Negroes
The Negro in Chicago
Published by The Chicago Daily News Distributed free in Chicago and to educational in stitutions, business organizations and publications. To individuals outside of Chicago, a charge of 10 cents will be made to cover postage and mailing. Address, The Daily News, 15 North 5th avenue, Chicago. THE NEGRO IN CHICAGO
How He and His Race Kindred Came to Dwell in Great Numbers in a Northern City; How He Lives and Works; His Successes and Failures; His Political Outlook.
A FIRST-HAND STUDY
By JUNIUS B. WOOD (Of The Chicago Daily News Staff.)
Reprinted from The Chicago Daily News, issues of Dec. 11 to 27, 1916. TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. Page How the Colored Man Came to Chicago .... 5 CHAPTER II. Jobs Which Are Plentiful for Colored Workers . . . 7 CHAPTER III. The South and the Trade Unions of the North . . . 9 CHAPTER IV. The Negro in Business and Investment . . . . 1 1 CHAPTER V. Many Are in Professional and Political Life . . . 1 3 CHAPTER VI. Musicians, Artists, Writers, and the Stray Genius . . 15 CHAPTER VII. Apartments for Colored Families; Two Great Institutions . 17
CHAPTER VIII. Churches and Charitable In stitu tio n s...... 19 CHAPTER IX. Public Schools and Opportunities in Civil Service . . 21 CHAPTER X. Real Estate Values and Bad Housing Conditions . . 23 CHAPTER XI. Politics Puts Disorderly Dives Among Homes . . .2 5 CHAPTER XII. Gambling Controlled by a Powerful Political Syndicate . 27 CHAPTER XIII. Mayors, Congressmen and State Senators Elected by Colored V o t e r s ...... 29
CHAPTER XIV. Planning for the Future and Better Conditions . . . 30 THE NEGRO IN CHICAGO
CHAPTER I
How the Colored Man Came to Chicago Jean Baptiste Point de Saible tramped political, industrial and professional to the shore of Lake Michigan and built fields. That is why leaders of the race a home 137 years ago. His was the first declare that Chicago is the city which house in the present 198 square miles of holds out the most promising future for skyscrapers and miscellaneous structures their people. known as Chicago. The rough house in the wilds along the lake may have the In the Industrial Field. credit for being the foundation of the city. Point de Saible remained here sev In the industrial field the colored popu enteen years, traded with the Indians, lation has invaded the labor market with trapped for skins, fought and drank whis a rush. Men and women of the race are ky. Then in 1796 he sold his home to being employed by thousands in business a Frenchman and went away to what is plants where a few years ago a colored now Peoria. He was the first settler and person would not be admitted even as a property owner in Chicago. visitor. To organized labor the growing Point de Saible was a free colored man problem of colored help is a disquieting from Santo Domingo. To-day the city augury of future storms. Chicago is one which that colored man founded is one of the few cities in the United States of opportunity and freedom iinexcelled where the colored man is not admitted for the man, woman or child of the Negro to the trade unions, even though he may race. From all parts of America, espe have a union card from some other city. cially from the southland, their eyes turn Out of the union he is eligible as a strike toward Chicago. Many of them come breaker .and once he has shoved his foot north. The influx has run into the ihou- ever the “employes’ entrance” the colored sands in the last few months. man often remains, even after the strike is settled. Colored Population Gaining. In Chicago are hundreds of stores, res taurants, .saloons, barber shops, haber The colored portion of Chicago’s popu dasheries, tailor shops, beauty parlors, lation is growing more rapidly in propor real estate offices and similar lines of tion to its numbers than any other. Some business run by colored men and women, persons see in it a danger to the future In commercial activity they have lagged of the city. It is admittedly a very com in the north compared with the south. plex problem. The colored population is They trade at stores run by other races. pushing out farther every day. It has Some stores make special inducements broken out of the city blocks which a to them. Others try to discourage their few years ago were called its own, until patronage. to-day it covers hundreds of blocks of residence and business territory. It pre Race Politically Exploited. sents a situation which cannot be ig Politically the Negro race is being ex nored. ploited in Chicago by designing men. A Little has been known of this big ele few colored men receive political prefer ment in the city’s life. Even those who ment and jobs are plentiful of certain have given it study and time cannot classes and kinds in return for assistance agree on such an elementary fact as the in this exploitation. Thus some individuals number of colored persons in the city. get a chance to make money through E stim ates run from 40,000 to 175,000. methods by which the race as a whole is Definite information on the local activi held back and discredited. Into districts ties of the race has been lacking. Now where homes of colored families predom a reporter for The Daily News has made inate come through political favor the an effort to present the facts about some disorderly saloons, the all night cabarets, of these activities, in order to describe the shady hotels and disorderly houses, truthfully a condition vital to Chicago. grambling clubs and other influences of Colored men and women are represent destrucion. The colored boy or girl who ed in almost every line of activity in is taught in the public schools by day Chicago. In no other city of the country sees at night the lights of the neighbor do they fill such responsible positions in ing vicious resort. 5 Vice in Colored Districts. colored voting strength. Many precincts This is the menace to Chicago, accord in the 2d ward do not have a dozen vot ing to sociological students. In the last ers who are not colored. few months it has been so noticeable that Chicago’s colored population follows it might seem a definite administration certain fairly distinct street lines. Start policy. Vice resorts which have been ing at West 22d and South Dearborn driven from other sections of the city, streets, the largest section runs south, new ones opened on pretentious lines, old broadening toward the east and following ones which have been closed by the po the railroad tracks between Federal lice, flourish in the colored districts, un and South LaSalle streets on the molested by police or city authorities, west. At 24th street it has taken in defying laws of municipality and state. South State street; at 26th street it has crossed Wabash avenue; at 31st street it If the entrance into a one time exclusive runs far east, tapering back gradually be residence district of colored household tween 35th and 39th streets to its former ers is to be the first step in its decay narrow four blocks. This continues be into a vice district the situation is grave. yond 63d street, always pushing farther This is what has come about in much of south. the territory north of 35th street and Chicago’s largest colored population west of South Wabash avenue. City au lives between 29th and 35th streets. Many thorities are prone to ignore the right real estate men hold that it will be only of their colored constituents to respecta a few years before the colored people ble home surroundings. Reputable col spread over all that big section as far ored citizens, who could afford to do so, east as the lake. have moved from this part of the city, leaving a district of high lights and deep Colony in Englewood Also. shadows which is equaled in few cities. Included in Chicago’s population are In Englewood there is a considerable about 75,000 colored persons. Other thou colony of colored people between West sands live in Evanston; Gary, Ind.; Blue 59th, West 63d, South Ada and South Hal- Island, and various suburbs. The Negro sted streets, and south from there as far yearbook, published at Tuskegee, Ala., as West 75th street, between South Ra places the Chicago negro population at cine avenue and South Morgan street. 44,103. Some who are particularly per South of East 63d street and west of Cot turbed by the activities of the colored tage Grove avenue is a territory where citizen place the number at 175,000. The they can buy property, but cannot rent board of education census for 1914, the from white owners. Many have bought in last in which colored people were enu that high class district. Around East 55th merated separately, fixed the number at street and Lake Park avenue is a saloon 54,557. Allowing for the normal increase element, while more of the quiet resi of 5 per cent, and considering the recent dence class have homes around Evans large immigration from the south, the avenue and East 48th street, Berkeley present figure should be near 75,000, or avenue and East 44th street, Ellis ave about 3 per cent of the total population nue and East 52d street and in South of the city. Michigan avenue, south of 58th street. In what is known as Millerdale, between Colored People in 2d Ward. East 93d and 95th streets, for four blocks Nearly half the city’s colored popula east of South State street are several tion lives in the 2d ward. The number is hundred more families. close to 30,000 in that ward. The colored On the west side the colored residents voters control it politically, though the pretty generally occupy a territory in whites outnumber them. However, all cluded between Clarkson court, Ada and the former are citizens, so that of the Harrison streets and Grand avenue. Few ward’s qualified voters 78 per cent are er are on the north side than in any colored. The 1st ward, with 7,000, the other part of the city Most of them are 30th with almost as many, then the 3d, w'est of Wells street and south of North 31st, 14th and 6th in order, have heavy avenue.
