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The 

Health  and  Physique 

of  the 

Negro  American 


A  Social  Study  made  under  the  diredlion  of 

Atlanta  University  by  the  Eleventh 

Atlanta  Conference 


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Price,  75   Gents 


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BOOK    325.26.C76    llth   c   1 
CONFERENCE    FOR    STUDY    OF    NEGRO 
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Health  and  Physique 


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Negro  American 


The  Atlanta  University  Press 
Atlanta,  Georgia 

1906 


H(|C 


30 


Report  of  a  Social  Study  made  under  the  di-  ^i 

recftion  of  Atlanta  University;    together  with  ^;^-^ 

the  Proceedings  of  the  Eleventh  Conference  ^  '^^ 

for  the  Study  of  the  Negro  Problems,  held  at  .      '" 

Atlanta   University,  on  May  the  29th,  1 906  =» 


Edited  by  H 

W.  E.  Burghardt  Du  Bois  .  [g 

Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Conference  "'0 


■)1 


IT  is  the  cranial  and  facial  forms  that  lead  us  to  accept 
the  consanguinity  of  the  African  Hamites,  of  red- 
brown  and  black  color,  with  the  Mediterranean  peoples; 
the  same  characters  reveal  the  consanguinity  of  the 
primitive  inhabitants  of  Europe,  and  of  their  remains  in 
various  regions  and  among  various  peoples,  with  the  pop- 
ulations of  the  Mediterranean,  and  hence  also  with  the 
Hamites  of  Africa.  Sergi. 


<-1l 


r 


Analytical  Table  of  Contents 


Page 


\     I 


Plates 

Numbers  A-H,  1-48. 

Typical  Negro-Americans. 
Number  49. 

Typical  Negro  drug  store. 

Preface 

\The  Atlanta  studies. 
A    Data  on  which  this  study  is  based. 
V.    Future  work  of  Conference. 


S 


^Bibliography  of  Negro 
^^  Health  and  Physique     6 

V  Bibliography  of  bibliographies. 
'    .    >Bibliography. 

■  Nfegro  Health  and  Physique     13 
^1^  Races  of  Men 

Ripley:    The  Aryan  myth. 
The  New  Anthropology.  14 

^    European  Races. 

The  Mediterranean  Race.  15 

^    Sergi's  Conclusions: 

Greek  and  Roman  types. 
African  populations. 

2.  The  Negro  Race  16 

The  typical  Negro  (Ratzel). 

Color  (Ripley),  (Sergi).  17 

Hair  (Ripley). 

The  cranlo-facial  skeleton.  18 

The  size  of  the  head. 

The  facial  angle  (Henniker). 

History  of  human  races. 

First  steps  in  human  culture  ( Boas). 

The  Negro  and  Iron  (Boas).  19 

Egyptian  civilization. 

African  agriculture  (Boas). 

African  culture  (Boas):  20 

Markets. 

Handicaps. 
Inferiority  of  the  Negro.  21 

Negro  development  (Ratzel). 
Climate  of  Africa.  22 

Geography. 
Slave  Trade. 

Present  inhabitants  (Denniker).      23 
Composition  of  population  (Ratzel). 


Pof/e 

3.  The  Negro  Brain  24 

Weight  of  the  brain  (  Denniker  i. 
Memorandum  of  M.  N.  Wobk: 
Brain  weights. 
Unwarranted  conclusions. 
(Topinard),   ( Hunt),  (Bean),    25 
( Donaldson). 
Structure  of  brain.  26 

Convolutions.  27 

Changes  in  structure. 

4.  The  Negro  American 

The  slave  trade. 

Sources  of  slaves  28 

The  Negro- American  type. 

Bryce  on  the  backward  races. 

Race  Mixture.  21) 

Census  of  Mulattoes. 

Degree  of  mixture.  so 

Types  of  Negro-Americans.  81 

Description  of  types. 

A.  Negro  types.  33 

B.  Mulatto  types.  S4 

C.  Quadroon  types.  ;i5 

D.  White  types  with  Negro  blood. 
Conclusions.  315 
Future  of  Race  Mixture.  37 
Brazil.                                                              ;-;8 

5.  Physical  Measurements        39 

Average  height  of  men  (Denniker). 

Cephalic  index.  40 

Measurements  of  army  recruits.       41 

Age  and  height.  42 

Age  and  weight.  44 

Age  and  chest  measurement.  4(5 

Washington  school  children.  48 

Kansas  city  school  children.  £0 

Conclusions.  ,51 

Psycho-physical  measurements. 

Dietaries  of  Negroes.  52 

6.  Some  Psychological  Consid=° 
erations  on  the  Race  Problem  53 

(by  Dk.  Hekbekt  A.  Miller). 
Psycho-physical  comparison. 
Environment. 

Psychology.  54 

Psycho-physics. 

Indians  and  Negroes.  55 

Weissnian. 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


John  Muiiey. 

56 

Inner  life  of  Negroes. 

Psycho-physical  tests. 

57 

Quickness  of  perception. 

Disconnected  memory. 

Logical  memory. 

58 

Color  choice. 

Meaning  of  results. 

59 

Music. 

Consciousness  of  kind. 

7.  The  Increase  of  the  Negro 
American  60 

Increase  17!tl-1900. 
Wilcox's  estimates. 
Birth  rate.  61 

Comparison  of  children  and  wo- 
men of  child-bearing  age. 
Comparison  of  children  and  pop- 
ulation. 62 
Children  and  child-bearing  wo- 
men in  cities.                                    63 
Conclusions. 
Age  composition. 
Median  age. 

General  age  comparison  61 

Sex  distribution. 


8.  The  Sick  and  Defective 

Race  and  disease  (Ripley). 
Consumption. 
Syphilis. 
Alcoholism, 
Army  recruits. 
Causes  of  rejection 
linn -1902. 
1903-1904. 
Racial  differences 
Disease  in  army. 
Specific  diseases. 
Venei-eal  diseases. 
Malarial  diseases. 
Insane. 
Feeble  minded. 

Incomplete  records. 
The  Blind. 

Schooling. 
The  Deaf. 

9.  Mortality 

General  death  rate,  1890  and  liKK). 

Chief  diseases. 

Infant  Mortality. 
Death  rate  by  races,  registration 

area,  city  and  county. 
Death  rates,  1725-1860. 
Mortality  of  freedmen  1865-1872. 
Tendency  of  death  rates. 
Causes  of  deaths. 
(Conclusions. 
Deaths  by  diseases: 

Consumption. 

Pneumonia. 

Heart  disease  and  dropsy. 

Diarrheal  diseases. 

Diseases  of  nervous  system. 

Suicide. 

Alcoholism. 


65 


73 


74 


77 


Age  and  death. 
Infant  Mortality.  79 

Improvements    in    infant  mor- 
tality. 
Changes  in  rates  by  age  periods.    81 
Effect  of  environment. 
Normal  death  rates. 
Army  statistics,  1890-1900. 
19(X)-1904.  82 

Memorandum  by  R.  R.  Wright,  Jr.: 
Mortality  in  cities: 
Death  rates  North  and  South. 
Corrected  death  rates.  83 

Consumption  North  and  South.  84 
Infant  mortality. 
Climate.  85 

Season.  86 

Philadelphia. 

Causes  of  death.  87 

Sickness.  89 

Social  condition. 

Imprtjvement.  90 

10.  Insurance  91 

Discrimination  vs.  Negroes. 
Experience  of  Insurance  Compa- 
nies. 92 
True  Reformers.                                     92 

11.  Hospitals  93 

Distribution  of  Negro  hospitals. 
Statistics  of  Negro  hospitals.  94 

12.  Medical  Schools  95 

Negro  medical  schools: 
Meharry. 
Howard. 
Leonard. 

Flint.  96 

Louisville. 
Knoxville. 

13.  Physicians 

Census  returns. 

Age. 
Distribution  of  physicians.  97 

1895. 

1905. 
Schools  barring  Negroes.  98 

Schools  without  Negro  students.  99 
Graduates  of  Northern  schools.  100 
Reports  from  Northern  schools.  101 
Success  of  physicians. .  102 

Mob  violence.  105 

14.  Dentists  and  Pharmacists  106 

Census  returns. 
Graduates  in  dentistry. 
Graduates  in  pharmacy.  107 

Drug  stores. 

Statistics.  108 

Reports. 

15.  The  Eleventh  Atlanta  Con= 

ference  109 

Programme. 

Resolutions.  110 


\ 


i 


^ 


/^ 


f  ^  ft 


Preface 


A  study  of  human  life  today  involves  a  consideration  of  human 
physique  and  the  conditions  of  physical  life,  a  study  of  various  social 
organizations,  beginning  with  the  liome,  and  investigations  into  occu- 
pations, education,  religion  and  morality,  crime  and  political  activity. 
The  Atlanta  Cycle  of  studies  into  the  Negro  problem  aims  at  exhaustive 
and  lieriodic  studies  of  all  these  subjects  as  far  as  they  relate  to  the 
Negro  American.  Thus  far  we  have  finished  the  first  decade  with  a 
study  of  mortality  (1896),  of  homes  (1897),  social  reform  (1898),  economic 
organization  (1899  and  1902),  education  (1900  and  1901),  religion  (1903) 
and  crime  (1904),  ending  with  a  general  review  of  methods  and  results 
and  a  bibliography  (1905). 

The  present  publication  marks  the  beginning  of  a  second  cycle  of 
study  and  takes  up  again  the  subject  of  the  physical  condition  of 
Negroes,  but  enlarges  the  inquiry  beyond  the  mere  matter  of  mortality. 
This  study  is  based  on  tlie  following  data: 

Reports  of  the  United  States  census. 

Reports  of  the  life  insurance  companies. 

Vital  records  of  various  cities  and  towns. 

Reports  of  the  United  States  Surgeon  General. 

Reports  from  Negro  hospitals  and  drug  stores. 

Reports  from  medical  schools. 

Letters  from  physicians. 

Measurements  of  1,000  Hampton  students. 

General  literature  as  shown  in  tlie  accompanying  bibliography. 

Atlanta  University  has  been  conducting  studies  similar  to  this  for  a 
decade.  The  results,  distributed  at  a  nominal  sum,  have  been  widely 
used.  Notwithstanding  this  success,  the  further  prosecution  of  these 
important  studies  is  greatly  hampered  by  the  lack  of  funds.  With 
meagre  appropriations  for  expenses,  lack  of  clerical  help  and  necessary 
apparatus,  the  Conference  cannot  cope  properly  with  the  vast  field  of 
work  before  it. 

Especially  is  it  questionable  at  present  as  to  how  large  and  important 
a  work  we  shall  be  able  to  prosecute  during  the  next  ten-year  cycle.  It 
may  be  necessary  to  reduce  the  number  of  conferences  to  one  every 
other  year.  We  trust  this  will  not  be  necessary,  and  we  earnestly 
appeal  to  those  who  think  it  worth  while  to  study  this,  the  greatest 
group  of  social  problems  that  has  ever  faced  the  nation,  for  substantial 
aid  and  encouragement  in  the  further  i^rosecution  of  the  work  of  the 
Atlanta  Conference. 


Bibliography  of  Negro  Health  and  Physique 


A  large  part  of  the  matter  here  entered  is  either  unscientific  or  superceded 
by  later  and  more  careful  work.  Even  such  matter,  however,  has  an  historic 
interest. 

Bibliography  of  Bibliographies 

Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  the  United  States  Surgeon  General's  Office.    See  Negro. 

Bibliography 

Abel,  J.  J.,  and  Davis,  W.  S.— On  the  pigment  of  the  Negro's  skin  and  hair.    J.  Exper. 

M.    New  York,  1896. 
Alcock,  N.  and  others.— Negroes;  why  are  they  black?    Nature,  30:501;  31:6. 
Angerbllche  (Die)  Inferlorltat  der  Neger-Rasse. 
Atlanta  University  Publications.— Mortality  among  Negroes  in   Cities.    Atlanta, 

1896. 
Social  and  Physical  Condition  of  Negroes  in  Cities.    Atlanta,  1897. 
Atwater,  W.  O.,  and  Woods,  Chas.  D.    Dietary  studies  with  reference  to  the  food  of 

Negroes  In  Alabama  in  1895-1896.    Washington,  1897.    (U.  S.  Dept.  Agri.) 
Babcock,  J.  W.— The  colored  Insane.    New  Haven  (?)  1895. 
Baldwin,  Ebenezer.— Observations  on  the  physical,  intellectual,  and  moral  qualities 

of  our  colored  population.    New  Haven,  1834. 
Ball,  M.  v.— The  mortality  of  the  Negro.    Med.  News,  LXIV,  389. 

Vital  statistics  of  the  Negro.    Med.  News,  LXV,  392. 
Balloch,  E.  A.— The  relative  frequency  of  fibroid  processes  In   the  dark  skinned 

races.    Ibid,  29-35. 
Baxter,  T.H.— Statistics;  Medical  and  Anthropological,  of  the  provost  Marshall  Gen- 
eral's Bureau.    Washington,  1875. 
Bean,  R.  B. — On  a  racial  peculiarity  in  the  brain  of  the  Negro.    Proc.  Ass.  Am.  Anat. 

Bait.  1904-6. 
The  Negro  Brain.    Century,  Vol.  72,  pp,  778  and  947. 
Beazley,  W.  S.— Peculiarities  of  the  Negro.    Med.  Progress,  XV,  4(). 
Black  and  white  ratios  for  eleven  decades.    Nation,  73:.391-2. 
Bodington,  Alice.— The  importance  of  race  and  Its  bearing  on  the  "Negro  question." 

Westminst.    Rev.,  OXXXIV,  415-427. 
Brady,  C.  M.— The  Negro  as  a  patient.    N.  Orl.    M.  &  S.  J.,  LVI.  431-445. 
Broadnax,  B.  H.— New  born  infants  of  African  descent.    N.  Y.  M.  Times,  1895. 

Color  of  infant  Negroes.    Miss.  M.  Rec,  VII,  174. 
Broca,  Dr.  Paul.— The  phenomena  of  hybrldity  in  the  genus  homo.    London,  1864. 
Brown,  F.  J.— The  northward  movement  of  the  colored  population.    A  statistical 

study.    Baltimore,  1897. 
Browne,  Sir  T.— Of  the  blackness  of  Negroes.    In  his  works,  2:180-197. 
Bryce,  Jas.— The  relations  of  the  advanced  and  the  backward  races  of  mankind. 

Oxford,  1892.    46  pp. 
Bryce,  T.  H.— On  a  pair  of  Negro  Femora.    J.  Anat.  and  Physiol.,  32:76-82. 

Notes  on  the  myology  of  a  Negro.    Ibid,  31 :607-618. 
Buchner,  M.— Psychology  of  Negro.    Pop.  Scl.  Mo.,  23:.399. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQl  E  7 

Burmelster,  H.— The  black  man;  the  comparative  anatomy  and  physiology  of  the 
African  Negro.  Transl.  by  Julius  Friedlander  and  Robert  Tomes.  New  York, 
1853. 

Buschan,  G.— Zur  Pathologle  der  Neger.    Arch,  per  I'antrop.,  XXXI,  ii57-ii7^. 

Byers,  J.  W.— Diseases  of  the  Southern  Negro.  Med.  and  Surg.  Reporter,  LVIII, 
734-37. 

Campbell,  J.— Negro-mania;  Ijeing  an  e.xamination  of  the  falsely  assumed  equality 
of  the  various  races  of  men.    Philadelphia,  1851. 

Capacity  of  Negroes.    Spectator,  75:927. 

Cartwright,  S.  A.— Physical  characteristics  of  Negroes.    UeBow's  Review,  11:184. 
Diseases  of  Negroes.    DeBow's  Review,  11:29,  331,  .')04. 

Castellanos,  J.  J.— The  rural  and  city  Negro  pathologically  and  therapeutically  con- 
sidered.    Proc.  Orleans  Parish  M.  Soc,  189.5.     ill  pp.,  LXXX-LXXXV. 

Castonnel  des  Fosses.  La  race  noire  dans  I'avenir.  Assoc,  franc,  pour  I'avance. 
d.  sc.  18:  pt.  1,377-380. 

Causes  of  color  of  the  Negro.     Portfolio  (Deiinie's),  12:6447. 

Chittenden,  C.  E.— Negroes  in  the  United  States.    Pop.  Sci.  Mo.,  22:841. 

Clark,  G.  C— The  immunity  of  the  Negro  race  to  certain  diseases  and  the  causes 
thereof.    Maryland  M.  J.,  XXXVIII,  222-4. 

Clarke,  R.— Short  notes  of  the  prevailing  diseases  in  the  colony  of  Sierra  Leone, 
with  a  return  of  the  sick  Africans  sent  to  hospital  in  eleven  years,  and  classi- 
fied medical  returns  for  the  years  185:^-4;  also  tables  showing  the  number  of 
lunatics  admitted  to  hospital  in  a  period  of  thirteen  years  and  the  number 
treated  from  April,  1842,  to  March,  1853.    J.  Statist.  Soc,  XIV,  0081. 

Coates,  B.  H.— The  effects  of  secluded  and  gloomy  Imprisonment  on  individuals  of 
the  African  variety  of  mankind  in  the  production  of  disease.  Philadelphia, 
184:3. 

Cohn,  H.— Die  sehleistungen  der  Dahoma-Neger.    Wchnschr.  f.  Therap.  u.  Hyg.  d. 
Auges,  Bresl.,  1898.    2:97. 
-Coleman,  W.  L.— Some  observations  on  consumption,  diabetes,  melitus  and  con- 
sumption in  the  Negro.    Alkaloid  Clin.,  Ill,  114-U6. 

The  color  of  newly  born  Negro  children.    Lancet,  2:1419. 

The  colored  race  in  life  assurance.    Lancet,  II,  902. 

Conradt,  Ij.,  and  Virchow,  R.— Tabellarlsche  Uebersicht  der  an  Negern  des  Adeli- 
Landes  augsefuhrten  Auframen.    Verhandl.  d.  Gesellsch.  f.  Anthrop.,  164-18(5. 

Corson,  E.  R.— The  future  of  the  colored  race  in   the  United  States  from  an  ethnic 
and  medical  standpoint;   a   lecture   delivered  before  the  Georgia  Historical 
Society,  June  6,  1887.    XV,  19:^226. 
The  vital  equation  of  the  colored  race,  and  its  future  in  the  United  States.   Wilder 
quart,  century  book.    Ithaca,  189.3.    115-175. 

Cowglll,  W.  M.— Why  the  Negro  does  not  suffer  from  trachoma.  J.  Am.  M.  Ass., 
XXXIV,  .399. 

Crawford,  J.— On  the  physical  and  mental  characteristics  of  the  Negro.  Tr.  Ethn. 
Soc.    4:212-239. 

Croly,  D.  G.,  and  others.— Miscegenation:  theory  of  the  blending  of  the  races  applied 
to  the  American  white  man  and  the  Negro.    N.  Y.,  1864. 

Cunningham,  R.   McW.— The  morbidity  and  mortality  of  Negro  convicts.     Med. 
News,  LXIV,  113-117. 
The  Negro  as  a  convict.    Tr.  M.  Ass.  Alabama,  1893.    pp.  315-326. 

Cureau,  A.— Essai  sur  la  phychologie  des  races  Negres  en  I'Afrique  tropicale. 
Deuxieme  partie:  Intellectualite.    Rev.  gen.  d.  sc.  pures  et  appliq.,  36:6:^-679. 

Daniels,  C.  W.— Negro  fertility  and  infantile  mortality.  British  Guiana  M.  Ann.,  X, 
8-17. 

P.  D.  A  propos  de  Negres  blancs.  Rev.  med.  de  Normandie,  Rouen,  1905,  441.  Les 
Negres  blancs.    J.  de  med.  de  Par.,  1906.    XVIII,  41. 

De  Albertis,  O.— Genesi,  storia  ed  anthropologia  della  razza  Negra.  Revista,  VIII, 
290-308. 

Degallier,  Mile.  Alice.— Notes  psychologiques  sur  les  Negres  Pahoulns.  Arch,  de 
psychol.,  IV,  362-368. 


8  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

DeSaussure,  P.  G.— Is  the  colored  race  increasing  or  decreasing?    Tr.  Soutli  Carolina 
M.  Ass.,  XLV,  119-121. 
Obstetrical  observations  on  the  Negroes  of  South  Carolina.     Tr.  Pan-Am.   M. 
Cong.,  189.1,  pt.  1,  917-921. 
Diseases  of  Negroes.    So.  Quar.  Review,  22:49. 

Distinctive  peculiarities  and  diseases  of  Negroes.     De Bow's  Review,  20:t)12. 
Dixon,  W.  A.— The  morbid  proclivities  and  retrogressive  tendencies  In  the  offspring 

ofmulattoes.    Med.  News,  LXI,  180-182. 
Dr.  Cartwright  on  the  Negro.    DeBow's  Review,  32:.54,  2:i8;  'Sii:(y2. 

DuBois,  W.  E.  B— The  conservation  of  the  races.    American  Negro  Academy:  Occa- 
sional Papers,  No.  2. 
The  Philadelphia  Negi-o.     Publications  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  Nov. 
14,  1890. 
Easton,  Hosea.— A  treatise  on   the  intellectual  character  and  condition  of  the  col- 
ored people  of  the  United  States.    Boston,  1837. 
Bdelman,  Ij.— The  Negro  as  a  criminal  and  his  influence  on  the  white  race      Med. 

News,  LXXXII,  19ti. 
Eijkman,  C.    The  color  of  Negroes.    Janus  IV,  390. 
Falson,  J.  A.— Tuberculosis  in  the  colored  race.    Med.  Rec,  LV,  375. 
Fehlinger.— Die    Sterblichkeit   der    europaischen    und    der    Neger-Rasse.      Natur. 

Wchnschr.,  111,280. 
Fletcher,  R.  M..  Jr.— Surgical  peculiarities  of  the  Negro  race.    Tr.  M.  Ass.  Ala.,  1S9S, 

49-57. 
Frederic— Zur  Kenntnis  der  Hautfarbe  der  Neger.     Ztschr.  f.  Morphol.  u.  Anthrop., 

IX,  41-56. 
Freiberg,  A.  H.,  and  Schroeder,  J.  H.— A  note  on   the  foot  of  the  American  Negro. 

Am.  F.  M.  Sc,  CXXVI,  10:i;i-10;36. 
Frissell,  H.  B.,  and  Bevier,  Isabel.— Dietary  studies  of  Negroes  in  eastern  Virginia, 

1897-1898. 
Gannett,  H. — Are  we  to  become  Africanized?    Pop.  Sci.  Mo.,  27:145. 
Glacomini,  G.    Annotazionl  sullaanatomia  del  Negro;  1.  memorla.  (iior.  d.  r.  Accad. 
di  med.  dl  Torino,  XXIV,  454-470. 
Annotazionl  sulla  anatomia  del  Negro;  2  memorla.    Ibid.,  XXX,  729-803. 
Annotaziona  sulla  anatomia  del  Negro;  3  memoria.    Ibid.,  XXXII,  4(52-500. 
Annotazioni  sulla  anatomia  del  Negro;  5  memoria.    Ibid.,  XIj,  17-04. 
Notes  sur  Tanatomie  du  Negre;  4  memoire.  Arch.  ital.  de  biol.,  IX,  119-137. 
Gilliam,  E.  W.— Negroes  in  the  United  States.    Pop.  Sci.  Mo.,  22:4;e. 
Girard,   H.— Notes  anthropometriques  sur  quelquuns   Soudanis  occidentau.x,  Ma- 

linkes,  Bambaras,  Foulahs,  Soninkes,  etc.    Anthropologie,  XIII,  41;  167;  328. 
(Jirtln,  T.  C. — Negroes,  ancient  and  modern.    DeBow's  Review,  12:209. 
Gould,  B.  A. — Investigations  in  the  military  and  anthropological  statistics  of  Ameri- 
can soldiers.    Cambridge,  1869. 
Granville,  R.  K.,  and  Roth,H.  L.— Notes  on  the  Jekris,  Sobos  and  Ijos  of  the  Warri 

district  of  the  Niger  Coast  Protectorate.    J.  Anthrop  Inst.,  1,  101-126. 
Gregoire,  H. — Enquiry  concerning  the  intellectual  and  moral  faculties,  etc.,  of  Ne- 
groes.    Brooklyn,  181(». 
Guenebault,  J.  H.,  editor.— Natural  history  of  the  Negro  race.    From  the  French. 

Charleston,  is;^7. 
Hamilton,  J.  C— The  .\frican  in  Canada.     Proc.  Am.   As.s.  Adv.   Sc,  XXXVIII,  SM- 

370. 
Harris,  S.— The  future  of  the  Negro  from  the  standpoint  of  the  Southern  physician. 

Ala.  M.  J.,  XIV,  .->7-6S.  Also:  Am.  Med.,  Phila.,  1901,11,  373-376. 
Hecht,  D.  O.— Tabes  in  the  Negro.  Am.  J.  M.  Sc,  CXXVI,  705-720. 
Herring,  N.  B. — The  morphological  and  psychophysical  Intrlnsicallties  of  the  Negro 

race. 
Herz,  M.  Der  Bau  des  Negerfusses.    Zt.schr.  f.  orthop.  Chir.,  XI.,  168-174. 
Hlggins,  R.  C— Mortality  among  Negroes  of  the  South.    Nation,  15:105. 
Hodges,  J.  A.— The  effect  of  freedom  upon  the  physical  and  psychological  develop- 
ment of  the  Negro.    Richmond  J.  Pract.,  XIV,  161-171. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  9 

Hoffman,  F.  L.— Race  traits  and  tendencies  of  the  American  Negro. 
Vital  statistics  of  the  Negro.    Med.  News,  LXV,  320-324. 
Vital  statistics  of  Negroes.    Arena,  5:529. 
Holcombe,  W.  H.— Capabilities  of  Negro  race.    Southern  Literary  Messenger,  a3:40]. 
HoUey,  Jas.  T.— Vindication  of  the  capaoltj'  of  the  Negro  race,  etc.    New  Haven, 

18.57. 
Howard,  W.  L. — The  Negro  as  a  distinct  ethnic  factor  in  civilization.    Medicine,  IX, 

423-42t). 
Hrdlicka,  Ales. — Anthropological  investigations  on  one  thousand  white  and  colored 

children  of  both  sexes,  the  Inmates  of  the  New  York  juvenile  asylum,  etc.    N. 

Y.,  189-(?). 
Hrdlicka,  Ales.— Physiological   difference    between    white    and    colored   children. 

Amer.  Anthrop.,  1898,  II,  pp.  347-50. 
Hunt,  Jas.— The  Negro's  place  in  nature.    N.  Y.,  1864. 
.lacques.— Contribution  a  rethnologie  de  I'Afrlque  centrale;  hult  cranes  du  Haut- 

Oongo.    Bull.  Soc.  d'anthrop.  de  Brux.    XV,  188-194. 
.Jacques,   V.— Mensurations   anthropometriques  de   trente-neuf  Negres   du  Congo. 

Ibid.,  237-241. 
Jarvis,  Edward.— Insanity  among  the  colored  population,  etc.    Phlla.,  1844. 
.Tohnson,  J.  T.— On  some  of  the  apparent  peculiarities  of  parturition  In  the  Negro 

race,  with  remarks  on  race  pelvis  in  general.    Am.  .I.Obst.,  VIII,  88-123. 
.Johnson,  (R.  H.)— The  physical  degeneracy  of  the  modern  Negro,  with   statistics 

from  the  principal  cities,  showing  his  mortality  from  A.  D.  1700  to  1897. 
.Johnston,  G.  W.— Abnormalities  and  diseases  of  the  genlto-urinary  system  In  Negro 

women.     iVIaryland  M.  J.,  XX,  426-429. 
.Johnstone,  H.  B.— Notes  on  the  customs  of  the  tribes  occupying  Mombasa  sub- 
district,  British  East  Africa.    J.  Anthrop.  Inst.,  XXXII,  263-272. 
Kollock,  C.  W.— The  eye  of  the  Negro.    Tr.  Am.  Ophth.  Soc,  VI,  2-57-268. 

Further  observations  of  the  eye  of  the  Negro.    Tr.  Pan-Am.  M.  Cong.,  Wash., 

1895.     Pt.  2,  1482-1484. 
Kulz.— Die    hygienesche   Beelnflussung  der  schwarzen  Rasse  durch   die  weisse  In 

Deutsch-Toga.     Arch.  f.  Rassen-u.  Gesellch.  Biol.,  II,  673-(i88. 
LeHardy,  J.  C— Mortality  among  Negroes:  the  sanitary  privileges  to  which  they  are 

entitled  from  the  authorities.    Sanitarian,  XXXVII,  492-49.5. 
f.ehman-Nltsche,   R  — Die  dunklen  Haut  flecke  der  Neugeborenen   bei  Indianern 

und  malatten.    Globus,  LXXXVI,  297-309. 
lilvlni,  F.— Contribuzloni  alia  anatorala  del  Negi-o.    Arch,  per  I'anthro.,  XXIX,  203- 

228. 
-Lofton,  L.— The  Negro  as  a  surgical  subject.    N.  Orl.  M.  &  S.  J.,  LIV,  530-533. 
Macalister,  A.— On  the  osteology  of  two  Negroes.  Proc.  Roy.  Irish  Acad.  Science,  III, 

347-3-50. 
"Macdonald,  A.— Study  of  16,473  white  and  5,4-57  black  children.    Report  Com.  Ed.,  1897- 

8.   Chapters  21  &  25. 
Colored  children;  a  psycho-physical  study.    J.  Am.  M.  Ass.,  XXXII,  1140-1144. 
Macdonald,  J.  R.  L.— East  Central  Africa  customs.    J.  Anthrop.  Inst.,  XXII,  99-122. 
Notes  on  the  ethnology  of  tribes  met  with  during  progress  of  the . J uba  expedition 

of  1897-9.    Ibid.,  II,226-25(». 
Mapes,  C.  C— Remarks  from  the  standpoint  of  sociology.    Med.  Age,  XIV,  713-715. 
-Matas,  R.— The  surgical  peculiarities  of  the  Negro:  a  statistical  inquiry  based  upon 

the  records  of  the  Charity  Hospital  of  New  Orleans.    Tr.  Am.  Surg.  Ass.,  XIV, 

483;  610. 
Mays,  T.  J.— Increase  of  insanity  and  consumption  among  the  Negro  population  of 

the  South  since  the  war.    Boston  M.  &  S.  .1.,  CXXXV.  .537-540. 
McGulre,  H.,  and   Lydston,  G.   F.— Sexual  crimes  among   the  Southern   Negi-oes; 

scientifically  considered.    Va.  M.  Month  ,  XX,  105-125. 
Mcintosh,  J.— The  future  of  the  Negro  race.    Tr.  South  Oar.  M.  Ass.,  1891^  183-188. 
Mcintosh,  T.  M.— Enlarged  prostrate  and  spina  bifida  in  the  Negro.    .Vied.  Rec,  LIV, 

350. 
McKie,  T.  J.— A  hriet  history  of  in.sanity  and  tuberculosis  in  the  Southern  Negro.    ,T. 

Am.M.  Ass.,  XXVIII,  5;W. 


10  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

McVey,  B.— Negro  practice.    N.  Orl.  M.  &  S.  J.,  XX,  328-a32. 

Miller,  J.  F.— The  effects  of  emancipation  upon  the  mental  and  physical  qualiflca- 

tions  of  the  Negro  of  the  South.    North  Car.  M.  J.,  XXXVIII,  285-294. 
Miller,  Kelly.— A  review  of  Hoffman's  "Race  traits  and  tendencies."    Washington, 

1897. 
Michel,  M.— Two  cervical  muscle  anomalies  In  the  Negro.    Med.  Rec,  XLI,  125. 
Mitchell,  Mary  V. — Clinical  Notes  from  diseases  among  colored  children.  Rep.  Proc. 

Alumnae  Ass.  Woman's  M.  Coll.,  Penn.,  50-.58. 
Morison. — Notes  sur  la  formation  du  pigment  chez  de  Negre.    Cong,  internal,  de 

edrmat.  et  de  syph.    C.-r.,  1889, 130-131. 
Mortality  among  Negroes  in  cites.    Proceedings  of  the  conference  for  investigations 

of  city  problems,  held  at  Atlanta  University,  May  26-27, 1896. 
De  MortlUet,  G.— Sur  les  Negres  de  I'Algerle  et  de  la  Tunlsie.  Bull.  Soc.  d'antrop.,  de 

Par.,  1890.    I,  353-359. 
Morton,  A.  S.— The  color  of  newly  born  Negro  children.    Lancet,  II,  1605. 
Murrell,  T.  E.— Peculiarities  In  the  structure  and  diseases  of  the  ear  of  the  Negro. 

Tr.  IX,  Internat.  M.  Cong.,  Ill,  817-824. 
Muskat,  G.— Der  Plattfus  des  Negers.    Deutsche  med.  Wchnschr.  XXVIII,  471. 
Musser,  J.  H. — Note  on  pernicious  anemia  and  chlorosis  in  the  Negro.    Univ.  M. 

Mag.,  V,  770. 
Negro,  equality  of  the  races.    So.  Quar.  Review,  21: 15;J. 
Negro  Insane.    Charities  Review,  10:8. 

Negro,  The:  what  is  his  ethnological  status?    Cincinnati,  1872. 
Olivier.— Les  troupes  noires  de  I'Afrlque  orlentale  francaise.  Rev.  d.  troupes  colon.,  II, 

97-129. 
-  Orr,  J. — Some  suggestions  of  Interest  to  physicians  on  the  scientific  aspect  of  the  race 

question,  with  particular  reference  to  the  white  and  Negro  races.    Va.  M.  Semi- 
Month.,  VIII,  90-95. 
Oson,  Jacob. — A  search  for  truth  or  an  inquiry  into  the  origin  of  the  Negro,  etc. 

N.  Y.,  1817. 
Paterson,  J.  S.— Negroes  of  the  South:  increase  and  movement  of  the  colored  popu- 
lation.    Popular  Science  Monthly,  19:655,  784. 
Fatten,  G.  W.— An  essay  on  the  origin  and  relative  status  of  the  white  and  colored 

races  of  manliind.    Towanda,  Pa.,  1871. 
Peney,  A. — Etudes  sur  les  races  du  Soudan.    Compt.  rend.  Acad.  d.  so.,  XLVIII,  430. 
Perry,  M.  L.— Insanity  and  the  Negro.    Current  Literature,  33:467. 

Some  practical  problems  in  sociology  shown  by  a  study  of  the  Southern  Negro. 

Atlanta  Jour.  Rec.  Med.,  IV,  459-466. 
Petrie,  W.  M.  F. — An  Egyptian  ebony  statuette  of  a  Negress.    Man,  1, 129. 
Physical  characteristics  of  the  Negro.    So.  Quar.  Review,  22:49. 
Plttard,  E.— De  la  survlvance  d'un  type  Negrolde  dans  les  populations  modernes  de 

I'Europe.    Compt.  rend.  Acad.  d.  sc,  CXXXVIII,  1533. 
Plehn,  A. — Beobachtung  in  Kamerun,  Ueber  die    Anschauungen    und   Gehrauche 

einiger  Negerstamme.  Ztsch.  rf.    Ethnol.,  XXXVI,  713-728. 
Ueber  die  Pathologic  Kameruns  mit  Rvickslcht  auf  die  unter  den  Kustennegern 

vorkommenden  Krankheiten.    Arch.  f.  Path.  Anat.,  CXXXIX,  539-549. 
Zur  verglelchenden  Pathologie  der  schwarzen  Rasse  In  Kamerun.   Ibid.,  CXLVI, 

486-508. 
Wnndheilung  bel  der  schwarzen  Rasse.    Deutsche  Med.  Wchnschr.,  XXII,  544- 

546. 
Die  acuten  Infektlons  Krankheiten  bel  den  Negern  der  aquatorlalen  Kusten 

Westafrlkas.    Vlrchow's  Arch.  f.  Path.  Anat.,  CLXXIV.,  Suppl.  Hft.,  1-103. 
Popovsky,  J.— Les  muscles  de  la  face  chez  un  Negre  Achanti.    Anthropologic,  I,  413- 

422. 
Powell,  T.  O. — The  increase  of  Insanity  and  tuberculosis  In  the  Southern  Negro  since 

1860,  and  its  alliance  and  some  of  the  supposed  causes.    J.  Am.  M.  Aos.,  XXVII, 

1185-89. 
Pritchett,  J.  A.— Tuberculosis  in  the  Negro.    Ala.  M.  &  S.  Age,  V,  386-421. 
Ramsay,  H.  A. — The  necrological  appearance  of  southern  typhoid  fever  in  the  Negro. 

Thomson,  Ga.,  1^52. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  11 

Katzel,  F.— The  History  of  Mankind;  tr.  from  2nd  German  edition  by  A.J.  Butler. 
New  Yorii;  2  Vol.,  1904. 

Ray,  J.  M.— Observations  upon  eye  disease  and  blindness  In  the  colored  race.  New 
York  M.  J.,  LXIV,  8(5-88. 

Regnault,  F.— Pourquoi  les  Negres  sont-ils  noirs?  (etude  sur  les  causes  de  la  colora- 
tion de  la  peau).    Med.  Mod.,  VI,  (506. 

Relnsch,  P.  S.— The  Negro  race  and  European  civilization.  Am.  J.  Soclol.,  X,  1, 145, 
1(57. 

Report  of  the  committee  on  the  comparative  health,  mortality,  length  of  sentences, 
etc.,  of  white  and  colored  convicts.    Philadelphia,  1849. 

Reyburn,  R.— Type  of  disease  among  the  freed  people  (mixed  Negro  races)  of  the 
United  States,  based  upon  the  consolidated  reports  of  over  430,4(56  cases  of  sick 
and  wounded  free  people  (mixed  African  races)  and,  22,053  of  white  refugees 
under  treatment  from  186.'j  to  June  30,  1873,  by  medical  officers  of  the  Bureau  of 
Refugees,  Freedinen  and  Abandoned  Lands.    Med.  News,  LXIII.  (523-()27. 

Richardson,  C.  H.— Observations  among  the  Cameroon  tribes  of  West  Central  Africa. 
Mem.  Internat.  Cong.  Anthrop.,  199-207. 

Riley,  H.  C— Color  of  new  born  Negroes.    Med.  Brief,  XXVIII,  537. 

Ripley,  W.  Z.— The  Races  of  Europe.    New  York.  1899. 

Robertson,  John.— On  the  period  of  puberty  in  the  Negro.    Edinburgh,  1848. 

Robertson,  T.  L.— The  color  of  Negro  children  when  born.    Ala.  M.  &  8.  Age,  X,  413. 

Rodes,  0.  B.,  Jr.— The  thoracic  index  In  the  Negro.  Zuschr.  f.  Morphol.  u.  Anthrop., 
IX,  1(13-117. 

Rogers,  J.  G.— The  effect  of  freedom  upon  the  physical  and  psychological  develop- 
ment of  the  Negro.    Proc.  Am.  Med.  Psychol.  Ass.,  XVII,  88-98. 

Roscoe,  J.— Notes  on  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Baganda.    J.  Anthrop.  Inst., 

XXXI,  117-130. 

Further  notes  on  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Baganda.    Ibid.,  1902.    XXXII, 
25-80. 
Roth,  H.  L.— Notes  on  Benin  customs.    Internat.  Arch.  f.  Ethnog.,  XI,  235-242. 
Roy,  P.  S.— A  case  of  chorea  in  a  Negro.    Med.  Rec,  XLII,  21-5. 

Scheppegrell,  W.— The  comparative  pathology  of  the  Negro  in  diseases  of  the  nose, 
throat,  and  ear,  from  an  analysis  of  11,8.>5  cases.  Proc.  Orleans  Parish.  M.  Soc,  III, 
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Schiller-Tletz.— Die  Hautfarbe  der  neugeborenen  Neger  kinder.      Deutsche    Med. 

