Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1958-02-28
The Negro 4 Minnesota's Centennial
An EditoriuI-Sfory
BY CECu n. NEWMAN
ior--spokesman 8 Recorder Newspapers


which they have made TO life and progress Of the North Star
State.
The bsck man even before the shsces Of slavery were
union the the Negro s Of the chief questions
of political debate and affecting the consultation
of the state
Much Of the history Of the Negro Minnesota
fully told has only been the past few months that
real sincere effort being made 70 pick the threads Of
legend about the Minnesota Negro and separate the truth from
fiction about the Negroes past IN this great state Recently
group has been formed in the state under the aegs 81 the
Minnesota Historical Society 70 search out and place on per
record the early life and times Of the intrepid Negtol
families who brayed the winry northern area Of the Us ol
settle in Minnesota.
II is understandable why record is complete be
complete the of the early white
settlers who here the forests and establish
what we fondly refer TO as civilization
There is enough hsor, however for us TO know there
Negroes escaped slaves and few freedmen living IN this
before Minnesota became state good number Of them
were slipped by the remarkable Underground aoad 9pl
free Canada good many Of them got no further than some
of the Minnesota Indian tribes who themselves we're beng
pushed away from desirable land and rivers by the
ever pressing white settlers who 20 trade, til the soil cni
the timber aud erect towns aud cities,
History tells MS also tina, rich white Shareholders north
speculation prospect wild unsettled country brought
along many thSc Negroes escaped with tho aid
sympathetic whites the majority Of whom "ehored
slavery both from moral viewpoint and tro" the standpoint Of the
economic conflict between free labor and slave labor
Readers paper may Scott
ongnaton Fort smelling and that tho final
and may wen between the anti
slavery North and the slave states of the South
It was thus that early history great commonwealth
tho b. man ~ not numerical factor in the pioneer population
beyond his numbers What true
years the nation
a the Negro have a. mnch influence a. he exers in
tho political total community
phenomena thn mna population ~ persons
Negro ancestry approaching Of 10000
less than uep per centof the total population.
early influence be traced 70 the hardy souls from the
cotton
hy gg0mr
they while northcners ympahoue there
many them labor threat and did not
competitors market The early Negroes
Industrious esourceu cheerful and determined to establish
despite odds which arraysd against them In
the cItnnry they had the
England Yankees who had moved west 70 est@b
fish industry They had
the help Of the Republican party which was then the party q Lincoln
They help many whom had made great sac
disntegraon and finally free tho
human bondage When things got tough
FOR 81 Negroes always Catholic Archb
shop his mighty indignation and run The
A. much as anything the Negro had
population which settled in this section
the largely Godeauug people who dsisned
prejudice evil which Adversely affected The gcr ~ wen as The
early Negro grew numbers ne did The odd
Jobs Of The towns Of 81 PanI and ~ Anthony n"'apo A.
the cities grew he porter
barber shops 4 tc" eoaoimen
enorrsng began operation barber shops
peculiar period number
Negro BARRIERS catered 70 whites exclusively ana
often they catered 10 ne more wealthy whites AeE"8 ~ p
atudnai patterns which
bondage
advantage pracuaug type anobby against
people o. that
he followed patterns Of the time
whAe they controlled The market FOR
domestic help southern states becsuss
slavery traditional patterns tie North they had to compete
Horssgiana household
jobs cos,hen os maids boys and gardeners
Negroes trained IN sarygong cheap
plantation compete Win
European household workers the old
country o steady productive
Kept Negro period because they
dining ms white doneatcs Who
jobs majority able
Up 10 and o century Negro
R9i ob railroad
expansion ravs i'm = Toof
p,r-.urr. on
EyuinE
Kept small i'm
4 preston N ~ . whDh.
Up Negro population fhs Cities Win
activity vhss largely
hard working reliable VINO czsns and
I family Jeapls
i 4, eozs u ~ unaesrsblrs bsgsn -
city reutstoa having
's easy bind This
lrssrgsHs Minneapolis police
spf see8ag thages seainst egbtosry
trgerauaa Negroes np
ohar ha ssh9antlsl 8sograEs
4 erirairaIify arasks g0od aHefgl aazens
TINS sisrass rhEh pretty reign
1871 giving wahs0nx Negroes Twin especially
Minn~ar5Fs 3 bark-sye community