V
6 CHAPTER II
Jobs Which Are Plentiful for Colored Workers
How generous Chicago is in work for shown to have come here in the last six the colored naan is shown by figures com months. Many of these had left wives piled in a canvass of several hundred and children in the south, and declared homes made by The Daily News. Three their eagerness to bring them to Chicago. blocks cutting across South State. South They were saving enough to pay the cost Dearborn, Federal and South LaSalle of moving their families north as soon as streets were covered They were blocks mild weather comes again next year. which, in addition to homes, included In one house there were four men who churches, stores, saloons and other less were keeping bachelor quarters. Each savory places to which attention will be earned from $18 to $27 a week. One was given later. The census showed 1,406 col a stationary engineer. He had saved ored men, women and children in the $153. He intended buying some property three blocks and not more than twenty- and by next spring hoped to have enough five white persons. They were working to start payments and bring his wife and people, not of the well-to-do class. two children to Chicago. Two others also were saving to bring their families. Some Dislike Steady Work. In one block along South State street, Many of the colored people from the out of 307 men 178, or 58 per cent, had south are unaccustomed to steady work come to Chicago in the last six months. with only one day’s rest in every seven. Away from the lodging house district the This is one of the complaints made by employers who have found their work un percentage was lower. satisfactory. A man was at the Wabash Such conditions indicate that Chicago’s avenue departm ent of the Y. M. C. A., colored population will continue to grow complaining he had lost his job. A. L. rapidly. Jackson, the secretary, asked him if he Once colored help is used, it is seldom had worked every day each week. discharged. The waiters in a well known “Goodness, no,” the man replied. “I “fill ’em quick” chain of lunchrooms in just had to have some days of the week Chicago once struck on the promise of off for pleasure.” being taken into a union. In the end “Conditions in the north will change they found themselves out of the union that spirit,” said Mr. Jackson in telling and their jobs. both. That is about the of the incident. “The man who comes only strike on record. After barring here will want to keep pace with his them for many years that company a few brothers in the north in living: and rec weeks ago started re-employing them as reation and will find it necessary to work short order cooks. every day in order to keep up. His man ner of living, the pleasures he affords Doesn’t Semi Money Abroad. himself and many other things will be added to a changed condition of life, so “The employers who have used colored that loafing will no longer be considered workers keep them,” said an aged col a pleasure.” ored merchant. “The colored man has Jackson is a Harvard graduate. He a pride in his work, in his job and in the went through Andover, made the Harvard concern he works for. His living ex track team and when he graduated in 1914 penses are always greater than his in was the class orator. come. He does not send one-fourth of “In the south they do not consider the all he earns to some country in Europe. individual in discussing the problem of His ideas are American, and he is not the Negro race,” he said. against the law and always scheming to strike or riot or wreck the plant of his Big Percentage at Work. employer.” The percentage of adults who were Classes of work in which numerous col working was the surprising feature of ored men or women are employed in Chi The Daily News canvass. Of those out cago are: of work, some were sick, others laying Pullman porters. Manicurists. off for a few days and still others too Butchers. Bartenders. Asphalt layers. Carpenters. lazy or disinclined to work for worse Postal clerks. Bricklayers. reasons. The summarized figures, ex Stationary engineers. Section hands. cluding children were: Chauffeurs. Holders. Men. Women. Total. Muckers. Cooks. Working ...... 799 *381 1,180 Housemaids. W aiters. idle ...... 72 62 131 Janitors. Saloon porters. Housewreckers. Laborers. Totals ...... 871 443 1.314 Theater ushers. Messenger boys. Housemen. Ironworkers. Per cent working...... 91.8 86.0 89.8 Barber*. ♦Of these 246 are housewives. Families Left in tlie South. Weekly Wages Higher Here. Another significant feature of the house The average weekly wage of the col to house canvass was the number of men ored worker in the United States is $8.63, according to Dr. Charles E. Bentley, one For Pullman anti Stockyards. of the two Chicago directors of the Na tional Association for the Advancement The Pullman company, which for years of Colored People. Miss Jane Addams is w as the largest single employer of col the other director. Chicago is attractive ored workers in the country, now is being hard pressed by the stockyards concerns. because the wages are much higher here. The Pullman company has about 7,500 The canvass made by The Daily News porters, of whom about 5,000 live in Chi showed some of the weekly wages to be cago. Recently it has added colored men as follows: and women as car cleaners. Another Delivery or door boys, $8. 7,500 are waiters in lestaurants, dining Asphalt layers, $18 to $27.90. cars or cafes, or porters in saloons. The Building wreckers, $28. stockyards plants already employ more Waiters, saloon porters, hodcarriers, etc., $10 than 5,000 colored workers, Swift & Co. to $12. alone having 2,000, and are adding to the Cooks and janitors, $14. Pullman porters, $10 and tips. number daily. Housemaids, $6 to $8. Asphalt paving companies employ hun Barbers and bartenders, $18. dreds of colored men. They will be out Tunnel workers, $31.20. of work when extreme cold weather sets Track elevation, $19.20. in, and the colored labor market will face Girl theatrical maids and ushers, $6. its first crisis in Chicago.
f
8 CHAPTER III
The South and the Trade Unions of the North
One of the largest of Chicago’s hotels “I can send my children to school here had trouble with its chambermaids a and can get that my family is safe,” said couple of weeks ago. They quit in a a colored man who had been a steamboat body. That night a telephone message captain in Florida. “In the south I did came to one of the colored churches on not know when trouble might start in the the south side from the hotel manage town where I lived and iu the excite ment saying that 300 colored girls were ment some of my family be murdered.” wanted for chambermaids. There was a scurrying around an 10 CHAPTER IV The Negro in Business and Investment Jesse Binga has a bank at 3633 South maiden and a dowry of $150,000. They live State street. It is the only bank in Chi at 3406 South Park avenue and the songs cago headed by a colored man, of which are buying real estate. all the employes and most of the patrons Hundreds of other colored men are are colored persons. It is one of the owners of property varying from humble few successful financial institutions of homes to one or more apartment build that order in the country. ings. Some of the latter are rented ex Although not the wealthiest colored clusively to white tenants. man in Chicago, Binga probably is the most extensive real estate operator of 731 Negro Business Houses Here. that race. Comparatively few years ago, In other lines of business colored men so few that it still lingers in the memory *nd women have been active. Black’s of others of his race, he drove a wagon Blue Book for 1917, which is published peddling coal oil and gasoline. He in by Ford S. Black (a postal clerk for vested his money in realty. He married eight hours of each night) as a “di a sister of the late “Mushmouth” John rectory of Chicago’s active colored people son, a well known gambler and saloon and guide to their activities,” enumerated keeper. The sister inherited more than 731 business houses in sixty-one differ $200,000 of the estate. ent lines. Not all of them are on the Johnson’s last gambling place was at south side. A restaurant and delicates 464 State street. Every 1 cent piece that sen is in Broadway at Lawrence avenue. came into his gambling houses was Many are run by women. They even have thrown into a box and used to purchase their “lady barbers.” Factories, stores toys for the children of the neighbor and offices are run by colored men. Each hood. His foster sister Cecilia later employs from one to forty persons. caused a sensation shortly before she There are two colored licensed building graduated from the University of Chi contractors and a number of carpenters, cago, when her family connections were plaster bosses, bricklayers, decorators discovered. She now is the wife of Dr. and. others in building trades. Olivet Bap Theodore R. Mozee, 5131 South Wabash tist church, one of the largest in the avenue. city; St. Monica’s Roman Catholic church, “None Dike Me,” Says Bingra. Fort Dearborn hospital, the Crescent ho tel, the Ford hotel and a number of “I’m an Irishman. You won’t find any apartment and store buildings were other colored people like me,” says Mr. erected by colored contractors, artisans Binga. Most of the colored business men and laborers. in Chicago have started with nothing, The largest manufacturing establish for the race is young as a free people in ment makes face powder and toilet prep the nation and still younger in the north. arations. Anthony Overton, its presi Few of them, aside from professional dent, is head of the Chicago branch of men, have got beyond the stage of “small the National Business league. business.” Real estate appeals as an investment The classification is as follows: Advertising agencies 21 Hair dressing parlors 70 to the thrifty Negro. The individual hold “Movie” theater .... 1|Hardware ...... 2 ings of some of them run into surpris Art stores ...... 2 Hotels ...... 5 ing figures. Possibly the largest single Automobile liveries .13 Ice cream parlors.... 4 Bakeries ...... 5 Insurance agencies .. 10 owner of Chicago realty among colored Banks ...... 1 Jewelers ...... 5 men is George H. Jackson, 3416 Vernon Barber shops ...... 86 Laundries ...... 3 avenue, who became wealthy by corner Mercantile agencies .. 1 Blacksmith shops .... 4 Millinery stores ...... 10 ing coal in Cincinnati and came to Chi Book stores ...... 3 Musical instruments. . 2 cago after marrying a daughter of one China painting ...... 4 Music stores (sheet).. 3 of the wealthiest colored men in Ohio. Chiropodists ...... 21 He is past 60 and an ex-member of the Clgarmakers ...... 5 Optometrists ...... 3 Cleaning and Press Photographers ...... 5 Ohio legislature. ing ...... 8 Piano tuning ...... 1 When telling of Chicago real estate Cobblers ...... 9 there is always the old story of “once it Confectioners ...... 4 Printers ...... 7 Contractors ...... 4 Public halls ...... 8 all could have been bought for a song.” Court reporters ...... 3 Publishers ...... 7 On the northeast corner of South State Decorators . 131 Real estate ...... 19 and 36th streets is a piece which actu Dressmakers ...... 15)Regalia and uniforms. 1 Drug stores ...... 12|Restaurants ...... 63 ally was bought for a song or two. It Dry goods stores.... 1 [Saloons ...... 23 represents an investment of $60,000. Jo Electricians ...... 6| Shirtmakers . 1 seph J. Jordan is the owner. When he Employment agencies 5|Shoe polish factories 3 Express and storage.80|Shoeshining stands ..12 was a boy his father had a pool hall. He Feather factory . . . . liSign painters ...... 5 took to the violin and became an enter Fish markets ...... 4| Tailors .... 33 tainer. Many who saw the night lights in Florists ...... ____ 3 Furniture stores .... 7|Undertakers ...... 16 Chicago remember his cabaret. Then he Groceries and delica- 1 wrote “Lovey Joe” and some other songs tessens ...... and went to London. There he sang him Haberdashers ...... 