Arizona sun., 1948-11-19
Employment of Negro Women in
White Collar Positions OutstripS
That Of Negro Men Says Survey

The industrial relations depart
ment fthe National Urban Lea
que during the winter of 1947-48
completed a survey of the employ
ment of Negroes in white-collar
work. The information obtained
applied only to the employment of
Negroes in sales, slerical, supervis-
ory, technical and professional po-
sitionS, that is, strictly bona-flde
white-collar jobs. Messenger, page,
elevator operator jubs, and other
jobs of a qWasi-service nature were
excluded. Jobs in Government Of
fices and social service agencies
and for Negro employers, also,
were not included.
The industries covered were
those in which the majority Of the
employees are white and were
classified in groups: Cd depart
ment stores, (2) other retail out
lets, CD public utilities-electric,
gas, telephone, and transportation
companies, and (4) other private
concerns such as banks, insurance.
offices, law firms, printing and
publishing establishments. The data
for the report were collected by
affiliated Urban League offices in
25 cities: Akron, Anderson Qndi
anal, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston,
Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, De-
troit, Elizabeth, ~Gary, Hartford,
Kansas City, Los Angeles, Milwau
kee, Minneapolis, New ork City,
Newark, Omaha, Philadelphia st.
Louis, Pittsburg, Providence, st.
aul and Seattle.
The reports for the IS cities
show approximately 7,40O Negroes
in the industries covered, and OF
these more than 80 percent were
women. In the department stores
and the public utilities, more than
90 percent of Negroes holding
white-collar jobs were women. In
10 of the IS cities, Boston, Chicago,
Cleveland, Detroit, Los Angeles,
Milwaukee, New York, PhiladelE
phia, Pittsburg, and Providence,
women were reported in all four
groups. Of the women covered in
the Is cities, II percent were work
ing in department stores in Is ci-
ties; 45 percent in other retail out
lets in 18 cities; % percent in pub
lie utilities in 18 cities; and 21 per
cent in other concerns in 20 cities.
More than two-thirds of the jobs
held by the women were in Chica-
go and New York.
In the public utility group, tele-
phone companies were the largest
employers of Negro women. More
cities reported women in the tele-
phone companies as clerical work
erS than as operators, but 9 or lO
cities reported women as opera
tors, which represents a relatively
new employment opportunity for
Negro women.
White-collar, positions held by
women included jobs as salesWo-
men, file and general clerks, typ
lists, stenographers, bookkeepers,
switchboard operators, reception
lists, supervisors, technicians, and
professional workers. A manager
of laundry, a forelady in a bis
cult 1dCIOAy1 q oNPOA NASOA "
clerks in an insurance company,
and a correspondence supervisor
in a publishing house were among
the supervisory positions held by
women. Employment interviewers
and other personnel workers were
reported by a cannery, a candy
factory, a printing plant, and an
electrical manufacturer. In the de-
partment and other stores an. as
sistant buyer in large woman's
ready-to-wear store, "a dietitian in
department store, shoppers and
models were among the Negro wo-
men holding better positions. A
large tobacco company reported
two women sales representatives.
continued on Page Sd