Wchnschr.,  XXVII,  615. 
Schurtz,  K.— Die  geographische  Verbreitung  der  Negertrachten.    Ibid.,  IV,  139-53. 
Schwarzbach,  B.  B.— The  power  of  sight  of  natives  of  South  Africa.    Brit.  M.  J.,  II, 

1731. 
Semeleder,  F.— Negroes  in  the  Mexican  Republic.    Med.  Rec,  LVIII,  66. 
Sergi,  G.— The  Mediterranean  Race.    London,  1901. 

Shaler,  N.  S.— The  transplantation  of  a  race.    Pop.  Sc.  Month.,  LVI,  513-24. 
The  future  of  the  Negro  in  the  Southern  States.    Ibid.,  LVII,  147-156. 
The  Neighbor:  the  natural  history  of  human  contrasts.    (The  problem  of  the 
African).    Boston,  1904. 
Sholl,  E.  H.— The  Negro  and  his  death  rate.    Ala.  M.  &  S.  Age,  III,  337-341.   ■ 
Shufeldt,  R.  W.— Comparative  anatomical  characters  of   the  Negro.    Med.   Brief, 

XXXII,  26-28. 

Simonot.— Considerations  sur  la  coloration  de  la  peau  de  Negre.  Bull.  Soc.  d' an- 
throp de  Par.,  Ill,  140-1-52. 

Slavery  and  the  diversity  of  the  races.    So.  Quar.  Review.  19:392. 

Smith,  Anna  T.— A  study  in  race  psychology.    Pop.  Sc.  Monthly,  L,  ;»4-360. 

Soslnsky,  T.  S.— Medical  aspects  of  Negro.     Penn.  Monthly,  10:.529. 

Steffens,  C— Die  Verfelnerung  des  Negertypus  in  den  Vereinlgten  Staaten.  Globus, 
LXXIX,  171-74. 

Stetson,  G.  R.— Memory  tests.    Psychol.  Rev.,  1897,  IV,  285-9. 

Steuber.— Ueber  Krankheiten  der  Eingeborenen  in  Deutsch  Ostafrlka  Arch.  f. 
Schlffs-u.  Tropen-Hyg.,  VI,  HI;  1903,  VII,  .57. 

Stevens,  H.  V.— Mitthellungen  aus  dem  Frauenleben  der  OrangBelendas,  der  Orang 
Djakun  und  derOrang  Laut.  Bearbeltet  von   Max  Bartels.    Ztschr.  f.  Ethnol., 

XXXIII,  16:5-202. 


12  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Steward.  T.  G.— Mortality  of  Negro.    Social  Economist  9:204. 

Stuhlmann,   F.— Eln  Wahehe-Skelet  und  die    ethnologlsche  Stellung  der  Lendu. 

Verhandl.  d.  Berl.  Gesellsch.  f.  Anthrop.,  1894,  422-424. 
Btuhlmann,  F.,  and  Simon.— Anthropologlsche  Aufnahmen  aus  Ost-Aurlca.    Ibid. 

1895,  ti56-67l. 
Subgenatlon:    An  answer  to  miscegenation.    N.  Y.,  1864. 
Sykes,  W.— Negro  immunity  from  malaria  and  yellow  fever.    Brit.  M.  J.,  1904,  II,  1776; 

190.5,  I,  389. 
Talbot,  E.  S.— Negro  ethnology  and  sociology.    Illinois  M.  Bull.,  "V,  124-127. 
Tar  box,  I.  N. — The  curse;  or,  the  position  in  the  world's  history  occupied  by  Ham. 

Boston,  (?)  1864. 
Tate,  H.  R. — Notes  on  the  Kikuyu  and  Kamba  tribes  of  British  East  Africa.    J.  An- 
throp., Inst.,  XXXIV,  130-148. 
Testut — Contribution  a  I'anatomle  des  races  Negres;  dissection  de  trols  nouveaux 

Negres.    Bull;  Soc.  d'anthrop.  de  Lyon,  IX,  .51-68. 
Thomson,  A. — Note  on  the  skin  and  scalp  of  the  Negro  foetus.    J.  Anat.  and  Physiol., 

XXV,  282-285. 
Thomson,  Jas.,  M.  D. — A  treatise  on  the  diseases  of  Negroes  .    Jamaica,  1820. 
Thompson,  A.— Craniology  (Negroid  and  non-Negroid  skulls).    Man,  V,  101. 
Tlederaann,  F.— Das  Hirn  des  Negers  mit  dem  des  Europaers  und  Ourang-Outangs 

verglichen.    Heidelberg,  1837. 
Tipton,  F. — The  Negro  problem  from  a  medical  standpoint.    New  York  M.  J.,  XLIII, 

549. 
Trager. — Vorstellung  der  welssen  Negerin  Amanua  sammt  ihrer  angeblichen  Schwes- 

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Tria,  G. — Ricerche  sulla  cate  del  Negro  (contribuzione  alio  studio  sul  slgnlflcato 
funzionale  dello    strato  graculoso  e  sulla  dlffuslone  del  plgmento  cutaneo). 
Glor.  Internaz.  d.  sc.  med.,  X,  365-.S69. 
Turner.  Sir  W. — Notes  on  the  dissection  of  a   third   Negro.    J.  Anat.  and  Physiol., 

XXXI,  624-620. 
United  States  Censuses: 
Number,  1790-1900. 
Sex  and  age,  1820-1900. 
Defectives,  1830-1900. 
Mulattoes,  1850,  1890  (1900). 
Mortality,  1860-1900. 
Delinquents,  1880-1900. 
United  States  Twelfth  Census  Bulletins.— References  to  the  Negro- American: 
No.  1:  Distribution. 
No.  4:  Increase. 

No.  8:  Negroes  in  the  United  States,  by  W.  F.  Wilcox  and  W.  E.  B.  DuBoIs. 
No.  13:  Ages.        , 
No.  14:  Sexes. 
No.  15:  Mortality. 
No.  22:  Birth  rate. 
Van  den  Gheyn,  R.  P.— L'origine  Aslatique  de  la  race  noire.    Compt.  rend,  du  Cong. 

sclent,  internat.  d.  catholiques.  Sect.  8,  132-154. 
Van  Evrie,  J.  H. — Negroes  an  inferior  race.    New  York,  1861. 
Valenti,  G. — Varleta  delleossa  nasali  In  un  Negro  del  Soudan.  Mocltore.  Zool.  Ital., 

VIII,  191-194. 
Variot,  G.— Observations  sur  la  pigmentation  cicatricielle  des  Negres, et  recherches 
microscopiques  sur  les  naevi  pigmentalres  d'un  mulatre.    Bull.  Soc.  d'anthrop. 
de  Par.,  XII,  463. 
Verneau,  R.— Les  migrations  des  Ethiopiens.    Anthropolozie,  X,  641-662. 
Vlrchow,  R.— Kopfmaasse  von  40  Wei-  und  19  Kru-Negern.    Verhandl.  cJ.  Berl.  Ge- 
sellsch. f.  Anthrop  ,  1889,  85-93. 
Zwei  junge  Bursche  von  Kamerun  und  Togo.    Ibid.,  .541-545. 
Vital  statistics  of  Negroes  of  the  South.     DeBow's  Review,  21 :405. 
Waltz,  T. — Die  Negervolker  und  ihre  Verwandten.    Leipzig,  1860. 

Waldeyer,  W.— Ueber  einlge  Gehlrne  von  Ost-Afrlkanern.    Mitth.  d.  anthrop.  Ge- 
sellsch. In  Wlen.,  XIV,  141-144. 


NEGRO   HEALTH  AND   PHYSIQUE  13 

Walker,  F.  A.— Statistics  of  the  colored  race  In  the  United  States.    Pub.  Am.  Statist. 
Ass.  II,  91-100. 

Walton,.!.  T. — The  coniparativo  mortality  of  the  white  and  colored  races   in   the 
South.    Charlotte  M. ,].,  X,  291-294. 
The  comparative  mortality  of  the  white  and  colored  races  in  the  South.    Char- 
lotte (N.  C.)  M.  J.,  X,  No.  3,  291-294. 

Weisbach,  A.— Einige  Schadel  aus  Ostafrika.    Wien,  I8S9. 

Whitaker,  U.  R.— Natural  history  of  Negro.    Southern    Literary  Journal,  3:1.')1;  4:87. 

Why  is  the  Negro  black?    Scientific  American,  49:20125. 

Widenmann.— Her  Plattfuss  des  Negers.    Deutsche  Med.  Wchnschr.,  XXVIII,  ^m. 

Williams,   Daniel   H. — Ovarian  cysts  In  colored  women.    Reprint    from    "Chicago 
Medical  Record."    12pp. 

Wilser,  L. — Urgeschichtliche  Neger  in  Europa.    Globus,  LXXXVII,  45. 

Wolbarst,  A.  Ij.,  Provence  D.  M.,  and  March,  O.  J. — The  color  of  Negro  babies.     Med. 
News,  LXXIII,  844. 

Wolff,  B. — Deficient  vulvar  development  in  Negresses.    Med.  Age,  XVI,  137. 

Wortman,,!.  L. — The  Negro's  anthropological  position.    Wash.,  1891. 

Wyman,  J.— Observations  on  the  skeleton  of  a  Hottentot.    Boston,  1863. 

Willcox,  Walter  F.— The  probable  Increase  of  the  Negro  race  in  the  Urited  States. 
Quarterly  Journal  of  Economics,  August,  1905. 

Addendum 

Denniker,  J.— The  Races  of  Man.    New  York,  19o4. 


Negro  Health  and  Physique 

1.     Races  of  Men 

It  is  doubtful  if  many  of  the  per.sons  in  the  United  States  who  are 
eagerly  and  often  bitterly  discussing  race  prolilems  have  followed  very, 
carefully  the  advances  which  anthropological  science  has  made  in  the 
last  decade.  Certainly  the  new  knowledge  has  not  yet  reached  the 
common  schools  in  the  usual  school  histories  and  geographies.  Ag 
Ripley  says : 

It  may  smack  of  heresj^  to  a.ssert,  in  face  of  the  teaching  of  ail  our  text^ 
books  on  geography  and  history,  that  there  is  no  single  European  or  white 
race  of  men;  and  yet  that  is  the  plain  truth  of  tlie  matter.  Science  has  ad- 
vanced since  Linneeus'  single  type  of  Homo  Europceus  albiis  was  made  one  of 
the  four  great  races  of  mankind.  No  continental  group  of  htiman  beings  with 
greater  diversities  or  extremes  of  physical  type  exists.  Tliat  fact  accounts  in 
itself  for  much  of  our  advance  in  culture.* 

In  our  school  days  most  of  us  were  brought  up  to  regard  Asia  as  the  mother 
of  European  peoples.  We  were  told  that  an  ideal  race  of  men  swarmed  forfh 
from  the  Himalayan  highlands,  disseminating  culture  right  and  left  as  they 
spread  through  the  barbarous  west.  The  primitive  language,  parent  to  all  of 
the  varieties  of  speech — Romance,  Teutonic,  Slavic,  Persian,  or  Hindustanee^. 
spoken  by  the  so-called  Caucasian  or  white  race,  was  called  Aryan.  By  in- 
ference this  name  was  shifted  to  the  shoulders  of  the  people  themselves,  who. 
were  known  as  the  Aryan  race.  In  the  days  when  such  symmetrical  generali- 
zations held  sway  there  was  no  science  of  physical  anthropology;  prehistoric 
archaeology  was  not  yet.    Shem,  Ham,  and  Japliet  were  still  the  patriarchal 

♦Ripley,  p.  103. 


14         ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

founciers  of  the  great  racial  varieties  of  the  genus  Homo.  A  new  science  of 
philology  dazzled  the  intelligent  world  by  its  brilliant  discoveries,  and  its 
words  were  law.  Since  18(50  these  early  inductions  have  completely  bi'oken 
down  in  the  light  of  modern  research ;  and  even  today  greater  uncertainty 
prevails  in  many  phases  of  the  question  that  would  have  been  admitted  possi- 
ble twenty  years  ago.* 

So,  too,  a  leading  Italian  anthropologist  says: 

Whenever  there  has  been  any  attempt  to  explaifl  the  origin  of  civilization 
and  of  the  races  called  Arjan,  whether  in  the  Mediterranean  or  in  Central 
lOurope,  all  arch;eologists,  linguists,  and  anthropologists  have  until  recent 
years  been  dominated  by  the  conviction  that  both  civilization  and  peoples 
Hiust  have  their  unquestionable  cradle  in  Asia.f 

As  illustrating  tlie  former  tendency,  Sergi  adds: 

A  celebrated  anthropologist,  when  measuring  the  heads  of  the  mummies  of 
the  Pharaohs  preserved  in  the  Pyramids,  wrote  that  the  Egyptians  belonged 
to  the  white  race.  His  statement  meant  nothing  ;  we  could  construct  a  sjilo- 
gism  showing  that  the  Egyptians  are  Germans,  since  the  latter  also  are  fair. 
De  Quatrefages  classitied  the  Abyssinians  among  the  white  races,  but  if  they 
are  black,  how  can  they  be  white?]: 

The  new  anthropology,  wliile  taking  into  account  all  the  older  race 
insignia,  like  color,  hair,  form  of  features,  etc.,  has  added  to  these  exact 
measurements  of  the  underlying  bony  skeleton  and  other  carefully  col- 
lected data.  Of  these  new  measurements  the  form  of  the  head  is  being 
most  emphasized  today. 

The  form  of  the  head  is  for  all  racial  purposes  best  measured  by  what  is 
technically  known  as  the  cephalic  index.  This  is  simply  the  breadth  of  the 
head  above  the  ears  expressed  iii  percentage  of  its  length  from  forehead  to 
back.  Assuming  that  this  length  is  100,  the  width  is  expressed  in  a  fraction 
of  it.  As  the  head  becomes  proportionately  broader — that  is,  more  fully 
rounded,  viewed  from  top  down — this  cephalic  index  increases.  When  it 
rises  above  80,  the  head  is  called  brachycephalic,  when  it  falls  below  75,  term 
dolichocephalic  is  applied  to  it.  Indexes  between  75  and  80  are  characterized 
as  mesocephalic.  § 

-Based  on  the  new  measurements  and  discoveries,  the  chief  conclu- 
sions of  anthropologists  today  as  to  European  races  are  as  follows: 

1.  The  European  races,  as  a  whole,  show  signs  of  a  secondary  or  derived 
origin;  certain  characteristics,  especially  the  texture  of  the  hair,  lead  us  to 
class  them  as  intermediate  between  the  extreme  primary  tj^pes  of  the  Asiatic 
and  the  Negro  races  respectively. 

2.  The  earliest  and  lowest  strata  of  population  in  Europe  were  extremely 
long-headed ;  probability  points  to  the  living  Mediterranean  race  as  most 
nearly  representative  of  it  today. 

'  3;  It  is  highly  probable  that  the  Teutonic  race  of  northern  Europe  is' 
merely  a  variety  of  this  primitive  long-headed  type  of  the  stone  age  ;  both  its 
distinctive  blondness  and  its  remarkable  stature  having  been  acquired  in  the 
relative  isolation  of  Scandinavia  through  the  modifying  influences  of  envir- 
onment and  of  artificial  selection. 

4  It  is  certain  that,  after  the  partial  occujiation  of  western  Europe  by  a 
dolichocephalic  Africanoid   type  in  the  stone  age,  an  invasion  by  a  broad- 

•  Ripley,  pp.  452-3.  t  Sergl,  p.  1.  J  Sergl,  p.  35.  $  Ripley,  p.  m. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND   PHYSIQUE  15 

headed  race  of  decidedly  Asiatic  affinities  took  place.  This  intrusive  element 
is  represented  today  by  the  Alpine  type  of  Central  Europe.* 

What  was  now  this  Mediterranean  race  whence  the  p]uropeans  were 
primarily  derived?    Sergi  adds: 

In  opposition  to  the  theory  of  a  migration  from  the  north  of  Europe  to  the 
west  and  then  to  Africa,  I  am,  on  the  contrary,  convinced  that  a  migration  of 
the  African  racial  element  took  place  in  primitive  times  from  the  south 
towards  the  north.  The  types  of  Cro-Magnon,  L'Homme-Mort,  and  other 
French  and  Belgian  localities,  bear  witness  to  the  presence  of  an  African 
stock  in  the  same  region  in  which  we  find  the  dolmens  and  other  cnegalithic 
monuments  erroneously  attributed  to  the  Celts,  t 

He  adds: 

We  have  no  I'eason  to  suppose  that  the  movement  of  emigration  in  the  east 
of  Africa  stopped  at  the  Nile  valley  ;  we  may  suppose  that  it  extended  towards 
the  east  of  Egypt,  into  Syria  and  the  regions  around  Syria,  and  thence  into 
Asia  Minor.  It  is  possible  that  in  Syria  this  immigration  encountered  the 
primitive  inhabitants,  or  a  population  coming  from  northern  Arabia,  and 
mingled  with  them  or  subjugated  them.  J 

Sergi's  conclusions  are: 

1.  That  the  primitive  populations  of  Europe  originated  in  Africa. 

2.  The  basin  of  the  Mediterranean  was  the  chief  center  of  the  movement 
whence  the  African  migration  reached  central  and  northern  Europe. 

3.  From  this  great  Eurafrican  stock  came —  . 

(a)  The  present  inhabitants  of  northern  xVfrica. 

(b)  The  Mediterranean  race. 

(c)  The  Nordic  or  Teutonic  race. 

4.  These  three  varieties  of  one  stock  were  not  "Aryan,"  nor  of  Asiatic  origin. 

5.  The  primitive  civilization  of  Europe  is  Afro-Mediterranean,  becoming 
eventually  Afro-European. 

6.  Greek  and  Roman  civilization  were  not  Aryan  but  Mediterranean.  § 

This  primitive  race  was  a  colored  race  : 

If,  therefore,  as  all  consistent  students  of  natural  history  hold  today,  the 
human  races  have  evolved  in  the  past  from  some  common  root  type,  this  pre- 
dominant dark  color  must  be  regarded  as  the  more  primitive.  It  is  not  per- 
missible for  an  instant  to  supiJose  that  99  per  cent  of  the  human  species  has 
varied  from  a  blond  ancestry,  while  the  flaxen-haired  Teutonic  type  aloue  has 
I'emained  true  to  its  primitive  characteristics.  || 

The  types  of  Greek  and  Roman  statuary: 

Do  not  in  the  slightest  degree  recall  the  features  of  a  northern  race;  in  the 
delicacy  of  the  cranial  and  facial  forms,  in  smoothness  of  surface,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  exaggerated  frontal  bosses  and  supra-orbital  arches,  in  the  harmony 
of  the  curves,  in  the  facial  oval,  in  the  rather  low  foreheads,  they  recall  the 
beautiful  and  harmonious  heads  of  the  brown  Mediterranean  race. If 

Of  the  part  of  this  great  stock  which  remained  in  North  Africa, 
Sergi  says : 

The  area  of  geographical  distribution  of  these  African  populations  is  im- 
mense, for  it  reaches  from  the  Red  Sea  to  the  Atlantic,  from  the  equator,  and 

♦  Ripley,  p.  457-470.  f  Sergi,  p.  70.  J  Sergi,  p.  144.  $  Sergi,  pp.  V-VII, 

II  Ripley,  p.  465,  TT  Sergi,  p.  20. 


16  ELEVENTH    ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

even  beyond  the  equator  to  the  Mediterranean.  In  this  vast  area  we  tind, 
when  we  exclude  racial  mixtures,  that  the  physical  characters  of  the  skele- 
ton, as  regards  head  and  face  are  uniform,  but  that  the  phj'sical  characters  of 
the  skin  and  intermediate  parts,  that  is  to  say,  the  development  and  form  of 
the  soft  parts,  vary.  This  uniformity  of  the  cranio-facial  skeletal  characters, 
which  I  consider  the  guiding  thread  in  anthropological  research,  lias  led  me 
to  regard  as  a  single  human  stock  all  the  varieties  distributed  in  the  area 
already  mentioned.  In  the  varj'ing  cutaneous  coloration  I  see  an  effect  of 
temperature,  of  climate,  of  alimentation,  and  of  the  manner  of  life.* 


2.     The  Negro  Race 

It  !ias  usually  been  assumed  that  of  all  race.s  the  Negro  race  is,  by 
reason  of  its  pronounced  physical  chMracteristics,  easiest  to  distinguish. 
Exacter  studies  and  measurements  prove  this  untrue.  The  human 
species  so  shade  and  mingle  with  each  other  that  not  only  indeed  is  it 
impossible  to  draw  a  coh)r  line  between  black  and  other  races,  but  In 
all  piiysical  characteristics  the  Negro  race  cannot  be  set  olf  by  itself  as 
absolutely  different.  This  w^as  formerly  assumed  to  be  the  case  even 
by  scientists  and  led  to  the  queer  reductio  ad  adsurdum  that  very  few 
real  pure  Negroes  existed  even  in  Africa.     As  Ratzel  points  out: 

The  name  "Negro"  originally  embraces  one  of  the  most  unmistakable  con' 
ceptions  of  ethnology— the  African  with  dark  skin,  so-called  "woolly"  hair, 
thick  lips  and  nose;  and  it  is  one  of  the  prodigious,  nay  amazing  achieve- 
ments of  critical  erudition  to  have  latterly  conhned  this  (and  that  even  in 
Africa,  the  genuine  old  Negro  country)  to  a  small  district.  For  if  with  Waitz 
we  assume  that  Gallas,  Nubians,  Hottentots,  Kaffirs,  the  Congo  races,  and  the 
Malagasies  are  none  of  them  genuine  Negri>es,  and  if  with  Schweinforth  we 
further  exclude  Shillooks  and  Bongos,  we  find  that  the  continent  of  Africa  is 
peopled  throughout  almost  its  whole  circuit  by  races  other  than  the  genuine 
Negro,  while  in  its  interior,  from  the  southern  extremity  to  far  beyond  the 
equator  it  contains  only  light-colored  South  Africans,  and  the  Bantu  or  Kaffir 
peoples. 

Nothing  then  remains  for  the  Negroes  in  the  pure  sense  of  the  word  save, 
as  Waitz  says,  "a  tract  of  country  extending  over  not  more  than  10  or  12  de- 
crees of  latitude,  which  may  be  traced  from  the  mouth  of  the  Senegal  river  to 
Timbuctoo,  and  thence  extended  to  the  regions  about  Sennaar."  lilven  in  this 
the  race  reduced  to  these  dimensions  is  permeated  hj  a  number  of  people 
belonging  to  other  stocks.  According  to  Latham,  indeed,  the  real  Negro 
country  extends  only  from  the  Senegal  to  the  Niger  If  we  ask  what  Justifies 
so  narrow  a  limitation,  we  find  that  the  hideous  Negro  type,  which  the  fancy 
of  observers  once  saw  all  over  Africa,  but  which,  as  Livingstone  says,  is  really 
to  be  seen  only  as  a  sign  in  front  of  tobacco-shops,  has  on  closer  inspection 
evaporated  from  almost  all  parts  of  Africa,  to  settle  no  one  knows  how  in  just 
this  region.  If  we  understand  that  an  extreme  case  may  have  been  taken  for 
the  genuine  and  pure  form,  even  so  we  do  not  comprehend  the  ground  of  its 
geographical  limitation  and  location ;  for  wherever  dark  woolly-haired  men 
dwell,  this  ugly  type  also  crops  up.  We  are  here  in  presence  of  a  refinement 
of  science  which  to  an  unprejudiced  eye  will  hardly  hold  water. t 

•  Sergi,  pp.  248-9.  f  Ratzel,  II,  p.  313. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  17 

Three  things  have  been  especially  emphasized  as  characteristic  of 
Negroes:  their  color,  hair  and  features.  As  to  color  in  human  beings, 
Ripley  says: 

One  point  alone  seems  to  have  been  definitely  proved:  however  marked  the 
contrasts  in  color  between  the  several  varieties  of  human  species  may  be,there 
is  no  corresponding  difference  iu  anatomical  structure  discoverable. 

Pi§fmentation  arises  from  the  deposition  of  coloring  matter  in  a  special 
series  of  cells,  which  lie  just  between  the  translucent  outer  skin  or  epidermis 
and  the  inner  or  true  skin  known  as  the  cutis.  It  was  long  supposed  that 
these  pigmentcells  were  peculiar  to  the  dark-skinned  races;  but  investigation 
has  shown  that  the  structure  in  all  types  is  identical.  The  differences  in 
color  are  due,  not  to  presence  or  absence  of  the  cells  themselves,  but  to  varia- 
tions in  the  amount  of  pigment  therein  deposited.  In  this  respect,  therefore, 
the  Negro  differs  physiologically,  rather  than  anatomically,  from  the  Euro- 
pean or  the  Asiatic* 

The  cause  of  this  physiological  difference  is  climate,  the  rays  of  the 
sun,  humidity,  and  such  natural  forces: 

The  best  working  hypothesis  is  ...  .  that  this  coloration  is  due  to  the 
combined  influences  of  a  great  number  of  factors  of  environment  working 
through  phj'siological  processes,  none  of  which  can  be  isolated  from  the 
others.  One  point  is  certain,  whatever  the  cause  may  be — that  this  character- 
istic has  been  very  slowly  acquired,  and  has  today  become  exceedingly  per- 
sistent in  several  races,  t 

Sergi  says  of  the  Mediterranean  race: 

We  may  therefore  conclude  that  as  residence  under  the  equator  has  pro- 
duced the  red-brown  and  black  coloration  of  the  stock,  and  residence  in  the 
Meditei'raneau  the  brown  colour,  so  northern  Europe  has  given  origin  to  the 
white  skin,  blond  hair,  and  blue  or  grey  eyes.  I  believe  we  may  consider  this 
a  beautiful  example  of  the  formation  and  variation  of  external  characters 
among  a  section  of  the  human  race  which  from  time  imnremorial  has  been 
diffused  by  migrations  between  the  equator  and  the  arctic  circle,  and  has 
formed  its  external  characters  according  to  the  variations  of  latitude  and  the 
concomitant  external  conditions.^ 

As  to  hair,  we  are  told  that — 

The  two  extremes  of  hair  texture  in  the  human  species  are  the  crisp,  curly 
variety  so  familiar  to  us  in  the  African  Negro;  and  the  stiff  wiry  straight 
hair  of  the  Asiatic  and  the  American  aborigines.  These  traits  are  exceedingly 
persistent;  they  persevere  oftentimes  through  generations  of  ethnic  inter- 
mixture. It  has  been  shown  by  Pruner  Bey  and  others  that  this  outward  con- 
trast in  texture  is  due  to,  or  at  all  events  coincident  with,  real  morphological 
differences  in  structure.  The  curly  hair  is  almost  always  of  a  flattened,  rib- 
bon-like form  in  cross  section,  as  examined  miscroscopically ;  while,  cut 
squarely  across,  the  straight  hair  more  often  inclines  to  a  fully  rounded  or 
cylindrical  shape.  Moreover,  this  peculiarity  in  cross  section  may  often  be 
detected  in  any  crossing  of  these  extreme  types.  The  result  of  such  inter- 
mixture is  to  imijart  a  more  or  less  wavy  appearance  to  the  hair,  and  to  pro- 
duce a  cross  section  intermediate  between  a  flattened  oval  and  a  circle. 
Roughly  speaking,  the  more  pronounced  the  flatness  the  greater  is  the  tend- 
ency toward  waviness  or  curling,  and  the  reverse.^ 

•  Ripley,  p.  .58.  +  Ripley,  p.  62.  J  Sergi,  p.  254.  $  Ripley,  p.  457. 


18         ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Anthropologists  today  are  putting  less  stress  on  the  development  of 
the  soft  parts  of  the  human  frame — the  skin,  nose,  cheeks  and  lips,  but 
have  come  to  regard  the  cranio-faeial  skeletal  characteristics  as  ''the 
guiding  thread  on  anthropological  research."*  Even  here  the  matter 
of  absolute  size  and  weight  is  of  minor  importance: 

Equally  unimportant  to  the  anthropologist  is  the  absolute  size  of  the  head. 
It  is  grievous  to  coutemplate  the  waste  of  energy  when,  during  our  civil  war, 
over  one  million  soldiers  had  their  heads  measured  in  respect  of  this  absolute 
size;  in  view  of  the  fact  that  today  anthropologists  deny  any  considerable 
signitieance  attaching  this  characteristic.  Poijularly,  a  large  head  with  beet- 
ling eyebrows  suffices  to  establish  a  man's  intellectual  credit;  but  like  all 
other  credit,  it  is  entirely  dependent  upon  what  lies  on  deposit  elsewhere. 
Neither  size  nor  weight  of  the  brain  seems  to  be  of  importance.  The  long, 
narrow  heads,  as  a  rule,  have  a  sinaller  capacity  than  those  in  which  the 
breadth  is  considerable,  but  exceptions  are  so  common  that  they  disprove  the 
rule.  Among  the  earliest  men  whose  remains  have  been  found  in  Europe, 
there  was  no  appreciable  difference  from  the  present  living  populations.  In 
many  cases  these  prehistoric  men  even  surjiassed  the  present  population  in 
the  size  of  the  head.  The  peasant  and  the  philosopher  can  not  be  distin- 
guished in  this  respect.  For  the  same  reason  the  striking  difference  betweeti 
the  sexes,  the  head  of  the  man  being  considerably  larger  than  the  head  of  the 
woman,  means  nothing  more  than  avoirdupois,  or  rather  it  seems  merelv  to 
be  correlated  with  the  taller  stature  and  more  massive  frame  of  the  human 
male.t 

Great  stress  used  to  be  put  on  the  facial  angle,  but  we  are  told  now 
that— 

Prognathism,  that  is  to  say  the  degree  of  projection  of  the  maxillary  portion 
of  the  face,  is  a  characteristic  trait  of  certain  skulls ;  however,  it  does  not  seem 
to  play  so  important  a  part  in  the  classification  of  races  as  antliropologists 
had  thought  twenty  or  thirty  years  ago.  It  presents  too  many  individual  va- 
rieties to  be  taken  as  a  distinctive  character  of  race,  l 

We  have,  then,  in  the  so-called  Negro  races  to  do  with  a  great  variety 
of  human  types  and  mixtures  of  blood  representing  at  bottom  a  human 
variation  which  separated  from  the  primitive  human  stock  some  ages 
after  the  yellow  race  and  before  the  Mediterranean  race,  and  which  has 
since  intermingled  witli  these  races  in  all  degrees  of  admixture  so  that 
today  no  absolute  separating  line  can  be' drawn. 

The  real  history  of  human  races  is  unknown.  A  probable  theory 
would  be  that  the  first  great  division  of  men  took  place  at  the  roof  of 
the  world,  the  Asiatic  Himalaya  mountains;  that  here  the  primitive 
brown  stock  of  men  divided — those  to  southward  gradually  through 
ages  becoming  long-headed  and  tall,  and  those  to  northward  broad- 
headed  and  shorter.  From  the  southern  long-headed  variety  developed 
in  ages  the  closely  allied  Negro  and  Mediterranean  races  and  from  the 
Mediterranean  race  and  the  invading  Asiatics  came  modern  Europeans. 

The  first  great  step  in  civilization  which  mankind  took  after  the 
Stone  Age  was  the  discovery  and  use  of  iron. 

"The  achievements  of  races  are  not  only  what  they  have  done  during 

•  Sergl,  p.  2'I9.  +Ripley,  p.  43.  tDenniker,  p.  63. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  19 

the  short  span  of  2,000  years,  when  with  rapidly  increasing  nuinbers 
the  total  amount  of  mental  work  accumulated  at  an  ever  increasing- 
rate.  In  this  the  European,  the  Chinaman,  the  East  Indian,  have  far 
outstripped  other  races.  But  back  of  this  period  lies  the  time  when 
mankind  struggled  with  the  elements,  when  every  small  advance  that 
seems  to  us  now  insignificant  was  an  achievement  of  the  highest  order, 
as  great  as  the  discovery  of  steam  power  or  of  electricity,  if  not  greater. 
It  may  well  be,  that  these  early  inventions  were  made  hardly  con- 
sciously, certainly  not  by  deliberate  effort,  yet  every  one  of  thein  rep- 
resents a  giant's  stride  forward  in  the  development  of  human  culture. 
To  these  early  advances  the  Negro  race  has  contributed  its  liberal, 
share.  While  much  of  the  history  of  early  invention  is  shrouded  in 
darkness,  it  seems  likely  that  at  a  time  when  the  European  was  still 
satisfied  with  rude  stone  tools,  the  African  had  invented  or  adopted  the 
art  of  smelting  iron. 

"Consider  for  a  moment  what  this  invention  has  meant  for  the  ad- 
vance of  the  human  race.  As  long  as  the  hammer,  knife,  saw,  drill, 
the  spade  and  the  hoe  had  to  be  chipped  outof  stone,  or  had  to  be  made 
of  shell  or  hard  wood,  effective  industrial  work  was  not  impossible, 
but  difficult.  A  great  progress  was  made  when  copper  found  in  large 
imggets  was  hammered  out  into  tools  and  later  on  shaped  by  melting, 
and  when  bronze  was  introduced;  but  the  true  advancement  of  indus- 
trial life  did  not  begin  until  the  hard  iron  was  discovered.  It  seems 
not  unlikely  that  the  people  that  made  the  marvelous  discovery  of  re- 
ducing iron  ores  by  smelting  were  the  African  Negroes.  Neither 
ancient  Europe,  nor  ancient  western  Asia,  nor  ancient  China  knew  the 
iron,  and  everything  points  to  its  introduction  from  Africa.  At  the 
time  of  the  great  African  discoveries  towards  the  end  of  the  past  cen- 
tury, the  trade  of  the  blacksmith  was  found  all  over  Africa,  from  north 
to  south  and  from  east  to  west.  With  his  simple  bellows  and  a  charcoal 
Are  he  reduced  the  ore  that  is  found  in  many  part  of  the  continent  and 
forged  implements  of  great  usefulness  and  beauty."* 

Egyptian  civilization  was  the  result  of  Negroid  Mediterranean  cul- 
ture, while  to  the  south  arose  the  ancient  Negro  civilization  of  Ethio- 
pia, and  still  further  south  we  find  ruins  of  ancient  Bantu  culture. 

The  primitive  culture  of  the  mass  of  uncivilized  Africans  long  ago 
reached  a  high  grade.  There  was  "extended  early  African  agriculture, 
each  village  being  surrounded  by  its  garden  patches  and  fields  in  which 
millet  is  grown.  Domesticated  animals  were  also  kept;  in  the  agri- 
cultural regions  chickens  and  pigs,  while  in  the  arid  parts  of  the  coun- 
try where  agriculture  is  not  possible,  large  herds  of  cattle  were  raised. 
It  is  also  important  to  note  that  the  cattle  were  milked,  an  art  which  in 
early  times  was  confined  to  Africa,  Europe  and  northern  Asia,  while 
even  now  it  has  not  been  acquired  by  the  Chinese. 

"The  occurrence  of  all  these  arts  of  life  points  to  an  early  and  energetic 
development  of  African  culture. 

*  Boas:  Commencement  Address  at  Atlanta ITnlverslty. 


20  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

"Even  if  we  refrain  from  speculating  on  the  earliest  times,  conceding 
that  it  is  difficult  to  prove  the  exact  locality  where  so  important  an 
invention  was  made  as  that  of  smelting  iron,  or  where  the  African  mil- 
let was  first  cultivated,  or  where  chickens  and  cattle  were  domestica- 
ted, the  evidence  of  African  ethnology  is  such  that  it  should  inspire 
you  with  the  hope  of  leading  your  race  from  achievement  to  achieve- 
ment. Shall  I  remind  you  of  the  power  of  military  organization  ex- 
hibited by  the  Zulu,  whose  kings  and  whose  armies  swept  southeastern 
Africa?  Shall  I  remind  you  of  the  local  chiefs,  who  by  dint  of  diplo- 
macy, bravery  and  wisdom,  united  the  scattered  tribes  of  the  wide 
areas  into  flourishing  kingdoms,  of  the  intricate  form  of  government 
necessary  for  holding  together  the  heterogeneous  tribes? 

"If  you  wish  to  understand  the  possibilities  of  the  African  under  the 
stimulus  of  a  foreign  culture,  you  may  look  towards  the  Soudan,  the 
region  south  of  the  Sahara.  When  we  first  learn  about  these  countries 
by  the  reports  of  the  great  Arab  traveller,  Iben  Batuta,  who  lived  in 
the  fourteenth  century,  we  hear  that  the  old  Negro  kingdoms  were 
early  conquered  by  the  Mohammedans.  Under  the  guidance  of  the 
Arabs,  but  later  on  by  their  own  initiative,  the  Negro  tribes  of  these 
countries  organized  kingdoms  which  lived  for  many  centuries.  They 
founded  flourishing  towns  in  which  at  annual  fairs  thousands  and 
thousands  of  people  assembled.  Mosques  and  other  public  buildings 
were  erected  and  the  execution  of  the  laws  was  entrusted  to  judges. 
The  history  of  the  kingdom  was  recorded  by  officers  and  kept  in 
archives.  So  well  organized  were  these  states  that  about  1850,  when 
they  were  for  the  first  time  visited  by  a  white  man,  the  remains  of  these 
archives  were  still  found  in  existence,  notwithstanding  all  the  political 
upheavals  of  a  millenium  and  notwithstanding  the  ravages  of  the  slave 
trade. 

"I  might  also  speak  to  you  of  the  great  markets  that  are  found 
throughout  Afi'ica,  at  which  commodities  were  exchanged  or  sold  for 
native  money.  I  may  perhaps  remind  you  of  the  system  of  judicial 
procedure,  of  prosecution  and  defense,  which  had  early  developed  in 
Africa,  and  whose  formal  development  was  a  great  achievement  not- 
withstanding its  gruesome  application  in  the  prosecution  of  witchcraft. 
Nothing,  perhaps,  is  more  encouraging  than  a  glimpse  of  the  artistic 
industry  of  native  Africa.  I  regret  that  we  have  no  place  in  this  coun- 
try where  the  beauty  and  daintiness  of  African  woi'k  can  be  shown  ;  but 
a  walk  through  the  African  museums  of  Paris,  London  and  Berlin  is  a 
revelation.  I  wish  you  could  see  the  scepters  of  African  kings,  carved 
of  hard  wood  and  I'epresenting  artistic  forms;  or  the  dainty  basketry 
made  by  the  people  of  the  Kongo  river  and  of  the  region  near  the  great 
lakes  of  the  Nile,  or  the  grass  mats  with  their  beautiful  patterns. 
Even  more  worthy  of  our  admiration  is  the  work  of  the  blacksmith, 
who  manufactures  symmetrical  lance  heads  almost  a  yard  long,  or  axes 
inlaid  with  copper  and  decorated  witJi  filigree.  Let  me  also  mention 
in  passing  the  bronze  castings  of  Benin  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa, 
which,  although  perhaps  due  to  Portuguese  influences,  have  so  far  ex- 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  21 

celled  in  technique  any  European  work,  that  they  are  even  now  almost 
inimitable.  In  short,  wherever  you  look,  you  find  a  thrifty  people, 
full  of  energy,  capable  of  forming  large  states.  You  find  men  of  great 
energj'^  and  ambition  who  hold  swaj'  over  their  fellows  by  the  weight  of 
their  personality.  That  this  culture  has,  at  the  same  time,  the  insta- 
bility and  other  signs  of  weakness  of  primitive  culture,  goes  without 
saying. 

"To  you,  however,  this  picture  of  native  Africa  will  inspire  strength, 
for  all  the  alleged  faults  of  your  race  that  you  have  to  conquer  here  are 
certainly  not  prominent  there.  In  place  of  indolence  you  find  thrift 
and  ingenuity,  and  application  to  occupations  that  require  not  only  in- 
dustry, but  also  inventiveness  and  a  high  degree  of  technical  skill,  and 
the  surplus  energy  of  the  people  does  not  spend  itself  in  emotional  ex- 
cesses only. 