3¡ Total ...... ,...7 3 1 self into the heart of an East Indian In the south the colored business man 11 to a large extent enjoys a monopoly of trict. “Once the colored man or woman the trade of his own race. In Chicago he thinks he is being overcharged his trade faces desperate competition. Few stores is lost.” attempt to discourage colored patronage. Long years of faithful service have ad Race clannishness, nomadic instincts for vanced certain colored men to office po bargain hunting, business temperament, sitions of prominence which do not ability of proprietors and many other require them to come in contact factors enter into the situation. with their own people. One is an elec Dr. George C. Hall, 3408 South Park trical engineer for the Commonwealth avenue, probably knows his people from Edison company, another is general time the highest to the lowest as well as any keeper in the downtown offices of one of man in the country. the big packing companies, another is “When a Negro business man starts traffic manager for a Cleveland steel com coriTi>laining th a t his people will not trade pany with offices in Chicago’s “loop.” A with him you can be sure that the fault big tin company has a colored man as is with him,” said Dr. Hall. “That the secretary of the corporation in charge of colored people like to trade with their its downtown offices; a machinery com own is shown by the fact that the stores pany has a colored man for buyer; an in South State street, most of which have other of the race is solicitor for one of white owners, employ colored clerks to the big banks. Many represent insurance attract colored trade. Too many men at companies, real estate firms, undertaking tempt to run a business which they do establishments and such among a colored not understand, and when they fail blame clientele. it on their customers.” One colored woman, a widow, over Some Merchants Shortsighted. came the handicap of both sex and color before she married and retired. She “Some colored merchants can’t see far is Mrs. W. B. Claxton, 19 East 28th street, enough ahead, and instead of figuring that who until a few months ago (then Miss a customer will come back they try to Mable P. Blue) was office manager for get the best of him,” said a Jewish mer the Percheron Society of America at the chant of years of experience in the dis Union stockyards. 12 CHAPTER V Many Are in Professional and Political Life From the lofty legislative hall to the Most of the lawyers have acquired garish, law defying cabaret is a long prominence through activities in politics, jump. Yet in these and in many places where the handicap of color was less se between the colored men find field for vere. Among them, together with the po activity in Chicago. Some are college sitions which they have held are: graduates. Others by natural talent have Franklin A. Denison, 451 East 42d street, graduated from the noisy saloon or the and S. A. T. W atkins, 3332 Calumet ave sedate Pullman sleeper. In almost every nue, former assistants to the corporation profession they are to be found. Many counsel. are in the front ranks. They are push S. Laing Williams, 4203 St. Lawrence ing forward in increasing numbers each avenue, former assistant district attor year. Lawyers, physicians, surgeons, ney. dentists, musicians, clergymen, writers, Louis B. Anderson, 2821 Wabash avenue, teachers, are among them. Many cater and Edward H. Wright, 2963 Wabash ave principally to white clients. nue, assistants to the corporation counsel. Miss Ida Platt, 5237 Ellis avenue, one Ferdinand L. Barnett, 3234 Rhodes ave of the first women to be admitted to the nue, former assistant state’s attorney. Illinois bar, is the only woman lawyer Edward E. Wilson, 3815 Vernon avenue, of the race in the state if not in the en assistant state’s attorney. ure country. Mrs. E. H. Morris is at Jerry Brumfield, 6209 Loomis street, as tending law college preparatory to tak sistant city attorney. ing the bar examination. Many colored Denison is colonel and Anderson a cap- women have entered the professions, ta’r, in the 8th Illinois. making a creditable showing in competi Oise M oving P ictu re Cemsor. tion with white rivals. The Rev. A. J. Carey, pastor of the Colored Raee In Professions. Institutional Methodist church, is an A careful canvass shows the numerical other appointee in the corporation coun strength of the leading professions to be: sel’s office. He was on the board of Actors ...... 53 moving picture censors. That place is A rtists ...... 15 now held by Alonzo J. Bowling, 5363 Dear Authors ...... 16 Clergymen ...... 74 born street, who won it by civil service. D entists ...... 32 Assistant Corporation Counsel Wright Lawyers ...... 48 thinks the highest honor he ever re Musicians (made up of 4 bands, 4 jubilee troupes, 5 orchestras, 28 pianists, 30 vocal ceived was that of president pro tern of ists) ...... 71 the county board and head of the county Professional nurses...... 47 government for six weeks. He was a Physicians ...... 86 School teachers...... 41 member of that board for four years. John Jones, at that time one of the city’s Total ...... 483 leading tailors and an owner of downtown Naming of the most prominent of those business property, was the first colored who have risen from the environment of man elected in 1872; next came Theodore menial tasks which occupy most of the Jones in 1894. then Wright, later Frank race indicates the possibilities for the Leland and Oscar De Priest. The last future. named is the 2d ward alderman, the first Edward H. Morris, 3757 Vernon avenue, cf the race to hold th a t office in Chi lawyer and twice a member of the Illi cago. All are dead except De Priest and nois legislature, is probably the best W right. known professional man of his race. He In the early ’80s Joseph W. Moon was is one of the wealthy men of Chicago and twice elected clerk of the south town. the wealthiest colored man in the north Henry J. Mitchell and Attorney William west. Among his own people his chief M artin also held the office. activity is as grand master of their Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, their larg State Legislature Has Hail Twelve. est fraternal organization. He bought the Niblack summer home near Benton Har Twelve colored men including the pres bor, Mich. ent two, who have been members of the Illinois legislature are: Lawyer Thomas a Pioneer. *J. W. E. Thomas, 1876-8, 1882-6. George P. Ecton, 1886-90. More than forty years ago J. W. E. Attorney Edward H. Morris, 1890-2, 1902-4. Thomas appeared at the old Harrison Jam es E. Bish, 1892-4. *Maj. John C. Buckner. 1894-6. street police station to defend his race- Attorney W illiam L. Martin, 1898-1900. He was the first colored lawyer in Chi »Attorney John G. Jones, 1900-2. cago, the only colored member of the re Edward D. Green, 1904-6, 1910-2. publican county central committee, served *Dr. Alexander Lane, 1906-10. Shederick B. Turner, 1914-16. three terms in the legislature, where he Maj. R. R. Jackson, 1912-18. put through a bill of rights, and before Benjamin H. Lucas, 1916-18. he died accumulated a fortune as lawyer •Deceased. and bondsman. Many have come since his Caring for the ills of humanity has ap time. pealed strongly to the colored men and 13 women and more have secured educations Two women nurses showed their caliber for that purpose than for any other. Dr. in this year’s city civil service exam Daniel H. Williams, 445 East 42d street, inations for school tuberculosis nurses at St. Luke’s hospital; Dr. Allen A. Wes when they passed first among fifty-seven ley, 3149 Prairie avenue, and Dr. George competitors. Miss Lulu G. Warlick, 16 C. Hall, 3408 South Park avenue, at Prov West 36th street, was first with a mark ident hospital, are surgeons with few ing of 97.86 per cent, and Mrs. Luemiza equals. Dr. U. Grant Dailey, 4317 For- Cooper, 3717 State street, next with 96.5. restville avenue, graduate of Northwest Miss Warlick waived her rights and is ern and ex-president of the colored Na night superintendent at Provident hospi tional Medical association, is a younger tal. surgeon. Under President Cleveland, Dr. Williams was superintendent of the C. S. Kulte a H arvard Man. Freedman’s hospital in Washington. In another quasi-political position is Charles S. Duke. 4636 West Erie street, An Expert In Tuberculosis. civil engineer with the city harbor com Dr. A. Wilberforce Williams, 3408 Ver mission. He is a Harvard graduate and non avenue, is one of the foremost phy a first lieutenant in the 8th Illinois in sicians in the country in the study and fantry. treatment of tuberculosis. Dr. Spencer At least two University of Chicago col C. Dickerson, 3601 State street, specialist ored graduates have achieved distinction. in eye, ear, nose and throat, is an assist Ernest Just, after finishing at Dartmouth, ant professor at Rush and wears a “C” received his Ph. D. degree in biology and whioh he won as a member of the Uni allied subjects from Chicago in the fall versity of Chicago track team. of 1916 and now is a professor ni Howard Dr. Charles E. Bentley, 529 East 41st university a t W ashington, D. C. Monroe street, is one of the leading dentists of M. Work, the statistician at Tuskegee for the city, has done much for the science the Negro Yearbook, is also a graduate of dentistry and at various times has been of the local university. an officer of local societies. In all these “On the day Just graduated with his professions are many others doing cred high honors the newspapers did not men itable work, though they have not yet at tion it,” said Dr. Bentley. “One reason tained the prominence of the men men why so many fail to realize what the tioned. negro is doing is made clear.” 14 CHAPTER VI Musicians, Artists, Writers and the Stray Genius In one of the most notorious of the One Sung by Schnmann-Heink. South State street cabaret saloons which “If I Forget,” whose sale runs into the cater to late carousers of all colors and tens of thousands, goes into the realm of both sexes a dark skinned colored man music worth while. It was made popu with protruding lips and a shock of white lar by Mme. Schumann-Heink. Alfred hair over his forehead plays the piano Anderson wrote the lyrics and DeKoven through the night. Occasionally he Thompson the music. After many vain glances at a sheet of music. Most of the efforts to get an audience one of the col time his eyes are roving around the room ored men slipped the manuscript into the while his long legs are doubled under the famous singer’s hands as sh.e was taking chair and his lean body is twisted into a train to leave Chicago. It and “Dear an impossible position so he can hold an Lord, Remember Me,” are Thompson’s ear toward the keyboard as if the piano best musical efforts. Anderson is clerk were talking to him alone. in charge at Provident hospital, editorial Few of the hundreds of early morning writer for the Defender, and a prolific “slummers” who come there would recog composer. He wrote “Rag-ma-la,” one nize the name of Tony Jackson. Even of the first “rags”; “My Twilight Dream fewer of the thousands who have seen of You,” which was sung by Jessie Bart the name know that he is a piano pounder lett Davis; the book for the opera “Cap in a notorious cabaret. Tony Jackson tain Rufus”; a three-reeler, “For the wrote “Pretty Baby,” a song feature of Honor of the Eighth,” and much more. the “Follies,” considered by many the Fenton Johnson, 3026 Vernon avenue, popular song hit of the year. He received editor of the Champion, is a writer of $45 for it. Its sales netted thousands. He poems which have attracted wide atten has another one, “Some Sweet Day,” tion. Most of them are in a volume, “A waiting to be published. Tony Jackson Little Dreaming.” W. H. A. Moore is an is a natural genius. He is not the most other colored poet of note. finished musician, the best skilled in The late Paul Laurence Dunbar of Day- technique nor the most prolific writer. ton, O., the greatest poet of the race, did He is a remarkable figure of the moment. some of his best work in Chicago. Rich ard B. Harrison, 3327 Calumet avenue, is Music Notes in Shorthand. one of the many dramatic readers of his works. Clarence M. Jones, 11 East 38th street, is a writer of popular songs who has both Others in Musical Circles. the natural ear and the technical train Mme. Anita Patti Brown, 3827 Wabash ing. He plays the piano in a theater at avenue; Mme. Florence Cole Talbert, 3617 night and by day writes music for one Forest avenue; Mme. E. Azalia Hackley, company and makes player-piano rolls 3019 Calumet avenue; Mrs. Willa Sloan, for another. He can take down by short 6523 St. Lawrence avenue; Miss Maud J. hand a whistled or hummed melody and Roberts, 3231 Vernon avenue; Mme. M. play it from the notes as a stenographer Calloway Byron, 3300 Rhodes avenue; would write a letter. He can run through Mrs. Martha Broadus Anderson, 6450 the score of an opera once and after that Champlain avenue; Mrs. Julia B. Ander play it by ear. He can call any note as son, 2831 Wabash avenue; Mrs. Mary Odd- it is sounded on a musical instrument. rick, 4434 Langley avenue; Mrs. Annie “One Wonderful Night,” “Just Because Hackley. 