St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1960-06-03

,ntly referred to as Americas
be made in such fields as labor
lrning power and spending cap
aCity. education. home ownership
business, religion, politics, sports,
education, yes, and, of course, pop
ulation?
The question, of course, is not
a simple one and the man who es-
says to answer it is, perhaps, a
little foolhardy, if you don't believe
it just think back to 1850 and see
if you could have predicted what
the Negro would be doing in 1860.
where We Are Today"
In order to understand my pre-
dictions for 1870 it is necessary,
first of all, to take stock Of where
we are today.
The annual income of Negroes
in the United States today is es-
timated at S19 billion. This ire
mendous purchasing power has de-
velOped a vigorous buying power
among all levels of income groups
in the total economy.
A composite picture of the Ne
gro population looks something
like this: Total population Of Ne
groes in the United States is 1913
million people. We are moving
from rural communities to central
city areas.
For example, the percent Of Me-
gro population to the total popu-
lation in some Of the larger cities
is as follows:
Cleveland Chicago-1s4;
st. Louis-28.6; Birmingham
1876; Los Angeles-12.5; Washing
ton D.C.-531 and Philadelphia
POI.
1t is estimated that in the next
10 years while white families
continue to move to the suburbs,
Negro families will concentrate in
metropolitan centers. The Negro
population, therefore, will increase
between eight and Is percent in
major northern cities in the next
10 years. In fact in spite Of in
creasing better race relations in
the South, more than half the Ne
gro population of the country will
be living north of the Mason Dixon
line.
Prospects, 10 Years Hence
With this brief background Of
the Negro, let us project our think
ing 10 years hence. What well CAL
culated predictions can we fore
see?
I PREDICT that in the period
1860 and 1870 the population
will increase to 20 million Ne
groes. These figures are based on
the current rate of increase in the
Negro population which is approx
imately 100000 a year.
I PREDICT that more Negroes
particularly Negro women will
enter the labor force into better
paying and more highly skilled
jobs.
1 PREDICT that more Negroes,
will be employed in more super
visory professional, clerical, sales
and managerial positions than ever
before in the history of the nation.
Purchasing Power In 1870
PREDICT that the total pur-
chasing power in 1870 will be in
excess of $29 billion. This is based
on the current rate of increase Of
a billion dollars year.
PREDICT that the Negro will
be better educated. Since 1880 Ne
gro college enrolment has in
creased $500. BY 1870 this rate Of
increase in enrolment will exceed
$500.
l PREDICT that over go Of Ne
groes living in cities will own their
homes.
PREDICT that Negro business
will have come of age and be-
gin to flex its muscles.
I PREDICT that there will be a
rapid development of Negro corp
orations.
I PREDICT that independent
growers, restaurants, dry cleaning
and other small
businesses through mergers, con
solicitations and other financial ar
engagements will develop into chain
I PREDICT that insurance COM
panies such as Supreme Liberty
Life Insurance Company, Golden
State, Chicago Metropolitan Mutt
ual, North Carolina Mutual, Vic
tory Life, Mammoth Life, etc, win
develop financial resources to fin
ance many major interracial hous-
ing developments and businesses.
I PREDICT that with the grow
ing Importance Of the Negro mar
ket dealerships, franchises, dis
relationships will be granted to
Negro business man