"If,  therefore,  it  is  claimed  that  your  race  is  doomed  to  economic  infe- 
riority, you  may  confidently  look  to  the  home  of  your  ancestors  and 
say,  that  you  have  set  out  to  recover  for  the  colored  people  the  strength 
that  was  their  own  before  they  set  foot  on  the  shores  of  this  continent. 
You  may  say  that  you  go  to  work  with  bright  liopes,  and  that  you  will 
not  be  discouraged  by  the  slowness  of  your  progress;  for  you  have  to 
recover  not  only  what  has  been  lost  in  transplanting  the  Negro  race 
from  its  native  soil  to  this  continent,  but  you  must  reach  higher  levels 
than  your  ancestors  had  ever  attained. 

"To  those  who  stoutly  maintain  a  material  inferiority  of  the  Negro 
race  and  who  would  dampen  your  ardor  by  their  claims,  you  may  con- 
fidently reply  that  the  burden  of  proof  rests  with  them,  that  the  past 
history  of  your  race  does  not  sustain  their  statement,  but  rather  gives 
you  encouragement.  The  physical  inferiority  of  the  Negro  race,  if  it 
exists  at  all,  is  insignificant,  when  compared  to  the  wide  range  of  indi- 
vidual variability  in  each  race.  There  is  no  anatomical  evidence  avails 
able  that  would  sustain  the  view  that  the  bulk  of  the  Negro  race  could 
not  become  as  useful  citizens  as  the  members  of  any  other  race.  That 
there  may  be  slightly  different  hereditary  traits  seems  plausible,  but  it 
is  entirely  arbitrary  to  assume  that  those  of  the  Negro,  because  perhaps 
slightly  different,  must  be  of  an  inferior  type."* 

Other  investigators  emphasize  these  facts.     Ratzel  says: 

In  this  connection  the  point  to  be  most  weigh  tily  emphasized  is  that  the  Ne- 
gro has  now  passed  wholly  out  of  the  stage  which  we  are  wont  to  denote  by 
the  "Stone  Age."  All  their  more  important  implements  and  weapons  which 
might  be  of  stone  are  now  of  iron.t 

In  alliance  with  stimulus  from  without,  the  interior  of  Africa  has  had  a  de- 
velopment of  its  own,  variable  no  doubt,  but  wherever  it  has  been  undis- 
turbed, copious.  The  striking  point  about  African  ethnography  is  that  as  we 
go  towards  the  interior,  the  level  of  culture,  so  far  as  measured  by  the  abund- 
ance and  variety  of  its  stock  of  possessions,  by  persistency  in  the  conditions^ 
by  the  prosperity  and  density  of  the  population,  is  greater  than  in  the  outer 
districts.  ...   In  connection  with  the  question  of  the  African  capacity  for  de- 

*  Boas,  Commencemeiit  Address  at  Atlanta  University.  +  Ratzel,  2:387. 


22  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFEEENCE 

velopment,  and  the  possible  points  at  which  higher  culture  may  take  hold,  we 
will  give  a  closer  glance  at  the  points  where  a  notable  superiority  to  the 
standard  of  inner  Africa  is  observable.  No  injustice  is  done  to  the  "antoch- 
thonous  civilizations"  of  the  Monbuttus,  the  Waganda,  the  Bangala,  and  others, 
if  we  look  for  their  superiority  primarily  in  the  material  ingredients  of  cul- 
ture. Therein  they  do  but  maintain  the  inmost  essence  of  African  culture; 
for  it  is  just  the  contrast  between  the  high  development  of  the  material  side 
and  the  backward  condition  of  the  spiritual  that*  gives  African  culture  as  a 
whole  its  peculiar  character.  In  that  industrious  pursuit  of  agriculture  and 
cattle-breeding  beside  so  limited  a  development  of  political  and  religious  in- 
stitutions there  seems  to  be  something  heavy,  depressing,  stationary.  Hence, 
too,  the  astonishing  regularity  of  its  distribution.  This  condition  of  things 
bears,  in  the  first  place,  the  mark  of  an  inland  life,  but  has  also  a  deep  root  in 

the  Negro  disposition,  of  which   the  chief  strength  lies  not  in but  in 

perseverance.* 

That  African  culture  did  not  go  far  higher  than  this  is  due  to  (a)  cli- 
mate, (b)  geography',  and  (c)  the  slave-ti'ade. 

We  must  bear  Africa  in  our  eye  if  we  would  understand  the  Africans.  The 
destinies  of  races  are  in  truth  dependent  on  the  soil  upon  which  men  travel 
and  whence  they  draw  their  food,  according  as  it  limits  them  or  lets  them 
spread;  on  the  sky  which  determines  the  amount  of  warmth  and  moisture 
that  they  shall  have ;  on  the  dower  of  plants  and  animals,  and  we  maj"^  add 
minerals,  from  which  they  get  the  means  of  feeding,  clothing  and  beautifying 
themselves,  and  of  providing  themselves  with  friends,  helpers,  and  allies,  but 
which  may  also  raise  up  enemies.  Africa  is  the  most  westerly  portion  of  the 
mass  of  land  which  covers  over  a  third  of  the  Eastern  Hemisphere  in  a  vast 
connected  system,  and  it  extends  nearly  as  far  to  the  south  of  Australia.  The 
southern  border  of  the  Old  World  encloses  a  great  basin,  whose  western  edge 
is  skirted  by  Africa,  its  eastern  by  Australia— the  Indian  Ocean.  In  it  lie  the 
largest  African  and  Asiatic  islands,  Madagascar,  Borneo,  Sumatra,  Java,  as 
well  as  the  peninsulas  of  Somaliland,  Arabia,  Hither  and  Further  India.  P^ar 
beyond  it,  to  the  eastward,  extend  lands  a)id  islands,  so  far  that  one  may  well 
ask  whether  the  unoccupied  space  between  Easter  Island  and  South  America 
formed  a  permanent  bar  to  the  extension  of  races  which  had  already  covered 
a  space  three  times  as  wide.  When  one  has  to  speak  of  the  ethnography  of 
the  African  races  one  always  remembers  this  great  half-enclosed  bight,  which 
might  be  called  the  Indo- African  Mediterranean.  .  .  .  When  ^ye  are  consid- 
ering the  possibility  of  navigation  between  the  remoter  coasts  of  Africa  and 
other  quarters  of  the  earth,  our  thoughts  turn  spontaneously  upon  its  shape. 
We  miss  features  favorable  to  navigation,  gulfs  and  bays,  peninsulas  and 
islands.  Owing  to  the  absence  from  this  continent  of  arms  and  inlets  of  the 
sea,  the  tribes  of  the  interior  have  always  been  cut  off  from  intercourse  with 
Europeans;  while  the  ruling  principle  of  the  coast  tribes  was  to  hold  the  po- 
sition of  middlemen  between  them  and  Europeans.  The  length  of  the  coast- 
line of  Africa,  compared  with  that  of  Eurojie,  is  little  more  than  one-fifth. 
Only  the  northeast  and  the  north,  so  far  as  they  are  bordered  by  the  Red  Sea 
and  the  Mediterranean,  show  a  little  more  variety.  But  this  is  just  where 
climatic  conditions  encourage  the  desert-formation  to  extend  at  many  points 
as  far  as  the  coast  Madagascar,  the  onlj^  large  island  of  this  quarter  of  the 
earth,  has  led  a  separate  life  of  its  own. 

Other  forces  have  also  had  a  checking  effect  on  the  development  of  African 

♦Ratzel,  2:254. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  23 

culture.  What  a  great  portion  of  the  earth  may  lose  in  the  way  of  accessibility 
through  defective  conformation  in  some  measure  be  compensated  for  by 
rivers.  In  Africa,  however,  the  physical  geography  does  not  allow  this  com- 
pensation to  operate  in  an  adequate  degree;  the  interior,  a  highland  region 
surrounded  with  mountains,  causes  the  rivers  to  descend  to  the  lowland, 
itself  of  no  great  dimensions,  in  cataracts.  Along  their  more  distant  course  in 
the  interior,  some  rivers,  in  conjunction  with  the  great  lakes,  are  important 
aids  to  intercourse  so  far  as  native  requirements  go;  but  the  road  to  the  sea  is 
cut  off.* 

The  chief  present  inhabitants  of  Africa  are  classed  by  Denniker  as 
follows : 

Putting  on  one  side  the  Madagascar  islanders  and  the  European  and  other 
colonists,  the  thousands  of  peoples  and  tribes  of  the  "dark  continent"  may  be 
grouped,  going  from  north  to  south,  into  six  great  geographical,  linguistic, 
and,  in  part,  anthropological  units :  1st,  the  Arabo-Berbers  or  Semito-Hamites ; 
2nd,  the  Ethiopians  or  Kushito-Hamites;  3rd,  the  Fulah-Zandeh ;  4th,  the 
Negrilloes  or  Pygmies;  5th,  the  Nigritians  or  Sudanese-Guinea  Negroes;  6th, 
the  Bantus;  7th,  the  Hottentot-Bushmen.t 

It  must  not  be  thought,  however,  that  hard  and  fast  lines  between 
these  groups  can  be  drawn.     On  the  contrary,  we  must — 

Premise  the  unity  of  by  far  the  greatest  part  of  the  races  of  this  quarter  of 
the  earth,  and  starting  from  this,  regard  the  differences  as  varying  shades.  J 

The  nucleus  of  the  populations  of  Africa  in  respect  to  both  geographical 
position  and  of  mass,  is  Ethiopian;  dark  brown  skin,  woolly  hair,  thick — or 
rather  everted — lips,  and  a  tendency  to  strong  development  of  the  facial  and 
maxillary  parts.  To  such  races  Africa,  south  of  the  Great  Desert,  has  belonged 
from  the  earliest  historical  period,  and  the  Desert  itself  probably  once  did 
belong.  In  the  extreme  south,  in  a  compact  group,  and  in  small  groups  also 
in  the  interior,  a  light  brown  variety,  of  low  stature.  The  north  beyond  the 
desert,  however,  is  inhabited  by  men  in  general  of  light  color,  whether  red- 
dish like  the  Egj^ptians,  or  yellowish  like  the  Arabs,  showing  curly  rather 
than  woolly  hair,  and  a  less  conspicuous  facial  and  maxillary  development. 
The  Berbers  of  the  Atlas  are\even  like  southern  Europeans.  But  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  mass  are  not  sharply  opposed  to  the  Ethiopian,  deviating  rather 
by  way  of  mixture  and  attenuation. 

This  is  more  than  an  idle  assumption  as  is  shown  by  the  history  of  the 
African  races.  From  the  earliest  times  of  whicli  Me  have  any  knowledge 
dark  men  have  continually  filtered  thi'ough,  chiefly  by  way  of  the  slave-trade, 
to  the  lighter  north.  For  this  reason  we  may  say  with  Fritsch  that  a  general 
consideration  of  African  ethnology  shows  the  Soudan  to  have  been  the  start- 
ing-point. It  forms  the  middle  member  between  dark  and  light  Africa,  appa- 
rently divided  parts,  out  of  which  its  mobile  races  have  tended  to  make  one 
whole.  Negroes  crossed  the  Alps  with  Hannibal,  and  fell  at  Worth  beside 
MacMahon.  Whatever  their  original  nature  may  have  been,  all  this  popula- 
tion must  have  been  alloyed  with  a  strong  Ethiopian  element,  as  our  cut  of 
Fezzan  man  shows.  The  entire  Semitic  and  Hamitic  population  of  Africa  has, 
in  other  words,  a  mulatto  character  which  extends  to  the  Semites  outside 
Africa.§ 


•  Ratzel,  II,  pp.  237-41.         +  Denniker,  431.  t  Ratzel,  2:244.  $  Ratzel,  2:245-47. 


24  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

3.     The  Negro  Brain 

It  is  usually  assumed  that  there  are  great  differences  between  the 
European  and  African  brain  and  that  here  the  inevitable  inferiority  of 
the  Africans  shows  itself.    Denniker,  however,  says: 

The  weight  of  the  encephalon  varies  enormously  according  to  Individuals. 
Topinard  in  a  series  of  519  Europeans,  men  of  the  lower  and  middle  classes, 
found  that  variations  in  weight  extended  from  1025'grams  to  1675  grams.  The 
average  weight  of  the  brain  among  adult  Europeans  (20  to  60  years)  has  been 
fixed  by  Topinard,  from  an  examination  of  11,000  specimens  weighed,  at  1361 
grams  for  man,  1290  grams  for  Avoman.  It  has  been  asserted  that  the  other 
races  have  a  lighter  brain,  but  the  fact  has  not  been  established  by  a  sufficient 
number  of  examples.  In  reality  all  that  can  be  put  against  the  11,000  brain- 
weighings  mentioned  above  concerning  the  cerebral  weights  of  non-European 
races,  amounts  to  nothing,  or  almost  nothing.  The  fullest  series  that  Topinard 
has  succeeded  in  making,  that  of  Negroes,  comprises  only  190  brains,  that  of 
Annamese,  which  comes  immediately  after,  contains  only  18  brains.  And 
what  do  the  figures  of  these  series  teach  us? 

The  first  series  dealing  with  Negroes,  gives  a  mean  weight  not  much  differ- 
ent from  that  of  Europeans— 1316  grams  for  adult  males  of  from  20  to  60  years; 
and  the  second  dealing  with  the  Annamese,  a  mean  weight  of  1341  grams, 
almost  identical  with  that  of  Europeans.  For  other  populations  we  have  onlj' 
the  weight  of  isolated  brains,  or  of  series  of  three,  four,  or  at  most  eleven 
specimens,  absolutely  insuflacient  for  any  conclusions  whatever  to  be 
drawn,  seeing  that  individual  variations  are  as  great  in  exotic  races  as  among 
Europeans,  to  judge  by  Negroes  (1013  to  1587  grams)  and  by  Annameses  (from 
1145  to  1450  grams).* 

On  this  subject  Mr.  Monroe  N.  Work,  A.  M.,  of  the  Savannah  State 
College,  contributes  the  following  memorandum: 

Most  writers  hold  that  the  Negro  brain  is  smaller  than  the  Cau- 
casian.t  The  first  objection  to  this  conclusion  is  that  there  has  not 
been  a  sufficient  number  of  Negro  brains  examined  upon  which  to  base 
a  generalization.  The  total  number  of  Negro  brains  which  have  been 
examined  in  America  with  reference  to  size  is  about  500.  The  number 
reported  by  European  investigators  is  a  little  more  than  200,  making  a 
total  of  about  700.  This  number  is  absolutely  too  small  to  base  gener- 
alizations concerning  the  twenty  or  more  million  persons  of  Negro  de- 
scent in  the  western  hemisphere  and  the  hundreds  of  millions  in  Africa, 
among  whom  are  found  variations  as  great  and  of  the  same  kind  as 
those  found  among  white  races. 

But  granting  that  the  data  are  sufficient,  another  objection  is  that  in 
giving  the  weight  of  Negro  brains  it  appears  that  almost  no  account 
has  been  taken  of  age,  stature,  social  class,  occupation,  nutrition,  and 
cause  of  death;  each  of  which  separately  or  all  together  affect  both  the 
weight  and  structure  of  the  brain.  The  following  table  shows  brain 
weight  in  connection  with  age  and  stature,  t 

*  Denniker,  p.  97. 

f  See  Bean,  "The  Negro  Brain,"  The  Century  Magazine,  Sept.  1906. 
t  From  Marshall's  tables  based  on   Boyd's  records;  Donaldson,  the  Growth  of  thi^ 
Brain,  p.  97. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 


25 


MALES 

FEMALES 

AGE 

WEIGHT  OF  KNCEPHALON 

WEIGHT  OF  ENCEPHALON 

AGE 

Stature  164  cm.  and  under 

Stature  152  cm.  and  under 

•20-40 

41-70 

71-90 

1331  grams 
1297      " 
1251      " 

1199  grams 
1205      " 
1122      " 

20-40 
41-70 
71-90 

Stature  167-172  cm. 

Stature  155-160  cm. 

20-40 

41-70 

71-90 

1360  grams 
i;«5      " 

1305      " 

1218  grams 
1212      " 
1121      " 

20-40 
41-70 
71-90 

Stature  175  cm.  and  upwards 

Stature  163  cm.  and  upwards 

20-40 

1409  grams 
1363      " 
1330      " 

1265  grams 
1209      " 
1166      " 

20-40 

41-70  

71-90 

41-70 
71-90 

Tlie  third  objection  is  that  the  ditferences  in  the  average  weight  of 
Negro  and  white  brains  are  not  sufficiently  great  to  warrant  the  con- 
clusion that  if  an  equally  large  number  of  Negro  brains  were  taken 
with  reference  to  age,  stature,  etc.,  there  would  be  any  marked  differ- 
ences in  weight.  Topinard  found  the  average  weight  of  11,000  European 
brains  to  be  1,361  grams  for  men  and  1290  for  women.  He  found  the 
average  for  190  male  Negroes  to  be  1316  grams.  Peacock  found  an  aver- 
age of  1388  grams  for  English  from  a  series  of  28  brains;  while  Boyd, 
from  a  series  of  425,  found  an  average  of  1354.  Hunt  found  an  average 
of  1327  grams  for  a  series  of  381  United  States  Negro  soldiers. 

The  following  table  shows  what  wide  variations  may  occur  among 
races  of  the  same  I'egion  and  of  fairly  similar  culture: 

Table  showing  the  weight  of  the  encephalon  in  several  transcaiccasian  tribes. 
Weight  taken  with  pia  and  without  drainage.    (Gilchenko) :  * 


No.  of 

Oases  RACE  SEX 

10 Ossetes Males. 

15 Ingouehes " 

2 Teerkesses " 

3 Daghestan " 

12 Armenian " 

13 Georgian. . . . 


Age  Mean 

Years  Stature 

.21-34 Mm. 

.18-30 1704     "     . 

1695     "     . 

1650     "     . 

.,16-60 1634     "     . 

..19-65 1669     "     . 


Females 25-28. 


1590 


Mean  weight 
Encephalon 
1470  grams 
14,53       " 
1532        " 
1340        " 
1369        " 
1350        " 
1207        " 


Broca  found  the  mean  weight  of  the  pia  to  be  for  males  55.8  grams  and 
for  females  48.7  grams.  The  variation  for  males  ranged  from  38  to  130 
grams. 

In  the  most  recent  investigation  of  Negro  brains,  those  whom  the 
investigator  classes  as  one-half  and  one-fourth  white  have  almost  as 
great  or  a  greater  brain  weight,  1340  and  1347  grams,  than  those  who 
are  classed  as  white,  1341;  and  they  have  a  greater  average  brain  weight 
than  the  English,  I  and  II,  1335,  1328,  and  the  French,  1325  grams, of  the 
European  series  which  he  presents.  He  found  the  average  weight  of 
the  Negro  females,  1108,  to  be  greater  than  that  of  the  white  females, 
1103. + 

It  is  to  be  noted  just  here  that  no  especial  importance  is  to  be  attached 
to  the  classification  by  observation  of  Negroes  as  pure  blacks,  one- 
eighth,  one-fourth,  one-half  white,  etc.    For  popular  purposes  it  is  suffi- 


*  Donaldson,  loc.  ciL,  p.  114. 
iSee  Bean, Op.  Cit. 


Encephalon 

Encephalon 

9('0  gramsi 

ItiOO  grams+ 

978        "      . . 

1729     " 

1013 

1587     " 

964        "      . . 

1813     " 

12()7        " 

mn)    " 

118:^ 

IfiSO      " 

1282 

1M5     " 

130()        " 

1541      " 

26  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

cient  to  merely  note  the  color  of  the  skin,  texture  of  the  hair,  etc. ;  but 
for  scientific  purposes  it  is  necessary  that  the  ancestry  be  investigated. 
The  writer  is  acquainted  with  many  persons  who  by  inspection  would 
be  classed  as  one-fourth  white,  when  in  reality  they  are  three-fourths 
and  others  who  would  be  classed  as  three-eij?hths  or  more,  when  as  a 
matter  of  fact  they  are  only  one-eighth  white.  And  even  if  an  accurate 
classification  of  American  Negroes  was  made  according  to  blood  it 
would  still  be  necessary  to  classify  them  according  to  age,  stature, 
social  class,  etc.,  before  any  conclusion  would  be  warranted  respecting 
the  relative  brain  weights  of  pure  Negroes  and  those  of  mixed  blood. 

Still  another  objection  to  the  conclusion  that  the  Negro  brain  is 
smaller  than  the  Caucasian  is  that  tlie  variability  in  the  brain  weight 
of  the  two  races  fails  within  almost  the  same  limits.  The  following 
table  illustrates  this: 

No.  of  Minimum  wt.    Maximum  wt. 

Cases  RACE  SEX 

79 Negroes  (Bean) •     

381 Negro  soldiers  iHunt) Males. 

190 Negroes  ( Toplnard  i  " 

278 "White  (.Clondenning)  and  otliers.. .      "     .. 

45 "        Eminent  men " 

13 "       (ieorgian "     .. 

12 "        Armenian "     .. 

10 "       Ossetes "     .. 

It  is  further  asserted  that  there  is  much  difference  in  tlie  structure  of 
white  and  Negro  brains.  The  investigator  mentioned  above  l)as  at- 
tempted to  show  that  the  size  and  shape  of  the  front  end  of  the  cerebrum 
is  different  in  tlie  two  races.  In  proof  of  this,  views  of  the  frontal  lobes 
and  of  the  mesial  surfaces  of  the  hemispheres  of  a  white  and  Negi'o 
brain  and  two  tables  of  brain  measurements,  are  presented.  The  weak- 
ness of  this  proof  is  that  generalizations  are  made  from  too  few  ex- 
amples; it  appears  to  be  inferred  that  all  white  brains  have  exactly  or 
almost  exactly  the  same  detailed  shape.  The  table  of  brain  measure- 
ments, which  is  presented  with  averages,  indicates  that  what  is  stated 
as  being  characteristic  of  Negro  brains  is  not  true  of  all  the  small  num- 
ber of  Negro  brains  which  he  examined. t 

•  Sex  is  not  distinguished  in  connection  with  Ijraiii  variability.  See  Bean,  Op.  Clt.. 
p.  780.    Chart  of  brain  weight. 

+  "About  900"  and  "about  KiOO"  grams. 

JTliere  are  several  discrepancies  in  this  article  of  Dr.  Bean's,  e.  g.,  he  says:  "The 
brains  I  liave  studied  were  accurately  weiglied  and  tlie  weights  are  classified  as  fol- 
lows," giving  the  number.  There  is  a  lack  of  agreement  iietween  the  numlaer  of 
brains  wliich  he  says  he  compared— 103  Negro  and  49  white— and  the  number  he 
presents,  79  Negro  and  00  white,  in  the  table  of  brain  weights,  and  (i.5  and  87 
Negro  and  1.5  and  51  white.  In  the  table  of  brain  measurements.  In  one  table  the 
average  weight  of  51  Negro  male  brains  is  given  as  1292  grams.  From  the  next  table 
given,  showing  the  average  brain  weight  according  to  white  blood,  it  appears  that 
the  general  average  of  these  same  51  brains  is  12.54  grams.  The  length  of  the  section 
of  the  frontal  lobe  of  tlie  white  brain  sliown  is,  lie  says,  between  2  and  2.5  centimeters, 
for  lobe  of  Negro  brain  between  1.5  and  2  centimeters.  The  table  of  l)riuiis  of  Negro 
soldiers  has  many  errors,  e.  g.,  the  table  he  presents  is  as  follows: 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  27 

It  is  also  stated  that  the  white  brains  have  more  elaborate  convolu- 
tions and  deeper  fissuration  than  Negro  brains.  It  is  apparently  not 
taken  into  account  that  fissuration  and  convolution  depend  upon  sev- 
eral variables.  As  for  example,  a  brain  possessed  of  an  extensive  cor- 
tex with  the  elements  incompletely  associated  can  be  a  much  folded 
brain,  because  in  order  to  apply  it  to  the  surface  of  the  cerebrum  it 
must  be  thrown  into  many  gyri.  On  the  other  hand,  the  associating 
fibers  may  be  so  developed  as  to  increase  the  central  mass,  thereby 
giving  a  larger  surface  to  which  the  cortex  may  be  applied  and  thus 
tend  to  increase  the  cortical  folds.  These  facts,  with  those  from  com- 
parative anatomy  respecting  the  fissui'ation  and  convolution  of  the 
brains  of  beiists  and  birds,  seem  to  indicate  that  there  is  no  certain 
relation  between  brain  convolution  and  inttslligence. 

The  best  evidence  seems  to  indicate  that  the  organization  and,  there- 
fore, the  details  of  the  structure  of  the  central  nervous  system  are  con- 
tinually being  modified  through  life.  That  is,  changes  are  constantly 
occuring.  These  changes,  which  are  many  and  varied,  are  caused  by 
age,  occupation,  nutrition,  disease,  etc.  This  fact  of  constant  change 
makes  it  very  doubtful  whether  any  uniformity  in  the  finer  details  of 
structure  will  be  found  in  white  brains,  particularly  if  they  are  brains 
of  different  sizes  from  persons  of  different  ages,  statures,  etc.,  and  the 
cause  of  death  not  being  the  same.  These  facts,  in  connection  with  the 
well  established  fact  that  those  characters  which  are  said  to  be  dis- 
tinctive of  particular  races  are  found  with  more  or  less  frequency  in 
other  races,  seem  to  indicate  that  what  has  been  described  as  being 
peculiar  in  the  size,  shape,  and  anatomy  of  the  Negro  brain  is  not  true 
of  all  Negro  brains.  These  same  peculiarities  can  no  doubt  be  found  in 
many  white  brains  and  probably  have  no  special  connection  with  the 
mental  capacity  of  either  race. 


4.     The  Negro=American 

The  transplantation  of  the  Negro  race  to  America  was  one  of  the 
most  tremendous  experiments  in  race  migration  the  world  has  ever 
seen. 

"The  exact  proportions  of  the  slave-trade  to  America  can  be  but  ap- 
proximately determined.  From  1680  to  1688  the  African  Company  sent 
249  ships  to  Africa,  shipped  there  60,783  Negro  slaves,  and  after  losing 

No.  of  brains  Grade  of  color  Av.  brain  wt 

24  White 1478  grams 

25 ?i 1390       " 

47 U 1331        " 

51 k  1315       '• 

95. 1-8 1305       " 

22 1-lfi 1275       " 

141 Black 1328       " 

The  true  figures  reduced  from  Hunt's  report  in  Journal  of  Psychological  iVIedicinc 
jind  Jurisprudence,  Vol.  I,  No.  II,  October,  1867,  p.  182,  is  as  follows:  White,  1475; 
fhree-fourths  white,  1390;  one-half  white,  1334;  one-fourth  white.  1319;  one-eighth 
wliite,  13U8;  one-sixteenth  white,  1280;  black,  1331  grams. 


28  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

14,387  on  the  middle  passage,  delivered  46,396  in  America.  The  trade 
increased  early  in  the  eighteenth  century,  104  ships  clearing  for  Africa 
in  1701;  it  then  dwindled  until  the  signing  of  the  Assiento,  standing 
at  74  clearings  in  1724.  The  final  dissolution  of  the  monopoly  in  1750 
led— excepting  in  the  years  1754-57,  when  the  closing  of  Spanish 
marts  sensibly  affected  the  trade — to  an  extraordinary  development, 
192  clearings  being  made  in  1771.  The  Revolutionary  war  nearly 
stopped  the  trafHc  but  by  1786  the  clearances  had  risen  again  to  146. 

"To  these  figures  must  be  added  the  unregistered  trade  of  Americans 
and  foreigners.  It  is  probable  that  about  26,000  slaves  were  brought  to 
America  each  year  between  1698  and  1707.  The  importation  then 
dwindled,  but  rose  after  the  Assiento  to  perhaps  30,000.  The  proportion, 
too,  of  these  slaves  carried  to  the  continent  now  began  to  increase.  Of 
about  20,000  whom  the  English  annually  imported  from  1733  to  1766, 
South  Carolina  alone  received  some  3,000.  Before  the  Revolution,  the 
total  exportation  to  America  is  variously  estimated  as  between  40,000 
and  100,000  each  year.  Bancroft  places  the  total  slave  population  of  the 
continental  colonies  at  69,000  in  1714,  78,000  in  1727,  and  293,000  in  1754. 
The  census  of  1790  showed  697,897  slaves  in  the  United  States."* 

The  slaves  thus  procured  came  from  all  parts  of  Africa— the  Soudan, 
Central  and  South  Africa.  Distinct  traces  of  Arab  and  even  Malay 
blood  could  be  seen  side  by  side  with  the  tall  Bantu,  the  yellow  Hot- 
tentot and  the  African  dwarfs.  The  shipment  of  the  slaves  drawn  from 
this  wide  area  centered  on  the  west  coast  of  Africa  along  the  Gulf  of 
Guinea,  and  these  west  coast  Africans  were  consequently  most  fre- 
quently represented  on  the  slave  ships. 

This  Negro  population,  which  began  to  reach  the  confines  of  the 
present  United  States  in  1619,  has  increased  until  in  1900  in  the  conti- 
nental United  States  it  numbered  8,833,994  souls  or,  today,  1906,  not  less 
than  9,500,000. 

The  first  and  usual  assumption  concerning  this  race  is  that  it  repre- 
sents a  pure  Negro  type.  This  is  an  error.  Outside  the  question  of 
what  the  pure  Negro  type  is,  the  Negro- American  represents  a  very 
wide  and  thorough  blending  of  nearly  all  African  people  from  north  to 
south  ;  and  more  than  that,  it  is  to  a  far  larger  extent  than  many  real- 
ize, a  blending  of  European  and  African  blood.  It  is  to  this  feature 
especially  that  this  section  is  devoted. 

In  the  Romanes  lecture  of  1902,  at  Oxford  University,  Mr.  James 
Bryce  after  coming  to  many  important  conclusions  concerning  the 
darker  races  of  men,  and  especially  their  relations  to  the  whites, 
frankly  acknowledges  at  last,  that  so  far  as  intermingling  of  blood  is 
concerned  "one  is  surprised  when  one  comes  to  inquire  into  the  matter 
to  find  how  little  positive  evidence  there  is  bearing  un  it,"  and  he 
further  remarks  that  the  subject  "deserves  to  be  fully  investigated  by 
men  of  science." 

In  America  we  have,  on  account  of  the  wide-spread  mixture  of  races 

•  UuBois:  Suppression  of  the  African  Slave  Trade,  p.  5. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 


29 


of  all  kinds,  one  of  the  most  interesting  anthropological  laboratories 
conceivable.  This  is  true  also  so  far  as  the  mingling  of  the  two  most 
diverse  races,  the  black  and  the  white,  is  concerned  as  well  as  in  other 
eases.  And  yet  no  serious  attempt  has  ever  been  made  to  study  the 
physical  appearance  and  peculiarities  of  the  transplanted  Africans  or 
their  millions  of  descendants.  ^ 

There  is,  of  course,  some   reason   for  this,  in  that  scientific  research  VrU^ 
seldom  flourishes  in  the  midst  of  social  struggle  and  heated  discussion.  y^~ 
For  this  reason,  and  from  long  familiarity  with  the  strange  types,  we— » 
have  gradually  ceased  to  let  the  physical  peculiarities  and  interesting 
physiognomies  of  these  people  inspire  us  to  study  them  carefully.     Yet 
this  we  must  soon  come  to  do.     We  must  realize  that  we  have  brought, 
to  our  very  threshholds  representatives  of  a  great  historic  race  and  tliat, 
nevertheless,  there  is  no  place  in  the  world  where  less  systematic  relia- 
ble knowledge  of  the  Negro  race  exists  than  here.  Not  only  is  this  true, 
but  we  have  had  going  on  beneath  our  very  eyes  an  experiment  in  race- 
blending  such  as  the  world  has  nowhere  seen  before,  and  we  have  today 
living  representatives  of  almost  every  possible  degree  of  admixture  of 
Teutonic  and  Negro  blood. 

So  little  attention  has  been  paid  to  this  blending,  save  in  extreme 
controversial  spirit,  that  we  easily  forget  the  very  existence  of  the 
mixed  bloods,  and  foreign  students  of  our  race  problems  appear  almost 
totally  ignorant  of  their  existence.  We  ourselves  do  not  know  with 
accuracy  even  the  number  of  mixed-bloods.  The  figures  given  by  the 
census  are  as  follows: 

1850,  mulattoes  formed  11.2  per  cent  of  the  total  Negro  population. 
1860,  mulattoes  formed  18.2  per  cent  of  the  total  Negro  popuhition. 
1870,  mulattoes  formed  12  per  cent  of  the  total  Negro  population. 
1890,  mulattoes  formed  15.2  per  cent  of  the  total  Negro  population. 

Or  in  actual  numbers: 

1850,  405,751  mulattoes. 
1860,  588,352  mulattoes. 
1870,  585,601  mulattoes. 
1890,  1,132,060  mulattoes. 

Tliese  figures  are,  however,  of  doubtful  validity.  Those  of  1850  and 
1860  were  probably  under-statements,  while  those  of  1890  were  officially 
acknowledged  to  be  so  far  under  the  truth  to  be  of  "little  use"  and  even 
"misleading."  Some  local  studies  have  been  made,  but  the  areas  were 
so  restricted  as  to  form  a  very  narrow  basis  of  induction.     I  have  per- 


Farmville,  Va.,  (small  town^,  1897 

Dougherty  county,  Ga.,  (country  district), 

Black  Belt,  181W 

Albany,  Ga.,  (village)  1899 

Savannah,  Ga.,  (city)  1900 

Atlanta,  Ga.,  (city)  1900 

Mcintosh  county,   Ga.,  (country   district). 

Black  Belt,  1900 

Darlen,  Ga.,  (village),  1900 

Total.  .,.: 


(1,123 


;50  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Konally  classifled  nearly  40,000  colored  people.  Ten  thousand  were  in 
the  Black  Belt  and  in  rural  districts,  and  the  rest  were  in  cities  (Atlanta 
and  Savannali),  but  cities  in  or  near  the  Black  Belt. 

Of  these  17,000  were  to  all  appearances  of  unmixed  Ne^j-ro  blood  ;  6,000 
!iad  without  doubt  more  white  than  Negro  blood,  while  the  other  1(5,000 
were  classifled  as  "brown:"  in  the  majority  of  cases  they  undoubtedly 
had  some  white  blood — in  other  cases  I  was  not  sure  whether  their 
i'olor  was  due  to  white  blood  or  to  the  fact  that  they  were  descended 
from  brown  Africans. 

I  am  inclined  to  think  that  in  the  lightof  available  dataand  the  results 
*)f  fairly  wide  observation  that  at  least  one-third  of  the  Negroes  of  the 
(Tnited  States  have  recognizable  traces  of  white  blood,  leaving  about 
(5,000,000  others/*  Tliis,  of  course,  is  partial  guess-work — it  is  quite 
possible  that  tlie  mulattoes  form  an  even  larger  percentage  than  this, 
l>ut  I  should  be  greatly  surprised  to  find  that  they  formed  a  smaller 
proportion.  Under  such  circumstances  it  would  seem  that  a  scientific 
Ktudy  of  types  of  American  Negroes  ought  to  be  undertaken.  This 
paper  does  not  pretend  to  present  tl)e  results  of  careful  studies,  but 
rather  to  indicate  in  a  general  way  the  interesting  matter  which  is  open 
for  observation.  The  main  types  for  separate  study  would  be  the  full 
blooded  Negroes  and  those  with  a  quarter,  half  and  three-quarters  of 
white  blood  ;  in  the  eighths — the  octoroon,  the  five-eigliths  Negro,  etc. 
This  is  the  regular  series,  but  it  can  be  and  often  is  further  complicated 
\)y  the  intermarriage  of  persons  of  mixed  blood. 

E  know,  for  instance,  a  child  of  six  with  the  following  ancestry  : 

M.  White— F.  Negro" 
M.  While— F.  Negro  F.  Muhitto— M.  White 

F.  Mulatto  —  M.  White      F.  Negro— ]M.  White     :Nr.  White— F.  Quadroon 
F.  Quadroon— M.  White    F.  Mulatto— M.  Negro    F.  Octoroon — M.  Quadroon 
M.  Octoroon— F.  Quadroon      M.  "Colored  "  —  F.  "  Colored  " 


M.  "Colored"  —  F.  "Colored"  M.  Mulatto— F.  White 


M.  "  Colored  "  —  F.  Quadroon 


F.  "  Colored  " 
M.  —  Male.    V.=  Female. 

The  assumption,  therefore,  that  a  mulatto  has  one  white  parent  or 
grandparent  is  not  always  true:  no  full  blood  white  may  have  appeared 
among  his  ancestors  for  four  or  five  generations  and  yet  he  himself  may 
be  half  or  three-fourths  white. 

Amid  such  infinite  variation  in  the  proportion  of  Negro  and  wliite 
blood  one  can  find  a  most  fascinating  field  of  inquiry.  In  the  following- 
pages,  I  have  selected  out  of  a  school  of  about  300  youngpeople  between 

*This  does  not  mean  that  these  6,00(),000  have  no  white  blood— many  of  them  have— 
tint  there  are  fow  distlnt-t  traces"  of  it. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  31 

the  ages  of  12  and  20  years,  56  persons  who  seem  to  me  to  be  fairly 
typical  of  the  group  of  young  Negroes  in  general.  The  types  are  only 
provisionally  indicated  here  as  tiie  lines  are  by  no  means  clear  in  my 
own  mind.  Still  I  think  that  some  approximation  of  a  workable  di- 
vision has  been  made,  so  far  as  that  is  possible  without  exact  scientific 
measurements.  Among  these  56  young  persons,  all  of  whom  I  have 
known  personally  for  periods  varying  from  one  to  ten  years,  I  have 
sought  roughly  to  differentiate  four  sets  of  American  Negro  types: 

.4. — Negro  Types 

1.  Full  blooded  Negroes,  letters  A  to  G,  aud  numbers  1  to  7. 

2.  Brown   Negroes,  full-blooded  or  with  less  than  one-fourth  of  whitt 

blood,  numbers  8  to  18, 
B. — Mulatto  Types 

3.  Blended  types,  numbers  19  to  21,  and  letter  H. 

4.  Negro-colored,  number  25. 

5.  Negro-haired,  numbers  23  to  26. 

6.  Negro-featured,  number  27. 
C. — Quadroon  Types 

7.  The  Chromatic  series,  numbers  28  to  32. 

8.  Blended  types,  numbers  33  to  39. 
D. — White  Types  with  Negro  Blood 

Latin,  numbers  40  and  41. 
Celtic,  numbers  42  and  43. 
English,  numbers  44  to  4(5. 
Germanic,  numbers  47  and  48. 

Description  of  Types 

For  pictures  see  plates.following  p.  4 

A.  Dark  brown  in  color ;  crisp  tightly  curled  hair ;  slight  in  build  ;  excellen  ■ 
student. 

B.  Very  dark  brown;  crisp  bushy  hair;  heavy,  thick-set;  quiet  and  serious. 

C.  Dark  brown;  curled  crisp  black  hair;  small,  plump,  vivacious. 

D.  Dark  brown  ;  crisp  closelj^  curled  hair ;  tall  and  well-built;  reliable. 

E.  Very  dark  brown;  crisp  closely  curled  hair ;  well-pi'oportioned  and  well- 
bred  ;  slow. 

F.  Verj'  dark  brown  ;  crisp  mass  of  hair;  small  and  quiet, 

G.  Very  dark  brown  ;  crisp  hair;  rather  small ;  slow  but  earnest. 

H.  Light  brown;  black  hair  in  small  waves;  medium  height, slim  and  grace- 
ful ;  slow ;  a  singer. 

1.  Very  dark  brown  in  color,  crisp,  tightly  curled  hair,  Jaw  slightly  prog- 
nathous; short  and  stocky  in  build,  strong;  honest  and  reliable. 