3452 Forest avenue. Mme. Marie You Won My Heart” and “La Danza Ap- Burton-Hyram, 3828 Dearborn street; passionata” are among his compositions. T. Theodore Taylor, 3558 Rhodes avenue; Now he is working on a song “that will Pauline Garner, 5229 Wabash avenue; live,” as he says. Harrison Emanuel, 6352 Rhodes avenue, Dave Peyton, leader of the orchestra are a few of those in Chicago musical at another theater, is also a musical circles. Mme. Byron is abroad. Others genius in arranging, though no composi are touring this country. Mme. Talbert tions bear his name. won the diamond medal at the Chicago “Chemise Chihuahua,” “I Ain’t Got No Musical college in 1916. Mrs. Hackley body” and several others of jangling ideas and Mrs. Oddrick won medals in previous and harmonies were written by Spencer years’ contests. Mrs. Julia Anderson was W. Williams, 3334 Prairie avenue, whose the first colored graduate of the Chicago regular occupation is porter on a sleep Musical college and won the harmony ing car. medal. Even better known are “Walkin’ the The old Pekin theater, 2700 South State Dog,” “All Night Long,’’ “Some of These street, run by the late Bob Mott and Days” and other productions of Shelton Harrison Stewart, gave the start to most Brooks, a Chicago boy, who now is on the of the theatrical performers of the race vaudeville circuit. on the stage to-day. “Brazilian Dreams” was another hit of Church choirs and jubilee troupes this year’s Follies. It was the work of abound. That of the Bethel church is un Will H. Dixon, 5440 Dearborn street. der James A. Mundy, who organized the 15 chorus of 600 voices which sang at the as a p rin ter. F rank A. Young ie m an celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of aging editor and Cary B. Lewis, who negro freedom. “Ethiopia,” composed by was given a start by Col. Watterson in Frank O. Raines, was the popular draw Louisville, is city editor. ing card. Pedro T. Tinsley, 6448 Drexel The Broad Ax, edited by Julius F. Tay avenue, is an old time choral leader, lor, 6418 Champlain avenue, and the Illi whose “Harmony” is a textbook. nois Idea, by S. B. T urner, form er mem William M. Farrow. 6117 South Racine ber of the legislature, are the other two avenue; B. E. Fountaine, 3462 Vernon local weeklies. Among monthly maga avenue, painters; F. Langston Mitchell, zines there are the Champion, the Half- 3800 Rhodes avenue; Proctor Chisholm, Century, the Pullman Porter, the Frater 3502 Vernon avenue, and Fon Holly, car nal Advocate and the Stroller. toonists, are the race’s contributors to art. E. R. Robinson, 3236 Calumet avenue, inventor of a street car wheel and a Negro Writers on Negro Problem. joltless auto wheel, claims hundreds of thousands of dollars’ damages from the Many have turned their hand to writ street car companies for infringements ing. Prof. Richard T. Greener, former on his patent. John T. Baker has in consul to Vladivostock, and the first col vented a friction heater, an army kitchen ored man to graduate from Harvard, and and refrigerator and several other de A ttorney George W. E llis, F. R. G. S., vices. J. P. Norwood, 3759 Wabash ave 3262 Vernon avenue, have dealt exten nue, has a bread wrapping machine and a sively with the negro problem. Maj. John rotary toothbrush. Roy Lynch, 4352 Forrestville avenue, re tired army paymaster, three times con Earl Gordon, 4632 Winthrop avenue, gressman from Mississippi, and ex-assist may not be a genius, but surely is a ant auditor of the treasury, is another. curiosity. He is a private chauffeur and W. H. Ferris, 3359 Wabash avenue, a Yale has a diamond set medal for driving 100,- man, is the author of a most pretentious 000 miles without an accident. He did it work on the race. in seven years. The Defender, published by R. S. Ab Last but not least among the men of bott, at 3159 South State street, is said talent is Andrew (“Rube”) Foster, 3242 to have the largest circulation of papers Vernon avenue, manager of the American of its kind in the United States. Eleven Giants, a formidable figure in “semipro” years ago Editor Abbott founded it on a baseball and the highest paid colored capital of 25 cents, a lead pencil and manager in the world. The team is owned scratchpad, backed by a degree from by John Schorling, 429 West 79th street, Hampton college and practical experience a white saloonkeeper. 16 CHAPTER VII Apartments for Colored Families; Two Great Institutions Plans have been completed for one of Innovation in Building; Line. the finest and most modern apartment Considerable investigating was done houses in the city, to be ready for occu before this innovation in the building line pancy in the summer of 1917, exclusively was decided on. Dr. George C. Hall, by colored tenants. Julius Rosenwald, chairman of the executive committee of who has given $500,000 for Y. M. C. A. the Wabash Avenue Y. M. C. A., and A. L. buildings and rural schools for colored Jackson, secretary, made a trip to Cin people, is back of the project financially. cinnati, where J. C. Schmidlapp has in It is in a way an experiment, but those vested $500,000 in model buildings for col who enthusiastically prophesy its success ored tenants. Some of the Schmidlapp declare that it will be the forerunner of buildings are extremely plain and apart others of the same type in different parts ments rent for $1 a week a room. of the city. This new apartment house is expected The northeast corner of Vernon avenue to play a great part in the social eco and East 32d street, adjoining the Rhodes nomic and moral life of the people. On avenue hospital, has been secured for the account of the effect which it will have site. Plans for the building drawn by on the future it may be classed as an Zimmerman, Saxe & Zimmerman are now institution. Two Chicago institutions al in the hands of Whiteside & Wentworth, ready stand out prominently among those who will handle the property. It is to be in which colored men are the guiding of the English basement type with three spirits. They are the Provident hospital floors of apartments, making it a four at 16 West 36th street and the Wabash story structure. It will contain sixty Avenue departm ent of the Y. M. C. A. apartments, each having two and three at 3763 South Wabash avenue. The hos rooms and a bath. The building will pital has passed its twenty-fifth year. have its own refrigerating system con The Y. M. C. A. is comparatively new. necting with each apartment. It also Provident Hospital Is Notable. will have an incinerator system connect ing with each apartment, steam heat, hot Provident hospital gives a greater op and cold water, basement laundries and portunity to the colored physician tnan janitor service. The outside will be fin any other institution . in the country. ished in dark red brick. Along Vernon Freedman’s hospital in Washington is avenue will be a fifteen foot width of larger and Douglas hospital in Philadel lawn and terrace. On the 32d street side phia is almost as large, but they are will be a garden court and fountain on supported respectively by government which many of the apartments will face. and state aid, so that Provident hospital is in a class by itself. With the Nathan M. Freer $30,000 home for nurses, the Rents from $IS Up to $38. plant represents an investment of $125,- 000 and is free from debt. It has an an Rents will be from $18 to $38 a month. nual expenditure of $28,00« and the outlay The investment is expected to be slightly is made without a breath of scandal. more than $125,000 and a return of at least 5 per cent on the investment is ex Of its oatients at present 60 per cent pected. Each floor will be the same in are colored and 40 per cent are white. arrangement. The number of apart The ratio varies. One-third of the suf ments of each class and the rental re ferers are charity patients. The phy turn for the building is planned to be: sicians’ staff and dispensary force are made up of both white and colored Rent Monthly Rent Monthly rate. Apts. total. rate. Apts total. people. The nurses, except the superin $18 ...... 6 ...... $108 $34 ...... 3...... $102 tendent, Miss Astrid Hofseth, are all 19 .. ___27...... 513 36 ...... 3...... 108 colored. The last anuual report shows 22 . . ___3 ...... 66 38 ...... 3...... 114 a daily average of thirty-four patients for 32 ...... 6 ...... 192 Totals. .80.. ,..$1,500 the hospital, a total of 987 for the year, 33 ...... 9 ...... 297 or 17,689 since the institution was found On this basis the building will bring ed. The dispensary shows 3,017 persons in an annual gross return of $18,000. The for the year and a total of 88,827. 5 per cent desired on the investment The nativity of those in the hospital in would be $6,250. 1915 was: Afro-American, 712; Irish, 45; The thirty-six small flats are each to Am erican, 38; German, 34; Polish, 22; have a 12 by 14 foot living room, with an Jewish, 10; Lithuanian, 7; English and in-a-door bed and closet, an 8 by 14 Italian, 4 each; Bohemian, Danish, Greek, kitchen and a separate bathroom. Scotch and Swedish, 3 each; French and The twenty-four larger flats are to Hungarian, 2 each; Austrian, Bulgarian, have chambers 13 by 15 feet with an in-a- Finlandic, Jamaican, Norwegian and Rus door bed and closet, living rooms 12 by sian, 1 each. 14 with an in-a-door bed, 8 by 9 porches George H. Webster, who died late in from one room and a balcony from the 1916, was president of the hospital for other, and the same sized kitchens and twenty years. The late Lloyd S. Wheel bathrooms as the other flats. er, a colored man who later was man- 17 ager at Tuskegee, was its first president. der as Y. M. C. A. secretary with the Philip D. Armour, Marshall Field and 8th Illinois regiment. Members of the George M. Pullman, all deceased, and Wabash avenue department can stop at H. H. Kohlsaat were the donors who the $1,350,000 hotel at 822 South Wabash made the institute possible. Dr. Charles avenue. Several have done so, but most E. Bentley is its secretary, James S. Mad of the strangers who come from out of den is treasurer and Attorney Robert Mc- the city and are referred to the hotel on Murdy is chairman of the finance commit account of overcrow'ded dormitories pre tee. fer to remain among their own race. It is one of the most potent factors for V. M. C. A. Has 1,329 M embers. good in a section of the community abounding in destructive agencies. The Y. M. C. A. has a physical plant ‘ The negro youth needs everything that costing $185,000. It has 1,329 members, the white boy needs and more,” said Sec 150 living in its dormitories and 125 retary Jackson. ‘‘We are doing a great attending its automobile school. It has work for the young man by helping him secured Jobs for 500 persons this year. and for the race in general by showing It sent Dr. G. C. Booth, a university of that it has individuals who are sincere, Michigan graduate, Jo the Mexican bor reliable and actuated by high motives.” 18 CHAPTER VIII Churches and Charitable Institutions Churches probably wield more power tricts. “A campaign contribution to the among the colored people than among any enurch from this or that politician has other single class in the United States. in some instances silenced criticism.” Religion is an intimate part of life to most colored persons. The churches are Denominations in tlxe City. an influence for good citizenship and an educational factor second only to the Denominationally and according to public schools. They have clergymen numbers, the Chicago colored churches powerful as exhorters, and surrounded by are divided as follows: thousands of devout followers. Denomination— Churches. Members. A canvass of all the churches made by B a p tis t...... 36 12,230 The Daily News shows that they claim African Methodist Episcopal ...... 14 10,390 Colored Methodist Episcopal ...... 2 850 42.5 per cent of the city’s colored popula Methodist Episcopal ...... 4 1,750 tion as church members. Attending church African Methodist Episcopal Zion.. 2 1,050 is taken up with enthusiasm and religious Presbyterian ...... 2 1,500 Christian ...... 2 900 services are made a pleasure. Few Congregational ...... 2 1,100 other churches in the city have as large Episcopal ...... 1 1,000 congregations as several of the leading Roman Catholic ...... 1 650 colored churches. From this high stand Miscellaneous ...... 3 450 ard the congregations diminish in size Totals ...... 