Negro Migration during the War
give for coming to the North?
- To what extent have they found employment? At what, and what is the average wage paid?
- Have you a Lookout Committee in your church to seek these people? If not, what organized effort is being put forth to church them?
- Has any special mission work been started among or for our southern brethren, in your vicinity? If so, what and where?
- What number of people from the South have united with your church during the past year?
- How do they affiliate with your people?
- What is the attitude of your members toward them?
- So far as you have seen, is the better plan, where the numbers warrant it, to establish a distinct mission for them or bring them into the already established churches?

Bishop R.A. Carter, of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, after an extended trip north in the interest of the work of his denomination for the migrants, published in the official organ of his church a description of the situation as he found it, and what the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church should do to assist in meeting the needs of the situation. He said: I have just returned from an extended trip through the great Northwest, having visited St. Louis, Chicago, Gary, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Clarksburg, and West Virginia.... Heretofore the few church houses in those cities have been sufficient for the colored people who were there. Since the migration of our people in such great numbers, the church facilities are alarmingly inadequate. It is necessary to hold two services at the same time in many churches and then hundreds are turned away for lack of room. It is pathetic to have to tell people who attend one service not to return to the next so that a new crowd may be accommodated. Yet that is just what must be done in many instances up that way now. There must be more churches established in all the large cities of the North and East and Northwest for our people or serious results will obtain in the future.

He considered the opportunity and duty of the C.M.E. Church as great and urgent. He recommended the purchase of vacant white churches offered for sale and the transfer of some of the best pastors. He urged that there be launched a movement for a great centenary rally for $500,000 with which to take advantage of the great opportunity which confronted the race in the North.

Before the migration movement, the strength of the negroes in labor unions was largely in the South. In this section, they were found in considerable numbers in the carpenters, bricklayers, plasterers, longshoremen, and miners unions. In the North, however, they were not generally connected 
 Prev. P 105/238 next 
Back Top
Privacy Statement Terms of Service Contact