2.  Verj^dark  brown,  crisp  curled  hair ;  slightly  prognathous;  tall  and  loosely 
jointed. 

8.  Brown  in  color,  closely  curled  hair,  tall  and  well  built;  good  character. 

4.  Very-  dark  brown,  mass  of  closely  curled  hair,  medium  heigh  t  and  graceful . 

o.  Dark  brown,  tightly  curled  hair  not  abundant,  very  tall  and  of  Amazon- 
ian build  and  carriage;  excellent  character. 

<).  Brown,  mass  of  less  closely  curled  hair,  medium  size;  good  abitity. 

7.  Very  dark  brown,  crisp  tightly  curled  hair,  well-formed;  considerable 
native  ability,  but  has  had  ])oor  school  advantages;  sweet  temj)ered. 


32  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONP^ERENCE 

«.  Very  dark   brown,  crisp  tightly  curled  hair,  medium  height  and  slim; 
.slow,  but  plodding,  and  perfectly  reliable. 

9.  Brown,  closely  curled  hair,  medium  height  and  looks  frail. 

10.  Brown,  mass  of  curled  hair ;  short  and  plump ;  unusual  mental  ability, 
cheerful  and  good  character. 

11.  Brown,  mass  of  more  loosely  curled  hair,  medium  size,  good  mental 
ability,  mischievous. 

12.  Brown,  tightly  curled  hair,  slim  and  awkward  ;  slow,  but  droll. 

13.  Light  brown,  closely  curled  hair  not  abundant,  slim;  good  mental  abil- 
ity and  great  application  ;  excellent  character. 

14.  Brown,  loosely  curled  hair,  short  and  well-formed ;  fair  mental  ability 
and  a  sweet  singer. 

15.  Light  brown,  loosely  curled  hair,  tall  and  slim ;  fair  ability  ;  quiet. 

16.  Brown,  curled  hair,  tall  and  slim. 

17.  Brown,  loosely"  curled  hair,  tall  and  lithe;   very  good  mental  ability; 
-sweet  temjiered.  > 

18.  Brown,  close  curled  hair,  medium  size;  of  unusual  mental  ability  judged 
t)y  any  standard. 

19.  Light  brown,  curled  hair,  stocky  build  ;  good  ability,  erratic  application  ; 
(juick  tempered.    Grandson  of  a  leading  white  southerner. 

20.  Yellow,  curled  and  wavy  hair,  slight  and   well-formed;  good  mental 
ability ;  quiet. 

21.  Yellow,  wavy  hair,  small  and  graceful ;  good  ability. 

22.  Brown,  straight  black  hair;  probably  has  Indian  blood;  well  built  and 
full  of  fun,  but  with  little  application. 

23.  Light  yellow,  curled  hair,  small  in  size,  bright  mentally,  and  excellent 
in  character;  young. 

24.  Light  yellow,  curled  hair,  medium  size,  slim;  good  alto  singer. 

25.  Light  yellow, freckled, reddish  curled  hair, medium  size;  fair  abilitj'  and 
pleasant  disposition. 

26.  Yellow,  curled  and  wavy  hair,  medium  size,  good  form  ;  excellent  ability 
and  application ;  serious. 

27.  Light  yellow,  hair  glossy  and  curly,  tall  and  slim  ;  good  ability  and  close 
application ;  quiet. 

28.  Smooth  brown  color,  straight,  black,  slightly  curly  hair,  long  limbed  and 
slim. 

29.  White  face,  with  red  freckles,  giving  a  pinkish  impression  ;  reddish  brown 
hair,  crimped  and  wavy ;  a  bashful,  good  girl,  of  fair  ability. 

80.  A  study  in  reds — red  gold  hair,  crimped  and  fluffy,  an  old  gold  face,  with 
reddish  tinge ;  brilliant  lightbrown  eyes;  tall,  impetuous,  of  unusual  ability. 

31.  Yellow  in  face  and  hair;  erratic. 
•  .'{2.  White  color,  dark  wavy  hair;  sturdily  built. 

33.  Creamy  color,  crimped  and  wavy  hair,  tall  and  graceful;  well  bred. 

.34.  Yellow,  with  wavy  long  hair,  short  and  plump;  good  ability  and  easy, 
good-natured  character. 

35.  Creamy  color,  crimped  brown  hair,  tall  and  slim;  languid. 

36.  Light  yellow,  wavy  hair,  rather  small  in  stature;  good  mind  and  char- 
acter ;  quiet. 

.37.  Light  yellow,  wavy  hair,  middle  size;  of  unusual  mental  ability  and  ex- 
cellent character ;  quiet. 

38.  Light  yellow  ;  tall,  long  wavy  hair. 

39.  Light  yellow,  long,  nearly  straight  hair;  large  and  plump;  slow,  but  will- 
ing. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  33 

40.  Ci'eam-tirited,  with  dark  wavy  hair,  tail  and  well-formed,  with  very  good 
mind  and  ability  in  several  directions ;  musical. 

41.  Cream-tinted,  with  wavy  hair,  strongly  built,  with  fair  mind;  rather 
quiet. 

42.  White,  with  freckles  and  long,  red-gold  hair ;  mischievous  and  smart. 

43.  White,  straight  brown  hair,  tall  and  thin ;  slow  but  conscientious ;  quiet 
and  sensitive. 

44.  White,  sandy  hair  and  blue  eyes,  short  and  rather  small;  fair  ability 
and  good  application. 

45.  Cream-color,  dark  hair,  tall  and  slim;  somewhat  erratic  in  intellect,  but 
conscientious ;  droll. 

46.  White,  sandy  hair  and  blue  eyes,  middle-size ;  fair  ability  and  good  char- 
acter. 

47.  White,  very  light  golden  hair,  light  blue  eyes,  tall  and  statelj^;  ordinary 
ability,  very  reliable,  quiet  and  kind. 

48.  White,  chestnut  hair,  blue  eyes,  plump  and  well-formed. 

A.     Negro  Types 

These  represent,  perhaps,  6,000,000  colored  people  of  this  country. 
The  24  pictures  devoted  to  these  are  inadequate  and  present  but 
a  few  of  numerous  types.  A  really  adequate  study  would  lead  to  an 
investigation  of  all  the  African  types,  most  of  which  are  represented  in 
America,  and  subsequently  changed  by  intermingling,  and  possibly  by 
climate  and  surroundings.  We  can  still  catch  glimpses  of  the  original 
African — the  straight-nosed,  dark  Nubian,  as  in  No.  8,  the  tall,  massive 
Bantu,  in  No.  5,  the  small,  sturdy  West  Coast  Negro,  in  No.  1,  and 
others.  All  these  types  agree  in  dark  color  and  crisp  hair.  The  color 
we  usually  denominate  black,  although  it  is  in  reality  a  series  of  browns 
varying  between  black  and  yellow  as  limits.  We  may,  for  instance, 
arrange  the  first  eighteen  pictures  by  color.  First  come  the  very  dark 
browns,  4,  7, 8,  and  2,  all  having  a  certain  brilliancy  of  coloring,  although 
some,  like  4,  are  dull  brown.  Next  come  the  dark  browns,  1,  5,  and  3; 
then  the  browns,  14,  6,  9,  11,  16  and  18,  in  order;  finally  the  light  browns, 
10,  12,  17, 15  and  13. 

It  would  be  exceedingly  interesting  to  have  a  series  of  accurate  ex- 
aminations and  measurements  of  Negro  hair.  If  we  take  the  first  seven 
portraits — tliose  which  represent  probably  the  full  blooded  Negro, 
we  may  distinguish  several  varieties  which  can  be  put  in  two  main 
classes:  a  crisp  liair  in  minute  curls  or  waves  with  a  dark  grayish, 
black  appearance,  and  usually  scanty.  This  is  seen  in  1,  2,  5,  7  and  8; 
and  the  less  closely  curled  and  abundant  hair,  dead  black  and  massive 
in  appearance,  as  in  3,  4  and  6. 

In  general  physical  appearance,  the  first  seven  divide  themselves  into 
four  types:  the  short  and  sturdy  (1),  the  tall,  largely  built  (2,  3  and  5), 
the  medium  sized,  dark  and  more  delicately  featured  type  (8).  Prog- 
nathism appears  in  the  facial  angles  of  1  and  2,  and  slightly  in  3  and  4. 
Numbers  3  and  6  are  of  good,  but  not  striking  ability,  2  and  4  are  fair; 
the  others  are  slow.  Numbers  1,  5  and  8  are  honest  and  reliable  in 
character;  3  and  7  are  also  of  good  character;  Nos.  4,  6  and  9  are  a  little 


34  ELEVENTH   ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

more  uncertain  in  character:  only  one  member  of  the  group  cannot  be 
relied  upon,  although  he  is  still  young  and  may  change. 

Numbers  9  to  18  have  in  all  probability  a  little  white  blood,  although 
this  is  not  certain  in  evei'y  case.  Numbers  9,  12  and  13  have  the  crisp 
hair  before  mentioned;  16,  17  and  18  have  hair  of  the  second  variety, 
while  10,  11  and  14  have  a  still  less  closely  curled  variety,  longer  and 
more  pliable.  One  may  roughly  separate  three  types  in  these  persons. 
Nuinbers  9,  10,  11  and  12  are  what  we  may  call  "blended"  types — the 
variation  from  the  stricter  Negro  type  is  not  especially  apparent  in 
any  one  feature  or  characteristic,  but  the  whole  type  is  slightly  and 
uniformly  changed  in  face,  hair  and  color,  either  by  the  even  blending 
of  white  blood  or  by  descent  from  tribes  of  Negroes  different  from  those 
we  have  noted  before.  All  are  of  medium  size  save  No.  10,  who  is 
short  and  heavy.  In  13  and  14  we  have  a  different  group:  they  show  a 
certain  delicacy  of  feature  and  melancholy  cast  of  countenance  often 
noticed  in  mixed  blooded  people,  and  associated  with  deep  sensitive- 
ness in  both  these  girls.  Numbei's  15,  16,  17  and  18  are  Bantu  types — 
tall,  long-faced  and  straight-nosed,  with  large  facial  angle;  16  and  17 
are  especially  graceful  in  movement,  while  18  is  the  most  brilliant 
mentally  of  the  whole  series  of  48.  Numbers  10  and  17  are  also  of 
unusual  ability ;  11  and  19  are  good,  14  and  15  fair  only,  and  12  and  16 
poor.  Numbers  10,  13,  14  and  15  are  of  good  character;  11  and  12  are 
more  uncertain  but  pretty  good. 

Letters  A  to  H  are  pictures  taken  later  than  the  others.  They  are 
well-known  Negro  types,  although  some  are  not  usually  so  regarded 
by  careless  observers. 

B.     Mulatto  Types 

The  ten  following  portraits,  numbers  19  to  28,  represent  the  mulatto 
types  of  American  Negroes;  they  have  from  three-fourths  to  one-half 
Negro  blood  and  have,  in  this  country,  to  hazard  aguess,  about  2,500,000 
representatives.  I  have  differentiated  types  here  chiefly  in  the  way  in 
which  the  two  streams  of  blood  have  blended  ;  the  first  three  are  blended 
types,  where  the  white  and  Negro  blood  is  evenly  distributed  in  color, 
hair  and  feature,  making  light  brown  or  yellow  persons,  with  hair  in 
small  but  minute  curls  or  waves,  and  features  rounded  or  half  Euro- 
pean. In  the  other  seven  persons,  the  Negro  blood  has  asserted  itself 
in  some  one  or  two  characteristics  and  the  white  blood  in  others:  in 
22,  for  instance,  the  white  blood  (with  probably  some  Indian)  has  gone 
into  the  abundant  long  black  hair  and  left  a  dark  face  and  full  features ; 
in  Nos.  23,  24,  25  and  26,  the  Negro  blood  has  asserted  itself  particularly 
in  the  hair,  leaving  the  light  color  and  European  features;  the  hair  has 
received  a  slight  red  tinge  in  25  and  the  blending  is  more  complete  in 
26.  In  27  the  Negro  blood  has  moulded  the  features,  leaving  the  light, 
color  and  hair  in  ringlets.  All  this  is  instructive  to  the  student  of 
heredity  as  showing  visibly  many  things  which  lie  hidden  from  the  eye 
in  the  blending  of  races  of  the  same  color  and  features. 

In  physique  we  have  the  short  and  sturdy  (19),  the  short  and  slender 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  35 

(21)  and  (23),  the  tall  and  slender  (20,  24  and  27),  and  the  medium  sized 
persons,  usually  lar^e  boned  and  well  built,  as  22,  25  and  26.  Numbers 
23  and  26  are  excellent  in  mental  ability,  19,  20,  21  and  27  are  good;  25 
is  fair,  while  22  and  24  are  poor.  Numbers  20,  23,  26  and  27  are  good 
and  quiet  in  character;  25  is  straightforward;  19,  21  and  24  are  more 
uncertain,  but  are  still  joung. 

C.  Quadroon  Types 

The  fifteen  portraits,  from  numbers  28  to  39,  are  of  colored  people  with 
more  than  one-half  and  less  than  seven-eights  of  their  blood  white,  so 
far  as  I  can  ascertain.  They  represent  about  350,000  of  the  American 
Negroes,  if  my  other  estimates  are  correct.  Here  again  examples  of 
race-blending  in  large  variety  and  with  especial  brilliancy  of  coloring. 
Sometimes  the  coloring  is  so  prominent  and  assertive  that  one  scarcely 
notices  other  features.  Photographs,  of  course,  fail  to  give  any  ade- 
quate idea  of  this  group:  the  emphatic  color  may  be  a  velvet  brown  in 
the  face,  as  in  28,  or  a  brownish  red  in  the  hair,  as  in  29,  or  a  burst  of 
red,  red-gold  and  red-brown  in  face  and  hair,  as  in  30.  Again,  hair  and 
features  may  both  be  yellow,  as  in  31,  or  all  brown  or  dark  brown  and 
yellow,  as  in  a  number  of  cases,  or  finally  the  skin  may  be  strikingly 
white,  as  in  32.  These  types,  then,  from  28  to  32,  I  have  grouped  as  the 
Chromatic  types. 

Again,  we  may  have  the  harmonious  blending  mentioned  in  the  case 
of  the  mulattoes  and  illustrated  in  the  following  portraits — numbers  33 
and  34,  and  having  the  most  Negro  blood,  and  number  40,  having  the 
least.  The  hair  of  the  Quadroons  is  of  almost  every  conceivable  variety 
and  color:  it  may  be  black  and  straight,  as  in  28,  or  black  and  waving, 
as  in  39,  or  I'ed-brown  and  waving,  as  in  30,  or  crimped  and  brownish 
red,  as  in  29,  or  curly  and  fluffy,  as  in  38,  and  so  on  in  endless  change. 

In  physique,  28,  30,  33,  35  and  38  are  tall  and  slim,  while  32,  34  and  37 
are  shorter  and  sturdier;  29,  31  and  40  are  of  slighter  build  and  more 
delicate  appearance.  Numbers  30  and  37  have  excellent  minds,  and  31, 
,34  and  36  have  good  ability.  The  group  represents  great  varieties  of 
character:  28  and  35  are  languid  in  manner  and  work;  29  and  33  are 
sensitive  and  good;  30  is  straightforward,  even  impetuous;  31  is  uncer- 
■  tain,  but  young;  36,  37  and  39  are  honest  and  quiet;  34  and  39  are  a  little 
erratic,  but  good-hearted. 

D.  White  Types,  with  Negro  Blood 

The  Octoroons  and  those  with  less  than  one-eighth  of  Negro  blood 
pass  so  easily  back  and  forth  between  the  races  that  it  is  difficult  to 
estimate  their  real  numbers.  In  a  single  small  city  100  colored  families 
were  estimated  to  have  been  listed  as  white  in  the  census  of  1890, 
because  the  Octoroon  wife  went  to  the  door  and  the  census-taker  did 
not  think  or  dare  to  ask  her  "color."  A  considerable  proportion  of 
these  persons  identify  themselves  altogether  with  the  whites — probably 
several  thousands  in  all.  The  census  of  1890  reported  69,936  Octoroons- 
there   may  be  as  many  as  150,000  in  all.     They  are   easily    classified 


36  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

according  to  the  European  types  they  most  resemble,  either  accidentally 
or  because  of  real  blood-relationship.  Sergi  would  not  need  better  evi- 
dence for  his  "Mediterranean  race"  theory  than  the  distinct  Latin  type 
of  the  Octoroons,  40  and  41;  they  have,  in  fact,  English  and  Negro 
blood.  So,  too,  white  and  black  blood  can  make  as  good  an  Egyptian 
type  today  as  five  thousand  years  ago.  Numbers  42  and  43  resemble 
Celtic  types  and  may  have  Irish  blood;  44,  .45  and  46  ai'e  English  or 
Anglo-American  types,  and  47  and  48  are  Germanic  types. 

Such  types  as  these  are  not  necessarily  descended  from  white  and 
colored  parents,  nor  are  they  always  illegitimate  children  as  is  usually 
assumed.  In  the  cases  of  40,  44  and  45,  and  probably  in  two  other  cases 
both  parents  were  colored  and  legally  married.  In  case  of  44,  47  and 
48  one  parent  was  white.  In  none  of  these  ten  cases  would  the  casual 
observer  notice  the  Negro  blood.  An  experienced  person  would  possibly 
see  it  in  40,  41  and  45,  and  possibly  in  42.  In  the  others  all  trace  is  lost. 
In  physique,  40,  41  and  48  are  well-built  and  rather  heavy;  43 and  45  are 
tall  and  slender,  while  42  and  44  are  slender  but  of  medium  height. 

Forty  is  a  good  scholar,  as  are  41,  42  and  48.  All  are  of  good  charac- 
ter, although  one  may  succumb  to  unfortunate  home  influences. 

Conclusions 

It  is  not  pretended,  I  repeat,  that  this  cursory  sketch  can  be  made  a 
basis  for  any  very  definite  conclusions.  Its  object  is  rather  to  blaze  the 
way  and  point  out  a  few  general  truths.  Further  work  must  depend 
more  largely  on  exact  physical  measurement  of  size,  weight  and  head 
formation,  as  well  as  psycho-physical  experiment.  It  must  also  be  re- 
membered that  these  types  come  from  a  limited  class  at  an  age  before 
character  is  fully  formed;  this  study  has  the  advantage,  however,  of 
the  author's  intimate  acquaintance  for  years  with  each  person  studied, 
so  that  the  elements  of  character  and  personal  peculiarities  are  pretty 
well  known. 

In  future  study  the  unmixed  types  need  especial  supplement.  Com- 
parisons will  inevitably  arise  between  the  blacks  and  mixed  bloods. 
In  regard  to  the  latter  much  friction  and  prejudice  must  be  cleared 
away:  today  one  hears,  on  the  one  hand,  thatmulattoes  are  practically 
all  degenerates,  ranking  below  both  the  parent  races;  and,  on  the 
other,  that  only  the  mixed  blood  Negroes  amount  to  much,  and  tiiis  by 
reason  of  their  white  blood.  So  far  as  this  study  is  concerned,  neither 
of  these  theories  receives  any  especial  support.  In  physique,  the  best 
developed  persons  are  1,  2,  3,  5,  10,  16.  17,  19,  22,  32,  34,  39,  40,  41  and  48. 
These  include  all  degrees  of  mixture  and,  moreover,  there  would  seem 
to  be  in  nearly  all  cases  personal  reasons  for  the  good  development 
outside  the  blood  mixture;  1,  for  instance,  is  farm-bred,  2  and  5  are 
children  of  strong  laboring  men,  40  has  been  carefully  reared,  41  is  a 
baseball  player,  etc.  Again,  the  members  of  the  group  who  are  physi- 
cally weakest  are  of  all  colors — 4,  12,  15  and  43.  In  mental  ability  the 
evidence  is  equally  contradictory;  the  exceptional  scholars  include 
three  nearly  full-blooded  Negroes,  three  Quadroons  and  one  Octoroon. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  37 

Of  these,  a  boy  (number  18),  with  but  a  slight  admixture  of  white 
blood,  if  any,  is  easily  first. 

As  to  moral  stamina,  the  subjects  are,  of  course,  rather  young  for 
final  judgment,  and  yet  at  the  same  time  their  tendencies  are  more 
clearly  visible.  Five  of  the  53  were  born  out  of  lawful  wedlock,  al- 
though in  some  cases  the  union  of  the  parents  was  the  permanent  concu- 
binage of  slavery  days,  and  thus  not  mere  wantonness.  Possibly  one  or 
two  others  are  also  illegitimate,  but  this  is  not  certain.  In  tlie  case  of 
two  girls,  an  octoroon  and  a  mulatto,  both  now  out  of  school,  there  is  a 
rumor  of  sexual  looseness;  in  the  case  of  three  (a  Negro,  mulatto  and 
quadroon),  there  is  some  tendencj'  towards  habitual  lying,  which  may 
not  however  become  serious;  in  all  the  48  there  are  four  (a  Negro  boy, 
a  mulatto  girl,  a  quadroon  boy  and  an  octoroon  girl),  of  whose  future 
one  may  well  fear.     None  of  them  are  as  yet  hopeless. 

In  all  these  cases  of  physical  and  mental  development  and  moral 
stamina,  it  is  naturally  very  difficult  to  judge  between  the  relative  in- 
fluence of  heredity  and  environment — of  the  influence  of  Negro  and 
mixed  blood,  and  of  the  homes  and  schools  and  social  atmosphere  sur- 
rounding tlie  colored  people.  In  general,  it  must  be  remembered  that 
most  of  the  blacks  are  country-bred  and  descended  from  the  depressed 
and  ignorant  fleld-hands,  while  a  majority  of  the  rnulattoes  were  town- 
bred  and  descended  from  the  master  class  and  the  indulged  house-ser- 
vants. The  country  schools  since  emancipation  have  been  very  poor, 
while  the  city  schools  are  pretty  good,  and  in  general  the  difference 
in  civilization  between  rural  and  urban  districts  is  much  more  marked 
South  than  North. 

For  instance,  if  numbers  7  and  8  had  had  the  same  early  training  as 
numbers  23  and  40,  they  might  have  developed  strong  minds,  so  far  as 
one  can  judge.  Some  of  these  children  come  from  comfortable,  well- 
to-do  homes,  while  some  were  practically  street  waifs;  some  had  edu- 
cated— a  few,  college-bred — parents;  others  had  parents  who  could 
neither  read  nor  write,  and  so  on.  Under  such  circumstances,  liow  rash 
it  is  to  hazard  wild  statements  as  to  the  ability  and  desert  of  millions 
of  people  witliout  waiting  for  exact  study  and  careful  measurements. 

A  word  may  be  added  as  to  race  mixture  in  general  and  as  regards 
white  and  black  stocks  in  the  future.  There  is,  of  course,  in  general  no 
argument  against  the  intermingling  of  the  world's  races.  "All  the 
great  peoples  of  the  world  are  the  result  of  a  mixture  of  races."* 

Upon  the  whole,  if  we  consider  (1)  that  the  most  mixed  and  most  civilized 
races  are  those  which  are  soonest  acclimatized,  (2)  that  the  tendency  of  races 
to  intermingle,  and  of  civilization  to  develop,  goes  on  increasing  everj^  day  in 
every  part  of  the  world,  we  may  affirm  without  being  accused  of  exaggeration 
that  the  cosmopolitanism  of  mankind,  if  it  does  not  yet  exist  today  in  all  races 
(which  seems  somewliat  improbable),  will  develop  as  a  necessary  consequence 
of  the  facility  of  acclimatation.  For  it  to  become  general  is  only  a  matter  of 
time,  t 

•Bryce:    Relations,  etc. 
i-Denniker,  p.  119. 


38  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

At  the  same  time  there  are  certain  bars  to  general  amalgamation  with 
paiticular  races: 

Nothing  really  arrests  intermarriage  except  physical  repulsion,  and  physi- 
cal repulsion  exists  only  where  there  is  a  marked  difference  in  physical  as- 
pect, and  especially  in  color.  Roughly  speaking  (and  subject  to  certain 
exceptions  to  be  hereafter  noted),  we  may  say  that  while  all  the  races  of  the 
same,  or  a  similar  color  intermarry  freely,  those  of  one  color  intermarry  very 
little  with  those  of  another.* 

So  far,  then,  as  the  amalgamation  of  the  white  and  black  races  is 
concerned  this  prediction  may  be  hazarded  : 

Africa  will  remain  for  many  ages  predominantly  black. 

In  the  West  Indes  the  whites  will  be  absorbed  into  a  mulatto  race. 

In  South  America  the  whites  will  absorb  the  Negro.  A  recent  writer 
in  Brazil  writes: 

This  racial  question  in  Brazil  has  most  instructive  aspects.  In  their  pride 
of  race  some  visitors  are  disposed,  to  despise  the  Brazilian  people  because  of 
the  manifest  admixture  of  African  blood  in  their  make-up.  This  is  simply 
because  they  cannot  easily  appreciate  that  taking  effect  before  their  eyes  is 
the  very  jirocess  of  race  building  that  has  been  completed  for  ages  past  in 
Mediterranean  lands.  They  do  not  realize  that  the  blending  of  African  with 
Aryan  and  Semitic  elements  must  have  been  precisely  the  same,  there  and 
here.  The  swarthiness  of  the  Italians,  Spaniards,  the  Provencal  French, 
etc. — these  interijenetrating  other  European  stocks — manifestly  seems  duo  to 
the  same  causes  that  in  Brazil  and  other  sections  of  Latin  xVmerica  and  in  the 
West  Indies  are  producing  precisely  the  same  physical  aspects  .  .  .  But  though 
the  Negro  race  was  in  itself  unaffected,  it  has  by  no  means  been  uneffective. 
Everywhere  it  has  left  its  traces  behind.  All  these  civilizations — Egyptian, 
Phoenician,  Grecian,  Roman,  Semitic,  Moorish — it  has  in  varying  degrees 
tinged  with  its  blood  and  its  temperament.  Its  service  seems  always  to  have 
l)een  that  of  an  element  in  a  blend. 

There  appears  to  he  no  saying  how  far  this  progress  has  gone.  But  there 
are  eminent  anthropologists  who  declare  that  racial  characters  demonstrate 
that  the  entire  white  race  has  a  very  high  percentage  of  the  African  in  its 
composition.  The  racial  aspect  may  have  a  notable  bearing  upon  the  future 
of  South  America.t 

In  the  United  States  the  situation  is  far  different:  if  slavery  had  pre- 
vailed the  Negroes  might  have  been  gradually  absorbed  into  the  white 
race.  Even  under  the  present  serfdom,  the  amalgamation  is  still  going 
on.  It  is  not  then  caste  or  race  prejudice  that  stops  it — they  rather  en- 
courage it  on  its  more  dangerous  side.  The  Soutliern  laws  against 
race  marriage  are  in  effect  laws  which  make  the  seduction  of  colored 
girls  easy  and  without  shame  or  penalty.  The  real  bar  to  race  amalga- 
mation at  present  in  the  United  States  is  the  spreading  and  strength- 
ening determination  of  the  rising  educated  classes  of  blacks  to 
accept  no  amalgamation  except  through  open  legal  marriage.  This 
means  practically  no  amalgamation  in  the  near  future.  The  avail- 
able  statistics  of  mixed   marriages  show   in  Boston,  Mass.,  600  sucli 

*Bryce:  Relations. 
+Outlook,  Vol.  84,  No.  15. 


NEGRO   HEALTH  AND   PHYSIQUE 


39 


marriages  from  1855  to  1887;  and  24  in  the  year  1890.  The  state  of  Mas- 
sachnsetts  had  52  mixed  marriages  in  1900,  44  in  1901  and  43  in  1902. 
Michigan  had  111  mixed  marriages  in  20  years  (1874-93),  and  Rhode 
Island  58  in  13  years  (1881-93).  In  the  blaclv  ward  of  Philadelphia  (the 
seventh)  there  were,  in  1896,  33  mixed  families. 

These  figures  indicate  comparatively  few  such  marriages  and  show 
that  the  absorption  of  10,000,000  Negro  Americans  in  this  way  is  cer- 
taiirly  not  a  problem  which  we  need  face  for  many  years. 

At  present  those  who  dislike  amalgamation  can  best  prevent  it  by 
helping  to  raise  the  Negro  to  such  a  plane  of  intelligence  and  economic 
independence  that  he  will  never  stoop  to  mingle  his  blood  with  those 
who  despise  him. 


5.     Physical  Measurements 

There  are  not  many  reliable  physical  measurements  of  Negroes, 
either  in  Africa  or  America.  The  following  table  from  Denniker  gives 
the  height  of  the  principal  Africans,  together  with  that  of  native 
Americans: 

Average  Height  of  Men 


No.  of 
Subjects 


Loiu  Statures  (under  1.60  m.,  or  63  inches) 


Height  in 
Millimeters 


38 


Akka  Negritoes  of  the  country  of  the  Monbuttus 

Kalahari  Bushmen  of  Angra  Pequena,  etc 

Statures  beloio  the  average  (1600-16i9  mm.,  or  6.1-65  inches) 

Mzabites  (Berbers  of  M'Zab,  Algeria) 

Batekes  of  the  Congo 

Statures  above  the  average  (1650-1699  m,m.,  or  65-67  inches) 

Arabs  of  Algeria 

Mushikoegos  of  the  Congo 

Berbers  of  Tunis 

Abyssinians 

Dahaklls  of  Tajara 

Berbers  of  Biskra  (Chania  tribe?) 

Kabyles  of  Great  Kabylia 

Berbers  of  Algeria 

Bashilanges  of  the  Kasai 

Negroes  of  the  United  States 

Mulattoes  of  the  United  States 

Bechuanas 

Negroes  and  Mulattoes  of  the  United  States  (conscripts). 

High  Statures  (1.70  m.,  or  67  inches  and  up) 

Citizens  of  the  United  States  (white)  born  in  the  country 

Mandigans  in  general 

Bejas  (called  Nubians) 

Kaffirs  ( Ama-Xosa  and  Ania-Zulu) 

Western  Zandehs  (Mandjas,  Akungs,  Awakas,  etc.) 

Somalis  ( Eyssa,  Habis,  Hwakas,  etc.) 

Tonconleurs  or  Torodas 

Waloss.  Severs  and  Leybus 

Negroes  of  Darfur 

Fulahs  or  Fulbes  of  French  Sudan 


1,378 
1,529 


No. 


H.  in  Mill. 


1,(520 
1,641 


No. 


H.  in  Mill. 


32 

28 

1,103 

29 

35 

52 

244 

180 

27 

2,020 

8(i3 

28 

25,828 


1,65(5 
1,658 
1,663 
1,669 
1,(570 
1,673 
1,677 
1,680 
1,680 
1,681 
1,682 
1,(584 
1,693 


No. 


H.  in  Mill. 


315,620 
31 
25 
72 
56 
56 
30 
62 
25 
35 


1,719 
1,700 
1,708 
1,715 
1,717 
1,723 
1,725 
1,730 
1,730 
1,741 


/^ 


40  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Measurements  of  cephalic  index  from  Dennil?er  and  Ripley  show  these 
results:     (Negro  tribes  are  in  italics). 

Dolichocephals  (73-78). 

Hindus,  North  Chinese, 

Fulahs,  Persians, 

Kaffirs,  Japanese, 

Portuguese,  Pushmen, 

English,  Hansas, 

Danes,  South  Italians, 

Swedes,  Spaniards. 

Mesocephals  (79-81). 
Chinese, 

French  (d.  du  Nord), 
Central  Italians. 

Brachycephals  (82-89). 
Dalmattons, 
Tartars, 
Piedmontese, 
Magyars. 

As  Ripley  says,  ''an  important  point  to  be  noted  in  this  connection  is 
that  this  shape  of  the  head  seems  to  bear  no  direct  relation  to  intellec- 
tual power  or  intelligence.  Posterior  development  of  the  cranium  does 
not  imply  a  corresponding  backwardness  in  culture.  The  broad-headed 
races  of  the  earth  may  not  as  a  whole  be  quite  as  deficient  in  civiliza- 
tion as  some  of  the  long  heads,  notably  the  Australians  and  the  African 
Negroes.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Chinese  are  conspicuously  long- 
headed, surrounded  by  the  barbarian  brachycephalic  Mongol  hordes; 
and  the  Eskimos  in  many  respects  surpass  the  Indians  in  cftlture. 
Dozens  of  similar  contrasts  might  be  given.  Europe  offers  the  best 
refutation  of  the  statement  that  the  proportions  of  the  head  mean  any- 
thing intellectually.  The  English,  as  our  map  of  Europe  will  show,  are 
distinctly  long-headed."* 

For  Negro  Americans,  almost  the  only  measurements  on  a  consider- 
able scale  are  those  taken  over  a  generation  ago  during  the  Civil  war, 
and  often  since  published  and  studied.  The  best  availal^le  figures  to- 
day are  those  from  the  reports  of  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  United 
States  army;  subjoined  are  tables  as  to  the  examination  of  recruits, 
their  height,  weight  and  chest  measurements: 

♦Ripley,  p.  40. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND   PHYSIQUE 

Examination  of  recruits  during  the  year  1901  * 


41 


Wtiite 

Colored 

Total 

56,894 

623.93 

2.74 
286.66 

.34' 

1.69 

15.86 

98  54 

124.71 

167  16 

166  69 

157.14 

123.02 

82.31 

35.97 

16.76 

6.96 

2.48 

2.27 

2.09 

41  36 

27.54 

.28 

41.09 

13.02 

2.60 

1,888 

647.78 

3  71 

279.13 

58,782 

Of  each  1,000  of  these— 

624  70 

2.77 

286.42 

Of  each  1,000  accepted  recruits  the  heights  were  as  follows  In 
Inches): 
Under  61 

.35 

61  to  62                                     

.33 

62to63 

6;i  to  64 

4.09 
17  99 
106.30 
148.81 
165  17 
178  25 
156.17 
96.48 
67.05 
37.61 
15  54 
5  72 
.82 

1.77 
15.93 

64  to  65 

98.80 

65  to  66 

125  51 

66  to  67 

167.10 

67  to  68 

167.07 

68  to  69 

157.10 

69  to  70  

122.14 

70  to  71 

81.81 

71  to  72 

36.03 

72  to  73 

16  72 

73  to  74 

6.92 

74  upward        ...        

2.42 

Causes  of  rejection  (exclusive  of  under  height)  expressed  in 
ratios  per  1,000  of  examined  recruits: 
Physical  debilitv                                      

2.19 

3.19 

24.89 
22.25 

2  13 

40  80 

HeaTt  disease                    

27  37 

Goiter 

.27 

20.13 
12.18 

5.83 

40.42 

Hernia 

13.00 

2  70 

Examination  of  recruits  during  the  year  I90i  + 


Total  number  of  recruits  examined 

<  )f  each  l,oat  of  these— 

Were  accepted  for  service 

Were  rejected  for  under  height  

Were  rejected  for  disabilities 

<  tf  each  1,000  accepted  recruits  the  heights  were  as  follows  (in  inches): 

Under  61 

61  to  62 

62  to  63 

63  to  64 

64  to  65 ••• 

65  to  66 

66  to  67 

67  to  68 

68  to  69 

69  to  70 

70  to  71    

71  to  72 

72  to  73 

73  to  74 

74  upward 

«"auses  of  rejection  (exclusive  of  under  heightl  expressed  in  ratios 

per  1,000  of  examined  recruits: 

Physical  debility 

Tuberculosis  of  lungs  or  other  organs 

Imperfect  vision  

Heart  disease 

Goiter  

Varicose  veins,  varicocele,  hemorrhoids 

Hernia 

Flat  feet 


White 

Colored 

42,183 

3,035 

658.80 

786.16 

.95 

.99 

255.29 

171.33 

32 

.84 

.40 

.42 

1.51 

2  93 

11.51 

10.06 

87  69 

99  33 

125.73 

137.89 

162.72 

171.42 

177.08 

189.86 

158.98 

147  11 

123.14 

117.77 

76.11 

70.41 

40.05 

31.85 

22.31 

14.25 

8.89 

3.85 

3  56 

251 

1  23 

.99 

3  15 

.66 

;B3  31 

18.12 

21.34 

11.53 

.40 

.66 

37  03 

11.20 

11.02 

8.24 

3  80 

3.63 

•  Report  of  the  United  States  Surgeon-General,  1902. 
i  Ibid.,  1903. 


42  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Proportion  of  each  height  per  thousand  of  accepted  colored  recruits' 


Height 

18  yrs.  and 
under 

19  yrs. 

20  yrs. 

21  yrs. 

22  yrs. 

23  yrs. 

24  yrs. 

25  yrs. 

5  feet  1  inch  and  under. . 

5  feet  2  Inches 

5  feet  3  inches     . 

10.4 

72. y 

83.3 
229.2 
218.7 
125  0 
114.6 
83.3 
.31.2 
.31.2 

9.9 
108.9 
123.8 
158.4 
198.0 
123.8 
113.9 
84.2 
49.5 
29.7 

7  5 

5  feet  4  inches 

61.2 
132  6 
183.7 
122.4 
163.3 
153.1 
91.8 
51.0 
20.4 
20.4 

64.5 
129.0 
169.4 
145.2 
225.8 
161  3 
72  6 
16  1 
16  1 

37  6 

5  feet  5  inches  .   .          .... 

82  7 

5  feet  6  inches 

1,000.0 

150  4 

5  feet  7  inches     .« 

233  1 

5  feet  8  inches 

165  4 

5  feet  9  inches 

135  3 

5  feet  10  inches 

yO  2 

5  feet  11  inches 

45  1 

6  feet •. .. 

22  6 

6  feet  1  inch 

7  5 

6  feet  2  inches  and  over  . 

22  6 

Total 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000  0 

1,000.0 

1,000  0 

1,000.0 

Height 

26  yrs. 

27  yrs. 

28  yrs. 

29  yrs. 

30  yrs. 

31  yrs. 

32  yrs. 

33  yrs. 

5  feet  1  inch  and  under. . 

5  feet  2  Inches 

5  feet  3  inches 

9.8 
107.8 
186.3 
137.3 
196.1 
156  9 
58  8 
68.6 
58.8 
19.6 

20.0 
120.0 
160.0 
100.0 
140.0 
220.0 

60.0 
UO.O 

40  0 

5  feet  4  inches 

85.7 
114.3 
l.'i2.4 
219.1 
133  3 
133.3 
57.1 
47.6 
28.6 
19.0 
9.5 

69  4 
83.3 
138.9 

208.3 
236  1 
125.0 
8;!.  3 
41  7 
13  9 

128.2 
51.3 
128.2 
1.53.8 
2.56.4 
153.8 

5L3 

211.4 
103.4 
172  4 
172.4 
187.9 
103  4 

34.5 

34  5 

35.7 
178.6 
178.6 
178.6 
107  1 
107.1 
107.1 

71.4 

47  fi 

5  feet  5  inches 

5  feet  »i  inches 

142.9 
,3.3;^  3 

5  feet  8  inches 

5  feet  9  inches 

142.9 
142  9 

5  feet  10  Inches  

95  2 

5  feet  11  inches 

6  feet.                             

47.6 

6  feet  1  inch 

51.3 
25  6 

:i5  7 

6  feet  2  Inches  and  over 

47  6 

Total 

1,0(X).0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,0(10.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

Height 

34  yrs. 

35  yrs. 

36  yrs. 

37  yrs. 

,38  yrs. 

39  yrs. 

40  yrs.  and 
over 

Total 

5  feet  1  inch  and  under 

5  feet  2  inches 

5  feet  3  Inches  ... 