60 31,870 and influence down to the private ven tures where a “brother” or “sister” with Some of tlie Largest Clinrches. a can of paint and a brush has converted a vacant store into a mission. Sometimes Membership in the various churches a “mission” is started and runs a strong varies from tens and twenties to 3,500 at lunged exhortation, followed by a collec the largest. Olivet Baptist, West 27th and tion or a rummage sale to make it worth South Dearborn streets, of which the while. Rev. Dr. L. K. Williams is pastor, is the largest church of the Baptist de Activities of tlie Churches. nomination in the west. The African Methodist Episcopal church has a num The big churches are financially pros ber of large congregations. Bethel, 2979 perous. They have employment agencies, South Dearborn street, the Rev. Dr. W. day nurseries literary societies, drill D. Cook, pastor, has 3,000 mem bers; teams and classes of various kinds. They Quinn chapel, the oldest colored church do more or less charity work among their in the city, 2401 South Wabash avenue, own people. Some of them, W alters A. M. the Rev. J. C. Anderson, pastor, has B. Zion, at West 38th and South Dearborn 2,000; Institutional, 3825 South Dearborn streets, and the Institutional, 3825 South street, the Rev. A. J. Carey, pastor, has Dearborn street, among others, are open 1,500. St. Mark’s Methodist Episcopal twenty-four hours a day to give shelter church. 5001 South Wabash avenue, the and help to all who call. Rev. J. W. Robinson, pastor; St. Thomas’ In civic life outside their own doors Episcopal church, East 38th street and the churches apparently do not have the South Wabash avenue, the Rev. J. H. influence to which they are entitled. Two Simons, pastor, and Salem Baptist of them protested in vain against dif church, West 30th and South LaSalle ferent saloons a few doors distant, whith streets, the Rev. J. E. Heywood, pastor, er boys and girls were turning their each touch the 1,000 mark. steps. The Rev. A. J. Carey, one of the leading pastors, has received political The Rev. J. T. Jenifer, 3430 Vernon preferment and others have been smiled avenue, now historian of the A. M. E. on by the powers that be. But with church, built the present Quinn chapel. their thousands of devoted followers, the It was the first colored church and the colored clergyman, as a rule, has not due fourth Protestant one in the city when prominence among those working outside started by the late Rev. A. F. Hall. An his church to better conditions among other preacher of force was the late Rev. his people. Recently several clergymen Elijah J. Fisher, a colored veteran who passed resolutions indorsing the city ad had lost his left leg and held a doctor’s ministration regardless of the wide open degree from the University of Chicago. haunts of vice thrown in among their Until his death recently he was for twelve people. years the powerful leader of Olivet. “Too many of our clergymen do not According to the Rev. R. E. Wilson, have the courage of their convictions and 4830 Langley avenue, superintendent of will not lead a determined fight against the Chicago district of the A. M. E. evil influences and institutions which en church, the orders of deaconesses and croach on their neighborhoods, usually stewardesses of the Institutional church conducted by white men,” said a colored do an immense amount of extension work man who has been active in many of the among the people. The Chicago Choral efforts to keep saloons away from the Study club makes its headquarters at this churches and out of the residence dis church. 19 The Rev. J. P. Thomas, an old-time McDonald, for many years a probation of preacher, has one of the largest follow ficer, who is ite superintendent. Between ings in the city at the Ebenezer Baptist forty-four and sixty boys are cared for. church. Last winter he doled out soup The Home for the Aged by a deter and meals to more than 3,000 hungry in mined fight for twenty-five years of its his church. The Rev. Dr. Moses H. Jack- existence now is, through the efforts of a son of the Grace Presbyterian is another new board of directors, in the best finan powerful leader whose scarred back cial condition of its career. It is sup shows the marks of slavery days. He has ported by voluntary contributions, prac been in Chicago twenty-nine years. The tically all from colored people, and has church has the largest Sunday school and an annual expense of $2,500. Sixteen aged lyceum in the city. persons are in the institution. Frank S. Hamilton, 2831 Wabaeh avenue, a dining Many Settlements and Homes. car conductor, is its president, and Dr. Closely pressing the chur.ches in gen Charles L. Lewis, 3801 South State street, eral good done, even though far less is its secretary. The Amateur Minstrel prosperous and less powerful, are the club cleared $1,000 for it at one of the settlements and homes, in most instances largest benefits ever given. founded and supported by a few self- In the world of clubs, fraternal and sacrificing individuals. military organizations, the colored people The Frederick Douglass center, 3032 are active. The Appomattox club, which South Wabash avenue, was organized in owns its own property at 3441 South Wa 1904, by Mrs. Celia Parker Woolley, its bash avenue, is run on a pretentious head resident, and her husband, Dr. Wool- scale, providing social life and recreation ley. All its residents are white, though for its members, and aiming to lead in most of the trustees are colored. It has civic advancement for its people. The day and night classes and clubs. Mrs. Easter Lily club is said to be the largest Woolley has given freely of her time single organization of colored women in working as a pioneer for a better under the country. There is a state and a city standing between the races. federation of women’s clubs, containing Other worthy settlements and institu some sixty-five organizations. tions are: Wendell Phillips settlement, 2009 Wal Fraternal Societies Popular. nut street. It is safe to say that nearly every col Miss Cloter Scott settlement, 4706 South ored man of means belongs to one or more Wabash avenue. fraternal organizations. Their uniformed Negro Fellowship league, 3005 South ranks are a pride and joy. Fraternal or State street. ganizations gratify a love for pomp, pag Louise Training School for Colored eantry and mystery, but their activity for Boys, 6130 South Ada street. good extends only indirectly beyond their Home for Aged and Infirm Colored Peo own circles of membership. ple, 510 West Garfield boulevard. The greatest public organization is the Y. W. C. A., colored branch, 3424 Rhodes 8th infantry regim ent, I. N. G., which, avenue. overcoming obstacles within and luke Phyllis Wheatley home, 3256 Rhodes warm .support without, has grown into a avenue. strong military unit, with an armory of Old Soldiers’ Widows’ Rest, 3258 Forest its own at 3517 Forest avenue. It was the avenue. only colored military regiment to be Amanda Smith Industrial School for called to the border in the recent mobili Girls, 307 West 147th street, Harvey. zation. Its colonel, Franklin A. Denison, The Amanda Smith school was estab is a leading colored lawyer of Chicago, lished as an orphanage by the evangelist its lieutenant-colonel, James H. Johnson, of that name eighteen years ago. It now is division auditor for the Pullman com is directed by a board of which E. C. pany, and the major its first battalion, R. Wentworth is president and treasurer R. Jackson, is a state legislator, propri and Mrs. Charles Henrotin is vice-presi etor of a printing establishment and prob dent. Most of the other officers and di ably the most popular colored man in rectors also are white. Forty girls are office. in the school, many of them sent by the The inception of the 8th regiment came County courts, for which $15 a month is in the Hannibal zouaves which were or paid. Miss Ruth E. Wilkins is superintend ganized in 1869. Robert E. Moore, 3265 ent. The institution depends on private Vernon avenue, their captain, still has contributions to extend its work. the old colors and standards. As the The Louise Training school does a sim boys grew older they became the Han ilar work among boys from the Juvenile nibal guards and later two companies of court. It was started by Mrs. Elizabeth the old 16th battalion. 20 CHAPTER IX Public Schools and Opportunities in Civil Service Since the first colored children in Chi school laws for colored children and many cago trudged with their books to the families migrating here wait until their old Third avenue school—even the name children are 14 years old. Comparatively of the street has been changed—the at few colored pupils are in the night tendance of colored children has grown schools.” steadily until more than 4,500 are in the Opportunities for education are strong public schools to-day. Many years ago factors in attracting the more indus the Third Avenue school, taught by a trious colored families from the southern Mrs. Dewey, was the only one which they states to the north. Schooling is the attended. Attendance at other schools same for all, regardless of race or color. required physical hardihood on the part The law requires that the child attend of the colored pupils. Conditions have school. changed since then and they now attend In striking contrast are the opportuni the public educational institutions most ties in the south, according to figures convenient to their homes. compiled at Tuskegee institute. They In certain schools the attendance of show how many days the colored schools colored pupils is large on account of the are open in a year, the number of days location of the residence areas of col possible for each colored child if all at ored families. A canvass of twelve of tended, the percentage of children at the schools showed an attendance of 4,276 tending, the average days of attendance colored pupils. Several hundred more are for each one and the years it would take scattered among other schools. Of the to complete an elementary course. high schools, the Wendell Phillips, at 3825 Prairie avenue, has the largest at Figures from Southern States. tendance of colored pupils. This is on The figures are: account of its situation and not because Year* Days to of any sentimental preference for a Days Per Pet. at- for each com- school named after the noted abolitionist. State— open, child, tending, child, plete. Out of its 1,670 pupils 352, or about 21 South Carolina 67 26 58.4 44 33 Louisiana ___ 86 23 40.1 58 25 per cent, are colored. Alabama ...... 104 27 41.8 66 22 In the elementary schools the propor Nor. Carolina.. 115 50 75.0 72 20 Florida ...... 98 43 54.8 72 20 tion varies from 90 per cent for one Georgia ...... 123 48 65.4 74 19 school down to less than 1 per cent for Virginia ...... 121 47 56.0 76 19 others. One school has 936 pupils, of Texas ...... 124 47 58.8 80 18 whom 711 are colored. Maryland ...... 163 57 56.4 91 16 Other states which the Negro year-book Colored Attendance at School. lists as having separate appropriations for colored schools are Arkansas, Dela Though these figures seem large, col ware, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, ored pupils number only 1.3 per cent Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia and of -the city’s school attendance of 350,000. the District of Columbia. In several of In the city’s population, 3 per cent is these the expenditure for colored pupils colored. The ratio should be the same accords with the proportion which they between adults and pupils if the colored make of the population. In South Caro children were attending school in proper lina they are 55.2 per cent of the popu numbers. Making the comparison from lation and they get 13 per cent of the another angle, out of the city’s total school money, which is the other extreme. population about cne in every seven is attending a public school. The ratio would be lower if private schools were Race Troubles Rare. added. Out of the city’s colored popu Race troubles among pupils in Chica lation only one in every fourteen is at go’s public schools have been rare in tending school. recent years. In classroom work, athletic games and such other school activities as Truancy Same as the Whites. are under the direction of the board of “Our records show that among colored education all are on equal footing. A children of the compulsory school age, frequent contention is that colored pupils the percentage of truancy is not any and white pupils would progress faster if larger than among the white race,” said they had separate classes and different W. Lester Bodine, superintendent of com methods of teaching. This view is dis pulsory education. “Their scholarship puted. records compare favorably, they are •In scholarship, ability to learn and equally eager to learn and in some in application and classroom work the stances have taken honors in their class colored pupils average up with the white es. However, the future of the colored pupils,” said a principal who has had ex child is a big question. Many of them perience with thousands of both races in must work for a living and start in after the last ten years. “One handicap which they reach the age of 14 years. In the may be more common among colored south there are practically no compulsory than among the white pupils is that the 21 home environment is not always as help Government employes ... ■ 265 ful as it might be, for the parents from City policemen ...... 