St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1951-03-23

Okla, Guthrie, Okla. and Ian
| then proceeded TO Amaril
leo, Roswell and A.mogordo, a
From there / went TO Tucson
and Yuma, Arizona.
In the state of California 7 WIS.,
tied FL Centre, Riverside, Indio,
Long Beach, Santa Monica, Pasa-
dena. San Bcruadtno and Holly
wood
Motoring back I also visited in
the city Of Albuquerque, N. Mex.
one of the chief purposes of
this trip was to make a survey Of
Negro business and opportunities
in the communities covered.
Kansas City, Mo.
Negro business in Kansas City,
Mo, is fair, or 1 would say it is
better than average. The insur-
ance business, auto and fire risk
IS very poorly represented. Gro
Gerry, general merchandise and
many other businesses are much
neglected. Segregation here is
surprisingly great.
Tulsa, Okla, has more Negro
owned business than most cities in
the United States its size There
are practically no Negroes writing
fire and auto insurance. 1t seems
that TO a great extent that in the
businesses where the money is to
be made, the Negro is lacking.
The school system in Tulsa is
no doubt the best Of its kind in
the country. There are some 3d.
900 Negroes in the city of Tulsa.
The schools are well equipped and
the teachers are well paid.
Negroes own homes up TO $50
900 in value and they are well
kept.
Oklahoma City Slow
Oklahoma City is progressing,
but rather slowly. There, Negroes
are far short of the amount of
business that they should have
according to the population which
is well over 10000
There are some nice homes and
nice additions TO the city.
Amarillo, Texas, presents a
poor example of the Negro. It
would be better If there were none
there. Across the tracks and in
the shanties, that is where they
are.
In New Mexico, going south of
Amarillo, Tex, in such towns as
Roswell, Almogordo. Las Cruces,
few Negroes are found and this
country would probably offer a
good opportunity for many rea-
sons; the climate is good and the
proximity to the Mexican Border
has a tendency to make it more
livable.
Albuquerque, New Mexico, is
probably the fastest growing town
in the u. S. even though Negroes
there are on the standstill. How
ever, there are some there. The
writer recalls living in this city
during the years of 1920 and 1921,
being employed in the U. s. Postal
Service. The town has grown for
miles and is a flourishing COM
munity.
Albuquerque is just north of Los
Alamos, the site chosen for the
manufacture of the Atomic Bomb.
The Country lying between Tu-
cson and Yuma, Arizona, is a
great farming country. In latter
years it has become a great cot
ton growing center. There
found the most unusual types of
workmen, most of whom are Ne
groes. A great majority of them
seem to be Of the floater type.
Opportunities In l.. A.
Now we 60 to the city of Los
Angeles, the most interesting and
1 believe the best city in the U. s.
There are few cities to compare
with this town even in the North.
This city maintains the highest
standard of living in the u. s. for
both white and colored. There are
more home owners per capita
than any other city in the U.S.A.
Unlike other communities, minor
ity groups are spread out all over
the town, practically speaking.
In fact, they live most any place
they can afford to buy. It Is sort
of a melting pot many different
peoples live and work together.
There are many opportunities
for Negroes in business in this
City and all the suburban cities
which are many and all equally as
good, in fact the surface has not