83.3 

"'256'0 
166.7 
83  3 
166.7 
166.7 

24.1 

60.2 

144.6 

108.4 

216.9 

216.9 

84.3 

96.4 

24.1 

12  0 

12.0 

7  1 

5  feet  4  inches 

47.6 
142.9 
238  1 
238.1 
1H0.5 

76.9 
153.8 

230.8 

'"307.7 
230.8 

73.0 

5  feet  5  inches 

272.6 
272.6 
363.7 

200.0 

"lOO.'o 
600  0 

123.2 

5  feet  6  Inches 

166.7 
250.0 
333  3 
125  0 
41.7 
S3  3 

157.8 

5  feet  7  inches 

5  feet  8  inches 

192.3 
175.8 

5  feet  9  inches  

117  7 

5  feet  10  inches 

47.6 

90.9 

100.0 

79.2 

5  feet  11  inches. 

38  5 

6  feet 

95.2 

83.3 

22.8 

6  feet  1  inch 

7.1 

6  feet  2  inches  and  over 

5  5 

Total 

1,000  0 

1,(X)0.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000  0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,0000 

•Ibid.,  190.5. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 

Proportion  of  each  height  per  thousand  of  accepted  while  recruits 


48 


Height 

18  years 
and  under 

19  yrs. 

20  yrs. 

21  yrs. 

22  yrs. 

23  yrs. 

24  yrs. 

25  yrs. 

5  feet  1  inch  and  under    . 
5  feet  2  Inches 

38.5 
76.  i. 

0  2 

.2 

4.2 

69.5 

129.1 

162.4 

18;5.8 

168.8 

133.1 

82.2 

88.0 

17  1 

8  4 

2.8 

0  2 

.6 

5.9 

73.1 

104.5 

160.1 

176.4 

166  6 

138.2 

94.5 

41.7 

24.8 

10.1 

3.8 

0  6 

.3 

4.2 

68.9 
117.9 
138  7 
167  3 
182.6 
143  6 
90.5 
40.8 
39.6 
8.8 
6.4 

10 
6 

7.9 
70.1 
110  3 
146  0 
169  9 
169.9 
136  6 
92,7 
46.5 
28.5 
13.1 
6.9 

0.4 

8 

5  feet  3  inches 

8  5 

5  feet  4  inches 

50.0 
200.0 
200.0 
250.0 
100  0 
50.0 
50.0 
1(X)  0 

230  8 
230.8 
76.9 
153.8 

;«.5 

38  5 
38  5 

66.7 
1(X).0 
200.0 
166.7 
266.7 
100.0 
66.7 
33.3 

69.3 

106  7 

5  feet  6  inches 

5  feet  7  inches. 

144  8 

178  4 

164  1 

138.9 

5  feet  10  inches 

5  feet  11  inches 

6  feet 

101.2 
41.1 
29  5 

6  feet  1  inch          

11  6 

76.9 

5  0 

Total 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000  0 

1,TO0.0 

i,ax>  0 

1,000  0 

1,000  0 

1,000.0 

Height 

26  yrs. 

27  yrs. 

28  yrs. 

29  yrs. 

30  yrs. 

31  yrs. 

32  yrs. 

33  yrs. 

5  feet  1  inch  and  under 

1.0 

.5 

11  4 

78.3 

96  4 

154  5 

164.3 

1700 

133.8 

96  9 

42.5 

34  7 

9  3 

6  2 

0.6 

1.7 

9  4 

74  4 

128.3 

149.4 

158.8 

169  9 

122.8 

101  1 

41.1 

26  1 

9,4 

7.2 

3.9 

2.0 

11  1 

72.6 

122.2 

141.2 

174.5 

147.7 

124.2 

104.6 

50.3 

25.5 

12.4 

7.8 

0  9 

12.6 
64.8 
114  3 
140,4 
161  7 
159.3 
144.9 
■94.5 
41  4 
36  9 
17.1 
8.1 

1 .'  I 
3.3 

70  1 
113  5 
153  5 
181  3 
153.5 
134  6 
85.6 
50.1 
35.6 
10.0 
7.8 

1.8 

"  8.8 
75  1 
123  7 
166,4 
170,8 
173,8 
95  7 
94.3 
48.6 
30  9 
8.8 
2.9 

4.4 

4.4 

91  3 

131  1 

137  0 

163.5 

166  4 

1.31.1 

82.5 

45.7 

22.1 

14.7 

5.9 

1  8 

5  feet  3  inches 

5  feet  4  inches 

6.3 
63  5 

5  feet  5  inches 

119  9 

5  feet  6  inches 

158  7 

5  feet  7  inches 

179  9 

5  feet  8  inches 

5  feet  9  inches 

179  9 
121  7 

5  feet  10  inches 

5  feet  11  inches 

6  feet 

74.1 
52.9 
30  0 

6  feet  1  inch     

7  1 

6  feet  2  Inches  and  over 

3  5 

Total 

1,000  0 

1,000,0 

1,000.0 

i,oa).o 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000  0 

1,(XX).0 

Hl?IGHT 

34  yrs. 

35  yrs. 

36  yrs. 

37  yrs. 

38  yrs. 

.39  yrs. 

40  years 
and  over 

Total 

5  feet  1  inch  and  under 

0  9 

2.8 

10  3 

.87  3 

l:i5  2 

166  2 

170.0 

170.0 

119  2 

78.9 

:!3  8 

19  7 

2.8 

2,8 

0  6 

5  feet  2  inches 

19 
7.5 
79,1 

145  0 
162,0 

146  9 
160.1 
148  8 

79.1 
:t7,7 
22,6 
5  6 
3,« 

2.5 
4  9 
8:^.» 
160  5 
177.8 
165.4 
128  4 
HI  1 
101.2 
39  5 
12  3 

2-5 

i) 

5  feet  3  inches 

5  feet  4  inches 

5  feet  5  inches 

5'feet  6  inches 

5  feet  7  inches 

5  feet  8  inches 

5  feet  9  inches 

5  feet  10  inches 

5  feet  11  inches  

6  feet 

6  feet  1  inch 

4.3 

ro.'.^ 

134 . 2 

155,« 
160,2 
155,8 
121,2 
!;5,2 
43  3 
26  () 
8  7 
4  3 

12  2 

57.1 
171.4 
146  i! 
175.5 
18:^.7 
130.6 
73  5 
28.6 
16  3 
4-1 

9  3 
88.4 
134  9 
186.0 
214.0 
13  »  5 
98.0 
69  8 
23.3 
23.3 
9.3 
I)  3 

5.9 

82.8 

124.3 

201  2 

142  0 

207.1 

106.5 

47.3 

.53.3 

17  s 

11  s 

7  1 
72,  S 
117  1 
153.2 
172  7 
167  4 
133  8 
91.6 
42  1 
26,1 
10  1 
5  0 

Total. 

1,0(X)  0 

1,0(K)(1 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,(KI0  0 

1.0(X)  0 

1,(K)0  0 

44 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Proportion  of  each  weight  per  thousand  of  accepted  colored  recruits. 


Weight 

18  yrs. 

and 

under 

19  yrs. 

20  yrs. 

21  yrs. 

22  yrs. 

23  yrs. 

24  yrs. 

25  yrs. 

100  to  109  pounds 

110  to  119  pounds  

9.9 
113.9 
257.4 
287.1 
183.2 
89.1 
34.7 
19.8 

10.2 

40.8 

214  3 

336  7 

255.1 

102  0 

20.4 

20.4 

8.1 

48.4 

233  9 

298,4 

241.9 

121  0 

40.3 

8.1 

7  5 

120  to  129  pounds 

1,000.0 

14,'>  8 
333.3 

281.2 
156.3 
62.5 
20.8 

67.7 

130  to  139  pounds            

172.9 

140  to  1-18  pounds 

845  s 

188  II 

160  to  169  pounds     

82,7 

170  to  179  pounds 

60.1 

180  to  189  pounds. 

60.1 

15.0 

6  0 

Total           

1,000.0 

1,(XX).0 

1,000  0 

1,000,0 

1,000.0 

1,000.(1 

Weight 


26  yrs 


27  yrs. 


28  yrs. 


29  yrs. 


30  yrs. 


32  yrs. 


38  yrs. 


99  pounds  and  under. 

100  to  109  pounds 

110  to  119  pounds 

120  to  129  pounds 

130  to  139  pounds 

140  to  149  pounds 

150  to  159  pounds 

160  to  169  pounds 

170  to  179  pounds 

180  to  189  pounds 

190  to  199  pounds 

200  pounds  and  over. . . 


Total. 


117  6 
274.5 
225.5 
205.9 
137  3 
19.6 
19.6 


1,000.0 


85.7 

142.9 

361.9 

190.5 

114.3 

38.1 

57.1 

9.5 


83  3 
1.52  8 
277  8 
;i47.2 
83  3 
27,8 
27.8 


60.0 
240  0 
240.0 
160,0 
160  0 
lOf)  0 

40.0 


1,000.0 


1,000.0 


1,(K)0.0 


25  6 
256  4 
128.2 
256  4 
205.1 
76  9 
51.3 


^4.5 
172.4 
275.9 
275  9 

34.5 
137,9 

69  0 


71,4 
71,4 
250.0 
250.0 
178.6 
71.4 


71  4 
85.7 


1,0(X).0    1,000.0 


1,000.0 


47.6 

95.2 

238.1 

285.7 

288.1 

47.6 

47  6 


1,000.0 


Weight 


34  yrs. 


35  yrs. 


36  yrs. ,  37  yrs. 


40  yrs. 
and 
over 


Total 


99  pounds  and  under. 

100  to  109  pounds 

110  to  119  pounds 

120  to  129  pounds 

1.30  to  139  pouuds 

140  to  149  pounds 

150  to  1-59  pounds 

160  to  169  pounds 

170  to  179  pounds 

180  to  189  pounds 

190  to  199  pounds 

2(X)  pounds  and  over. . . 


Total. 


125.0 
250,0 
375.0 
83.8 
41.7 
41.7 
41.7 
41.7 


47.6 
47.6 
288.1 
142  9 
2.38.1 
47.6 
95.2 


80.9 

90.9 

454.6 


181.8 
181.8 


200.0 
KKj.O 
400.0 
100.0 


100.0 


142.9 


100.0 


153.8 
76.9 
230.9 
384.6 
15:3  8 


88.3 
416.7 

8;^  3 

83  3 
166  7 

8;J  3 


60.2 

180.7 
228:9 
156.6 
132.5 
120.5 
30.1 


83  3 


84.8 


4.7 
79.3 
211.9 
283.4 
215.1 
109.1 
50.2 
29.8 
7.1 
9.4 


1,000.0 


1,000.0 


1,000.0 


1,000,0'   1,000  0 


1,(X)0,0 


1,000,0 


1,(X)0  () 


NEGRO   HEALTH   AND   PHYSIQUE 

Proportion  of  each  weight  per  thousand  of  accepted  ic?iite  recruits  • 


46 


Weight 


18  yrs. 

and 

under 


20  yrs. 


21  yrs. 


22  yrs. 


23  yrs. 


24  yrs.   25  vrs. 


'.»!»  pounds  and  under. 

UK)  to  Km  pounds 

110  to  119  pounds 

12(t  to  129  pounds 

1«0  to  139  pounds  

I-IO  to  149  pounds 

160  to  159  pounds 

160  to  169  pounds 

170  to  179  pounds , 

180  to  189  pounds 

190  to  199  pounds 

2(Xi  pounds  and  over. . . 


Total . 


1.50.01 
300.0 
850.0 
15t).0 
50.0 


192.3 

230.8 
807.6 
153.8 
38  5 
38.5 
38.5 


66.7 
106  7 
866 
200.0 
166.7 

33.8 


25.1 

177.7 

328.4 

256.6 

141.8 

50.5 

13.8 

4.9 


1,000.0    1,000.0    1,0(X)  0 


1,000  0 


22.1 
153. 6 

2S7  7 

282.  Of 

152.8 

72.8 

20.4 

6  9 

1.2 

5 


1.0(X).0 


16.5 

111.2 

280  6 

279.7 

180.7 

93  2 

25.9 

9.1 

2.4 

.6 


15 

129 
252 
274. 
179 
95. 
37 
10 
4. 


1,000  0    1.0(X).0 


19  (I 

109  4 

259  9 

273  I 

193  2 

91  9 

34  9 

11  6 

5  4 

■     1  6 


Weight 


\M  yrs. 


27  yrs. 


28  yrs. 


29  yrs. 


3()  yrs. 


31  yrs. 


82  yrs.  8;^  yrs 


99  pounds  and  under 

1(X)  to  109  pounds 

110  to  119  pounds  

120  to  129  pounds . 

130  to  139  pounds 

140  to  149  pounds 

150  to  159  pounds 

1(50  to  16;)  pounds 

170  to  179  pounds 

180  to  I8;i  pounds 

190  to  199  pounds  

200  pounds  and  over. . . 


Total 


19.2 

117.2 

232.8 

280.4 

195.4 

93.3 

37.8 

17.6 

4  1 

2.1 


22  2 

116.6 

254.9 

255.4 

189.9 

98.8 

38  3 

14.4 

7.2 

2.8 


15  0 
118.8 
22S.1 
260.8 
178.4 
128-8 
36.6 
22  9 
8.5 
2.6 


17.1 

103  5 

224  1 

262.8 

184.5 

119 

51  8 

21  6 

9.9 

5  4 


24.5 

108.4 

231.4 

244  7 

190.2 

120.1 

46  7 

30  0 

5  6 

3  8 


11.8 
107.5 
237  1 
256  3 
1S2.5 
100  1 

58.9 

26.5 
7  4 

11.8 


17.7 

98  7 

207  7 

268.1 

201.8 

109.0 

48  6 

28.0 

11.8 

8.8 


1,000.0    1,01X).0 


1,(XK).0 


l.tXK)  0 


1,000.0 


7.1 

97  0 

231  0 

262  8 

194  (I 

100  5 

58  2 

26  5 

19  4 

3  5 


Weight 


34  yrs.,  85  yrs. 


36  yrs. 


37  yrs. 


88  yrs.  89  yrs. 


40  yrs. 
and 
over 


Total 


99  pounds  and  undei 

100  to  109  pounds 

110  to  119  pounds   

120  to  129  pounds. . 

130  to  189  pounds 

140  to  149  pounds 

150  to  159  pounds 

160  to  16:t  pounds 

170  to  179  pounds 

180  to  189  pounds 

190  to  19.1  pounds 

200  pounds  and  over. 

Total 


16.9 

82.9 

252.4 

241.  ll 

184.6 

120.5 

45.2 

30.1 

11  8 

15  1 


14.8 

98.8 
207.4 
237.0 
175.3 
128.4 
74.1 
32.1 
14  8 
17.3 


8.7 
121.2 

l'.:0.5 

264,0 

181 

121 
56.8 
26  0 
17.3 
13.0 


24 

77 
2.53 
188 
216. 

93. 

69. 

44. 

24. 

12. 


32  fi 

98  0 
176 
227.9 
176.7 
li53.5 

65  1 

82  6 

27 

14  0 


1,(XK).0  l,(MXl(l 


1,(XX).0 


1,(KV).() 


17  8 
76  9 
21S.9 
189.4 
159.8 
159.8 
76.9 
35.6 
41.4 
28.7 


27.2 
99  5 
166 
205.6 
149.3 
130.5 
93  9 
56.3 
:56.6 
34.7 


20  1 

129  1 

26:^.6 

265  6 

172  0 

90  6 

34  4 

14  9 

6  1 

8  6 


1,(HH1.0    1,(K)0.0    1,000  0 


Ibid. 


46  P]LEVENrH   ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Proportion  o/  rticJi  measurement  per  thousand  of  accepted  colored  recruits' 


Chest  Measckkmknt 

18  yrs. 

and 

under 

19.  yrs. 

20  yrs. 

21  yrs. 

22  yrs. 

23  yrs. 

24  yrs. 

25  yrs. 

30  Inches  and  under 

1,000.0 

10.4 

52.1 

291.7 

.354.2 

177.1 

72.9 

31.2 

10.4 

14.9 
84.2 
188.1 
350.4 
203.0 
118.8 
19.8 
14.9 

10.2 
51.0 
142.9 
377.5 
244.9 
91.8 
71.4 

10.2 

8.1 
80.6 
145.2 
266.1 
282.3 
129.0 
.56.-5 
24.2 
8.1 

15.0 

52.6 

165.4 

:W8.2 

203.0 

10.5.3 

75.2 

4.5.1 

22.6 

7  5 

31  Inches 

32  inches  

:i3  Inches 

34  inches 

.{5  Inches 

:«)  inches 

;J7  inches 

:«  inches 

39  inches  and  over    

Total 

1,000.(1 

1,(KKM) 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,0(H1.0 

1,000.0 

Chest  Measikement 

26  yrs. 

27  yrs. 

28  yrs. 

29  yrs. 

Wyrs.  .31  yrs.  32  yrs. 

33  yrs. 

3"  inches  and  under 

9.8 

58.8 

9.5 

'    41^7 

152.8 
263.9 
263.9 
138.9 

as.3 

41.7 

40.0 

80.0 

60.0 

240.0 

300.0 

hiO.O 

80.0 

102  6 
256.4 
282  1 
12,S.2 
153.8 
.      76.9 

69.0 
172  4 
172.4 
206.9 
241.4 
137.9 

35.7 

"107  J 
142.9 
178.6 
285.7 

71.4 
IW.l 

71.4 

47.6 
47.6 
95.2 
238.1 
238.1 
142.9 
142.9 

31  inches 

32  inches 

264.7'       123.8 

2.54.9       276.2 

205.9       238.1 

117.6       114.8 

39.2         85.7 

39.2         38.1 

!7.6 

:►{  inches    .    . 

34  inches    

35  inches 

36  inches 

■17  inches 

;i8  inches 

47.6 

;«)  inches  and  over 

9  8 

13.9 

40.0 

; 

Total 

1,000  0    1  'I'Ki  fi 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.(1 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

Chest  Measukement 

34  yrs. 

35  yrs.   36  yrs 

37  yrs. 

38  yrs. 

40  yrs. 
39  yrs.     and 
over 

Total 

;{(>  inches  and  under        

41.7 

41.7 
16(i.7 
291.7 
166.7 
S3.3 
83.3 
83.3 
41.7 

47.6 

142.9 
285.7 
is:0.5 
95.2 
95  2 
142.9 

1 

13.3 

31  inches 
:!2  inches 
:C$  irches 
34  inches 
;{5  inches 
3()  inches 
37  inches 

90.9 
1818 
272.7 
1818 

90.9 
181.8 

■  76.9 

200.0!       1.53.8 

!       153.8 

400.01       538.5 
100.0        76.9 
200.0 

166.7 
.33;^.3 
1667 
2.50.0 

12.0 
120.5 
204.8 
144.6 
144.6 
192.8 
60.2 
48.2 
72.3 

54.9 
163.3 
283.4 
228.4 
124.0 
75.3 
31  4 

881nches 

1 

14  9 

39  Inches  and  over 

KKl.O 

88.3 

11  0 

Total 

1,000.0 

l.OUO.O 

1,0(J0.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

' 

' 

Ibid. 


NEGRO  HEALTH   AND   PHYSIQUE 


47 


Proportion  of  each  measurement  per  thoiisaml  uf  accepted  white  recruits — Continued 


Chest  Measurement 

18  yrs. 

and 

under 

19  yrs. 

2<i  yrs. 

21  yrs. 

22  yrs. 

2:5  yrs. 

24  yrs. 

25  yrs. 

30  inches  and  under 

31  inches 

32  Inches                     

400.0 
KW.O 
2(X).0 
150  0 
150.0 

346.1 
115.4 
192  3 
192.3 
115.4 
38.5 

66.7 
166  7 
2»i  3 
200.0 
233.3 
66.7 
33.3 

33.1 

98.8 

277.2 

2.13.3 

172.0 

80.7 

30.7 

10.6 

2.6 

.9 

28.4 

88.8 

249  8 

193.3 

280.3 

100.9 

38.7 

14.5 

3.9 

1.4 

20.7 

68.6 

209.9 

291.3 

201.7 

127  7 

5:^.9 

19.2 

4.9 

2.1 

23.2 

.57  6 

194.8 

261.3 

218.1 

140  5 

68.4 

23.9 

9.2 

2.9 

14  4 
56.2 
206  0 

33  inches 

248.6 
214  5 

143  1 

71  0 

30  6 

;5S  Inches                           .   . . 

12  8 

2  7 

Total 

1,(KX).0 

1,(V)0  0 

1,(«10  0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,0(K).() 

1,(K)0.0 

1,000  (1 

Chest  Measurement 

26  yrs. 

27  yrs. 

28  yrs. 

29  yrs. 

30  yrs. 

31  yrs. 

82  yrs. 

33yr's. 

;J0  inches  and  under 

14.0 
56.0 
189.2 
247.3 
215.6 
143.1 
84.5 
32.7 
11.9 
5.7 

15.0 

51.1 

178.2 

258.2 

211.5 

144.4 

80.0 

40.0 

15.0 

6.7 

15.0 
38.6 
185.0 
239.9 
218.3 
154.9 
84.3 
34.0 
21.6 
8.5 

9.f 

54.0 
155  7 
244  8 
209.7 
142.2 
S.7.2 
45.9 

me 

9.9 

17.8 
36.7 
155.7 
223.6 
20O.2 
173.5 
116.8 
41.2 
23.4 
11.1 

13  3 

47,1 
159.0 
210.li 
201.8 
170.K 
88.4 
48  6 
32.4 
28.0 

8.8 
38.3 
154.6 
213.6 
194.4 
182.6 
109.0 
48.6 
30.9 
19.1 

12.3 

31  inches 

31.7 

:i2  inches 

;33  inches 

139.3 
'>11.6 

34  Inches    

201.1 

3-5  inches                         .    . 

169  3 

121.7 

37  inches    

;i8  inches * 

39  inches  and  over 

51.1 
44.1 
17  6 

Total 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,0(X).0 

1,000.0 

1.0(H).O 

1,000.0 

1,0(K1.(I 

Chest  Measurement 

34  yrs. 

35  yrs. 

.36  yrs. 

37  yrs. 

38  yrs. 

89  yrs. 

40  yrs. 
and 
over 

Total 

»)  Inches  and  under      

31  inches 

32  inches       .                         

33  inches .    . . 

16.9 
49.0 
56.5 
297.6 
192.1 
148.8 
114.9 
62.2 
32.0 
30.1 

19.8 
51.9 
123.5 
162.9 
237.0 
140.7 
123.5 
74.1 
29.6 
37.0 

8.7' 
39.01 
103.9: 
251.1: 
255.4 
121.2 
95.2 
64.9i 
39.  Oi 
21.6 

12.2 
65.3 

89.8 
175.5 
187.8 
187.8 
98.0 
89.8 
53.0 
40.8 

27.9 
37.2 
111.6 
144.2 
209.3 
120.9 
186.1 
74.4 
37.2 
51.2 

29.6 
41.4 
71.0 
165.7 
147.9 
153.8 
177.5 
118.3 
35.5 
59.2 

.5.6 
33.8 
91.1 
157.7 
170.O 
135.2 
120.2 
102.3 
74.2 
109.9 

21.6 

66.3 

203.6 

240.5 

34  inches 

218.1 

35  inches 

127.2 

36  inches 

37  inches 

67.N 
'MA 

38  inches 

14.5 

39  inches  and  over  

10.0 

Total 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

l,tHlOl) 

1,(KI0.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

1,000.0 

48 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA   CONFERENCE 


The  following-  figures  aro  taken  from  McDonald's  study  of  school 
children  in  the  District  of  Columbia  wliich  included  over  16,000  pupils, 
of  whom  5,000  or  more  were  colored.  A  Kansas  city  study  is  also  in- 
cluded: * 

ALL  GIRLS 


ti  M 

^ 

^ 

_^ 

a> 

aj-; 

A 

-i'^ 

a 

S.S'c 

Limits  of 

Differ- 

■2  » 

•^  M 

bo 

ENT  Ages 

O 

0) 

t 
> 

bC" 
03 

•< 

FROM— 

to 

- 

'3 

Yrn 

Mos. 

l'r«. 

Mos. 

Inches 

Inches 

Lbs. 

Inches 

5 

1 

6 

6 

94 

44.23 

24.25 

43.;i3 

19.23 

5 

5 

(5 

11 

37 

43.97 

23.87 

42.!,0 

20.20 

<) 

5 

7 

6 

375 

45.09 

24.6.. 

45.74 

19.94 

6 

7 

7 

(J 

133 

45.40 

24.77 

44.97 

19.92 

7 

7 

8 

6 

754 

47.44 

25.46 

49.44 

20.14 

H 

7 

9 

6 

88;:5 

49.13 

26.23 

53  67 

20.29 

1) 

7 

10 

6 

939 

51.20 

26.98 

58.55 

20.43 

1(1 

7 

11 

(i 

931 

fii.U 

27.82 

64.19 

20.54 

11 

7 

12 

(i 

876 

.55.78 

29.05 

73.20 

20.78 

12 

7 

13 

« 

96(5 

57.91 

30.13 

81.85 

2o.!:5 

18 

7 

14 

6 

833 

60.24 

81.44 

93.02 

21.18 

14 

7 

15 

« 

655 

61.66 

32.26 

HiO.38 

21.28 

15 

7 

1(5 

(5 

450 

62.40 

32.SI 

I0.").19 

21.38 

Iti 

7 

17 

6 

323 

62.99 

33  01 

110.01 

21. .55 

17 

7 

18 

(5 

151 

63.15 

;«.17 

111. .50 

21.60 

17 

7 

2;5 

6 

41 

62.91 

32.86 

111.14 

21.60 

18 

7 

li» 

9 

13 

64..33 

33.70 

112.96 

21.98 

18 

7 

20 

8 

06 

63.01 

33  24 

110.72 

21.98 

8,620 

ALL  COLORED  GIRLS 


Limits  of  Differ- 
ent Ages 


Yrs. 

5 
6 


Mos. 
10 

7 
7 

7 

7 
7 
7 


S  ft 
Co 

"3 


Yrs.  Mos. 


113 

248 
218 
209 
250 
266 
279 
270 
243 
167 
129 
83 
54 
20 
9 


2,558 


Inches 
43.81 
4().61 
47.91 
49.02 
50.85 
52.94 
54.46 
57.42 
59. 56 
60.06 
61.47 
62.25 
62.27 
62.73 
60.44 


4I  bc 


Inches 
23.72 
24  70 
25.21 
25.74 
26.55 
27.35 
27.92 
29.09 
30.24 
30.74 
31.-57 
31.91 
.32.27 
;K.21 
31.47 


Lbs. 
42.61 
48.(53 
53.02 
.56.89 
62.89 
68.89 
77..55 
88.40 
98..52 
10:3.10 
106.97 
112.96 
115.12 
117.75 
109.33 


<i3o 


Inches 
19.92 
20.50 
20.51 
20  72 
20.84 
20.87 
20.95 
21.14 
21.48 
21.51 
21.50 
21.74 
21.86 
2178 
22.14 


'  Report  of  United  States  Commissioner  of  Education,  1897-98,  Vol.  I,  page  989,  fT. 
'  Report  of  the  United  States  Commissioner  of  Education,  1897-98,  Vol.  I,  page  loss. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 

ALL  BOYS 


49 


m 

^ 

^ 

0) 

^ 

43 

S3 

o 

Limits  of  Differ- 
ent Ages 

!t 

SB 
DPS 

<u  a 

03 

M 

bO 

>Bt 

c3 

s 

? 

4> 

<go 

FROM — 

TO— 

3 

> 

> 

u 

Z 

< 

< 

o 

Yi-s.  Mos. 

y?-s.  iifos. 

Inches 

Lbx. 

Inches 

5         3 

6         6 

103 

44.69 

45.24 

20.22 

6          0 

6          6 

44 

44.75 

45.31 

20.28 

6          7 

7          6 

5:^3 

45.97 

47.70 

20.45 

7         7 

8          6 

787 

47.83 

51.47 

20.51 

8         7 

9          6 

878 

49.74 

56.16 

20.61 

9         7 

10          6 

930 

51.70 

61.54 

20.78 

10         7 

11          6 

8(>2 

.^3.19 

66.26 

20.82 

11         7 

12          6 

986 

55.14 

72.73 

20.94 

12          7 

13          6 

926 

56.76 

79.38 

21.01 

13          7 

14          6 

784 

59.14 

88.27 

21.21 

14          7 

15          6 

528 

61.79 

100.95 

21.45 

15          7 

16          6 

345 

64.32 

113.71 

21.67 

16         7 

17          6 

120 

65.97 

121.18 

21.87 

16          7 

18          6 

32 

66.45 

124.21 

22.13 

16          7 

18        10 

22 

67.03 

123.10 

22.12 

17          7 

18          6 

38 

67.06 

131.99 

21.91 

18         7 

19          6 

7 

68.73 

132.25 

22.48 

19         7 

21          7 

28 

67.66 

135.56 

22.34 

7,953 

ALL  COLORED  BOYS 


u  "' 

^ 

^ 

*^ 

« 

a 

,  A 

Si 

« 

Limits  of  Differ- 

jD a 

bO 

^  bC 

bC 

bfiD-a 

ent  Ages 

^^ 

0) 

m  oj 

do 

M 

bo  so 

bC 

*  gj 

d 

<h 

FROM — 

TO — 

o 

> 

u 

H 

<j 

< 

ol 

o 

Yrs.  Mos. 

P^rs.  Mos. 

Inches 

Inches 

Lbs. 

Inches 

5         0 

6         6 

73 

44.17 

24.04 

43.44 

20.24 

6        7 

7         6 

246 

46.08 

24.73 

50.10 

20.28 

7         7 

8         6 

288 

47.74 

25.34 

53.S.9 

20.51 

8         7 

9         6 

303 

49.26 

26.14 

59.04 

20.67 

9          7 

10         6 

335 

51.14 

26.51 

65.17 

20.81 

10          7 

11         6 

271 

52.10 

26.90 

69.44 

20.95 

11         7 

12         6 

286 

53.94 

27.99 

75.97 

20.87 

12         7 

13         6 

321 

56.08 

28.46 

83.50 

21.07 

13         7 

14         6 

282 

57.98 

29.3(i 

90.90 

21.31 

14         7 

15         6 

220 

60.09 

30  37 

99.42 

21.41 

15          7 

16          6 

124 

63  13 

31.25 

113.45 

21.45 

16         7 

18          6 

131 

65.37 

32.82 

125.42 

21.95 

18         7 

22        11 

19 

66.16 

29.42 

131.75 

22.16 

2,899 

50         ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Race  in  Relation  to  Cephalic  Inbex,  Sensibility,  Etc.* 


a 

o 

to 

S 
p. 

O 

d 

< 

M 

03 
u 

> 
< 

o 

"3 

S3 

,  a 
o  <» 
^" 
o 

0 
Q 

o 

"3 

si 
a 
a> 

o 

0 

-O) 

(V 

o 

s: 
a 

^'^ 

o 
c3 

« 

Least   sen- 
sibility to 
locality 

Strength  of 
grasp 

Least  sen- 
sibility to 
heat 

RighV 
wrist 

Left 
ivrist 

Right 
hand 

Left 
hand 

Right 
waist 

Left 
waist 

All  Boys: 
White          

526 
33 

548 

58 

Yr.  Mo. 

12  9 

13  3 

13      1 
13      1 

% 

11 
32 

12 

27 

45 
53 

48 
52 

44 
15 

40 
21 

Mm. 

16.4 
14  3 

14.9 
15.3 

Mm. 

15  5 
13.9 

13.9 
14.2 

Kilos 

20.9 
19.7 

16  8 
17.3 

Kilos 

19.6 
18.4 

15.8 
16.3 

°R. 

4.17 

2.1)7 

4.43 
2.64 

°R. 

3.89 

1.77 

All  Gikls: 
White 

4.06 

Colored 

2.47 

Kansas  City,  Mo.,  School  Children  (1890)-h 
While  Children 


BOYS 

GIRLS 

No. 

Age 

Average 
height 

Average 

weight 

No. 

Age 

Average 
height 

Average 
weight 

Years 

In  ches 

Pounds 

Years 

Inches 

Rounds 

849 

10 

52 

67.5 

400 

10 

51.68 

65.92 

395 

11 

53 

70.i;6 

411 

11 

52.7 

66.2 

408 

12 

5() 

78.28 

469 

12 

54.015 

80.64 

293 

13 

56.6 

87.45 

311 

13 

57.43 

91.72 

347 

14 

58.6 

93.45 

366 

14 

60.31 

100. 1 

133 

15 

62.4 

111.27 

313 

15 

62.04 

109.36 

129 

16 

63.93 

119. 

186 

16 

65.52 

111.16 

77 

17 

64.8 

126  6 

87 

17 

62.9 

117.11 

24 

18 

66.66 

136.83 

52 

18 

63.29 

118.92 

24 

19 

64.2 

120.25 

Colored  Children 


BOYS 

GIRLS 

No. 

Age 

Average 
height 

Average 
weight 

No, 

Age 

Average 
height 

Average 
weight 

Years 

Inches 

Pounds 

Years 

Inches 

Pounds 

28 

10 

51 

72.7 

30 

10 

49.8 

74.56 

86 

11 

53.36 

78.25 

52 

11 

52.8 

79.85 

44 

12 

53.73 

83 

61 

12 

54 

82.83 

51 

13 

66 

89 

62 

13 

56.85 

97.145 

29 

14 

58.88 

93.55 

44 

14 

58.75 

108.83 

33 

15 

61 

112.8 

46 

15 

61.54 

110.13 

9 

16 

■    64.44 

121.1 

32 

16 

62.8 

117 

5 

17 

65 

180 

12 

17 

66 

128 

♦  Report  of  the  United  States  Commissioner  of  Education,  1897-98,  Vol.  I,  page  1010. 
+  Report  of  the  United  States  Commissioner  of  Education,  1897-98,  Vol.  I,  page  1108. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 


51 


The  general  conclusions  from  these  studies  were: 

White  children  have  much  longer  bodies  than  colored  children,  and  are 
taller,  but  the  colored  children  are  heavier. 

The  white  boj's  are  taller  than  the  colored  boys.  In  sitting  height  the  differ- 
ence is  very  striking,  and  it  would  seem  to  indicate  that  white  boys  have 
cemparatively  a  greater  length  of  trunk  than  length  of  legs  as  compared  with 
colored  boys.  The  colored  boys  are  heavier  from  age  6  to  15.  From  15  to  16 
the  white  boys  are  heavier. 

The  colored  boys  are  taller  than  the  colored  girls  at  ages  6,  9,  10,  15  and  on. 
xVt  other  ages  the  girls  are  taller.  In  sitting  height  the  boys  are  taller  until  10 
and  at  12.  In  weight  colored  boys  are  heavier,  except  from  11  to  16,  when  the 
difference  between  boys  and  girls  is  somewhat  similar  to  that  in  white  chil- 
dren, except  that  this  pubertal  period  begins  about  a  year  later  and  ends  a 
year  later  than  in  white  children. 

The  percentage  of  long-lieadedness  among  the  colored  boys  is  more  than 
double  that  of  the  white  boys.    This  is  doubtless  due  to  racial  influence. 

In  colored  children  the  circumference  of  head  in  the  boj^s  is  superior  to  that 
of  the  girls  at  ages  6  and  11,  but  inferior  at  other  ages;  that  is,  in  general  the 
girls  excel  the  boys  in  head  circumference. 

The  white  boys  of  American  parentage  have  a  larger  head  circumference 
than  the  colored  boys  from  ages  6  to  8;  again  at  about  12,  and  from  15  to  17;  at 
other  ages  the  colored  boys  excel.  As  the  numbers  compared  are  large  this 
can  hardly  be  accidental,  yet  we  know  of  no  reason  for  this  alternate  increase 
and  decrease  between  the  boys  of  two  races,  for  in  the  case  of  the  girls  there 
is  no  such  alternation. 

Comparing  white  girls  of  American  parentage  and  colored  girls  as  to  cir- 
cumference of  head,  the  colored  girls  show  quite  a  marked  increase  from  about 
<)  to  10  and  from  14  to  15.  It  may  be  noted  here  that  these  periods  of  marked 
increase  correspond  to  the  periods  of  increase  of  colored  boys  over  white  boys  ; 
that  is,  from  about  7  to  11  and  13  to  15.  The  colored  girls  excel  the  white  girls 
in  circumference  of  head  at  all  ages.  Comparing  colored  girls  with  all  white 
girls,  the  colored  girls  have  a  larger  circumference  of  head  at  all  ages  except 

ate. 

As  circumference  of  head  increases  mental  ability  increases.  (A  note  adds, 
"among  those  of  the  same  race.") 

Colored  children  are  much  more  sensitive  to  heat  than  white  children.  This 
probably  means  that  their  power  of  discrimination  is  much  better  and  not 
that  they  suffer  more  from  heat. 

McDonald's  studies  referred  to  above  give  a  few  psycho-physical 
measurements: 


All  boys 

All  girls 

All  colored  boys 
All  colored  girls 


Beight 


Total 


2,899 
3,'2Hti 
1,257 
1,751 


Per 

Cent 


38.72 
38.70 
43.36 
68.45 


Dull 


Total 


1,214 
917 
486 
673 


Per 

Cent 


16.22 
10  77 
16  76 
26.31 


Average 


Total 


Per 
Cent 


3,373  45  06 

4,;»4  50.53 

1,156  39.88 

134  5.24 


52 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


■CXI 

tr 

>> 

Mbntai. 

tS 

a 

ft 

>j 

c  * 

1,  M 

bcC 

3 
bO 

C 
d 

^1 

P. 

bt 

c 

bC 

" 

Divisions 

Si 

0 

0) 

I, 
0 

SI 
o3 

3 

£ 
c 

CS 

'3 

< 

<^ 

< 

P 

O 

« 

lJ 

^ 

^ 

^ 

a- 

w 

CO 

cc 

% 

% 

% 

'Tr 

% 

% 

% 

% 

% 

% 

% 

% 

% 

* 

Boys  0  f  American  pa- 
rentage  

(Bright.... 

\  Dull 

r  Average.. 

bl 
14 
3S 

m 
lit 

45 

44 

18 
38 

;^4 

22 
44 

30 
18 

52 

44 
15 
41 

38 
19 
43 

29 
21 

50 

50 
16 
34 

24 
29 
47 

28 
27 
45 

43 

21 
36 

44 
12 
44 

33 
24 

43 

I  Bright... 

45 

49 

37 

35 

■M 

41 

46 

40 

34 

40 

40 

51 

45 

4S 

Girls  of  American  pa- 

Dull 

9 

n 

19 

17 

12 

15 

10 

9 

20 

10 

13 

11 

15 

14 

(  Average. . 

46 

40 

44 

48 

52 

44 

44 

51 

46 

50 

47 

35 

40 

38 

I  Bright.... 

4f) 

61 

f4 

47 

45 

51 

42 

44 

36 

45 

49 

25 

41 

Oolored  boys    

Dull 

f  Average. . 

2a 

31 

8 
81 

20 
26 

17 
36 

13 

42 

11 

38 

17 
41 

31 

25 

19 
45 

17 

22 

29 

43 
32 

23 

36 

(  Bright.... 

m 

65 

60 

40 

6-> 

(U 

63 

49 

54 

17 

31 

59 

]  Dull 

{  Average. . 

28 
3 

19 
16 

29 
11 

25 
35 

25 
13 

22 
14 

22 
15 

14 

37 

19 
27 

21 

62 

11 

58 

23 

18 

One  manifest  cause  of  physical  differences  between  white  and  colored 
people  in  the  United  States  is  difference  in  physical  nourishment.  The 
studies  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,*  although  few 
in  number,  indicate  the  following  results: 

Dietaries  of  Negroes  and  Others 


Average  of  19  Negro  families  in  Virginia 

Average  of  20  Negro  families  in  Alabama 

Average  of  4  Mexican  families  in  New  Mexico 

Average  of  14  mechanics'  families 

Average  of  10  farmers'  families 

Average  of  14  professional  men's  families 

Tentative  standard  for  man  at  moderate  work 


Cost 


11  cts, 
8     " 
8    " 

19    " 


28  cts. 


