NEGRO PROBLEM

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 102, 4 May 1925, Page 15

NEGRO PROBLEM

HARLEM THE BLACK MAN'S

MECCA

ORGANISED- FINANCIAL CENTRE.

An interesting change has taken place il'Jring several years past in the development of New York City, one of national importance. It has social significance, in the solution of the race problem. The American reminds himself now and then that his country hae the opporiunily of solving the race problem for ins wholo world. That he has the opportunity, •with the polyglot character of the population—l2,ooo,ooo of negroes, to start with—there can be no doubt. Since the ivar, all that part of New York known as Harlem, between 125 th and 145 th streets, has become the greatest negro city in the world, states the New York correspondent of the Mel-.

bourne "Age." This section is not a slum hot is one of the most beautiful and healthful sections of the city. The population has changed from Dutch to Irish to Jewish, and now to negro. Jt is a section of fine dwellings and well-

paved streets. There are in it fine churches, theatres, civic ■ centres, etc.

Here now are to be found, from °5 and 30 solid blocks of negroes. Just. to the north and to the sound of this section are the "best" parts of the city, and this section itself is one of the "best" parts. The negroes hero are not only from the old south, but Har-

lem lias become the mecca for the negroes of the world. It marks a hew chapter in negro development as well as in American. . . . The negroes of America have up to the present been content to hang around the fringe of white society, to accept the cast-off garments of the whites. Harlem is a brand new phenomenon.

The movement to Harlem began with- ] out proclamation. Its beginning was du e to the filling of the Harlem district by enterprising real estate men with up-to-date houses, , but before rapid transportation had been adequately provided. As a result there was a, slump in Harlem realty. An enterprising negro, a real estate man, took advantage of the situation and began slowly to buy up or to rent houses in the district. Some of the whites began to wako up over the matter, so that for several years there was a real estate struggle for supremacy in that district. The negroes, however, showed great ability, and they brought out the cash in great amounts, and they had the families, with children in them, to.fill the houses. The result was a victory for the negroes. It not infrequently occurred that white people were evicted to make room for black

people. The negvo had this advantage. a negro moved into a block practically all the white peoplo tied. It amounts to a Nordic exodus, for many of the families would desert their houses in a panic., leaving their mortgages behind, banks thus being compelled to take some of them over. Of course, values dropped. . . . The situation was, a finely-built district, the white people fleeing, the black people coming in. The war worked to the advantage of negro Harlem. Race distinctions were ignored, for the time. Negro labour was in great demand in the factories of New York. Aliens in the city rushed away to their own lands, leaving behind vacant houses. Negroes were, brought up from the south'. Harlem became the centre of negro population. The fine buildings were filled with black people.

This unusual thing also happened, the negro began to save money. With the big stream of money flowing to them — for the first time in history—instead of squandering it, as preconceived notions would make them do, they '.'salted it down." When the struggle over the possession of Harlem came this saved money came to the surface. An enthusiasm for getting property filled them. One preacher often took for his text, "Buy property." His congregation applied the text by buying a splendid brown stone church from a' fleeing white congregation. Negroes from the West Indies would occasionally purchase a fine, piece of property in Harlem. The exodus of whites from Harlem put a panic into the real estate market, and lots and houses were gobbled up at one-third their former appraisement. A big insurance company held over a hundred ■model private houses, with courts and wrought iron gates; they were sold cheap. Negroes began to organise to make the rout more, complete. Companies were formed, representing holdings running up to a million dollars. It is conservatively estimated that the holdings in Harlem would run up to more than 60.000,000 dollars. A score of years ago scarcely a negro could bo found in Harlem, except "as servants. Ten years ago very few negroes owned property in all New York. Harlem is now typically negro. The negro is in management. In the churches, the schools, the theatres/ the street scenes," band concerts, processions, all is negro. Harlem has become the negro centre for art. music, education, politics. It is already looked upon as the centre of negro dramatics and music. Visitors from all parts of the world may be found there. It will probably remain a negro city for many years to come, and will probably contribute to the wellbeing of the country. As to its permanency, attention is drawn to the fact that; Harlem is not a foreign colony—all speak English. Harlem is probably 90 per cent. American. Harlem is not a quarter, but is a vital part of the great arteries Tunning north and "south. The negroes of Harlem are all good "New Yorkers. They are daily taking part in the activities of the metropolis, from one end to the other of it. It is not believed, that the appearance of Harlem in the social life of America will lead to. race difficulties. The negroes have institutions of their own in Harlem, but. in their work they get cut into all New York. This double aspect oE living by themselves and then mingling with the whole population in their daily tasks would seem to reduce the probabilities of race clashing to a minimum. What is put down to the negro's credit is the fact that he is loyal, and not given much to radicalism. I might add that Harlem has its own negro policemen, along with other civic officials. Intelligent observers believe that Harlem, for the first time in the history of American life., will' afford a laboratory for experiments in the race problem. America, being regarded as the field where the, greatest opportunity is offered for working out peace and unity between races. There are at this moment nearly 200,000 negroes living in the heart of New York —more than can be found in any city of the old south—and vet without friction. There: are officials"' in Xcw York "who s:vy thiil Harlem is tho must law-abiding portion of the city. Some of the proudest New Yorkers arc negroes. -The negro feels that there lie has rcriiiin iimdumenlal rights. Vrobably in Hiii'lem the negro has mure liberty and ndvanluses than elso-whcre in tlie country. Thus vvJI-oi'siinised. religious .■uiliir:';l »nd finaist.-ial renli-v iur iicgroc-s is humid lo Inivc a wide influence on all i'nv LulniiiTii y>™pic! \i( tlitj wni-hl. Visitor* ii'jsa abroad of aIJ races vomius'to New

York are not likely to leave out Harlem fn their itinerary, especially if interested ire finding the sources of musical, dramatic, and literary art. He will) for instance,, find, the "home of jazz."