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Ann Arbor, Michigan 40106 A X«rox Education Company I I 73-2028 JAMES, Felix, 1937- THE AMERICAN ADDITION: THE HISTORY OF A BLACK COMMUNITY. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1972 History, modern University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan © Copyright by Felix James 1972 THIS DISSERTATION HAS BEEN MICROFILMED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED. THE AFRICAN ADDITIONi THE HISTORY OF A FLACK CO:" UNITY DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Decree of Dootor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Felix James, B,A., N,A, ****** ’he Ohio State Univers.it' 1???. Approved V Adviser Department of Kistorv PLEASE NOTE: Some pages may have indistinct print. Filmed as received. University Microfilms, A Xerox Education Company For l"y Father and For the Memory of !!y Mother The American Addition was platted in I898 as a pastoral hamlet on the edge of Columbus, Ohio, In the early days it was a mixed black and v/hite community* but with the influx of blacks to the community during World War I, most of the whites left. As Columbus became a metropolis, the Addition, originally an attractive community, became an ugly slum, Many of the houses were built of boxcar and scrap materials, Most Additioners led a hand-to-mouth existence. The Addition ,routh for the most part were poorly fed, poorly clad, and poorly housed. Though most newcomers to American Addition viewed Columbus as the promised landi once in the city they encountered difficulties in procuring jobs. With the aid of Columbus Urban Leagu Clinton Township Trustees, and other benevolent organiaa tions, Additioners managed to survive. In 195^ Additioners appealed to the City Council of Columbus for the annexation of their community. They believed that improvements would come only after annexa­ tion, After a long struggle, Columbus annexed the Addition in 1999» As Additioners predicted, annexation led to the rehabilitation of the community. Again, American Addition evolved as an attractive neighborhood. The period of Urban history within which the subject falls has been studied by a score of sociologists. No historian, however, has fully examined American Addi­ tion which provided a valuable experiment in Urban history. This is a typical study of some of the problems that con­ fronted blacks in urban America, I attempted to evaluate, to analyze, and to describe the evolution of the Addition from lflpa to 1971. I owe acknowledgements to a number of individuals. Especially helpful was the staff of Ohio Historical Society; Mrs. Andrea Lentz, Curator of the Manuscript Division; Mrs. I'arion Bates, Reference Librarian; Frank R, Levstik, Archives Specialist; David Rosenblatt, Oral History Specialist; Edward R. Lentz, Urban History Specialist; and Conrad Wertzel, Reference Librarian. F'eriss Cornell, professor, School of Social Work, Ohio State University, placed at my disposal his valuable manuscripts on the American Addition, Of equal value wore the pictures provided by Fhelton Simmons, supervisor, Sanitation Division, Columbus Health Department, Eldon Ward, co-owner of E, E. Ward Moving and Storage Company, took leave from his busy schedule to properly introduce me to Columbus, I'or'-over, I am deeply grateful to the many people in Columbus who granted me interviews and in several instances led me to important sources. Special thanks are due to Professor Robert H. Brenner v/ho suggested the topic and read the manuscript at every stage of its development. His kindness, in­ spiration, and constructive criticisms made my research and writing an enjoyable experience. Frofessors Harry L. Coles and K. Austin Kerr offered suggestions which saved me from numerous errors. Thanks are also due to Pro­ fessor Sydney P. Fisher who was instrumental in getting me a fellowship to study at Ohio State University, Professor Richard Hopkins who introduced me to Urban history and suggested many research techniques. Pro­ fessors Elsie H. Lewis and V.'illiston Lofton of Howard University v/ho first aroused my interest in historical research. Finally, I am thankful for Kiss Simi Johnson v/ho came into nr* life at the most crucial stage of the project and made the whole experience more complete. Columbus, Ohio F.J. VITAE 3orn ..................... Hurtsboro, Alabama, 193? 19b?............................... P.A., Fort Valley State College, Fort Valley, Georgia 1962-196^. ...Instructor, C, A. John­ son High, Columbia, South Carolina 1965-1967 ..........................Reserve Book Librarian, Howard University, Washington, D.C. 1967 ............................... V..A,, Howard University, Washington, D.C. 1967 -1970 ,.........................Instructor, Tuskegee Institute, Tuskegee, Alabama 1970-1972.................. ....... Post Graduate Study, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio Fields of Study Hajor Field: Recent United States History. Professors Robert K. Brenner, H. Austin Kerr, W. D, Jones Civil War and Reconstruction. Professor Merton L, Dillon American Revolution, I763 -I7 B9 . Professor Bradley Chapin Modern ”iddle East, Professor Sydney H. Fisher v Publications "The Establishment of Froedmen's Village in Arlington, Virginia," Negro Klstorv Tulletin, April 1970. "Tuskegee Institute Movable School, 1906-1923*" Journal of Agricultural History. July 1971. "Decline of Freedmen^s Village in Arlington, Virginia," Social and Behavioral Scientists Journal (Accepted for publication!™. TABLE OF CONTENTS Fa/re PREFACE................... ........................ ii VITAE............................................... v LIST OF TABLES..................................... viii LIST OF PLOTS, PLATS, AND MAPS................... ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.......................... x INTRODUCTION................................. 1 Chapter I, AMERICAN ADDITION MATRIX................. 31 II. THE prohle:: OF HOUSING in the addition., hz III, HEALTH AND GENERAL WELFARE OF ADDITIONERS............. 58 IV. RELIGIOUS LIFE OF ADDITIONERS........... 9? V. FAMILY STRUCTURE OF / DDITIONERS......... 113 VI. AFRICAN ADDITION YOUTH.................. 122 VII. ANNEXATION AND REHABILITATION OF AI TER I CAN ADDITION......................... 1^5 SUMMARY............................................. 185 3IBLI0GRAFHV ....................................... lQi+ LTS? 0? TABLES Humber Fa^e 1. Humber and Percent of Blacks .in the Population of Columbus, 1840-1910..... 4 2. Cond.ition of Repair by Number of Rooms, 4.5 3. Number of Rooms per Household in the Addition by "umber of Persons per Household.................... 47 4. Porch and Basement or Cellar Facilities, and Size of i)v/ellin£.................... 49 5. Humber of Households with Each Rent Per Month, By District and Race of Head of Household...................... 61 6. Sex, Ay.e, and I'arital Condition of Members of American Addition Households 116 7. Occupations of Additioners.............. 120 4 LIST 0? PLOTS, FLATS, AND PAPS Plat Page 1, Windsor Atcheson, Sr. Estate (1895)...,., 33 Garden Plot 1, Gardening Land for Unemployed Placlc Families in Columbus on Joyce and ^’ifth Avenues (I93I)............................. 66 I'.aps 1. Columbus, Ohio Showing Racial, Rational, and Industrial Localities (1918)......... 28 2. American Addition (I898)................... 35 3. Water Improvement in American Addition (1932) 80 Proposed Annexation of American Addition to Columbus (1956 )......................... 15^ 5, Existing Sanitary Sewers(1971. 160 6 , Proposed Land Use (1971)................. 181 7, Proposed Urban Renewal Area (1971)......... 182 ix LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page 1. The American Addition, Home of Richard 5. Garretts, Columbus, Ohio.................... 55 2.