Protein 


109  gms 

62  " 

64  " 

103  " 
97  " 

104  " 
125  " 


Fat 


159gms 
132    " 
71    " 

leo  " 
i:»  " 
125    " 


Carbo 
hydrates 


444  gms, 
436  " 
610  " 
402  " 
467  " 
423  " 


Fuel 
Value 


3.745 
3.270 
3.550 
3.465 
3.515 
3.325 
3..500 


With  regard  especially  to  the  Alabama  diets,  which  represent  the  diet 
of  the  Black  Belt,  the  report  says: 

Comparing  these  Negro  dietaries  with  other  dietary  standards  it  will  be  seen 
that — 

(1)  The  quantities  of  protein  are  very  small;  roughly  speaking,  the  food  of 
these  Negroes  furnished  one-third  to  three-fourths  as  much  protein  as  are 
called  for  in  the  current  physiological  standards  and  as  are  actually  found  in 
the  dietaries  of  well-fed  whites  in  the  United  States  and  well-fed  people  in 
Europe.  They  were  indeed,  no  larger  than  have  been  found  in  the  dietaries  of 
the  very  poor  factory  operatives  and  laborers  in  Germany  and  the  laborers 
and  beggars  in  Italy. 

(2)  In  fuel  value  the  Negro  dietaries  compare  quite  favorably  with  those  of 
well-to-do  people  of  the  laboring  classes  in  Europe  and  the  United  States. 

(3)  The  marked  peculiarity  of  the  Negro  dietaries,  namely,  their  lack  of 
protein,  is  shown  in  the  nutritive  ratios.  While  the  proportion  of  protein  to 
fuel  ingredients  in  the  dietary  standards  and  in  the  food  of  well-fed  wage- 
workers  ranges  from  1 :5  to  1 :7  or  8,  and  is  about  1 :5.5  •  or  1 :6  in  the  dietarj- 


•  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  Dietary  Studies,  etc.,  in  Alabama,  1897; 
do.,  in  Virginia,  1899. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  5H 

standards,  the  nutritive  ratio  of  the  Negro  dietaries  range  from  1 :7  to  1 :16. 
Leaving  out  two  quite  exceptional  cases,  the  lowest  was  1 :10  and  the  average 
1:11.8. 


6.    Some  Psychological  Considerations  on  the  Race  Problem* 

By  Dr.  Herbert  A.  Miller 

Race  problems  are  pressing  hard  upon  most  of  the  nations  of  the 
world.  They  are  part  of  the  general  social  question,  which  is  growing 
more  and  more  important.  The  first  difficulty  in  understanding  these 
problems  is  to  find  a  clear  definition  of  racial  lines.  External  compari- 
son is  not  enough  to  create  a  boundary  between  different  peoples  when 
they  happen  to  have  the  same  spiritual  interests,  i.  e.,  the  ultimate 
difTerences  are  psychical  rather  than  physical.  At  any  rate  the  psycho- 
physical comparison  of  races  is  offering  facts  to  scientific  investigation 
in  a  field  as  yet  almost  untouched.  Wherever  there  is  a  heterogeneous 
people  there  is  need  for  exact  knowledge  of  the  capacities  and  possi- 
bilities of  its  constituents. 

The  cause  of  the  backwardness  of  the  so-called  lower  races  is  various- 
ly attributed  to  the  influence  of  environment  of  all  sorts,  and  to  natural 
incapacity.  These  points  of  view  differ  so  absolutely  in  kind  that  it  is 
necessary  to  make  aii  earnest  effort  to  analyze  the  relation  between  the 
two,  in  order  tiiat  energy  may  not  be  wasted  in  an  effort  to  reach  com- 
mon conclusions  from  absolutely  different  premises.  At  present  both 
opinions  are  chiefly  based  on  assumptions.  Each  may  accord  with 
actual  conditions,  but  each  involves  a  very  different  attitude  towards 
the  course  of  human  development:  the  one  assuming  that,  in  general, 
equal  results  follow  equal  conditions,  and  that  the  apparent  differences 
are  due  to  unequal  home  training,  economic  conditions,  and  social 
ideals;  the  other,  that,  whatever  the  conditions,  the  possibilities  are 
not  the  same.  Between  these  two  extremes  the  discussion  of  the  Negro, 
and  to  some  extent  of  the  Indian  in  the  United  States,  has  been  hope- 
lessly mangled,  and  upon  them  practical  educational  theories  have 
been  based.  Most  of  the  sympathizers  with  industrial  education  for 
the  Negro  believe  that  such  education  is  fitted  to  his  capacity  even 
more  than  to  his  needs. 

A  knowledge  of  the  influence  of  environment  is  necessary  for  the 
understanding  of  a  race,  but  it  is  not  fundamental  in  drawing  race  lines, 
since  environment  must  act  upon  something,  and  any  conclusion  as  to 
its  influence  involves  a  consideration  of  that  upon  which  it  acts.  Other 
facts  are  brought  in  through  anthropology,  in  which  anatomical  coitit 
parisons  have  been  supplemented  with  general  psychological  observa- 
tions which  have  been  made,  unfortunately,  by  men  of  no  special  psy- 
chological training,  and  therefore  have  questionable  value.  By  a 
purely  psychological  method  alone  can  exact  scientific  data  be  obtained 
on  what  is  really  a  psychological  problem. 

*  Reprinted  by  permission  from  Bibliotheca  Sacra,  April,  IDdO. 


54  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Psychology  has  a  comprehensive  and  a  restricted  field.  In  the  for- 
mer, it  includes  the  total  complex  activity  of  mental  life;  in  the  latter, 
it  describes  only  the  isolated  elements  of  the  complex.  The  complex 
activity  is  the  reaction  of  the  psychic  organism  to  the  meaning  of  life. 
This  is  the  popular  meaning  of  the  term  "psychology."  Any  fact  of 
the  mind,  whether  intellectual,  moral,  or  spiritual,  is  referred  to  this 
category.  It  cannot  be  scientific,  for  it  does  not  lend  itself  to  analysis. 
It  is  an  attitude  of  the  mind  which  is  the  result  of  many  psychic  ele- 
ments working  together,  plus  the  practical  theory  of  the  universe  which 
the  individual  happens  to  hold.  This  varying  combination  of  influences 
which  shape  every  attitude  makes  classification  impossible,  and  to  call 
it  psychology  takes  one  but  little  nearer  scientific  explanation.  The 
uncertainty  of  complexity  makes  it  desirable  to  seek  relatively  isolated 
elements.  These  will  be  component  parts  of  the  whole,  but  will  have  a 
meaning  limited  to  tlieir  own  functioning:  e.  g.,  the  memory  of  legal 
terms  to  the  lawyer  varies  with  the  importance  of  their  bearing  upon 
his  cases.  But  memory  of  nonsense  syllables  has  an  interest  limited 
solely  to  their  interest  as  a  memory  exercise.  In  other  words,  the 
quality  of  memory  may  be  different  in  different  individuals,  but  no 
adequate  test  can  be  made  where  the  interest  and  attention  differ. 
Unrelated  figures  and  letters  having  a  minimum  of  interest  offer  an  ap- 
proximate condition  of  equality  for  the  comparison  of  the  memory  of 
different  individuals.  The  simplest  element  of  mind  that  can  be  tested 
is,  to  be  sure,  more  or  less  complex,  being  made  up  of,  as  yet,  unanalyz- 
able  elements,  but  the  variation  of  the  relatively  simple  states  is  much 
less  than  that  between  the  complex  totalities.  Two  brothers  may  differ 
but  slightly  in  capacity,  but  responsibility  falling  upon  one  will  develop 
entirely  different  activity.  In  the  simple  states  can  be  found  regular 
and  predictable  variation  ;.  but  in  the  complex,  developed  by  the  busi- 
ness of  life,  it  is  accidental  and  incalculable. 

Psychophysics  aims  to  describe  these  relatively  simple  states  without 
relating  them  to  their  value  in  life.  The  results  are  meagre,  but  they 
are  the  only  ones  that  can  have  any  scientific  value,  because  of  their 
comparative  invariability,  while  the  larger  reactions  are  made  up  of 
constantly  changing  meanings  of  ideals.  The  spirit  or  purpose  behind 
the  act  is  what  determines  its  quality;  in  other  words,  it  is  the  person- 
ality interpreting  the  value  of  tlie  act  to  the  organism  as  a  whole.  The 
performance  of  the  act,  on  the  other  hand,  depends  on  the  fundamental 
capacity  of  the  organ  which  perforins  it.  Thus  desire  for  studJ^  and 
capacity  for  accomplishment,  are  quite  different  things.  Again  and 
more  obviously,  it  is  this  interpretation  of  the  value  of  life  that  makes 
one  man  moral  and  the  other  immoral,  though  both  may  have  equal 
psychophysical  capacity.  To  conclude,  from  the  manifestations  of 
immorality  among  the  Negroes,  or  from  their  failure  to  recognize  cer- 
tain social  conventions,  that  the  Negro  is  incapable  of  morality  or  of 
adaptation  to  the  social  demand,  is  a  conclusion  based  upon  inadequate 
evidence.  Morality  and  social  adaptation  are  the  result  of  the  inter- 
pretation of  the  value  of  a  situation,  and  not  a  necessary  development 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  55 

of  inherent  capacity.  Therefore,  not  until  different  races  have  had  ex- 
actly the  same  history  can  any  valid  conclusion  be  drawn  as  to  their 
relative  psychophysical  capacity  if  mere  observation  is  used.  This  does 
not  mean  that  there  is  no  such  a  thing  as  race  characteristics,  but  that 
there  are  elements  in  interpretation  that  are  independent  of  race.  This, 
however,  is  a  philosophical  question.  My  point  is  that  there  is  some 
thing  that  cannot  be  put  to  empirical  test  in  all  practical  activity. 

Space  fails  me  to  give  any  account  of  the  many  psychological  obser- 
vations that  have  been  made  concerning  primitive  people.  Suffice  it  to 
say  that  there  have  been  many  things  said;  and  there  are  great  differ- 
ences of  opinion, — from  those  vvho  see  the  savage  little  removed  from 
the  possibilities  of  a  brute,  to  those  who  think  the  difference  between 
the  highest  and  lowest  man  is  very  slight.  It  may  be  the  uncivilized 
instead  of  the  uncivilizable  mind  that  is  described.  The  fact  that  some 
observers  find  that  the  ideas  are  sensuous  instead  of  abstract  may  arise 
out  of  the  demands  of  the  environment.  It  may  not  call  for  anything 
except  sensuous  ideas.  Again,  Indians  and  Negroes  are  said  to  lack 
the  power  of  attention,  and  hence  the  door  of  learning  is  closed  to  them. 
Some  travelers  say  that  in  Africa  a  few  sentences  will  weary  a  native, 
and  therefore  conversation  cannot  be  held  with  him.  But  attention  is 
not  merely  a  natural  possession.  In  our  schools  the  habit  has  to  be 
cultivated  by  all  sorts  of  subterfuges  from  the  guardhouse  to  the  elec- 
tive system.  According  to  the  doctrine  of  "interest,"  on  whicii  the 
elective  system  is  based,  we  find  the  savage  giving  perfect  attention  to 
his  hunt.  He  has  been  under  no  necessity  of  developing  the  power  of 
abstraction.  Many  of  the  arguments  concerning  primitive  psychology 
arise  from  the  logic  of  post  hoc,  ergo  j^ropter  hoc.  Africans  are  said  to 
think  it  foolish  to  have  manufactured  articles  when  it  would  have  been 
quite  easy  to  get  along  without  them,  but  what  they  think  is  no  crite- 
rion  of  what  they  would  think  if  they  knew  more.  We  can  parallel  that 
indifference  in  the  pure  Anglo-Saxons  who  ai*e  known  as  Highlanders, 
who  find  it  very  difficult  to  see  the  sense  of  the  attempt  to  bring  them 
back  into  the  fold  of  civilization.  A  family  in  the  Tennessee  Mountains 
had  but  one  pan,  which  was  used  for  cooking,  serving  food,  and  as  a 
family  wash-basin.  A  new  pan  was  presented,  but  was  hung  unused 
on  the  wall.  When  remonstrated  with  for  not  using  it,  the  woman  said, 
"Aintweuns  got  one  pan?"  The  idea  of  progress  is  not  inherent  in  any 
man,  but  is  the  social  heritage  derived  from  a  long  study  of  the  mean- 
ing of  the  world. 

I  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  claiming  that  race  characteristics 
are  not  definite  and  important,  but  anthropologists  have  based  their 
conclusion  as  to  the  difference  in  race  levels  upon  the  degree  to  which 
they  suppose  the  race  to  have  evolved.  Their  teachings  have  been 
eagerly  grasped  by  the  general  public  as  a  scientific  support  of  their 
belief  that  the  Negro  is  inferior  to  the  whites. 

I  cannot  go  into  the  bearings  of  the  doctrine  of  evolution  upon  the 
question,  but,  accepting  the  doctrine  of  Weissmann,  would  add,  in  the 
words  of  a  writer  on  evolution  :     "Civilization  and  education  are  exter- 


'J 


56  ELEVENTH  AJLANTA  CONFERENCE 

ual  and  not  internal,  extrinsic  and  not  intrinsic  forces.  .  .  .  Civiliza- 
tion has  changed  his  surroundings,  but  has  it  changed  the  man?*  This 
js  an  important  question,  but  progress  is  not  evolution  in  the  strict  sense 
of  the  word.  It  depends  on  subjective  influences.  As  John  Morley 
Hays:  "The  world  grows  better  in  the  moderate  degree  that  it  does 
grow  better  because  people  wish  that  it  should,  and  take  the  right 
steps  to  make  it  better.  Evolution  is  not  a  force  but  a  process,  not  a 
cause  but  a  law.  It  explains  the  source  and  marks  the  immovable  limi- 
tations of  social  energy.  But  social  energy  can  never  be  superseded  by 
evolution  or  anything  else."  Psychology  as  I  use  it  has  the  narrower 
meaning,  which  makes  it  parallel  with  evolution  as  used  by  Mr.  Morley. 
[t  can  aim  to  study  the  ''immovable  limitations,"  but  it  is  utterly  im- 
possible for  it  to  give  a  standard  for  measuring  the  social  energy  which 
is  the  force  that  makes  most  of  the  visible  results.  We  can  study  the 
perceptions,  but  we  can  do  very  little  with  the  conceptions,  for  they 
form  the  unanalyzed  elements.  In  conception  we  get  an  ethical  envir- 
onment which  throws  light  on  every  situation,  and  thus  distinguishes 
man  from  animal;  we  deal  with  every  practical  situation  at  something 
more  than  its  face  value  in  pleasure  and  pain. 

We  find  this  influence  as  applied  to  the  Negro  summed  up  excellently 
by  one  of  the  race  speaking  of  his  people:  ''They  must  perpetually 
discuss  the  Negro  problem,  must  live,  move  and  have  their  being  in  it, 
and  interpret  all  else  in  its  light  or  darkness.  From  the  double  life  that 
every  American  Negro  must  live  as  a  Negro  and  American,  as  swept 
on  by  the  current  of  the  nineteenth  century  while  struggling  in  the 
eddies  of  tlie  fifteenth — from  this  must  arise  a  powerful  self-conscious- 
ness and  a  moral  hesitancy  which  is  almost  fatal  to  self-confidence. 
Today  the  young  Negro  of  the  South  who  would  succeed  cannot  be 
frank  and  outspoken,  but  rather  is  daily  tempted  to  be  silent  and  wary, 
politic  and  sly.  His  real  thouglits,  his  real  aspirations,  must  be  guarded 
in  whispers;  he  must  not  criticize,  he  must  not  complain.  Patience 
and  adroitness  must  in  these  growing  black  youth,  replace  impulse, 
manliness,  and  courage.  .  .  .  At  the  same  time,  through  books  and 
periodicals,  discussions  and  lectures  he  is  intellectually  awakened.  In 
the  conflict  some  sink,  some  rise."  t  This  description  of  the  conditions 
of  real  life  indicates  the  impossibility  of  drawing  psychological  conclu- 
sions from  practical  reactions.  We  cannot  fairly  compare  a  black  and 
a  white  artisan  when  the  latter  has  pride  in  his  work  and  the  other  an 
indifference  due,  in  part  at  least,  to  the  consciousness  of  his  social  posi- 
tion. Still  there  may  be  differences  due  solely  to  race.  I  would  like  to 
tell  how  I  think  this  difference  in  attitude  complicates  any  estimate  of 
moral  and  cultural  possibilities,  but  I  must  hasten  on  to  indicate  briefly 
my  method  of  direct  experimentation,  which,  though  utterly  incom- 
plete, yet  seems  to  me  to  be  the  direction  in  which  this  subject  must 
be  pursued  if  we  wish  to  get  the  truth  unhampered  by  the  prejudice  of 

•  H.  W.  Conn :  Method  of  Evolution,  p.  212. 
tDuBols:  Souls  of  Black  Folk. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  57 

one's  geographical  position.  In  a  word  I  aimed  to  make  tests  of  the 
simplest  sort  upon  people  of  as  nearly  the  same  condition  as  possible. 
The  subjects  were  pupils  in  schools  of  comparable  grades,  and  num- 
bered 2,488  Negroes,  520  Indians,  and  1,493  whites,  including  596  High- 
landers in  the  Tennessee  and  Kentucky  mountains.  All  the  tests  were 
given  by  myself  under  as  nearly  as  possible  the  same  conditions  and 
without  variation.  I  can  only  name  the  tests,  and  say  that  they  were 
devised  for  the  purpose  of  giving  them  to  groups,  and  that  all  my  sub- 
jects came  in  groups  which  would  average  about  forty  in  number.  A 
careful  lecord  of  age  and  sex  and  grade  was  kept,  and  the  comparison 
considered  those  facts.  My  word  for  the  reliability  of  the  work  must 
be  accepted,  and  I  hope  before  very  long  to  publish  a  full  description 
of  the  details.  The  tests  were:  (1)  quickness  and  accuracy  of  percep- 
tion ;  (2)  disconnected  memory,  both  auditory  and  visual,  as  tested  by 
figures  and  letters  exposed  and  read  ;  (3)  logical  memory,  tested  by  re- 
producing a  story;  (4)  rational  instinct,  as  shown  in  the  immediate 
detection  of  fallacies;  (5)  suggestibility,  as  shown  by  the  judgment  of 
the  size  of  equal  circles  on  which  there  were  numbers  of  different  de- 
nominations; and,  finally,  (6)  color  preference. 

I  can  give  at  present  only  some  representative  averages,  which  are 
interesting,  and  on  the  whole  fairly  indicative  of  the  results  obtained 
by  a  more  complete  interpretation  of  the  figures.  With  the  exception 
of  the  first  table,  which  gives  the  actual  number,  all  the  results  are  in 
percentages.  The  graphic  representation  of  the  figures  shows  some 
things  that  cannot  appear  from  the  mere  averages.  Averages  for  the 
quickness  of  perception : 

Male  Female 

No.  Av.  No.  Av. 

Whites  ...  3r,5  31.17  236  33.61 

Indians  ...  160  31.81  120  34.77 

Negroes...  377  32.35  412  34.68 

The  average  is  misleading,  as  the  plot  shows  that  the  larger  number 
of  Indians  are  quicker  than  the  larger  number  of  either  of  the  other 
races,  but  both  aspects  of  the  figures  are  consistent  in  showing  that 
there  is  but  slight  difference  in  races  in  the  same  sex,  but  that  there  is  a 
consistent  difference  in  the  quickness  of  the  sexes,  the  females  being 
the  quicker.  In  disconnected  memory  I  had  five  tests,  and  two  facts 
are  striking:  the  superiority  of  visual  over  auditory  memory,  and  the 
consistent  but  slight  superiority  of  the  females,  but  the  race  differences 
are  small.  It  did  not  seem  to  be  unfair  to  combine  all  the  persons  of 
the  same  race  for  all  the  five  tests  in  one  average,  and  thus  make  it 
possible  to  multiplj^  the  number  of  cases  by  five.  I  do  this  because  of 
the  alleged  superiority  of  the  Negroes  for  so-called  rote  memory. 

Male  and  Female  Auditory  and  Visual  Memory 

No.  Whiites 2,060  A  v.  55  Av.  deviation  19 

"    Indians 1,362  '•    53.3  "  "  17.5 

"    Negroes 4,098  "    56.8  "  "  19 

The  conclusion  seems  to  me  to  be  that  the  differences  are  very  slight. 
The  variation  shows  that  a  large  part  of  each  group  overlaps  the  others. 


58  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

At  the  same  time  the  similarity  of  the  deviations  shows  that  the  aver- 
ages are  fairly  representative. 
Let  me  give  the  results  of  the  tests  for  logical  memory: 

No.  Males  Av.  %  No.  Females  Av.  % 

Whites 3J3                     40-27                   22)  3H.9 

Indians 101                    37  7     .                8.S  35.17 

Negroes 3.(4                     40.45                   427  37.49 

Here  the  diflerenee  between  the  sexes  is  the  reverse  of  that  appearing 
in  disconnected  memory.  There  is  almost  no  difference  between  the 
Whites  and  the  Negroes;  the  Indians  are  not  strictly  comparable,  for 
reasons  that  I  cannot  enter  upon  at  this  time. 

Finally  I  would  like  to  give  you  some  idea  of  the  results  of  the  color 
choice  test.  I  gave  this  to  a  larger  number  than  any  of  the  others.  I 
performed  these  tests  in  two  different  years,  and  all  in  the  same  man- 
ner, except  that  in  the  second  year  I  clianged  from  Milton  Bradlej' 
colors  to  Prang  colors,  with  very  interesting  results.  Out  of  the  Milton 
Bradley  colors  I  had  13  against  12  of  the  Prang.  With  the  Milton 
Bradley  colors  42.1  per  cent  of  the  white  girls  chose  red  and  19  per  cent 
blue;  and  42.01  per  cent  of  the  white  boys  preferred  blue  and  17.6  red. 
The  number  of  persons  was  380  and  112.  Of  the  Negroes,  numbering 
201  girls  and  267  boys,  3.6  per  cent  of  the  girls  and  3.4  per  cent  of  the 
boys  chose  red,  and  57.1  per  cent  of  the  girls  and  52.1  per  cent  of  the 
boys  chose  blue.  These  facts  are  interesting,  but  quite  different  from 
those  with  the  Prang  colors.  Putting  red  and  red-violet  together,  we 
have  the  following  table: 

Bed  and  Red-  Violet  Blu9 

W.  M 11.4%  50.4% 

W.  F 27  41.4 

I.  M 20  6  35.5 

I.  F 49.4  18.5 

N.  M 7.3  30 

N.  F 17.1  41.6 

Two  things  appear  from  this.  That  there  is  a  I'acial  difference  in 
color  preference,  and  that  it  makes  a  good  deal  of  difference  what  col- 
ors are  used.  Preference  for  red  does  not  mean  for  any  red,  and  if  the 
one  presented  is  not  quite  right  another  color  will  be  chosen.  For  the 
other  colors  than  red  and  blue  the  figures  are  nearly  parallel.  It  is  a 
surprise  to  most  people  that  the  Negro  does  not  take  the  red,  but  he 
consistently  avoids  it.  The  colors  that  we  see  in  life  are  not  so  much 
the  result  of  psychophysical  as  of  social  reaction.  The  one  fact  that 
stands  out  clearly  in  this  investigation  is  the  smallness  of  the  differ- 
ences between  the  Negroes  and  whites  within  the  range  of  these  exper- 
iments. In  general  we  find  the  Indians  somewhat  lower  in  their  aver- 
ages than  the  other  two  races.  I  do  not  suggest  the  possible  inferiority 
of  the  Indians;  but  there  is  not  an  lota  of  evidence  to  show  that  they 
are  superior  to  Negroes.     This  is  contrary  to  the  genei'al  assumption. 

We  must  not  conclude  from  these  tests  that  there  are  no  psychophys- 
ical differences  between  the  races;  in  fact,  we  do  find  some  tendencies 
of  divergence,  and  admit  the  possibility  of  many  more.  The  complex 
of  all  these  tendencies  gives  the  temperamental  tone,  which  obviously 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  59 

does  characterize  sexes  and  races.  The  differences,  however,  are  of  de- 
gree rather  than  of  kind.  It  is  not  sufficient  to  make  a  sharp  line  of  de- 
markation.  In  the  curves  which  represent  the  figures  we  find  that  the 
large  mass  of  the  persons  of  all  the  races  are  included  within  the  com- 
mon space.  So  far  as  the  original  endowment  of  the  Negro  is  concerned, 
I  would  conclude  that  there  is  nothing  in  kind  to  differentiate  him  par- 
ticularly as  a  different  psychic  being  from  the  Caucasian.  I  have  not  en- 
tered upon  the  prevailing  difference  of  opinion  that  exists  upon  thispoint. 

In  estimating  the  psychological  development  of  a  person  or  race,  no 
one  should  be  spurned  for  the  peculiarities  that  he  possesses.  Some 
racial  tendencies  have  undoubtedly  been  developed  by  natural  selec- 
tion, but  we  are  accustomed  to  make  an  assessment  in  contemporary 
psychic  values,  and  consider  primitive  those  that  do  not  fit  the  present 
social  order.  In  the  process  of  tlie  universe  a  race  may  have  a  contri- 
bution to  make  tlirough  its  very  peculiarities;  and  it  may  at  least  find 
in  these  peculiarities  a  means  of  working  out  its  own  salvation.  Thus 
the  vivid  imagination  which  I  found  in  the  Negro,  and  the  unquestioned 
musical  genius  of  the  Negro,  are  to  be  given  a  value  that  we  cannot  es- 
timate. The  transition  from  the  morning  school  song  of  the  Negroes  to 
thatof  equally  untrained  whites  is  like  goingfrom  a  symphony  to  a  hand- 
organ.  No  one  will  question  this  gift  of  music  in  the  Negro ;  and  may  we 
not  expect  from  it,  and  other  gilts  which  do  not  stand  out  so  o])viously, 
some  social  contribution  from  this  and  every  race?  We  no  longer  hear 
mucli  about  the  mental  inferiority  of  women  ;  but  we  are  accepting  the 
fact  that  the  two  sexes  have  different  natural  aptitudes,  and  are  adapt- 
ing the  educational  possibilities  to  meet  those  aptitudes.  This  should  be 
the  case  with  different  races.  But  let  us  not  jump  to  conclusions  as  to 
what  these  aptitudes  are ;  for  we  are  likely  to  judge  from  present  rather 
than  future  social  valuations.  Perhaps  from  some  such  method  as  I  have 
undertaken  we  can  learn  more  of  the  differences  between  individuals. 

Finally,  class  and  race  as  well  as  sex  problems  arise  from  lack  of 
spiritual  affinity  between  the  groups  or  individuals  concerned.  They 
lack  "consciousness  of  kind."  This  phrase  resolves  itself  into  con- 
sciousness of  the  same  kind  of  ideals  or  purposes.  A  social  relation 
exists  as  soon  as  there  are  common  purposes.  If  the  ideals  or  purposes 
differ  there  will  be  antagonism.  The  first  cause  of  this  difference  is  due 
to  some  superficial  accidental  condition,  such  as  the  customs  of  the 
tribe  or  the  color  of  the  skin,  which  stand  as  symbols  of  the  sameness 
of  kind.  That  these  external  symbols  are  only  accidental  is  proved  by 
the  ease  with  which  they  are  laid  aside  when  some  deeper  principle 
draws  men  together,  bridging  chasms  that  had  seemed  impassable. 
Mere  propinquity  will  often  do  it.  This  accidental  element  in  the  race 
problem  makes  it  no  less  real,  but  the  purpose  of  science  and  philosophy 
is  not  to  get  the  temporal  and  the  accidental,  but  rather  the  universal 
and  essential.  The  purpose  of  education  and  social  progress  is  to  make 
the  accidental  give  way  to  the  essential,  and  to  let  each  individual 
stand  for  his  true  worth  to.  society;  then  the  problems  as  they  now 
confront  us  will  cease  to  exist. 


60 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


7.     The  Increase  of  the  Negro=American 

The  Negro  element  in  the  United  States,  classing  all  mulattoes  as 
Negroes  (except  those  who  pass  as  white),  hais  increased  as  follows:* 

Negro  population  1790  to  1900 


CENSUS 


Negro 
popula- 
tion 


Increase  of  Negro  Popu- 
TioN  During— 


Preceding 
10  years 


No. 


Per 
cent 


Preceding 
i20  years 


No. 


Per 
cent 


Per  cent  of  In- 
crease of  the 
white  popu- 
hition  dur- 
ing— 


Pre- 
ceding 
lOyrs. 


Pre- 
ceding 
20  yrs. 


Continental  United  States 

1900 

ISiOf 

1890  X 

1880 

1870 

1860 

1850 

1840 

1830 

1820 

1810 

1800 

1790 


8,833. 
7,488. 
7,470. 
6,581). 
4,880. 
4,441, 
3,638, 
2,873, 
2,328, 
1.771 
1,377, 
1,002, 
757 


1,345,318 


18.0 


1,700. 

4;«. 

803. 
765. 
545. 
656. 
393 
375, 
244 


13.5 
34.9 
9  9 
22.1 
26.6 
23.4 
31.4 
28,6 
37.5 
82.3 


2,253,201 


34.2 


2,138,963 

48.2 

1,568,182 

54.6 

1,101,9S,2 

62.2 

76.>,619 

76.8 

21.2 


53.9 


26.7 
29.2 
24.8 
37.7 
37,7 
34.7 
33.9 

34  2 
36.1 

35  8 


6i:2 

"89!7' 

'"86!5' 

"'82> 

Wilcox  gives  a  simpler  table  derived  from  this,  together  with  a  cor- 
rection of  the  erroneous  censuses  of  1870  and  1890,  and  a  prophecy  as  to 
the  future  increase  of  Negroes:  § 


Number: 
Unit, 

10,000 

Increase  In— 

Per  cent  of  Increase 

DATE 

10  years 

20  years 

10  years 

20  years 

17i,0 

76 

100 

138 

177 

2*^ 

287 

364 

444 

541 

658 

770 

883 

111,150 

1,451 

1,773 

2,0;,6 

2,3!!4 

1800 

24 
38 
39 
56 
54 
77 
80 
97 
117 
112 
113 

32  3 
37.5 
28,6 
31.4 
23.4 
20,6 
22.1 
21  7 
21.7 
17.0 
14  7 

1810 

1820 

1830 

77 

76.8 

1840 

1850 

110 

62.2 

1860 

1870 

157 

54.6 

1880 

1890 

1900 

1920 

214 
225' ' ' 

48  2 

34.2 
30.2 

1940 

26.2 

1960 

22.2 

19S0 

18,2 

2000 

14.2 

•Twelfth  Census,  Bulletin  8,  p.  29. 

+  Includes  population  of  Indian  Territory  and  Indian  reservations. 

t  Excludes  population  of  Indian  Territory  and  Indian  reservations. 

§  Quarterly  Journal  of  Economics,  August,  1905.    , 

II  These  and  the  following  figures  estimated  on  Wilcox's  percentages. 


NEGRO  HEALTH   AND   PHYSIQUE 


61 


Wilcox  thus  thinks  that  there  will  be  less  than  25,000,000  Negroes  in  the 
United  States  at  the  beginning  of  the  third  millenium.  Other  estimates 
place  this  number  as  high  as  60,000,000,  while  a  conservative  mean 
would  be  perhaps  35,000,000.  The  data  upon  which  guesses  are  based 
are  the  birth  and  death  rates.  No  reliable  birth  statistics  exist.  Assum- 
ing the  substantial  correctness  of  the  death  rate,  the  Twelfth  Census 
estimates  the  excess  of  births  as  follows: 

Increase  in  native  poindation,  1830-1900,  and  excess  of  births  j^er  1,000  of  popu- 

lation,  by  classes  * 


Native  White 

Native 
Parents 

Foreign 
Parents 

COLOBED 

United  States 

19  5 
3.8 
20.0 
24.1 
25.9 

36.5 
39.6 
86.0 
27.4 
40.3 

17.8 
10.1 

Central  and  Northern  Divisions 
Southern  Division       

10.2 
19.1 

0.2 

A  more  accurate  method  is  a  comparison  of  the  number  of  children 
with  the  number  of  women  of  child-bearing  age.  For  the  whites  these 
figures  go  back  to  1830: 

Number  of  white  children  under  5  years  of  age  to  1,000  white  females  15  to  49 
years  of  age,  by  states  and  territories:  1830-1900 1 


Number  of  luhite  children  under  5  years  of  age  to  1,000  white 
females  15-/,9  years  of  age 

1900 

1890 

1880 

1870 

1860 

1850 

18U0 

18S0 

Continental  United  States . 

465 

473 

537 

562 

627 

613 

744 

781 

For  colored  children  the  data  only  go  back  to  1850: 

Number  of  children  under  5  years  of  age  to  1,000  females  15  to  ^  years  of  age 
for  the  Continental  United.  States  % 


Total 

White 

\iColored 

Excess  of 
colored 

1900 

1890           .... 

474 

485 
559 
572 

mi 

626 

465 
47;} 
.537 
562 
627 
613 

543 
574 
706 
641 
675 
694 

78 
101 

1880 

1870 

1860 

1850 

169 

79 
48 
81 

•  Twelfth  Census,  Vol.  Ill,  page  51. 
f  Twelfth  Census,  Bulletin  No.  22. 
X  Ibid. 
$Negro,  Indian  and  Mongolian. 


62  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

A  more  detailed  presentation  follows: 

Number  and  per  cent  of  children  tinder  10  and  5  years  of  age,  respectively,  in 
the  Negro,  Indian  and  Mongolian  population,  a^id  decrease  in  per  cent  dur- 
ing the  preceding  10  years,  1830-1900  * 


Per  cent  of 
Negro,  Indian 
and  Mongol- 
ian popula- 
tion. 

Decrease  in  Pee  Cent 

CENSUS 

Under  10  years  of 
age  during— 

Under  5  years  of 
age  daring— 

Under 
10  yrs. 
of  age 

Under 
5  years 
of  age 

Preceding 
10  years 

Preceding 
20  years 

Preceding 
10  years 

Preceding 
SO  years 

Oontlnental  United  States. 
IgOO          

27.1 
28.2 
31. t) 
24.4 
30.3 
31  3 
33.2 
34.2 

13.6 
13.8 
16.5 
13.3 
16.0 
16.5 

1.1 
3.7 
+7.5 
5  9 
1.0 
1.9 
1.0 

4.8 
+3.8 
+1.6 
6.9 
2.9 
2.9 

0.2 
2.7 
+3.2 
2  7 
0.5 

2.9 

1890     

+0  5 

1880 

+0  5 

1870          

2.2 

I860 

1850 

1840 

1830 

1 

1 

Number  and  per  cent  of  children  under  10  and  5  years  of  age,  respectively,   in 
the  white  population,  and  decrease  in  per  cent  during  10  years:  1800  to  1900* 


Per  cent  of 
white  popu- 

Decrease in  Per  Cent 

lation 

Under  10  years  of 
age  during— 

Under  5  years  of 

CENSUS 

Under 
10  yrs. 
of  age 

Under 

5  yrs. 
of  age 

Preceding 
10  years 

Preceding 
20  years 

Preceding 
10  years 

Preceding 
20  years 

Continental  United  States. 
liiOO         

23.3 
23  7 
25.9 
26.4 
28.4 
28.6 
31.6 
32.5 
33.4 
34.4 
34.4 

11.9 
12.0 
13.4 
14.1 
15.3 
14.8 
17.4 
18.0 

0.4 

2  2 
0  5 
2.0 
0.2 

3  0 
0.9 
0.9 
1.0 

2.6 
2.7 

2  5 
2.2 

3  2 
3.9 
1.8 
1.9 
1.0 

0.1 
1.4 
07 
1.2 
0.5 
2.6 
0.6 

1.5 

18.0 

2  1 

1880          .             

1.9 

1870        

0.7 

I860 

2.1 

1850           

3.2 

1840                              

1830 

1820 

1810 

1800 

For  city  and  country  the  figures  are: 


•Twelfth  Census,  Bulletin  No.  22. 
+  Increase. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 


63 


Number  of  children  under  5  years  of  age  to  1,000  females  15  to  U  years  of  age  in 
cities  having  at  least  25,000  inhabitants  and  in  smaller  cities  or  country  dis- 
tricts by  main  geographic  divisions,  and  the  ratio  of  those  numbers  to  the 
number  for  tjie  whole  division  taken  as  100: 1900* 


Number  of  children 

under  5  years  of  age 

to  J, (XX)  females  15-44 

years  of  age :  li.OO 

Ratio  to  No. 
in   whole  di- 
vision taken 
as  100,  of  No.— 

DIVISION  OR  RACE 

2 

In  cities  hav- 
ing at  least 
25,000  inhab- 
itants 

In      smaller 
cities    or 
country  dis- 
tricts 

In  cities  hav- 
ing at  least 
25,000  Inhab- 
itants 

In     smaller 
cities    or 
country  dis- 
tricts 

Differ 
ence  in 
ratio 

Total  population: 

Continental  United  States 

White  population: 

Continental  United  States 

Negi-o,  Indian  and  Mongolian  popu- 
lations: 

Continental  United  States 

518 
508 

585 

390 
399 

260 

572 
559 

651 

75  3 

78.5 

44.4 

110.4 
110.0 

111.8 

35.1 
31  5 

66.fi 

The  conclusions  from  these  figures  are: 

1  The  Negro  birth  rate  exceeds  and  has  always  exceeded  the  white 
birth  rate. 

2.  The  Negro  birth  rate  decreased  slightly  from  1850  to  1870,  then  in- 
creased to  1880,  and  has  since  rapidly  decreased. 

It  may  be  added  that  of  the  native  stocks  of  America  the  Negro  is  by 
far  the  most  prolific,  tlio  only  exception  being  the  Southern  whites 
during  the  last  decade,  wheie  increasing  economic  prosperity  has  in- 
creased marriages  and  children  to  an  unusual  degree,  while  storm  and 
stress  has  harried  the  Negroes. 


YEAR 

Children  under  5  and 
women  15-44 

Southern 
whites 

Southern 
Negroes 

1850  

18(» 

1870 

695 
6S2 
601 
656 
580 
581 

705 
688 
6iil 

1880 

737 

1890 

1900 

f.01 
577 

Turning  now  to  the  age  composition  of  the  Negro-Americans: 

The  simplest  and  probably  the  most  significant  single  expression  of  the  age 
constitution  of  the  population  is  the  median  age.  This  is  the  age  with  refer- 
ence to  which  the  population  can  be  divided  into  halves — that  is,  half  of  the 
population  are  younger  and  half  are  older  than  the  median  age.  + 


•  Twelfth  Census,  Bulletin  No.  22. 
fTwelfth  Census,  Bulletin  13,  page  21. 


