Queens coll
leges. all OF which are elty-oaned.
free institutions; and from Colum-
bia and New York universities
Pratt Institute. Cooper Union the
New School for Social Research
and the New York School Of Socis,
Work. Al the lsst-nsmed school.
OF New York university and at eli
the city-owned colleges, there are
Negroes on the faculty.
Job Situation Uneven
The job situation Is uneven. Even
in defense factories and in spite OF
the Fair Employment Practices
Committee. there is still q tendency
70 make Negroes the last to be
hired and the hrst 20 be hred But
great prcsrsss has been made
through the Arm stand for equal
chance OF employment BY such
powerful unions ss the National
Maritime Union. with half = million
members. which has It's head
quarters and Upgradins School In
New York. and Negro as its ma
tlonal secretary In one Of New
Yorks greatest industries. the In
transitional Ladies Garment Work
ers' Union and the Amalssmsted
Clothing Workers Union give
fair chance To Negroes One district
counsel OF the Brotherhood OF
Painters, Decorators and Paper