65 City firemen ...... 12 economic or other reasons have not had Adult probation officer ---- 1 any such opportunities to learn as have Juvenile probation officers . 5 the children. Among the children in school there is no trouble. When trouble Total ...... 348 Mrs. Everlin Cason, 4524 St. Lawrence dees come it usually starts in the homes.” avenue; Mary E. Clark, 3812 South Wa bash avenue; Mrs. Alice Simpson, 3215 Work, for Colored Graduates. Prairie avenue, and Mrs. Mattie I. Thorn ton, 4323 Forrestville avenue, are post- ‘‘What work can I get if I go through office clerks. Miss Susan Boaz, 219 North school?” is the regular question of the Campbell avenue; Miss Minnie Jones and truant colored boy, according to H. W. Mrs. A. M. Smith, 3256 Vernon avenue, Hammond, juvenile court probation officer and Mrs. Jessie Thomas, 3319 Forest and graduate of New York university. avenue, are juvenile probation officers Hundreds of colored men and women and Mrs. Bessie Gilmer, 5123 South Dear are holding clerical positions which they born street, is the adult probation offi- could not have obtained if it had not been for public school educations. Some are Joseph C. Wickliffe, 5329 South Wabash with private concerns and others are on avenue, and William F. Childs, 6353 Eber- public pay rolls. The most noticeable of hart avenue, are lieutenants in the fire the latter are: and police departments respectively. 22 CHAPTER X Real Estate Values and Bad Housing Conditions Desire of well to do colored families to were the purchasers and he said that none get better homes and better surroundings defaulted on the payments. He holds for has been one of the chief causes of com $10,000 another piece of property with a plaint against the race in Chicago. The house which originally cost $40,000. entrance of colored residents into a high Are Keen to Own Property. class white neighborhood usually evokes protests and sometimes violence. In some “Colored persons are keen to own prop instances the invader is of the shiftless erty,” said Willis V. Jefferson, a real estate man. “A couple in moderate cir class which peels potatoes on the front cumstances will buy a place much too porch, jars the rear horizon with wash large for their family, then they will rent ings and rubbish and generally cheapens some rooms, the wife will take care of the neighborhood. Back of them usually the house, the husband will work and in is some real estate speculator who hopes a short time it will be paid for. They are to profit by affecting property values, and pretty crowded, however, while the pay so the protest is justified regardless of ments are going on. As a rule colored the color of the new tenants. In most in owners of property keep up their build stances. however, the first colored family ings. Many other owners of property with to enter a white neighborhood is actuated colored tenants let the buildings decay.” to a certain extent by a desire to get Running south between South State away from evil influences and conditions street and the railroad elevated tracks around its former home. west of the street is a strip of varying Rents and property values fall in a width which shows how a district can de neighborhood if it deteriorates after teriorate. Not so very long ago it was in colored residents have come into it. The habited by hard working, thrifty colored first comers of the race, however, pay families, churches were built there and higher rents or higher prices for property they still remain. But most of the families than the white tenants then in posses which once gave it special standing have sion are paying. In other neighborhoods gone, and it is now an object lesson. where the property is not allowed to run down after it is occupied by colored ten Classification of Buildings. ants and owners—and there are several A survey of every house in three blocks such neighborhoods in Chicago—the val running across the district was made by ues hold up. The Daily News. The different buildings Error in Colored Districts. in the district were classified with the number in each class as follows: “Chicago’s colored population is grow No.| No. ing with great rapidity and its welfare Brick. 1 s to ry .. ... 41 Frame, 2 sto rie s.. .. 96 Brick. 2 stories. .. 22# Frame, 8 stories.. .. 19 cannot be ignored,’’ said a prominent real Brick. 3 stories. .. 341 — estate dealer. “A civic policy which holds Brick, 4 stories. .. 2 Total that anything is good enough and noth Fram e, 1 story.. .. 16| ing is too bad to be permitted in a col The condition of the buildings varied ored residence or business district is now between the extreme case of one which in force. The better class of colored per had been condemned and nailed shut ly sons will move away from such districts, the city health department two years leaving an element which discredits the ago, to some in a fair state of cleanliness race and creating a plague spot endan and repair. Under four classifications the gering the physical and moral health of buildings were divided as follows: the entire city.” Street— Good.Fair.Poor. Bad.Total. S. State, west side.... .' V 18 6 6 37 “Bad housing conditions are the great S. Dearborn, east side.,, 4 6 13 1 24 est cause for demoralization among col S. Dearborn, west side. 12 6 9 3 30 Federal, east side ...... 7 14 6 5 32 ored people,” said Dr. George C. Hall, Federal, west side...... 5 12 11 1 29 who has given much attention to that S. LaSalle, east sid e.... 2 7 4 3 16 phase of the problem of his race. “In Cross streets ...... 4 13 3 5 25 order to get in a decent building a couple T o t a ls ...... 41 76 52 24 193 perhaps are compelled to take an eight room flat; in order to keep the flat they Insanitary Homes Found. sublet seven rooms and eat and sleep in Many of the buildings did not have the kitchen. Even worse consequences lights in the hallways. One did not have might be described. Mr. Rosenwald’s any back porches, and the dark hallways smaller flats are designed to relieve this were full of clotheslines and freshly condition.” washed clothes. Few had bathrooms, and One colored real estate man a few days in many there was no plumbing or else ago sold a piece of proprty on Calumet the water was shut off on account of non avenue, on which the building alone had payment of rent. Rickety stairways with cost $12,000, to another colored man for out handrails, gaping rents in the plaster, $4,900. Recently he sold a string of houses leaky roofs, wet basements, indiscrim for varying prices, the lowest cash pay inate refuse and dirt and other violations ment being $1,000. Railroad men, civil of health and building regulations of the service employes and professional men city abounded. 23 In this district were 1,406 colored per plying with the city ordinances,” said Ed sons and not more than twenty-five white Felix, 3002 South Dearborn street, who persons. Only one piece of property, how has been in business in the district for ever, was owned by a colored man. The more than thirty years. “As they run roadways are all paved and are cleaner down the class of tenants deteriorates, than some of the back yards. The pav until finally come those who won’t pay ing of the streets was forced several years rent. It is too expensive to evict them by ago despite the opposition of the white court proceedings and the owner shuts off property owners. the water. Then somebody steals the plumbing and the property is picked to “Many owners make absolutely no re pieces. But all the time somebody is liv pairs on their buildings, not even com ing in it.” CHAPTER XI Politics Puts Disorderly Dives Among Homes On the southeast corner of South State license, filed in the city clerk’s ofllce, and 35th streets, in the center of the that brewery, signed by C. Kenke and H. colored residence and business district, Horn, is the surety. The two names do is the Panama saloon, owned by Isadore not appear in the city directory. Levin. It is declared to be the most The license of the Panama was re brazen, decency-defying saloon in the voked March 6 and restored March 16. district—possibly in the entire city. It 1916. It was again revoked July 11 and re might be called two saloons. The books stored Aug. 10. It is rumored that Levin of the city collector, however, show that made his peace with the police and the only one license has been taken out. city hall and that it cost him $1,000 on On the corner is a bar. Back of that on each occasion. Aid. Oscar De Priest ar the East 35th street side is a cabaret gued that sixty colored men and girls room. Upstairs is another big cabaret were employed in the place and that it room, reached by an inside stairway should be reopened to help give employ from the rear room on the ground floor. ment to people of his race. Levin’s Drinks are served on both floors. The white attorney was a law partner of second floor has a service bar of its own. Mayor Thompson’s principal advisers. However, even if the waiters carried Levin also forced things by threatening their dripping trays from the saloon bar to do some talking on his own account. on the first floor two licenses would be A Levin from a west side dive was one required under section 1527 of the code, of the witnesses against former Inspec one for each floor. Respectable cafes tor McCann and the police did not want downtown laid out on the same plan are any repetition of such testimony. Levin’s required to pay for two licenses. Levin place now is running fuil blast. is in a district where “everything goes.” “Teenan” Jones anil His Resort. Panama’s Songs Indecent. A few doors north, at 3445 South State The first floor cabaret has an orches street, is the Elite No. 2, run by Henry tra, four girl singers and one man sing (“Teenan”) Jones. It is smaller than er, usually in varying degrees of intoxi Levin’s Panama, but similar to it in cation. It can seat 150. The second backroom patronage. “Teenan” is the floor has a grand piano, the same number colored ruler of that underworld district. of noise makers, more tables and a dan His dealings with the police in past years cing space. The girls’ songs are not and his profits make a story in them merely suggestive. They are unmistak selves. The saloon is only one of his ably indecent. As singers the girls ire moneymaking ventures. It is declared not much. Personal charms apparently that the police would no more think of are better recommendations than singing making his saloon obey the law than ability. they would of closing one of his gambling The sixty employes of the place are houses. When other saloons close at 1 colored. It has both white and colored a. m., a line of automobiles stretches patrons. Some of the latter are well along the street and the sidewalk is dressed and well behaved; others are blocked with the late night rounders noisy, in mackinaws and sweaters. Among waiting to slip through the doors of the white patrons most conspicuous are “Teenan’s” place when a coveted seat the “shimmers,” largely of the class who is vacated. kiss on the corner while waiting foi Other resorts in the district are worse; street cars and whose terms of endear some are better. These are typical of ment would be considered cause for jus the roistering saloons, a kind which tifiable murder in the far west. Equally would not be tolerated in any other part numerous but less noisy are the white of the city since the old 22d street levee men who strike up acquaintance with was broken up. Few of them are run by colored girls living in neighboring "buf colored proprietors. White proprietors fet” flats. There are also white women have brought them into the district and who associate with colored men. The many of them are patronized largely by waiters do a profitable brokerage busi crowds from other parts of the city. The ness in arranging meetings. This salo<|n resorts are forced on the colored people. is one of the best sources of supply for Those colored