64 


ELEVENTH   ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


Median  age  of  the  population  classified  by  sex,  general  nativity  and  race,  for 
persons  of  known  age  in  Continental  United  States:  1900* 


CLASS  OF  POPULATION 


Aggregate  

Native  born 

Foreign  born 

Total  white 

Native  white 

Native  white— native  parents  . 
Native  white— foreign  parents 

Foreign  white 

Total  colored , 

Negro 


Both 
Sexes 


22.85 

20.10 
38.42 
23.36 
20.22 
21  10 
18  05 
;«.43 
19.70 
19.45 


Males 


20.20 
38.71 
23.82 
20  33 
21.27 
17.99 
38.71 
19.97 
19.45 


Females 


20.02 
38  03 
22.91 
20.12 
20.93 
18.11 
38.04 
19.46 
19.44 


The  median  age  of  Negroes  has  increased  as  follows: 

Median  age  of  the  colored  i  population,  classified.  Continental  United  States: 

1790  to  1900  X 


1!;00 19.70 

1810 17.83 

1880 18.01 


1870 18.49  1  1840 17.27 

1860 17,65     1830 16.10 

1850. .'....  17.33    1820 17.75 


The  general  age  composition  is  as  follows  by  percentages:  § 


YEAR 

Native  Whites 

COLOKED 

Under  15 

15-59 

60  and  over 

Under  15 

15-59 

60  and  over 

18S0 

42  6 
40  0 
39.0 

52.9 

54.8 
55.8 

4.9 
5  2 
5.2 

44  2 
42  1 
39.5 

51  2 
53  3 
55  6 

4.6 

1890         

4.6 

1900 

4.9 

A  most  interesting  matter  is  a  comparison  of  the  sex  distribution  of 
whites  and  blacks  in  America: 

Proportion  of  males  and  females  in  every  10,000  \\ 
SEX 


DATE 

Negroes 

Whites 

3Iale 

Female 

Male 

Female 

1820 

1830 

1840 

1850 

1860 

1870 

1880 

i8v:o 

1900 

5,082 
5,074 
5,014 
4,1.78 
4,9SI0 
4,i:03 
4,942 
4,986 
4,969 

4,918 
4,926 
4.186 
5,022 
5,010 
5,095 
5,057 
5,014 
5,030 

5,080 
5,077 
5,090 
5,104 
5,116 
5,056 
5,088 
5,121 
5,108 

4,920 
4,1.23 
4,910 
4,896 
4,844 
4,944 
4,912 
4,879 
4,892 

The  influence  of  the  slave-trade,  slavery  and  serfdom,  is  here  easily 
traced.  The  excess  of  colored  women  in  cities  is  noticeable  because  of 
their  greater  economic  opportunity  there. 


•  Twelfth  Census,  Bulletin  13,  page  21.  +  Includes  Indians  and  Mongolians. 

t  Twelfth  Census,  Bulletin  13,  page  22.    $  Ibid.,  p.  26.    1|  Twelfth  Census,  Bulletin  14. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  «r, 

8.     The  Sick  and  Defective 

There  is  much  uncertainty  as  to  the  purely  racinl  dilferences  in  hu- 
man liability  to  disease.  Ripley  sums  up  our  general  knowledge,  toda-j- 
as  follows:  * 

Three  diseases  are  peculiar  to  the  white  race  and  to  civilization — namely, 
(•oiisuniption,  syphilis,  and  alcoholism,  there  being  marked  differences  in  the 
predisposition  of  each  of  the  barbarous  races  for  them,  which  often  vary  in- 
versely with  the  degree  of  civilization  they  have  attained  : 

Tlie  European  races  in  tlieir  liability  to  consumption  stand  midway  between 
the  Mongol  and  the  Negro,  climatic  conditions  being  equal. 

The  pure  Mongolian  stock  seems  to  be  almost  exempt  from  its  ravages. 

The  Negro  even  in  the  tropics  is  especially  subject  to  all  affections  of  the 
lungs.  The  black  races  have  iu  general  less  fully  developed  chests  and  less 
respiratory  power  than  the  European  race. 

They  are  consequently  exceedinglj'  sensitive  to  atmospheric  changes,  and 
are  severely  handicapped  in  any  migration  for  this  reason.  Buchner  distin- 
guishes between  "ectogenous"  and  "endogenous"  diseases:  the  former  due  to 
environment,  as  malaria;  the  latter  from  within,  as  in  tuberculosis.  He  avers 
that  the  white  races  more  easily  fall  a  prey  to  the  first,  the  Negroes  to  the 
second,  ("ertain  facts,  notably  the  relative  iiumunity  of  the  African  aborig 
iiies  from  septicaemia,  seem  to  give  probability  to  this. 

Almost  invariably,  where  the  European  succumbs  to  bilious  or  intestinal 
disorders,  the  Negro  falls  a  victim  to  diseases  of  the  lungs  even  in  the  tropics. 

The  predisposition  of  the  Negro  for  elephantiasis  and  tetanus,  his  sole  lia- 
bility to  the  sleeping  sickness,  so  severe  that  In  some  localities  the  ijlack  is 
utterly  useless  as  a  soldier,  his  immunity  from  cancer  and  his  liability  to 
skin  diseases  in  general,  together  with  his  immunity  from  yellow  fever  and 
l)ilious  disorders,  are  well-recognized  facts  in  anthropology. 

[As  to  syphilis]  probablj' brought  by  Europeans  to  America  and  to  New 
(iuinea  and  by  them  disseminated  in  Polj'nesia,  this  disease  seems  to  be 
uuknown  in  Central  Africa  to  any  extent.  In  fact,  it  dies  out  naturally  in  the 
interior  of  that  continent  even  when  introduced,  while  it  kills  the  American 
aborigines  at  sight.  The  American  Negroes,  however,  are  seemingly  very 
prone  to  it. 

For  the  Negro-Auierican  the  best  creditable  figures  are  those  of  tlie 
United  States  army,  as  follows: 

Rdtio  per  IfiOOof  applicants  for  enlistment  in  the  United  States  army  rejected 
after  physical  examination 


1901 
1102 
lfi03 
IvlOl 


White  . 
Colored 
White. 
(Colored 
White  . 
Colored 
White. 
Colored 


Accepted, 


(524 
648 
659 
786 
620 
686 
658 
665 


Rejected 


289 
283 
256 
172 
290 
304 
257 
275 


Declined 


87 
69 
85 
42 
90 
60 
84 
59 


The  Negro  candidates  for  admission    seem   to   be    in    be<^ter  piiysical 
condition  than  the  whites. 


•  Ripley,  p.  .'i64. 


66  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Those  rejected  show  the  following  racial  differences: 

f^aufics  of  rejection  among  candidates  for  United  States  ari/it/:  ratio  per  i,(KMt 

examined 
1901 


Number  examined. 


Colored, 

1,888 


Causes  of  Rejection 


Ratio 
per  1,000 


Ratio 
per  l,0(Hi 


Venereal  diseases 

Other  infectious  diseases 

Diseases  of  nutrition,  general 

Diseases  of  the  nervous  system 

Diseases  of  the  digestive  system 

Diseases  of  the  circulatory  system  

Diseases  of  the  respiratory  organs 

Diseases  of  the  genito-urihary  systeni 

Diseases  of  the  lymphatic  system  and  ductless  glands  

Diseases  of  the  muscles,  bones,  and  joints 

Diseases  of  the  integument  and  subcutaneous  connective  tissue 

Diseases  of  the  eye 

Diseases  of  the  ear  

Diseases  of  the  nose 

Hernia 

()ther  injuries 

Overhelght ; 

Underheight 

Overweight  and  obesity 

Underweight 

Imperfect  physique 

Mental  Insufflclency 


19.65 
3.50 

2.27 
2.88 

20.0!t 

3St.0i» 
2  8(5 

28.95 
1.27 
4.:W 
5.11 

11  t)7 

4.15 

M) 

13  02 

2.50 

.02 

2.74 

.46 

14.40 

47.84 
47 


53.50 

4.77 


.53 

15  89 

28  07 

1  59 

15.36 

3.71 

2.12 

5.30 

24.89 

2.65 

12.18 

1.06 

3.71 

7.42 

33.37 

1902 


Number  examined . 


\   White, 
\      42,183 


Colored, 
3,035 


Cafses  of  Rejection 


Ratio 
per  1,000 


Ratio 
per  1,000 


Venereal  diseases 

Other  infectious  diseases 

Diseases  of  nutrition,  general 

Diseases  of  the  nervous  system 

Diseases  of  the  digestive  system 

Diseases  of  the  circulatory  system 

Diseases  of  the  respiratory  organs 

Diseases  of  the  genito-urinary  system 

Diseases  of  the  lymphatic  system  and  ductless  glands  

Diseases  of  the  muscles,  bones,  and  joints 

Diseases  of  the  Integument  and  subcutaneous  connective  tissue 

Diseases  of  the  eye 

Diseases  of  the  ear   

Diseases  of  the  nose 

Hernia 


Other  injuries 

Overhelght 

Underheight 

Overweight  and  obesity 

Underweight 

Imperfect  physique 

Mental  insufficiency. .     , 


21.57 
3.08 
1.23 

1  83 
19.10 
31.15 

3.15 

24.04 

1.49 

2  92 
5.41 

;i3.52 

3  44 
.47 

11.02 

2.01 

.05 

.95 

.38 

11.50 

;58.40 

.72 


34.00 
1.98 

.99 

.99 
8.57 
15.82 

.66 
9.55 
3.29 

.99 
4.28 
18  12 
2  30 

.66 
8  24 
1.32 


.99 

.66 

2.96 

19.11 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 


67 


Number  examined 


1903 


Causes  of  Rejection 


Special  causes 

Physical  debility 

Tuberculosis  of  lungs  and  other  organs 

Imperfect  vision 

Heart  disease 

(ioiter 

Varicose  veins,  varicocele,  and  hemorrhoids 

Hernia    

Flat  feet 

General  causes 
[Excluding  those  above.] 

KiJidemic  diseases 

Venereal  diseases 

Other  general  diseases 

Diseases  of  the  nervous  system 

Diseases  of  the  eye , 

Diseases  of  the  ear 

Diseases  of  the  circulatory  system 

Diseases  of  the  respiratory  system 

Diseases  of  the  digestive  system 

Diseases  of  the  ^enito-urinarj'  system 

Diseases  of  the  skin  and  cellular  tissue    

Diseases  of  tlie  organs  of  locomotion 

Injuries  (external  causes  ) 

Overheight  

TTnderhelght 

Ovt'rwt'ight  and  obesity 

Underweight 

Imperfect  physique 

Mental  insufficiency 


White,  Colored, 

30,«:54    I      1,271 


0.21 

4.67 

29.83 

30.00 

.20 

40.fi6 

12.40 

4  34 


.03 

26  11 

55 

.65 

2.42 

4.67 

.76 

5.19 

16.29 

4.77 

8  00 

12.04 

3.46 

.as 

3  07 

.65 

12.93 

17.23 

1.40 


7.08 
11.80 
14.95 


14  16 
3  93 

79 


51.14 

2  36 

3.15 

.79 

8.65 

8  C5 

3  9;^ 

.     7.87 

8.65 

3.15 

8  65 

8.65 

3.93 

1904 

Causes  of  Rejection 


Venereal  diseases 

Heart  disease 

I  )ef ects  of  vision 

Varicocele 

Hernia 

Varicose  veins 

Diseases  of  digestive  system,  except  hernia 

Underweight 

Hemorrhoids 

Chest  development,  insufficient      

Diseases  of  organs  of  locomotion,  except  spinal  curv- 
ature  

Skin  diseases 

Physical  debility 

Curvature  of  spine 

Diseases  of  genito-urinary  system  (non-venereaO       . 

Defects  of  development,  except  as  shown  in  detail ... 

Injuries 

l)lseases  of  respiratory  system,  except  tuberculosis. 

Underheight 

Defects  of  hearing 

Tuberculosis 

Flat  feet 

Diseases  of  the  eye,  except  defects  of  vision 

Diseases  of  the  circulatory  system,  except  as  shown 
in  detail 

(leneral  diseases,  except  epidemic 

Diseases  of  the  nervous  system,  except  weakness  of 
mind 

Weakness  of  mind 

Epidemic  diseases . . 

Overweight  and  obesity 

Diseases  of  the  ear,  except  defects  of  hearing 

Overheight  (cavalry  and  Held  artillery^ 


White 


Ratio 

per  1,000 


100.46 
94  85 
92.37 
71  54 
55.92 
40  22 
:^.85 
36.37 
36. 13 
29.08 

29.00 
27.40 
22.67 
19  31 
18  59 
17.94 
15.70 
15.30 
12  12 
11.86 
11.38 
10.89 
5;85 

5  77 
3  28 

•2  88 
2  hi 
1.84 
1.60 
1  52 
.16 


Colored 


Ratio 

per  1,000 


170  78 
68  31 
49. 3;^ 
55  03 
64  51 
13.28 
7.59 
20  87 
22  77 
37.95 

32.26 
20.87 

9  49 
20.87 
18.98 
15.18 
13.28 
22.77 
11.39 

3.80 
15.18 
18.98 

3.80 

28.47 


1.90 
1.90 


3.80 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


There  is  among  Negroes  a  constant  excess  of  venereal  disease  among 
unsuccessful  applicants,  an  excess  of  tuberculosis  and  poor  eliest  de- 
velopment and  a  slight  deficiency  in  stature.  The  whites  exceed  par- 
ticularly in  diseases  of  digestion,  the  nervo,us  system,  diseases  of  the 
genito-urinary  system,  deficiencies  of  sight,  underweight,  imperfect 
phy.sique,  heart  disease,  varicose  veins,  etc. 

The  general  prevalence  of  sickness  is  illustrated  by  the  following 
tables : 

Effect  of  disease  and  injury  on  the  army  during  1901,  as  compared  with  the  for- 
responding  data  for  1900  arid  for  the  decade  1S90-1899 


United  States  Army 

White 

Colored 

Mean  strength,  year  1901 

85,357 

7,134 

Total  admissions  to  sick  report 

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,000  for  1. 00 

Per  1,000  for  decade  18;.0-18B9 

152,537 
1,787.06 
2,352  60 
1,505.25 

136,244 
1,-596.18 
2,157  97 
1,278.01 
16,293 

i90.as 

194.63 
227  24 
1,747 
20  47 
23.09 
16.71 
1,364 
15  S8 
18.08 
13.15 
383 
4.49 
5.01 
3.56 

13,16J 

1,845.95 
1,841.67 
1,504.20 
11,726 
1,643.67 
1,626.57 
1,239.33 
1,443 
202.27 

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,000  for  preceding  decade 

Admissions  for  injury 

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

215.10 

Per  1,000  for  preceding  decade 

Discliarges  for  disability,  all  causes 

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,0(10  for  previous  year 

264.87 
98 

13.74 
16.17 

Per  1,000  for  preceding  decade 

Discharges  for  disease 

Per  l.OiiO  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,000  for  previous  year 

15.79 
74 

10.37 
13.47 

Per  1,000  for  preceding  decade 

Discharges  for  injury 

12.42 
24 
3.86 

3.49 

Per  1,000  for  preceding  decade 

3.38 

1901-1902 


White 
troops 


Colored 
troops 


Filipino 
troops 


U.S.  Army 
decade 

1891-1900  ■ 


Mean  strength,  1902 

Total  admissions  to  sick  report,  1902 

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,000  for  I'.Ol 

Admissions  for  disease,  li;02 

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,000  for  1901 

Admissions  for  injury,  1!02 

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

Per  l,0(.iOfor  1901 

Discharges  for  disability,  all  causes 

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,000  for  1901 

I  )lscharges  for  disease 

Per  1,(100  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,000  for  1901 

Discharges  for  injury 

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

Per.  1,000  for  lyoi 


71,679 


4,273 


4,826 


40,446 


122,308 
1,706.33 
1,787.06 
107,174 
1,459.19 
1,5..6  18 
15,131 
211.14 
190.88 
1,757 
24.51 
20.47 
1,482 
20.68 
15.98 
275 
3.83 
4.49 


8,109 
1,8.7.74 
1,815.95 
7,279 
1,703.49 
1,643.67 
8:30 
194.25 
202.27 
114 
26.68 
13.74 
107 
25.04 
10.37 
7 

1.64 
3.36 


8,239 
1,707.21 


7,86,S 
1,6;«.34 


371 

76.87 


13 

2.69 


4 
0.83 


691,794 
1,710.43 


602,417 
1,489  ♦♦ 


89,877 
220.98 


7,133 
17.63 


5,574 
13  78 


1,559 
3  85 


NEGRO  HEALTH   AND   PHYSIQUE 


69 


In  the  decade  1890-99  the  sickness  of  Negi'o  troops  on  account  of  dis- 
ease was  less  than  that  of  whites,  since  then,  in  1901  and  1902,  it  was 
more  and  in  1903-4  markedly  less,  althougli  probably  foreig^n  service 
may  spoil  tiie  comparison  : 

1903-1904 
Proportion  per  thousand  of  mean  strength 


ENLISTED  MEN 


White  troops J  jy^g 

Colored  troops |  jjio;-} 

\  U1C4 
Porto  Ru'aii  troops lOOg 

c..,.    ■        ^  \iy04! 

Filipino  troops )  jyQg 


Mean 
strength 


55,(il9 

55,518 

3,121 

3,183 

540 

578 

4,610 

4,789 


Admitted 


Total 


l,3(i4.<»2 
1,534.31 
1,176  22 
1,025.76 
1,420.37 
1,484.43 
l,137.0i) 
1,372.32 


1,127  32 
1,291  111 
86«  3.» 
770.34 
1,253.70 
1,275.08 
1,023  21 
1,285.03 


Injury 


237.60 
243.12 
309  83 
255.42 
166  67 
2<i9  34 
113.88 

87  2y 


ENLISTED  MEN 


Discharged— sur- 
geon's certificate 
of  disability. 


Total  Disease  Injury 


Con- 
stantly 
non-^ 
effective 


Days  Ti'eatert 


Each 
Soldier 


Each 
case 


White  troops j  jjo;^ 

...        ,  .  \lio'4. 

fJolored  troops )  l^Og 

Porto  Rican  troops    j  no;; 

b  ilipino  troops j  UOg 


23  17 

20.66 

26.63 

24  59 

18.07 

17  45 

12  57 

11.00 

12. i6 

7.41 

25  ii5 

24.22 

5  86 

5.64 

10  23 

10  02 

2  51 
2  04 

.62 

1  57 

5.55 

1  73 

22 

.21 


50.60 


18  52 


35.62 
6l!84 
32.05 


13.03 

22;  63 
li.73 


13.57 
11  08 
15  93 
10  :a 


Note.— Days  for  the  year  1103  not  suitably  consolidated  for  use  In  this  table. 

For  particular  diseases  the  following  tables  are  added,  showing  a 
smaller  sick  list  for  Negroes  in  nearly  everything  except  lung  troubles. 
Even  in  venereal  disease  the  foreign  service  of  white  troops  has  lead 
to  their  excess — a  curious  commentary  on  imperialism  : 

1904 

The  relative  prevalence  of  certain  special  diseases  among  white  aiui 
colored  troops,  with  the  admission  rates  per  thousand  for  each  race,  are 
shown  in  the  following  tables: 


DISEASE 

White 

Colored 

Typhoid  fever 

Measles 

6.00 

19  04 

51.30 

29  60 

26  43 

8.82 

108  61 

1.71 

1.30 

.29 

.17 

5.12 

4.41 

0.64 
4  17 

Malaria ^ 

Syphilis 

21.14 

13  78 

Alcoholism 

Dysentry  

12.18 
4.17 

Gonorrhea 

86  83 

Insanity 

1  60 

Frostbite 

9.61 

Smallpox 

64 

Sunstroke 

32 

Pneumonia 

8  65 

Tuberculosis 

6.41 

70 


ELEVENTH    ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


Venereal  Diseases 

Tlif>  follow iiiji'  table  shows  the  prevalence  of  tlie  venereal  diseases  as 
compared  with  last  year  and  the  quinquennial  period  since  tlie  Spanish- 
American  war: 

Ratios  per  1,000  of  mean  strength 


Admitted 

White 

Colored 

Total 

Gonorrhea: 
Year  1904         .   .     . 

108.60 
85.31 

86.83 
69.12 

107  05 

Year  190;^ 

Years  18'.t9-1903 

84.09 
98.84 

Ohancrolds: 

Year  1904 

Year  1903 

Years  1899-1903       . 
Hvphllls: 

Year  1904 

27.73 

27.74 

29.59 
24.46 

30.12 
32.67 

13.78 
13  51 

27  9(1 
2S  11 
27.90 

28.47 

Yeai-  1903 

Years  1899-1903 

23  61 
20  56 



Total  venereal: 

Year  1904 

Year  1903 

Years  1899-1903 

165.93 
137  51 

130  73 

115  30 

163  43 
135  84 
147  3f» 

1 

Malarial  Diseases 

Ratios  per  1,000  of  mean  strength 


Admitted 

While 

Colored 

Total 

Malarial  Intermit- 
tent fever: 

Year  1904 

Year  1903 

Years  1899-1903 

45  37 
52.33 

18  58 
30  !(■> 

43  47 
50.66 
121  00 

Malarial  remittent 
or  continued   fe- 
ver: 

Year  1904 

Year  1903 

4  (»7 
7  96 

2*24 
5.5(7 

8.94 

7.81 
16  09 

Years  1899-1903    .    . 
Pernicious     mala- 
rial fever: 
Year  1904 

.02 

.08 

.02 

Year  1903      ... 

.07 

Years  1899-1903 

18 

Malaria)  cachexia: 
Year  1904    

1.84 
2.38 

.32 
1.26 

173 

Year  1903 

Years  1899-1903 

2.30 
6.63 

Total   malarial 

diseases: 

Year  1904 

Year  1903 

51.30 
62  75 

21.15 
37.39 

49  16 

60.83 

Years  1899-1903 

143  SIO 

Statistics  as   to  insane  and  defective  are  very  imperfect   and   relate 
onlv  to  tliose  in  institutions.   The  census  flpures  for  1903  are  as  follows: 


NEGRO   HEALTH   AND   PHYSIQUE 


71 


Negro  Insane  in  Hospitals  December  31,  1903 


Contineiitiil  United  States      ..    9,452 

Men 4,805 

Women 4,647 

South  Atlantic  States 4,i;i5 

South  Central  States 2,779 


North  Atlantic  States 
North  t!entral  States. 
Western  States 


I,;i2() 

1,104 

108 

■2MX 


South 


6,914 


By  age  these  figures  are  given  : 

Negro  Insane  in  Hospitals  December  31,  1903 


All  ages 
Under  15 

15-19 

20-24. .  . . 

25-29 

:»-34 


9,452 

78 
662 

1,477 

1,377 

1,195 

:{5-;i9 1,096 


40-44 . 
45-49. 
50-54. 
55-59. 
6(>-64. 
65-69. 
•70-74. 


807 

75-79 

27 

637 

80-«4 

28 

445 

85-89 

-    -            ( 

261 

iiO-94 

...              1 

214 

95-99 

....            0 

1V8 

100  and  over 

1 

96 

Unknown 

.    .         914 

To  the  above  may  be  added  172  feeble  minded.  Tiie  census  report  says : 

The  largest  representation  of  colored  insane  is  found  in  the  South  Atlantic 
and  South  Central  States,  and  in  each  of  those  states,  except  Delaware,  West 
Virginia  and  Kentucliy,  the  percentages  which  the  colored  constitute  of  the 
insane  in  hospitals  are  much  smaller  tlian  the  percentages  which  Negroes 
form  of  the  general  population.  In  Delaware  22.1  per  cent  of  the  insane  in 
hospitals  on  December  31,  1903,  were  colored,  yet  the  Negroes  constituted  but 
15.6  per  cent  of  the  total  population  at  the  last  census.  In  Kentucky,  with  13.3 
per  cent  Negroes  in  the  poiiidation,  1,5.6  per  cent  of  the  insane  in  hospitals 
were  colored.  On  the  other  hand,  in  Alabama  and  Mississippi,  for  instance, 
with  resiJectively  4.').3  and  58.7  per  cent  colored  in  their  population  in  1900,  the 
l)ercentages  of  colored  among  the  insane  in  hospitals  in  1903  were  only  27.9  for 
Alabama  and  37.4  for  Mississippi.  It  is  unthinkable  that  the  actual  ratio  of 
insane  to  population  among  the  colored  of  Delaware  or  Kentucky  shoidd  so 
greatly  exceed  that  of  Alabama  or  Mississippi,  or  that  it  should  be  relatively 
mixch  higher  than  in  any  of  the  other  Southern  states.  In  fact,  the  available 
.statistics  do  not  show  the  relative  frequency  with  which  insanity  occurs 
among  the  Negroes,  but  merely  the  extent  to  which  they  are  cared  for  in  hos- 
pitals. The  returns  from  Delaware,  West  Virginia,  Kentucky  aiul  a  number 
of  Northern  states  would  seem,  however,  to  point  to  a  ratio  of  insane  to  popu- 
lation among  Negroes  which  equals  if  it  does  not  surpass  that  among  the 
whites. 

The  figures  for  the  blind  in  1900  are: 

The  Blind,  by  Degree  of  Blindness  and  Color 


COLOR 

Blind 

Totally 
Blind 

Partially 
Bli7id 

Number: 
White 

56,585 

8,228 

100.0 
100.0 

84.6 
89.0. 

;»,3.59 
5,286 

53.7 
61.2 

45.4 
.57.6 

26,172 

Colored 

Per  cent  distribution  by  degree  of  blindness: 

White 

Colored 

Number  per  100,000  population  of  same  color: 

White 

Colored 

2,942 

46  3 
35  8 

39.2 
:J2.0 

United  States  Census:    Special  Report  on  Insane,  etc.,  1904. 


72 


ELEVENTH   ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 
The  Blind 


Colored,  totally  blind    . 

Attended  school 

Special 

Other 

Both 

Not  specified 

Did  not  attend  school. 
Not  stated 


Colored,  partially  blind. 

Attended  school 

Special 

Other  

Both 

Not  specified 

Did  not  attend  school. 
Not  stated 


Total 


5,286 
1,034 

sas 

370 
3 

278 

3,7S0 

■172 

2,942 
815 
1E7 
415 


243 
1,831 

2t:6 


Childhood 
^  under  20 ) 


1,516 

571 

347 

154 

3 

67 

870 

75 

$)13 

3S.'8 
142 
205 


51 

461 

54 


Adult  life 
(Wand  over) 


3,4!i7 

436 

24 

212 


200 

2,727 

334 

1,861 

381 

12 

195 


174 

1,278 
202 


Unknown 


273 

27 
12 
4 


11 
183 
68 

168 

36 

3 

15 

18' 
!I2 
40 


T.liere  were  nearly  5,000  deaf  colored  people  reported  in  1900: 

Number  of  Deaf 


Total 

Period  of  life  when  deafness  occurred 

Childhood  (under  20) 

Adult  life  (20  and  over) 

Unknown  

Degree  of  deafness: 

Totally  deaf 

Partially  deaf 

Ability  to  speak  well  

Imperfectly 

Not  at  all  

Sex: 

Male 

Female 


Total 

White 

Colored 

89,287 

84,361 

),'..2(! 

,'50,2!  6 

35,924 

3,067 

46,807 

34,6S5 

2,899 

3,489 

1,269 

1(>8 

37,426 
51,861 
55,501 
9.417 
21,31)9 

34,510 
49,771 
53,449 
8,902 
22,010 

2,836 
2.090 
2,052 
515 
2,359 

46,915 
42,372 

44,'?23 
40,138 

2,692 
2,234 

9.     Mortality* 

The  death  rate  for  coloredi-  (Negroes,  Indians,  etc., )  and  white,  for 
the  country  is: 

Death  Rate  Per  Thousand  Living,  United  States 

Registration  area 

1890  1900 

Colored 29.9  29  6 

White 19.1  17.3 

Registration  stales 

Colored 27.4  25.3 

White 19.5  17.3 

Cities  in  registration  states 

Colored 31.5  27.6 

White 22.1  18.6 

Country  districts  in  registration  states 

Colored 18.1  19.0 

White 15.3         15.4 

•  All  figures  In  this  section  are  from  United  States  Census  reports  unless  otherwise 
noted, 
i- There  are  no  separate  figures  for  Negroes  In  1890. 


NEGEO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  78 

While  the  colored  death  rate  greatly  exceeds  the  white,  the  improve- 
ment is  manifest  in  both  races.  The  greatest  enemy  of  the  black  race 
is  consumption.     The  following  figures  illustrate  the  chief  diseases: 

Deaths  per  100,000  living  Negroes    1890        1900 

Consumption 546  485 

Pneumonia 27t<  355 

Nervous  disorders 333  308 

Malaria 72  63 

The  decrease  for  consumption  is  very  gratifying,  but  the  higli  mor- 
tality is  still  a  menace.  The  increase  for  pneumonia  is  partially 
accounted  for  by  the  general  increase  in  the  countiy.  * 

In  i-egard  to  children,  these  figures  tell  of  the  slaughter  of  tlie  inno- 
cents: 

To  every  1,000  living  colored  children,  there  are  each  year  the  following  number 
who  die: 

Children  under  1  year  of  age    1890       1900 

Registration  states 458         844 

Cities 580         3Si7 

Country 204         219 

Children  under  5  years  of  age    1890        1900 

Registration  states 119         112 

Cities 151  182 

Country 55  67 

More  detailed  tables  follow  : 

Color  and  Race  in  Relation  to  Deaths 

Population,  deaths  and  death  rates,  by  race  + 


AREAS 

Registration  record : 

Population 

Deaths  

Death  rate 

Registration  cities: 

Population 

Deaths  

Death  rate 

Registration  states: 

Population T. 

Deaths  

Death  rate 

Cities  in  registration  states: 

Population 

Deaths  

Death  rate 

Rural  part  of  registration  states: 

Population 

Deaths 

Death  rate 

Registration  cities  In  other  states: 

Population 

Deaths 

Death  rate 


White 


Negro 


Indian 


Chinese 


Japanese 


27,555,800 

475,640 

17.3 


20,503,666 

367,430 

17.  y 


17,086,319 

292,618 

17.1 


10,034,185 

184,408 
18.4 


7,052,1;M 

108,210 

15.3 


10,469,481 

183,022 

17.5 


1,180,546 
a5,71( 

m.-2 


1,100,501 

34,178 

31.1 


330,693 
8,650 
26.2 


250,648 
7,118 

28.4 


80,045 
1,532 
19  1 


849,853 

27,060 

31  8 


14,010 
319 

22  8 


1,198 

60 

50.1 


1:^,296 

270 

20.3 


484 

11 

22.7 


12,812 

259 

20  2 


714 

49 

68.6 


48,565 
914 

1H.8 


46,996 
912 
19 


13,461 
129 
9  6 


11,892 

127 

10  7 


1,569 

2 

I  3 


:i5,104 
785 
22.4 


8,348 

8(i 

10.3 


8,270 

86 

10.4 


511 

3 

5  9 


43S 

3 

6  9 


78 


7,837 

83 

10  6 


The  following  table  gives  some  figures  for  the  past: 


•For  whites:    1890,182.2;  1900,184.8. 
+  Twelfth  Census,  Vol.  Ill,  page  Ixlx. 


74 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


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NEGRO  HEALTH  AND   PHYSIQUE 


75 


The  general  tendency  of  Negro  death  rates  is  well  illustrated  in  the 
case  of  tlie  follawing  cities: 


JVe 

qro  death 

rates  per  1,000 

YEAR 

Wa  shine; - 
ton,D.  C. 

Baltimore, 
Md. 

Boston, 
Mass. 

New  Yor/c, 

N.  y. 

Chicago, 
III. 

1875 

40.74 
37.39 
37.63 
36.98 
35  71 
31.27 
34.54 
30.69 
31.61 
35  99 
32.80 
31.25 
31.59 
32.97 
34.20 
32.68 
31.93 
32.55 
31.47 
31.47 
•28.18 

28  54 
28.05 
28.44 
28.98 
2:1.00 

29  36 
27.97 
27.17 
27.92 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 

1881 

1882 

1883 

1884 

1885 

1886 

1887 

1888 

1889 

1890 

33.57 
31.48 
29.86 
30.76 
31  60 
32.06 
30.76 
28.88 

31  62 
30.60 

32  80 
32,30 
30.76 
29.45 
31.44 
31  12 

32.04 

25.79 

1891.. 

25.09 
24.36 
25.80 
23  90 
26.61 
27.35 
27.05 
26  27 
25.13 
29.06 
2;).  47 
29.74 
23.42 

24  70 

1892 

1893 

1894....   ... 

1895 

18t6 

18H7 

1898 

1899  . 

32.89 
31.68 
32.34 
31.14 
32.74 
28.36 
24.76 
27.66 
25.19 
26  76 
26.51 
22.97 
21.03 

28  30 
26  85 
32.75 
25.30 
23.41 
20.44 
21.80 
21  25 

UtOO 

1901 

1902 

1903 

1904 

22.85 
21.68 
24  51 
26  56 
24  85 

1905 

28.02 

23  57 

Death   rates  of  Negroes  per 

1,000 

1890 

1900 

Atlanta,  Ga 

Baltimore,  Md 

Charleston,  S.  0 

Ijoui-sville,  Ky 

Meniphi.s,  Tenn 

83.57 
36  41 
53.94 
31.98 
29.97 
43.75 
23  92 
36  61 
34.55 
23.24 
41.47 
40.80 

31  8 
31.2 

46.7 
28  7 
28.6 

Mobile,  Ala 

Nashville,  Tenn 

New  Orleans,  La 

St.  Louis,  Mo 

San  Antonio,  Tex 

Savannah,  Ga 

Richmond,  Va. 

;».8 

32.8 
42.4 
32.2 
22.4 
43  3 

The  following  figures  are  for  the  various  causes  of  deatli 


Before  1896,  by  fiscal  years;  by  calendar  years,  beginning  with  1S96. 


76 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


United  States:  death  rate  per  100,000: 1900' 


Measles 

Scarlet  fever 

Diphtheria  and  croup 

Whooping  cough 

Malarial  fever 

Influenza  

Typhoid  fever 

Diarrheal  diseases 

Consumption 

Cancer  and  tumor 

Heart  disease  and  dropsy 

Pneumonia 

Diseases  of  the  liver 

Diseases  of  the  nervous  system 
Diseases  of  the  urinary  organs 
Old  age 


White]  Negro  Indian  Chinese    Japanese 


13.1 

12  0 

45.9 

12.1 

6  5 

23  6 

32.4 

129.5 

173.5 

66.7 

137.4 

184.8 

22.8 

213.7 

99.8 

53.5 


15.2 

2.6 

32.0 

28.6 

63.2 

32.0 

67.5 

214.0 

485.4 

48.0 

221.1 

355.8 

20.9 

308  0 

157.3 

66.7 


64  2 
7.1 
7.1 


50.0 
28.6 

171.3 

506.8 
28  6 
92.8 

228.4 
7.1 

135.6 
78.5 
50. 0 


6.2 
6.2 
2.1 


22.7 
43.2 

656  8 
49.4 

175  0 

282  1 
51,5 
57  6 

142.1 
16.5 


12.0 


107.8 
47. 9 

239  6 
24.0 
;i5.9 
59.9 
12.0 
47.9 
35.9 


The  following  conclusions  may  be  drawn : 

The  death  rate  of  only  one-eighth  of  the  Negro  population  was  re- 
corded in  1900,  and  far  fewer  previously. 

Nine-tenths  of  the  recorded  Negro  death  rates  in  1900  refer  to  the  city 
Negro  population,  while  four-fifths  of  the  Negroes  live  in  the  country. 

Of  the  7,000,000  Negroes  living  in  the  country  the  recorded  death  rates 
cover  only  districts  where  80,000  live.  If  the  death  rate  of  these  dis- 
tricts is  true  for  the  whole  rural  Negro  population  then  the  true  deatii 
rate  for  the  Negro-Ametican  is  less  than  22  per  1,000.  In  any  case  the 
death  rate  of  30  per  1,000  is  an  exaggeration  and  unfair  for  purposes  of 
comparison  with  tiie  whites. 

The  Negro  death  rate  is,  however,  undoubtedly  considerably  higher 
than  the  white.     It  has  decreased  notably  since  ante-bellum  times. 

The  excess  is  due  principally  to  mortality  from  consumption,  pneu- 
monia, heart  disease  and  dropsy,  diseases  of  the  nervous  system,  mala- 
ria and  diarrheal  diseases. 

Negroes  have  a  smaller  death  rate  than  the  whites  in  scarlet  fever, 
diphtheria,  cancer  and  tumor,  and  diseases  of  the  liver. 

The  figures  for  consumption  follow  and  show  a  gratifying  decrease, 
but  a  still  large  mortality: 

Death  Rates  by  Color  and  Nativity 


CONSUMPTION 

Years 

Aggre- 
gate 

White 
Total 

Colored 
Total 

Registration  area.  ! 
Boston 

1900 

1890 

1884-90 

1900 

1890 

liiOO 

1890 

1900 

1884-90 

1900 

1884-90 

187.3 
245.4 

173.6 
230.0 
378.9 

490.6 
546.1 
762.8 
741.6 

591.8 

Dist.  of  Columbia. 

514.0 

524.6 

Baltimore 

447.7 

New  York j 

318.14 

774.21 

Philadelphia 

287.06 

557.36 

Figures  for  the  other  four  of  the  chief  scourges  show  a  large  increase 
for  pneumonia  with  a  small  increase  for  whites,  an  increase  for  heart 
disease  among  both  races  and  a  notable  decrease  in  diarrheal  and  jier- 
vous  diseases: 


•  Twelfth  Census,  Vol.  Ill,  page  Ixx. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 


77 


Pneumonia 
Registration  area 

Heart  Disease  and  Dropsy 

Registration  area 

Diarrheal  Diseases 

Registra  tion  area 

Diseases  of  the  Nervous  Systein 

Registration  area 


Year 


1<!00 
1890 


I'.OO 
1890 


1900 
18'j0 


liOO 
181)0 


Aggregate 


192.0 
186.9 


140.9 
132.1 


132.8 
183.7 


217.2 
247.4 


White 


184.8 
182.2 


137.4 
128.4 


129.5 
180.1 


213.7 
243.0 


Colored 


319.0 
279.0 


216.6 
204.0 


205.8 
253.8 


294.6 
332.9 


Figures  from  four  cities  follow,  in  which  must  be  noted  the  severe 
climate  of  Boston  and  the  contrast  in  the  social  condition  of  the  two 
races  in  Washington: 

New  York— Death  rate  per  100,000  :  1884-1890 


Diarrheal  diseases 

Consumption 

Pneumonia 

Heart  disease  and  dropsy. . , 
Diseases  of  nervous  system 


White 


318.14 
385.05 
287.25 
137.37 
241.y9 


Colored 


243.72 
774.21 
324  27 
188.17 
240.26 


Boston— Death  rate  per  100,000:  1884-1890 

White 

Colored 

Diarrheal  diseases 

214.15 
378.90 
219.06 
148.85 
243.61 

220.80 
762.78 

337.23 

Heart  disease  and  dropsy 

Diseases  of  nervous  system 

224.82 
248.91 

Baltimore— Death  rate  per  100,000:  1890 


Diarrheal  diseases  and  cholera  infantum 

Consumption 

Diseases  of  the  nervous  system 

Heart  disease  and  dropsy  

Pneumonia 


Colored 


402.70 
524. .55 
3:^5.83 
187.23 
350.69 


District  of  Columbia — Death  rate  per  100,000: 1890 


White 

Negro 

Diarrheal    diseases 

and 

cholera 

infantum.  . . 

.18!I0 

360.65 

Diseases  of  the 

nervous  system 

.1890 

358.0J 

Heart  disease  and  di 

•opsy 

.1890 

162.49 

Pneumonia. . . 

.1890 
1895 
1900 
1904 

128.5 
92.6 
10().5 

352.72 
244.4 
238.5 
337.2 

Consumption. 

18110 

591.8;i 

1895 

197.1 

468.2 

19(K) 

183.3 

492.3 

1904 

164.4 

492.6 

78 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


Philadelphia :  1881,-90 

Diarrheal  diseases 

Oonsuinptlon 

Pneumonia 

Heart  disease  and  dropsy 

Diseases  of  the  nervous  system 


I55.3() 
287.06 
158.77 
.14-2.10 
315.86 


175.40 
557.36 
293.62 
246.25 
3it0.07 


The  figures  for  suicide  for  the  last  thirty  years  show  an  increase: 

1880:  In  every  2,000  colored  deaths,  one  was  from  suicide. 

