Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1955-03-04

purchasing power ana the IN
creasing role II plays in the af-
fairs OF business and industry.
One OF the major misconcep-
tons held by most is that the
Negro Market" is low priced
Surveys have shown that this is
not so. Actually. when the ma
jority of Negroes buy. they buy
very high quality whether II is
clothes, automobiles. food. houses
or furniture. They also purchase
large quantities OF high-priced
staples and Injuries.
Homes. Clothes, and Food
Ebony. the Lfe-styled national
Negro magazine, points out that
the striving for recognition and
the want for style and quality re-
suits in Negroes scrimping on
many things 10 be able to buy
(those) things which are most
evident TO their fellow men. the
things by which people judge
ones status in the world OF to-
day"
Negroes are basically interest
ed In homes. clothes and food
These are the things also basic to
business and industry. The &c
onomic impact Is emphasized by
the fact that the number OF Ne
groes in the country Is greater
than the population of Connect
cut. Massachusetts,. New Jersey
and Wisconsin combined. Their
numbers exceed the total popula-
ton OF Canada. Their purchasing
power exceeds in value the total
volume Of goods exported annual
ly by this country,
Urban Concentration
In the past decade the income
Of the average Negro family has
more than quadrupled. There has
been a sharp increase in those en-
gagged in professional, semi-pro-
fessional. and managerial occu-
pations. Families have one to
four supplementary incomes.
The Negro market In heavily
concentrated In urban areas
which means u IL n market easy
To reach. Census figures show
that 90 per cent Of the Negro
population II located In key
cities. And 60 this can be added
that during the last rs years,
the Negro has made more pro
gress than In all the 30 years
since emancipation.
There are some interesting
highlights developing over what In
known as the Negro market"
Businesses OF all kinds and in
dustries Of every type are seek.
ing new ways TO tap" II. Yet not
many Negroes like the term. Ne
gro market. There are many rea-
sons.
BasIcaIly the Negro does not
want 10 be set apart from all
other Americans They want TO
become an accepted part Of the
whole economy. While in a broad
sense they constitute nation
within a nation and cities within
cities with their own race ma
tionalisns" and Ioyslties, they are
seen differing little from the units
Of Italo-Amsricans, IriEh-Ameri-
cans or Jewish-Americans
What the advertising world IL
finding out IL that Ia sell 10 the
Negro market u IL vital tn re-
member that 10 IL = distinct yet
well-inteErated part Of the
American .crne. There are w.Il
over 1000. 900 Negroes In New
York City alone. What this
means 20 business can b. spell
I'd out With Just one item
Mean Income Rise.
As long ago AZ 1910, % per
cent 81 New York's Negro FAINT
lies owned radio sets During the
last decade this figure has in
creased 70 a point close 10 satura-
ton. This means a substantial
support to New York's radio huSi-
ness interests.
How TO reach the market
Tide magazine in a recent study
Of the Negro market stated The
smart advertiser. regardless ~
the medium, Dies not backslap,
talk down or up 10 his potential
customers Rather. the successful
Negro advertiser has found whA,
Negro advertising representatives
have been trying 70 ten them for
Z for years that the market IL
thsr~-rch and willing. ~ wants
0niy % know what companies
van, 20 trade with u and are
making c1nosrtsd efforts 10 do
Just that
VIVA, sorne - thess things
rnsan u ma, a. the Negro scono-
srz-.t-..A - $3.50 A.