Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1953-06-27
Plight And Progress
From: The Central Christian Advocate

Time magazine in the issue of May 1 l. carried what
we conceived to be most significant fourpage dissec
ton The y. s. Negro 1883. The article deals with
the status of the Negro in America his handcaps, OPP
portuntes progress, important factors which have
trbuted to his progress factors which handicap him and
the road which lies ahead
In order to properly appraise the progress of the
Negro IN America one must consider not merely the
achievements he has made, but the distance which he
has travelled Thus Time points out describing Negro
status in America:
"The fruit from the tree of life is still rationed and
often bitter The u SIS 100000 Negroes still de-
MED the right to the persut of happiness equal terms
with whites Negroes still do the meanes jobs and get
the lowest pay they must slowly wrest from their white
fellows table in restaurant desk in school, SMILE
the privilege of praying in white church or using
white swimming pool. This is true both sides of the
Mason Dixon line. While the Negro is generally better
off, economically afd socially in the North las shown
by the fact that thousands of southern Negroes still move
North every year, the North has to feel super
Tor. The chains of prejudice be as heavy in New
York's Harlem or in Chicagos South Side as anywhere
in the South ct North and South the Year of Jubilo
seems little closer. ! y - 5's5 ''f~
The article points out that while the Negro still
struggles for economic existence his struggle has been
in different direction. For most Negroes, continued
the article 'the problem is longer jobs, but better
jobs for many it is longer bread but cake The Negro
wageearner, today makes four times much in 1910
Compared white two and half times
much) The Negroes average yearly income is still
only little more than half of the white average but
ten years ago, it was about 35 per cent"
Among other significant gains the article points
out the Negro has made his overcoming the barrier
of the poll tax which at one time minmized his voting
power The South today has than 100000 regis
tered Negro voters compared to 100000 in 1888 Time
points out that this number would be 100000
if Southern Negroes were politically less apathetc
Speaking of the Negroes fight Justice in the courts
the article states: The big issue today is no longer
justice in the courts but justice in daily life that is the
fight against segregation.
The life expectancy of the male Negro has gone up
from AZ in 1920 to SO years In the same period
the whites life expectancy has risen slowly from
5e to oo years WITH improving living standards the
between the white mans and the Negroes life span is
closing. Though Negro home ownership has gone up
dramatically the most depressing feature of the Negroes
existence is still his home the article observes Negroes
nearly third of the places they live in, a
twothird rise 1910 White ownership has risen
more slowly in the same period is now 81 per cent But
nearly third of all Negro homes dilapidated COM
pared with less than 10 per cent in the nation whole
More than 20 per cent of all Negro homes are over
crowded. compared with 5.5 per cent in the nation.
In anayzing the factors which have led to the Negroes
economic progress, the article lists the most signf
cant one the shift of Negs population from the farm and
domestic work into industry During World War II for
example million Negroes went into defense industries
BY and large they have stayed in industry since
Today nearly II per cent of all u S. Industrial workers
are Negroes-tWice many in 1910. Most Negroes
however, still held to unsked jobs. But there has
been progress Among U. S. skilled workers and foremen
for example, four per cent Negroes up from
two and one-haf per cent in 1910 Among clerical and
sales personnel three and one-half per cent
Negroes, up from one per cent in 1910. Among
professional and technical workers, cent
Negroes up from four and one-haf per cent in 1910
Interestingly enough the article points out the big
trouble, there simply not enough qualified Negroes
In speaking of the Negroes social progress the article
declares "The biggest single blow against segregation
in the u S. has been struck by the armed forces The
great experiment of Indignation proved and for all
that first if deceny treated and trained Negroes can
fight well any man; two, if properly led white
Americans from any part of the country will ive work.
fight and die side by side with Negroes The machine,
the courts sports and TV have been iberazng forces
in the interest of amore integrated and democratic
America.
Despite the handcaps that have come his way the
Negro has proved himself TO be among Americas most
loyal and devoted citizens. The most spectacular illus
tration of the Negroes loyalty to the u ST. the article
declares, is the Communists crashing failure to win
cruits among them BY FBI estimates no more than
400 Negroes belonged to the Communist party at
one time.
The Negroes problem bascally is not economic social
or psychological, the article concludes it is Moral
Prejudice does moral harm to those who harbor
it than to those who hit by it And the most hopeful
fact about the Negroes progress in the last decade that
it could not have been possible without some moral
progress by white Americans