families in good circum cases in the Morals court, according to stances and desiring respectable sur Judge Fisher. roundings move away, only to find dis orderly saloons trailing after them. Proprietor a White Man. Levm, who profits by this establish License in Spite of Protest. ment. is a white man. He lives at 3614 At 301 East 37th street, on the south Indiana avenue. The W acker & Birlc east corner of Forest avenue, is the sa Brewing and Malting company, whose of loon of Sol Joy Collanger, 4100 Calumet ficers, also white, talk publicly about avenue. With this exception the district is clean saloons,” is less openly back of a quiet, respectable residence quarter. the dive. On Levin, s bond to socure h When it was known that this property 25 was to be used for saloon purposes a derly houses. Some were in flat build petition of protest was signed by 3U0 ings, the other tenants of which appar representative colored men and present ently were respectable, some raising fam ed to Mayor Harrison. The mayor did ilies of children. not grant the license until after he was defeated at the primaries two years ago. Adam Ortseifen, friend of the mayor’s How Resort Got n Location. and an influential citizen, is the offlcial Many white owners of real estate who head of the British corporation which speak in horrified whispers of vice dan owns the brewery which supplies the sa gers view such dangers with complacency loon with beer and is on its bond. when these are thrust among colored At night this saloon is an animated families. Two years ago a woman of the place. Reputable colored families object underworld and her gambler husband de to it chiefly on account of the numbers cided to open a “high class” resort on of disorderly white women who meet col the south side. She got a location as a ored men in its diminutive back room. neighbor of reputable colored people by In the barroom an automatic piano purchasing the home of a former aider- thumps through the night until closing man and leader in a church, the one hours. On the mirrors are pasted chro of which the Rev. John P. Brushingham, mos of “September Morn” and other secretary of Mayor Thompson’s morals poses of nude women. commission, is pastor. The woman was “Buffet” flats and disorderly hotels are one of the most notorious of the demi adjuncts of the bad saloons. They make monde. An oil painting of her as she a better harvest for the police than the was before her husband in a fit of jeal saloons. The borderland of a colored ousy bit off part of her nose for years residential district is the haven for dis had hung in a saloon of international orderly resorts. Protests of colored fam reputation. ilies against the painted women in their These are some of the influences which neighborhood, the midnight honking of the colored population is forced to com automobiles, the loud profanity and vul bat in its fight for decency and good cit garity are usually ignored by the police. izenship. A few secure political prefer In one block between South State and ment and others profit by catering to the South Dearborn streets which was can city’s vices, while the rank and file are vassed by The Daily News, five places hedged around by demoralizing influences were found openly admitted to be disor and the race is discredited unjustly. 26 CHAPTER XII Gambling Controlled by a Powerful Political Syndicate Tile rattle of the dice, the click of the known on the colored levee since the days poker chip and the gentle falling of the when “Black Mag” was in her prime. cards is seldom stilled in what is known Explain DePriest’a Activity. as the heart of Chicago’s “colored dis Oscar DePriest, real estate dealer and trict.’’ Gambling is a popular recreation alderman from the 2d ward, is the highest among a certain element. Protests of tl»c in political office among Chicago colored better element of colored people appar men and always has been aggressive for ently fall on deaf ears. Gambling nouses the rights of his people. Some answer and clubs are as easy to locate and run the common talk of his familiarity with almost as openly as grocery stores. Their gambling and other resorts by declaring sanction and protection by politicians and it a part of his duty as alderman to see police is on a “business” basis. If a that the colored people get a part in ev person has made the “proper” arrange erything going. ments he can run without molestation It is reported that under the so called but if he has overlooked that important “syndicate” control the first month of detail he may safely bet that he will be operation showed a profit of $1,800. After raided the first night. The arrangements that the profit is said to have risen to are said by those who ought to know to $5,700 a month, according to one close be largely financial. to the money, which is now the average Whether gambling is a more dangerous sum divided monthly. Colored men who cause of demoralization of a community have wished to discuss opening gambling than are disorderly saloons, buffet flats houses with the political powers in the and dissolute women is an often discussed ward are said to have been referred to question. Gambling is a man’s game, 28 CHAPTER XIII Mayors, Congressmen and State Senators Elected by Colored Voters From the plague spots of the districts rent list it is impossible for him to pre of Chicago in which colored people dwell, vent some such tenants from slipping in where disorderly saloons, “buffet” flats, before their business is known. gambling houses and other symptoms of commercialized vice are tolerated by the Harding and Police Jolts. police, the chain of politics stretches upward. It has many links. It reaches Congressman Madden and Senator to the marble columns of the national Harding have much to say as to who capitol at Washington. It touches many shall do the police work in their terri legislative halls and high offices before it tory, especially under the present admin ends in the nation’s greatest legislative istration. Harding says >he leaves such body. Men high in the nation, state and local affairs to the two aldermen. Aid. city owe their political life to the vote Norris says he does not act as a gobe- of colored citizens. These same men tween for his constituents and the police are politically responsible for conditions and that with the latter he does not have as they exist among their constituents. If enough influence to close a gambling the colored citizen does not get his share house, having tried once and failed. Aid. of opportunities and advantages which De Priest is left as the active boss on the the city and state offer and has more job over the police, but Senator Harding than his share of the vice and demorali has the final word. It is apparently up zation thrust upon him by white politi to Harding and De Priest to say whether cians, his political leaders are the per the colored voters who elect them shall sons to whom he must appeal. live amid respectable surroundings or whether their district shall become the Congressman arul Senator. dumping ground for the vice of the city. “I was told that a politicak.meeting to Martin B. Madden, congressman from oppose me was held at the Dunbar club,” the 1st Illinois district, and George F. said Aid. Norris, relating his amazing Harding, state senator at Springfield from police experience with the notorious the 1st senatorial district, are the two gambling house at 3016 South State street. men who, in the last analysis, control a “I complained against the cluh to the very large proportion of the colored vote police station and a couple of days later of Chicago. That vote is a factor in the captain told me he had investigated a lesser way in other sections of the and could not find any gambling. One oi city and in this district it elects other the men who played there kept me in officials. No other politicians have the formed and I insisted on some action same control as these two. The balance being taken. One afternoon the police of power wielded by the colored vote, raided the place when two colored base swung by Senator Harding, gave Mayor ball teams were playing and had drawn Thompson his nomination and his sub such crowds to see them that there was sequent election. Samuel A. Bttelson, cor not a colored ‘sport’ with money east of poration counsel and state senator from Wentworth avenue. The club was open the 3d district, also depends on the col that night as usual. I got after the cap ored vote. The 1st and 3d districts have tain again and he stationed officers at the a colored representative each, the one front and rear entrances, My gambler from the 1st having been selected by friend told me two policemen were there Harding. The race’s vote which is abso and the game had been moved next door lute in the 2d ward where Harding con with the players stepping over the police trols, has picked Hugh Norris, white, and men’s toes as they came and went. The Oscar De Priest colored, for aldermen. police didn’t want to and wouldn’t close De Priest now lines with the Madden-Et- the club, so I quit.” telson element. This is a typical illustration of how the Congressman Madden was the first to police act against a lawbreaking estab capitalize the colored vote. Senator Hard lishment that is protected by the “sys ing, then alderman, followed and devel tem,” even though they antagonize an oped it on more systematic lines. He is alderman. A general tendency is shown the political czar with an inexhaustible to neglect the district by police, health, campaign barrel and no disgruntled sub building department or other officials. The chief has ever successfully opposed him. residents do not get such public conven Congressman Madden watches his politi iences as citizens residing elsewhere en cal fences with care. Senator Harding is joy, and so they push out into other parts one of the largest real estate owners in of the city in search of them. the city. Charges have come from the “My opinion, based on observation in offices of the Committee of Fifteen that this court, is that crime conditions among some of Senator Harding’s buildings are the colored people are being deliberately used for “buffet” flats, disorderly saloons fostered by the present city administra and similar purposes. Senator Harding tion,” said Judge Harry M. Fisher of the has answered that when the character of Morals court. “Disorderly cabarets, undesirable tenants was discovered they thieves and depraved women are allowed were evicted and that with such a large in the section of the city where colored people live. They have an expression, Total Colored ‘The law is around to-night,’ as a warn (All races.IPersons. Pet. Population ...... 2,500,000 75,000 3.0 ing to behave, so seldom is the law en A rrests ...... 121,704 9,969 8.2 forced. The race is being exploited for Percentage arrested...... 4.9 13.3 the sake of men in politics who are a Convicted ...... 46,987 5,861 10.4 Per cent prisoners convict disgrace to their own race. Young, unat ed ...... 38.6 48.8 tached men or women, strangers and un The great excess in the percentage of sophisticated, are brought into this dis convictions is explained by colored law trict from the south, and their first taste yers on the theory that the colored pris of freedom is downward.” oner is looked on with less favor than a Pool hall night schools in the rudi w hite one. ments of crime, insanitary and dangerous In the Juvenile court the figures were: homes, surroundings of vice and deprav Delinquents. Dependents. Total, ity abound, in contrast to the necessities ttoys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Amer’ns (white) 356 99 241 223 919 of good citizenship which are lacking. Amer’ns (col’d). 168 66 64 84 318 All nativities. .2,192 594 1,116 1,194 5,096 Colored Race and the Law. In the Morals court the percentage of Colored persons involved with the law colored prisoners is even higher. Reform are greatly in excess of the proportion of authorities say that the percentage of other races, according to the annual re crime is increased greatly by the dis port for 1915 of the Chicago police de orderly surroundings in which so many of partment. The figures, summarized, were: the colored people are forced to live. CHAPTER XIV Planning for the Future and Better Conditions Those farsighted persons who look to Sophronisba P. Breckenridge and Dr. the future of the colored population of George C. Hall are the Chicago members Chicago are awake to the situation. De of the directorate. Eugene Kinckle Jones, voted men and women, both white and one of the league’s national secretaries, colored, have given freely of their time held a meeting with the local leaders, and money to help direct the less and T. Arnold Hill, one of the national fortunate ones in the right direction and organizers, was left in charge. The league surround them with proper influences. plans to make a survay of housing and Reputable members of the Negro race, living conditions, moral surroundings, these who have real influence in the com avenues of work and other phases of life munity, are grappling as best they can among colored residents. It will co with the task of uplifting a people who ordinate the work of about 400 present are discriminated against in civic oppo- colored organizations. tunities and overloaded with city evils. A similar survey was made by a local White citizens also realize that the rapid class in civics in the fall of 1913. Fifty influx of colored people from the south blocks between 26th, South LaSalle and has made the problem one that cannot 36th streets and South Wabash avenue be disregarded and one that involves the were covered. In them were found 118 future of the entire city. destructive and sixteen constructive agen Among the colored people are many or cies. In the ten blocks along South State ganizations. Nearly all of them profess street were eighty-two destructives and a purpose looking toward race betterment sixteen constructive agencies. Of the or religious growth, but a great many sixteen ten were for Negroes, four for overlook this purpose in the more imme whites and two were schools for both diate satisfaction of literary and social races. The league proposes to expend meetings. The churches all have their $1,000 in making its survey. It has done individual organizations, which do an im similar work with excellent results in mense amount of work. In the last few other cities. years the Y. M. C. A. and sim ilar organ izations have got fairly started on prac The National Association for the Ad tical work among the people. vancement of Colored People already has a local organization. Miss Jane Addams To Co-Ordinate 400 Organization.«. and Dr. Charles E. Bentley are national directors. Organization of a Chicago branch of the National League on Urban Conditions The Federated Colored organizations Among Negroes, one of the strongest and also have launched the Rotary Settlement most practical of their organizations, is movement for the avowed purpose of ‘‘de under way. L. Hollingsworth Wood of stroying much of the fertile soil for New York is the national president. Miss viciousness and corruption.” 30 Two Different Flans of Work. ahead it will reap the harvest of foster Those working for the uplifting of their ing a kindergarten on the streets where gamins learn crime and know that once race in Chicago as elsewhere may be di vided roughly into two schools—one mi probation they are immune from ar working on the plans followed by the late rest. There was a time when in every Booker T. Washington and the other fol saloon, gambling joint, disorderly house lowing the theories advanced by W. E. or other vicious or degrading place a Burghardt DuBois of New York. Though colored man or woman was employed. their ideas may differ on details, both The employment was that of catering to groups are striving sincerely for the ad the vices. Now the colored people have vancement of their people. learned that they can advance only Thinking colored persons are keenly through respectable employments, re awake to the dangers pressing in on spectable associations. The colored peo tlmm because of the unbridled license ple must awake themselves up, buy prop which city authorities permit in wards erty, raise children and build homes for like the 2d. the future. The one-time feeling of dis “Increased demands made upon our in trust and jealousy is passing away and dustries have brought among us thousands they must unite for their future develop of colored men, who, while speaking the m ent.” same language as we do, are in many “The city has the right to expect certain cases little more accustomed to the free standards of living among colored people, dom of this city, the habits and customs and it has no right to force gambling of our people than is the newly arrived houses and disorderly dives among them,” peasant from Europe,’’ said the Rev. Dr. said the Rev. Myron E. Adams, former William A. Blackwell, pastor of Walters pastor of the First Baptist church, and African Methodist Episcopal Zion church. still actively interested in the welfare “These people must be amalgamated and of the south side. “They should have assimilated. They must be saved from wholesome recreational advantages They the evil influences which surround them must co-operate instead of discrediting and started in the right life.” each other. Their religious leaders should emphasize the practical elements of hu Free and Easy Conditions. manity as well as the emotional ones of “The system seems to be to have free religion. Thrift, honesty, punctuality and and easy conditions along South State civic obligations must be appreciated.” and 35th streets,” said Morris Lewis, 3633 Need of Improvement Shown. Forest avenue, secretary to the Peck es tate and an officer of the Douglas Im This is the concluding article in the provement association. “About all we series which The Daily News has pre can get action on is a dirty alley. As pared, the first thorough study of the to driving out ‘buffet’ flats and similar colored population of Chicago. The arti dives, the only hope we have is that the cles have shown the extent of this pop Committee of Fifteen will give some at ulation, how it is distributed through the tention to our district and force the city city and the rapidity with which it has officials to do something.” increased in recent months. The oppor “It makes those who look forward to a tunities for the colored boy or girl have future for the colored race blush when been pointed out, and many colored men they see the conditions in State street by and women who by their efforts and tal day and night,” said Dr. Bentley. ents have become valued members of the “The colored young man or girl has a community and nation have been men lack of good, wholesome moral opportuni tioned by name. The articles also have ties,” explained Edward H. Wright, an described the injurious physical conditions assistant corporation counsel. forced on the so called “colored districts” “The delinquent colored boy or girl either from motives of politics or of av who is taken to the Juvenile court is arice, conditions which tend to retard the turned out again on probation to learn progress of the race. These conditions more and keep going until either sent to must be changed in the interest of the the penitentiary or hanged,” said Dr. healthy, steady advancement of the race Hall. “If Chicago lacks the vision to see as a whole. 31 THE BEST WAR NEWS The London Chronicle of December 4, 1914, said: “The Chicago Daily News, which is by far the best evening news paper in the world, has over thirty cor respondents in Europe reporting on the war.” The London Chronicle of June 19, 1915, said: “The Chicago Daily News, which has published more special war news than any other paper in Amer ica ^ ^ ^ ^ An old Chicago newspaper man, speaking to a friend the other day, said: “Tom, I see all the principal newspapers of the country, and do you know that the best news of the war is put together right here in Chicago in our Daily News?” Are you reading the best war news in America,, in the best news-paper in Chicago?he men who run the hand gambling situation in the big part of books by day, or bank the thirty or forty their district in the 2d ward. Back of games by night, bring their cash there them are white police officials at one end after the play is over and come there to of the line and white politicians who get their “bank rolls,” the syndicate’s keep them in power at the other end of share deducted in the interim, before they the line. When 2d ward, and even some start the next day. Occasionally the adjacent ward, gambling is discussed by money is kept in “Teenan’s” safe. Lewis’ gamblers on the inside, certain colored place is considered the clearing house. men always are mentioned. They are Expose by The Dally New«. called “the syndicate” and their approval Until The Daily News printed a list of is said to be necessary if the police are a dozen of the biggest gambling houses in to let anybody run in the ward. the district, Lewis’ place ran with the Henry (“Teenan”) Jones, owner of the curtains up and the games and players Elite saloon No. 2, the Star movie thea could be seen from the platform or tee ter, gambling houses, several road shows elevated station. Out of deference to the and entertainment propositions, made a feelings of the police of the Stanton ave fortune as intermediary between the col nue station the curtains were pulled down ored spirting world and the police. He after that. The game did not stop. was close to former Inspector Nicholas “Bill” Lewis’ familiar figure, stuoby Hunt. gray mustache, pearl gray fuzzy fedora “Bill” Lewis, old time and well to do pulled down over his eyes, collar turned gambler, who for years has run a big up and hands in his overcoat pockets protected game for high players, both stands in the East 35th street doorway white and colored, has been a noted char every night. Occasionally a doorman re acter in the underworld since he shot the lieves him. White and black patrons, late “Pony” Moore and a woman at 3d singly, in pair, in groups, are coming and avenue and Taylor street many years ago going, loudly discussing their winnings or in the wide open days of the old levee. losings. Its character as a gambling David L. Knighten, employe of the elec house is plain even without “Bill’s” well tion commissioners’ office and husband of known figure, which is as illuminating to Dr. Anna B. Knighten, better known as insiders as an electric sign in front °f “Dr. Schultz,” 3430 Calumet avenue, is 3, theater. influential in the district. Knighten is a When complaints come to the police democrat in politics, but has been well against any of the syndicate games gam- 27 biers say the proprietors are notified. If Gathering in the Victims. the “knock” is too strong a raid is made, after sufficient warning. The ordinary Many of the gambling houses have run patrolman or detective would no more ners out whose work is as systematic as raid Lewis’ place than he would his cap that of insurance solicitors. They gath tain’s clothes locker at the police station. er in the strangers in the city, men with Games which do not belong to the syndi their week’s pay in their pockets, sleep cate are classed as “outlaws” and raided ing car porters who have got off their before they get fairly started. runs on the railroads, or anybody who Across the street from Lewis’ clearing will be grist for the gambling mill. house, on the second floor at 11 East 35th In a different class are the quasiprivate street, an entrance on the alley, “Mex gambling clubs. The newest one is up ican Frank” Gordon once ran. He had stairs on the northeast corner of Forest poker and craps, the same as at the avenue and East 35th street, in which clearing house, only the play was cheap Bernard W. Fitts is the moving spirit. er. He was raided continuously until he To enter it a person must be a member was put out of business. “Chatty” Pink- or the guest of a member, as in some stone followed under the name of the of the more pretentious clubs where Chauffeurs’ club, also refusing to pay the gambling is a prominent feature. “Bill” syndicate. The police waited for him to Thomas who ran the Kentucky club is get a bank roll together and then its manager. “sloughed” him. He opened on the sec Walter Speedy refused to go into the ond floor at 3523 South State street and syndicate and his place, the Ranier club, was put out of business in the same way. 3010 South State street, second floor, was Some of the Gambling Resorts. raided That was not a permanent dam per on his insubordination, and Speedy Some of the principal gambling places now is in the bridewell on a pandering in the district are: charge. “Big Dave” McGowan, “Bob” 3016 South State street, second floor, Ridley and a number of others whose Dunbar club, a mockery on the name of faces have shown at gambling houses in the late Paul Laurence Dunbar, the bril the past are reputable citizens now. The liant young colored poet who brought so syndicate keeps them so. much honor to his race. It is one of the biggest of the syndicate games. Bud Colored Gamblers of Note. Woo