1890:  Death  rate  for  suicide  per  100,(XX)  colored  persons  living 4.4 

1900:  Death  rate  for  suicide  per  lOO.OOD  colored  persons  living 5.8 

(  15-44 8.6 

1900:  Death  rate  for  suicide  per  100,000  for  years  ]  45-61 4.1 

(  65  and  over 5.9 

The  white  rate  increases  in  each  of  the  above  age  periods  from  13  to 
26.1  to  30.6;  the  colored  rate  indicates  the  peculiar  stress  of  the  young. 
Tile  rate  for  all  accidents  and  injuries  is: 

1890:  per  l(Kt,0(l0 12:^.3 

1900:  per  100,000 I:i7.4 

Tiie  deaths  from  alcoholism  are  not  only  less  than  those  for  whites, 
but  show  a  decrease  for  the  last  decade: 

Tolal  j)opulation 
1890:  per  100,000,  colored ...     6.9  8.1 

1900:  per  100,000         "        ...     5.0  7.2 

The  colored  death  rate  is  the  smallest  of  any  group  except  tliat  of 
children  of  native  American  women  : 

Arcoholism 


OoLOB  AND  Birthplaces  of 

MOTHKB.S 

15  to  44 

45  and 
over 

White   

8.2 

3  7 

2  9 
18.8 
6.2 
8.4 

4  4 
6.0 

15.6 

Colored    ...                               .          . . . . 

10  4 

Mothers  born  in  United  States 

Ireland   

4.9 
27  9 

Germany 

12.1 

England  and  Wales 

14.6 

Canada 

8  0 

Scandinavia 

18  1 

The  greatest  single  physical  fact  affecting  the  death  rate  is  age,  as  is 
shown  by  this  table  for  tlie  registration  area: 

Death  rates  at  certain  ages,  per  1,000  of  jmpulation 


1900 

Under  1 

Under  5 

5  ton 

15  to  U 

25  to  Si 

35  to  44 

i5  to  64 

65  and  over 

White 

Males 

Females. . . 

Colored 

Males 

Females... 

158.0 
175.9 
139.8 

371.5 
403.9 
339.7 

49.7 
54.2 
45.2 

118.5 
127.2 
110.2 

4.1 

4.2 
4.0 

9.8 
9.2 
10.2 

5.9 
6.2 
5.6 

15.6 
17.2 
14.4 

8.6 
9.0 
8.1 

16.9 
18.2 
15.6 

ll.l 
12  0 
10.1 

21.0 
21.5 
20.4 

21.5 
23.5 
19.5 

36.7 
88.6 
34.6 

86.0 
90.4 

82.1 

108.6 
119.8 
100.3 

The  death  rate  of  Negroes  is  due  in  no  small  degree  to  the  neglect  and 
mal-nutrition  of  children : 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 

Deaths  tinder  1  year  of  age,  per  1,000  of  poptilation 


79 


Registration  Record 

Total 

Cities 

States 

Cities 

in 
other 
states 

White 

lf-8.0 
371.5 

J71.1 
387.0 

Total 
156.0 
343.8 

Cities 

180.4 
3W.2 

Sural 
116.0 

218.9 

161.4 

Colored 

3S3.8 

Infant  Mortality  1900 


Under  1  Year  of  Aye 

Oolored 

Males 

Females 

21,405 
5,365 

26,770 
7,951 
21.7.0 
371.5 

10,.')i5 
2,<31 

13,526 
4,279 
316.4 
403.0 

10,810 
2,434 

13,244 
3,672 

277.3 

Deaths            

Deatlis  under  I  per  1,000  births 

Death  rate  per  1,000  of  population 

:j;i9.7 

Under  5  Years  of  Age 

102,408 

12,140 

118.5 

327.9 

50,418 

6,413 

127  2 

.    331.8 

51,990 

Deaths                                                   

5,727 

Death  rate  per  1,000  of  population 

Deaths  under  5  per  1 ,000  deaths  at  all  ages 

1 10.2 
323.5 

Oil  account  of  tlip  small  lunnber  of  children,  comparison  of  them  with 
Negroes  is  not  valid,  althou<4h  the  Negro  city  population  also  to  a  less 
degree  lack.s  cliildren.  The  following  rates  for  cities  are  nevertheless 
instructive;  they  refer  to  1890  and  previous: 

Boston  {1884-90) — Death  rate  per  1,000,  including  still  birthK 


Color  and  Birthplaces  of 
Mothers 


AVhite 

(Colored 

United  States  (white)  . . 
England  and  Wales 

Ireland 

Hungary 

Bohemia 

Italy  

Other  foreign  countries 


All 


23.71 
31.92 

21.30 
17.75 
27.27 
21.41 
22.!6 
20.65 
10.69 


Under 
15  Yrs. 


15  pears 
and  over 


38  71 
77.67 

37.76 
30.36 
39.03 
42.79 
45.66 
44.53 
33.14 


18.68 
20.95 

14.79 
13  62 

24.12 
10.42 
9.49 
8.23 
8.76 


Philadelphia  for  the  6  years  endiii,g  1884-1890 — Death  rates  per  1,000 


Philadelphia 

Color  anb  Birthplaces  of 
Persons 

All 
ages 

Under 
15  Yrs. 

15  years 
and  over 

White 

Colored 

22.69 
31.25 
25.17 
9.78 
19.10 

36. 6S 

66.88 

38.83 

3.35 

5.62 

17. -/i 
20.94 

United  States  (white)  

17.57 

England  and  Wales 

Ireland 

10.(>5 
19.43 

80  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

New  York  and  Brooklyn  (1884-1890) — Death  rates  per  1,000,  including  still  births 


New  York 


Color  and  Birthplaces  of 
Mothers 


All 

Under 

ages 

15  Yrs 

29  86 

53.28 

33.27 

75.71 

32.43 

54.01 

27.117 

50.53 

32.51 

50.87 

26.60 

43  71 

23  28 

47(11 

24  27 

46.97 

14.85 

2867 

26.57 

52.06 

23.47 

57.33 

22.43 

47.21 

43.57 

82  57 

35.2.) 

76.41 

21.24 

40.68 

15  years 
and  over 


Brooklyn 


All 
ages 


Under 
15  Yrs. 


15  years 
and  over 


M^hite 

(Colored 

White  mothers  born  in — 

United  States 

England  and  Wales 

Ireland 

.Scotland  

France 

Germany 

Russia  and  Poland 

Canada 

Scandinavia 

Hungary 

lioheniia 

Italy  

Other  foreign  countries 


20.36 
23.57 


15.91 
20.78 
28.01 
21.91 
17.86 
17  04 

6.21 
16.71 
13.43 

8.45 
20.31 
12.27 
13.00 


25.SK) 
30.54 


27.49 
20.51 
27.14 
19.62 
17.22 
23.18 
13.93 
20.04 
19.46 
11.27 
52.08 
24  II 
27.58 


44.71 
63.75 


45.76 
32.42 
43.84 
29  86 
27.81 

44  ..31 
27.03 
3:i.44 

45  .50 
21.16 
<K\1>1 
.53  62 
56.11 


17. 6;^ 
20.00 


13.89 
16.95 
22.68 
16.41 
14.43 
15.46 

5.85 
14.33 

9.13 

5  20 
3175 

7.89 
18.96 


There  has  been  ^reat  improvement  in  Negro  infant  mortality  daring 
tlie  last  decade  and  possibly  during  the  last  two  decades;  the  defective 
counting-  of  children,  however,  in  1880  makes  these  figures  for  the  Dis^ 
trict  of  Columbia  and  Baltimore  doubtful: 


Infantile  Mortality 


CHARACTER  OF  RATES 

Color 

Baltimore 

Di.strict  of 
Columbia 

1890 

1S80 

1890 

1880 

Number  of  deaths  of  children  under  ) 
1   year  of  age,  per  1,000  of   corre-  [ 

White  ... 
Colored  . . 

White.... 
Colored  . . 

White... 
Colored  . . 

Total. 
Total. 

Total 
Total. 

Total. 
Total. 

258-60 
542.63 

225.70 
400.96 

274  36 
338.75 

208  86 
440.19 

177  54 
305.79 

251  44 
353.85 

207.83 
491.80 

186  44 
376.99 

210.58 
;J02.80 

194  75 

407.20 

Number  of  deaths  during  the  census  ) 
year,  per  1,(X)0  children  born  within  \ 
the  year ) 

173  30 
321.52 

Number  of  deaths  under  1  j'ear  of  j 
age,  per  1,000  deaths  at  all  ages \ 

262.68 
349.67 

The  following  comparison  for  registration  states  and  their  cities  shows 
the  improvement  in  infant  mortality  from  1890  to  1900: 

Death  rate  of  children  under  1  year  of  age 


Registration  Record 

COLOR 

Total 

Regis- 
tra- 
tion 
cities 

Registration  States 

Registra- 
tion cities 

Total 

Cities 

Rural 

in  other 
states 

White...  jl*«;; 
Colored    .ij«^:; 

249.38 
158.0 
494.27 
371.5 

278.19 
171.1 
525.13 
;i87.0 

241.40 
1.56.0 
457.83 
■  343.8 

297.22 
180.4 
579.77 
397.2 

137.63 
116.0 
204.49 
218.9 

2C)0.67 
161.4 
509.61 
:383.8 

NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 


81 


Death  rates  per  1,000  of  population  at  certain  ages,  by  color  and  sex:  1890-1900 


Registration  States 

Cities  in  Registration  States 

e3 

0)  Qj 

CO 

3  - 

CO   5 

s  s 

C 

o 
c 

CO 

S3 

0;  Oi 

—1  dJ 

u 
1  ^ 

IS 

0 

c 

■a  >-i 

0  >. 

0  ?- 

ii. 

^    r^. 

QJ'C 

.!< 

"^ 

Cl 

■*-* 

■*-i  <^t 

C 

■_; 

•^ 

■*^ 

^-  G 

C 

< 

t> 

lO 

2 

lO 

'■6  ~ 

ti 

< 

t! 

lO 

lfi> 

lO 

8^ 

P 

White: 

1890 

19.3 

63.3 

5.2 

9.3 

212 

76  5 

35  0 

21.9 

78.8 

6.1 

10.7 

26.1 

88.4 

21.8 

1900 

17.1 

48.9 

37 

7.8 

20.1 

82.7 

25.8 

18.4 

58.3 

4.2 

8.6 

24.1 

90.6 

16.5 

Oolored: 

18: 0 

27.4 

118.5 

10.2 

144 

28.6 

84.9 

16.4 

31.5 

151.4 

12.0 

IC.l 

33  5 

98.1 

6.4 

1900 

25.3 

112.0 

87 

12.7 

29.4 

93.4 

15.5 

27.() 

181.6 

9.9 

13,9 

32.3 

105.4 

7.5 

How  much  is  the  Negro  death  rate  affected  by  environment?  One 
has  only  to  compare  the  wretched  Negro  quarters  of  Charleston  and 
New  Orleans,  with  a  death  rate  of  over  40  per  1,000,  with  the  far  better, 
althongli  not  ideal,  conditions  in  Atlanta  and  Louisville,  with  a  death 
rate  of  rO  per  1,000.  It  is  further  illustrated  in  Baltimore  and  Washing- 
ton by  these  tables,  giving  the  death  rate  for  Negroes  per  100,000  for  six 
years  (1884-yO)  according  to  the  simple  matter  of  altitude  above  sea 
level  (still  born  excluded)  : 


Washington 

Baltimore 

DISTRICTS 

Total 

Under 
5  years 

Total 

Under 

5  years 

Under  25  feet  above 

25-50 

37.48 
37.06 
31.87 
32  55 
3123 

107.69 
155.21 
159  .57 
157.89 
136.11 

44.65 
36.51 
34.;i4 
28  03 
28  21 

203..S0 
11:4.03 

60-75 

75-100 

100  and  over 

1.55.68 
148.39 
145.53 

When  wo  remember  that  the  highest  death  rate  among  occupations  is 
for  laborers  and  servants  (20.2  per  1,000),  we  see  here  another  contribut- 
ing cause  of  high  Negro  mortality.  Perliaps  the  army  furnislies  the 
t)est  test  of  the  normal  Negro  death  rate  with  all  disturbing  factors 
eliminated  save  physical  and  to  some  extent  social  heredity.  War  and 
foreign  service  vitiate  comparisons  to  some  extent: 

■Effect  of  disease  and  injury  on  the  army  during  Will,  as  compared  with  the 
corresponding  data  for  1900  and  for  the  decade  1890-1S99 


United  States  Army 

White 

Colored 

Mean  strength,  ltd 

Per  1,000  for  1900 

Per  1,0(10  decade  18'.:0-1899 

Deaths  from  all  causes  

Per  1,(1{X)  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,000  for  liKX) 

Per  1,000  for  decade  1890-18;)9. ; . . 

Heaths  from  disease 

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

Per  l,(KM)f()r  isioo 

Per  1,000  for  decade  1890-1899 

85,.S.57 
2,352.60 
1,505.25 
1,174 
33.75 
22.79 
11.89 
7U2 
9.28 
16.86 
8.64 
382 
4.48 
6.93 
3.a5 

7,134 

1,841.67 
1,504.20 
115 
16.12 
22.21 
11.71 
94 

13.18 
14.'..7 
7.77 

Deaths  from  injury  .   

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,000  for  1900 

Per  1,000  for  decade  1890-1899 

21 
2.m 
7.24 
3.94 

82 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 
1902 


White 
troops 

Colored 
troops 

Filipino 
troops 

U.S.  Army 
decade 

1891-1900 

Mean  strength 

71,(579 

4,273 

4,826 

10,446 

Deaths  from  all  causes 

1,032 
14.40 
13.75 
83« 
11.68 
9  28 
19(5 
2.74 
4.48 

103 
24  11 
1612 
87 

20  36 
13.18 
16 
3.75 
2.94 

116 
24.04 

5  '  60 

Per  1,(KK)  of  mean  strength 

14.73 

Per  1/100  for  1101 

Deaths  from  diseases 

109 
22.59 

4,228 
10.45 

Per  1,0(H)  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,0(M)  for  liioi 

Deaths  from  injury 

7 
1.45 

1,732 
4.2H 

Per  1,000  of  mean  strength 

Per  1,0(10  for  ISiOl 

1903-1904 

Proportion  per  1,000  of  mean  strength 


ENLISTED  MEN 


White  troops j  l^^j 

Colored  troops !  ,;q(j 

1  ir)04 
Porto  Rlcan  troops ',  jiQg 

Kilipino  troops |  ^^.j 


Mean 
strength 


.55,619 
5.5,518 
3,121 
3,18;i 
.540 
,578 
4,610 
4,7S9 


Died 


6.6.( 
8.18 
7.79 
11  31 
3.70 


22.34 
21.51 


Disease 


3.72 
6  18 
6.54 
9.42 
3.70 


7..59 
18.17 


Injury 


2.97 
2.30 
1.25 
1.89 


1475 
3.34 


Mr.  R.  R.  Wright,  A.  M.,  felhjw  of  the  University  of  Penni^ylvania, 
furnishes  the  following  memorandum  on  the  death  rates  of  Negroes  in 
Northern  cities: 

The  Negro  population  of  tiie  North  is  chiefly  an  urban  population  ;  70 
per  cent  of  the  Negroes  live  in  cities,  and  a  large  proportion  of  these  in 
cities  of  100,000  and  over. 

The  general  opinion  is  that  the  death  rate  of  Negroes  is  higher  in  the 
North  than  in  the  South.  This  is  untrue.  The  crude  death  rates  of  the 
Negroes  in  the  Northern  cities  are  lower  than  those  in  the  Southern 
cities: 

Crtide  death  rates,  based  on  cens^is  1900 


NORTHERN  (UTI.ES 


Death  rate  per 
one  thousand 
population 


New  York 

(Chicago 

Philadelphiii 

Boston 

Indianapolis 
Columbus,  () 
Cleveland     . 
Cincinnati 
Pittsburg    . 
Newark 
New  Haven 
Buffalo    


21  3 
21.6 
24.3 
25.5 
23.8 
21.2 
18.0 
29.5 
25.9 
29.7 
31.  H 
25  5 


Total 

20.6 
16.2 
21.2 
20  1 

r6.7 

15  8 
17.1 
18  6 
20  0 
19.8 
17.2 
14.8 


SOUTHERN   CITIES 


Death  rate  per 
one  thousand 
population 


Washington,  D.  C 

Baltimore,  Md 

New  Orleans,  La. . 
Memphis,  Tenn 

fjouisville,  Ky 

St.  Ijouis,  Mo 

Atlanta,  Ga 

Hichmond,  Va 

Nashville  Tenn 

Savannah,  Ga 

Charleston,  S.  C... 
Norfolk,  Va 


Colored 

Total 

31.0 

22.8 

31.2 

21  0 

42.4 

28  9 

28  6 

25.1 

28.7 

20  0 

32  2 

17  9 

31.8 

26  6 

38  1 

29  7 

32.8 

25  3 

43  3 

34  3 

46  7 

37  5 

33.8 

25.2 

NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  83 

The  foregoing  table  shows  that  of  the  large  cities,  the  eight  highest 
death  rates  are  Southern  cities — Charleston,  Savannah,  New  Orleans, 
Richmond,  Norfolk,  Va.,  Nashville,  St.  Louis  and  Atlanta.  Thirty 
deaths  per  1,000  seems  to  be  the  dividing  line  between  the  Northern 
cities  and  the  Southein,  mostof  the  Southern  cities  having  a  rate  above 
80,  while  most  of  the  Northern  cities  have  a  rate  below  30. 

Chicago,  with  about  the  same  population  of  Negroes  as  Charleston 
and  Nashville,  has  Ihss  than  one-half  as  many  deaths  per  1,000  as  the 
former  and  two-thirds  as  the  latter.  New  York,  with  about  the  same 
population  as  New  Orleans,  has  about  two-thirds  as  many  deaths  per 
1,000;  Norfolk  has  twice  the  rate  of  Indianapolis. 

An  analysis  of  the  Negro  population  in  these  cities,  however,  gives 
the  North  a  decided  advantage,  in  that  the  number  of  children  is  less 
in  the  North  than  in  the  South  and  since  the  first  five  years  of  life  have 
a  very  high  mortality,  that  section  having  a  smaller  proportion  of  chil- 
dren all  other  things  being  equal,  ought  to  show  the  lowest  general 
crude  death  rate.  The  United  States  census  has  a  way  of  correcting 
the  returns  by  a  system  of  weighting  which  takes  into  consideration  the 
varying  proportions  of  different  ages,  and  corrects  accordingly. 

Unfortunately,  however,  we  are  unable  to  secure  extensive  figures  on 
this  subject  for  Negro  deaths  but  such  as  we  have  lead  to  confirm 
rather  than  vitiate  the  above  conclusion  that  Negro  death  rates  are 
higher  South  than  North: 

^      J        ,     Corrected 
Crude  rate       ^^^^g 

South: 

Washington,  D.C 310  37.2 

New  Orleans 42.4  46.6 

Nashville 32.8  38.5 

Charleston 46.7  54. (» 

North: 

Boston 25.5  30.2 

Cincinnati 29.5  35.0 

Cleveland 18.0  24.7 

Columbus,  0 21.2  25.4 

Indianapolis 23.8  28.3 

Newark 29.7  36.2 

New  York 29.3  40.0 

Pittsburg 25.9  31  7 


Carrying  the  argument  further,  there  are  two  matters  of  evidence 
which  can  not  be  controverted.  (1)  In  the  diseases  peculiar  to  man- 
hood, the  North  has  no  advantage  but  a  real  disadvantage  since  a 
larger  proportion  of  the  Negro  inhabitants  in  the  Northern  cities  is  be- 
tween the  ages  of  15  and  50,  than  is  the  case  in  the  Southern  cities.  (2) 
Tuberculosis  is  a  disease  of  adult  life,  attacking  those  cliiefly  past  15 
years  of  age  and  is  most  prevalent  between  20  and  30. 

According  to  a  bulletin  published  by  the  Illinois  state  board  of  liealtli 
rriie  Cause  and  Prevention  of  Consumption,  1905),  26.22  per  cent  of  the 
deaths  from  All  causes  for  persons  between  20  and  50  in  1902-1908.  were 


84 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


from   consumption  and   nine-tenths  of  the   deaths  from  consumption 
were  of  persons  between  these  ages: 


Death  rates  of  Negroes  in  Northern  and  Southern  cities  from,  consumption. 

Census  1900 


KonTHEKN  Cities: 

New  York 

Philadelphia 

Chicago 

Boston 

Indianapolis 

Cleveland 

Cinclntatl 

Pittsliurg 

Newarli 

New  Haven 


Rate  per 

300,000 


533.4 
458.4 
537.6 
742.4 
474.5 
303.2 
627.7 
38:^.8 
416.5 
368.0 


Southern  Cities 

Washington 

{Baltimore 

New  Orleans 

Memphis 

Louisville,  Ky. . . 

St.  Louis 

Atlanta 

Richmond,  Va. 

Nashville 

Savannah 

Norfolk 


Rate  per 

100,000 


51.3.8 
447.7 
62.».5 
378.5 
406.2 
594.1 
505.8 
474.4 
638.5 
ii29.6 
.546.6 


Here  we  see  that  the  highest  rate,  to  be  sure,  is  in  Boston,  one  of  the 
most  northernly  cities,  while  the  second,  third  and  fourth  are  Southern 
cities.  Of  the  24  cities,  four  in  the  North:  New  Yorli,  Boston,  Chicago 
arid  Cincinnati,  have  a  rate  above  1,500  per  100,000,  while  eight  of  the 
Southern  cities,  Washington,  New  Orleans,  St. .Louis,  Atlanta,  Nash- 
ville, Savannah,  Charleston  and  Norfolk,  Va.,  have  a  rate  about  this 
number.  Only  one  of  the  Southern  cities  falls  below  the  rate  of  400  per 
100,000.  while  three  of  the  Northern  cities  do. 

As  is  true  of  manliood  it  is  also  true  of  infancy,  that  the  North  has 
no  advantage  which  is  purely  statistical,  i.  e.  relating  to  age  distribu- 
tion. Here  again  the  Southern  cities  are  in  excess  of  the  Northern 
cities. 

I  have  shown  in  the  following  table  not  the  relative  number  of  infant 
deaths  to  the  total  population  ;  for  that  would  be  unfair  to  the  South  for 
the  reason  above  stated — that  infants  form  a  greater  percentage  of  the 
total  population;  but  the  relative  number  of  deaths  of  infants  under  1 
year  of  age  to  the  number  of  births  in  one  year. 

The  highest  mortality  is  represented  by  Savannah,  Ga. ,  with  409.8 
deaths  to  every  1,000  births — an  extreme  and  alarmingly  high  figure. 
The  other  cities  come  in  the  following  order  after  Savannah  :  Charles- 
ton, Newark,  N.  J.,  Washington,  D.  C,  Mobile,  Richmond,  Va.,  Balti- 
more, New  York,  Atlanta,  Norfolk,  St.  Louis,  Nashville,  New  Orleans, 
Memphis,  Louisville,  Philadelphia,  Pittsburg,  Indianapolis,  Cincin- 
nati, Chicago,  Boston.  This  list  is  significant  for  being  led  by  the 
South  and  ended  by  the  Northern  cities.  Of  the  highest  10,  8  are  South- 
ern cities,  of  the  highest  15,  13  are  Southern: 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  85 

Infantile  Mortality 

Death   rates  of  colored  and  white  under  1   year  of  age,  per   1,000  births:  ' 

Census  1900  • 


Northern  Cities 

Infantile  Mor- 
tality 

Southern  Cities 

Infantile  Mor- 
tality 

White 

Colored 

White 

Colored  . 

208.3 
241.0 
246.5 
251.7 
255.1 
347  6 
374.3 
169.6 

172.4 

133  0 
151.3 
144  3 
157  9 
167.0 
158.1 

Memphis 

Louisville 

New  Orleans 

Nashville 

275.0 
264  9 
298.6 
299.1 
316.5 
316  9 
323.9 
35t5.4 
360.4 
363.6 
366.0 
379.5 
409.3 

162.1    • 

Chicago 

Cincinnati 

134.7 
164.4 
148.6     ' 

Pittsburg 

St.  Louis 

Norfolk 

Atlanta 

138  7 
167.7 

21 8.? 

Philadelphia 

Baltimore 

177.6 

Richmond    

175  3   ■ 

Mobile 

District  of  Columbia  . . 
Charleston 

183.7  ■ 
15S  8  "• 
220.3 

Savannah 

299.7    * 

All  of  the  foregoing  argument  shows  that  death  rate  in  this  country 
does  not  altogether  depend  upon  climate;  that  it  is  a  factor  which  cat» 
be  easily  overcome,  and  the  Negroes  of  this  generation  are  rapidly 
overcoming  it.  That  there  is  something  more  important  than  climatel 
may  be  gained  from  the  observation  that  almost  uniformly  the  North- 
ern white  death  rate,  like  the  Northern  Negro  death  rate,  is  lower  thafi 
tliat  of  the  South.  Indeed  the  Negro  Northern  death  rate  in  many 
places  is  lower  than  that  of  the  whites  in  many  Southern  cities.  The 
wl'.ite  death  rates  of  Charleston  and  Savannah  are  higher  than  the  Ne- 
gro rate  of  Philadelphia,  Indianapolis  and  Chicago.  Charleston's  whitfe 
rate  is  higher  than  Boston's  Negroes.  The  whites  of  New  Orleans^ 
Richmond,  Charleston,  Savannah,  Atlanta,  Mobile  and  Memphis  are 
all  higher  than  the  Negroes  of  Chicago.  And  the  infantile  mortality 
among  the  Negroes  of  Pittsburg,  Indianapolis,  Cincinnati,  Chicago  and 
Boston,  is  lower  than  that  of  Savannah,  Ga.,  among  the  whites;  Boston'^ 
Negro  mortality  is  lower  than  Atlanta's,  Charleston's  and  Savannah 'fj 
white  infant  mortality. 

Again,  we  are  accustomed  to  connect  with  the  cold  climate  deaths 
from  consumption  and  pneumonia  and  grippe  (bronchitis).  We  need  not 
lay  much  stress  on  consumption  as  that  has  already  been  discussed. 

For  pneumonia,  Baltimore,  a  Southern  city,  leads  the  list,  then  fol- 
low New  York,  Pittsburg,  Memphis,  Richmond,  Nashville,  Philadel- 
phia, New  Haven,  St.  Louis,  Savannah,  New  Orleans,  Louisville,  Cin- 
cinnati, Atlanta,  Boston,  Chicago,  Norfolk,  Newark,  Washington, 
Indianapolis,  Charleston,  Mobile  and  Cleveland. 

A  Southern  city  leads;  3  out  of  the  highest  are  Southern  ;  6  out  of  10; 
9  out  of  15;  11  out  of  20.  Boston  is  lower  than  Atlanta  or  Savannah  or 
New  Orleans.  The  coldest  cities — Chicago,  Boston  and  Cleveland — 
stand  15th,  16th  and  22nd  in  the  list. 

For  influenza,  Charleston,  the  highest  Southern  city,  is  three  times 
as  high  as  the  highest  Northern  city.    The  order  is  Charleston, Norfolk, 


m  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Nashville,  Richmond,  Atlanta, Washington,  Pittsburg,  Newark,  Indian- 
apolis, New  Haven,  Boston.  Savannah,  Baltimore,  Louisville,  New 
York.  Chicago  comes  last,  except  Cleveland  and  Cincinnati,  which  do 
not  report  any  cases  at  all. 

A  study  of  deaths  by  months  in  Philadelphia  also  tends  to  discredit 
the  theory  that  Negroes  are  at  a  special  disadvantage  in  the  cold  cli- 
mate. The  highest  monthly  average  of  death.s  fioin  all  causes  for  five 
^ears  for  Negroes  was  in  April,  though  January  for  whites.  The  second 
was  May  for  Negroes  and  March  for  whites.  The  third  was  July  for 
both  Negroes  and  whites.  The  lowest,  September  for  Negroes  and 
October  for  whites,  while  December  was  next  lowest  for  Negroes. 

For  the  past  five  years — 1901  to  1905,  inclusive, — there  were  1,589 
deaths  among  Negroes  from  consumption,  an  average  of  26.5  per  month. 
Strange  to  say  the  highest  average  for  any  month  during  these  five 
years  was  April,  the  next  July  and  May,  and  the  next  October — every 
one  of  the  winter  months  was  below  the  average.  For  the  five  years  the 
average  deaths  of  consumption  among  Negroes  for  the  month  of  Octo- 
ber was  less  than  April,  December  less  than  June,  January  less  than 
July,  February  slightly  above  August,  March  below  September. 

For  pneumonia,  inflammation  of  the  lungs,  we  have  the  opposite: 
For  the  years  1901,  1902,  1903  there  were  698  deaths  of  19.4  per  month. 
Above  this  average  were  January,  February,  the  highest  point,  March, 
April,  November  and  December,  while  below  it  were  the  summer 
months.  May,  June,  July,  August,  September  and  October. 

The  point  is  that  the  season  does  not  have  any  very  materially  differ- 
ent effect  upon  the  Negroes  than  upon  the  whites,  save  that  the  total 
death  rate  from  this  disease  is  greater  among  Negroes  all  of  the  year 
round,  but  that  there  is  not  the  greater  difference  in  the  winter  months 
which  might  be  expected. 

Let  us  now  come  to  the  subject  of  the  Northern  Negroes'  general  phy- 
sical condition.  For  this  purpose  let  us  take  a  special  city.  That  city 
is  Philadelphia,  and  for  many  reasons.  It  is  the  largest,  the  oldest  and 
most  conservative  city  and  is  quite  representative  of  the  Negroes'  pro- 
gress in  the  North,  but  comparisons  with  other  cities  will  be  made  as 
are  deemed  necessary  to  the  better  understanding  of  the  Philadelphia 
situation. 

The  first  thing  which  strikes  us  is  the  difference  between  the  white 
and  Negro  death  rates,  which  are  given  in  the  following  table: 

Year                                       Total  rate  Colored  rate 

1895 20.44  22.3 

18i»6 20.17  20.5 

1897 18.72  21.0 

1898 19.18  21.4 

1899 18.75  21.6 

1900 19.38  26.6 

1901 18.26  25.2 

1902 17.67  24.3 

1903 18  82  19.9 

1904 16.65  19.7 

1906 17.51  20.0 

Total 87.15  22.02 

Average 18.72  22.02  per  1,(KX) 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 


87 


The  averag^e  death  rate  for  Philadelphia  for  ten  years  from  1896-1905, 
inclusive,  was  18.72  per  1,000,  while  the  average  for  colored  was  22.02  per 
1,000 — a  difference  of  B.30  per  thousand  against  the  colored  persons. 

What  is  shown  for  Philadelphia  here  over  a  course  of  years  also  holds 
good  for  every  Northern  city. 

The  colored  population  in  1900  comprised  4.9  per  cent  of  the  total  popu 
lation  of  Philadelphia  (Negro  4.7). 

In  1906,  colored  population  w  as  about  6.6  per  cent  of  the  entire  popula- 
tion and  composed  daring  the  entire  six  years  1900-1906,  inclusive,  an 
average  of  about  5.2  per  cent.  During  these  years  there  were  149,786 
deaths,  of  which  9,514  or  6.3  per  cent  were  of  colored  persons,  1.1  per 
cent  or  166  moie  deaths  than  there  normally  should  have  been  if  the 
colored  persons  keep  their  average.  What  is  true  of  Philadelphia  is 
true  of  New  York,  Boston,  Indianapolis,  Chicago  and  all  Northern 
cities. 

Examining  the  table  of  deaths,  we  find  out  of  just  what  diseases 
Negroes  die  to  a  larger  extent  than  they  comprise  of  the  total  popula- 
tion. This  gives  some  idea  of  the  diseases  to  which  Negroes  are  espe- 
cially susceptible : 


Table  showing  number  of  Negroes  dying  in  Philadelphia  from,  specific  causes, 
the  percentage  of  such  deaths  to  the  total  number  of  deaths  from  each  cavse, 
and  the  percentage  of  such  deaths  to  the  total  number  of  Negro  deaths,  1900 


DISEASE 

s 

Per  c>ent 
of   total 

deaths 

from 

specific 

causes 

Percent 

of   total 

Negro 

deaths 

Syphilis 

8 

101 

14 

287 

250 

51 

.3 

35 

3 

52 

87 

42 

51 

4 

99 

22 

3 

4 

36 

25 

3 

19 

3 

22 

4 

3 

4 

2 

0 

0 

361 

1,665 

20  5 
11.5 
11.2 
10.7 
8.9 
8.4 
8.4 
8.1 
7.S 
7  3 
7.1 
7.0 
6.8 
6.7 
6  3 
5.9 
5.9 
4.8 
4.8 
4.0 
3.3 
2.9 
2.8 
2.7 
2.7 
2.5 
2  4 
2.3 
1.2 

.5 

6.1 

Whooping  cough 

.8 

Consu  mption 

17.2 

Inanition 

Inflammation  of  lungs 

Inflammation  of  brain 

Child  birth 

.     4.0 
15.0 
3.1 

.2 

Typhoid  fever 

Epilepsy      

2.1 

.2 

3.1 

Still  born 

5.2 

Premature  births     

3  5 

Inflammatlop  of  kidneys  — 

Dysentry 

3.1 

0.2 

6.0 

Bright's  disease 

1.3 

Anemia  Chlorosis 

2  • 

Erysipelas 

I'iphtheria 

.2 
2.2 

Cancer 

1.5     . 

Alcoholism 

.2 

Old  age  

1.1 

Diabetes 

.2 
1.3 

Sunstroke 

.2 

Fatty  degeneration  of  heart. 

Softening  of  brain 

Scarlet  fever    .  . 

.2 
.2 
1 

Fatty  degeneration  of  liver  . 
Other  diseases 

4.1 

7.2 

21  7 

Total  

100.00 

88  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

.  The  colored  population  was  in  1900,4.9  percent  of  the  Philadelphia 
population.* 

The  causes  of  death  of  which  Negroes  form  more  than  their  part  are 
in  the  following  order:  Syphilis  leads  with-  20  5  per  cent  of  the  total 
deaths;  t  then  come  marasmus,  whooping  cough,  consumption,  inani- 
tion, pneumonia,  inflammation  of  the  brain,  child  birth,  typhoid  fever, 
epilepsy,  cholera  infantum,  still  births,  premature  births,  inflammation 
of  the  kidneys,  dysentery,  heart  disease  and  Bright's  disease. 
.  The  diseases  below  the  line,  i.  e.,  of  which  the  Negro  population  die 
to  a  less  proportion  than  they  form  of  the  entire  population  are  anemia, 
erysipelas,  diphtheria,  cancer,  alcoholism,  old  age,  diabetes,  apoplexy, 
sunstroke,  fatty  degeneration  of  the  heart,  fatty  degeneration  of  the 
liver,  softening  of  the  brain,  scarlet  fever,  scrofula;  that  is,  in  the 
deaths  from  17  out  of  about  50  diseases  the  Negroes  form  more  than  the 
percentage  they  form  of  the  total  population.  For  most  of  these  diseases 
the  same  is  general  in  all  the  Northern  cities  of  which  I  have  informa- 
tion. 

But  this  method  of  comparison  does  not  give  anything  as  to  the 
prevalence  of  diseases;  therefore,  we  make  another  comparison  from 
the  point  of  view  of  prevalence,  and  we  find  that  of  all  the  deaths  for 
the  period  named  17.2  per  cent  are  of  consumption,  15  per  cent  of 
pneumonia,  while  marasmus,  heart  disease,  inanition,  cholera  infantum 
follow  in  order. 

The  diseases  of  consumption  and  pneumonia,  infantile  marasmus, 
cholera  infantum,  inanition,  heart  disease  are  the  diseases  which  take 
the  Negroes  away.  From  these  diseases  during  the  years  of  1900,  1901, 
1902,  1903,  3,284  persons  died,  or  51.1  per  cent  of  the  total  deaths  for 
these  four  years  (6,424).  Each  year  they  constituted  over  half  of  tiie 
deaths. 

If  deaths  from  these  causes  had  been  at  the  same  rate  as  the  whites, 
the  Negro  general  death  rate  would  have  been  much  less  than  the  rate 
for  the  city. 

Consumption  is  the  chief  cause  of  excessive  death  rate.  One  out  of 
every  six  Negro  persons  who  die  in  Philadelphia,  dies  of  tliis  disease, 
and  probably  five  out  of  every  seven  who  die  between  18  and  28  die  of 
this  disease.  It  attacks  the  young  men  and  women  just  as  they  are 
entering  a  life  of  economic  benefit  and  takes  them  away.  This  disease 
is  probably  the  greatest  drawback  to  the  Negro  race  in  this  country. 

In  1900  there  were  1,467  babies  born  in  Philadelphia  and  25  per  cent 
died  before  they  were  one  year  old.  Of  every  five  persons  who  die  in  a 
year  two  are  children  under  five  years  of  age.  The  diseases  of  cholera 
infantum,  inanition  and  marasmus,  which  are  simply  the  doctor's  way 
of  saying  lack  of  nourishment  and  lack  of  care,  cause  many  unnecessary 
deaths  of  children. 


•The  1900  deaths  may  show  a  little  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  colored  population 
because  of  the  exceptionally  high  rate  for  that  year. 

tThe  comparison  is  not  valid  here  as  few  physicians  of  better  class  patients 
would  report  syphilis  as  a  cause  of  death.    Hence  the  small  white  rate  in  part. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  89 

Not  only  is  the  death  rate  hio-hpr  but  from  all  available  resources  it 
seems  that  the  sickness  rate  is  higher.  In  the  public  hospitals  of  Phila- 
delphia there  are  an  excess  of  Negroes  to  amount  to  as  high  as  125  per 
cent  over  white.  From  all  available  sources  at  least  20,000  Negroes 
were  sick  in  the  city  last  year;  5,000  of  these  in  the  hospitals  of  the 
city,  where  the  average  confinement,  if  the  records  of  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Douglass  hospitals  are  fair  samples,  was  about  three 
weeks,  involving  an  economic  loss  of  about  one-quarter  of  a  million 
dollars.  This  sickness  is  heaviest  among  the  poor  and  is  one  of  the 
chief  causes  and  effects  of  poverty. 

Mr.  Warner,  in  his  American  Charities,  makes  sickness  tiie  chief 
cause  of  poverty  among  colored  persons  in  New  York,  Boston,  New 
Haven  and  Baltimore.  The  percentage  was  twice  or  more  as  high  as 
that  of  Germans,  Irish  and  white  Americans.  The  same  is  approxi- 
mately true  in  Philadelphia. 

The  undeniable  fact  is,  then,  that  in  certain  diseases  the  Negroes  have 
a  much  higher  rate  than  the  whites,  and  especially  in  consumption, 
pneumonia  and  infantile  diseases. 

The  question  is:  Is  this  racial?  Mr.  Hoffman  would  lead  us  to  say 
yes,  and  to  infer  that  it  means  that  Negroes  are  inherently  inferior  in 
physique  to  whites. 

But  the  difference  in  Philadelphia  can  be  explained  on  other  grounds 
than  upon  race.  The  high  death  rate  of  Philadelphia  Negroes  is  yet 
lower  than  the  whites  of  Savannah,  Charleston,  New  Orleans  and 
Atlanta. 

If  the  population  were  divided  as  to  social  and  economic  condition 
the  matter  of  race  would  be  almost  entirely  eliminated.*  Poverty's 
death  rate  in  Russia  shows  a  much  greater  divergence  from  the  rate 
among  the  well-to-do  than  the  difference  between  Negroes  and  whites 
of  America.  In  England,  according  to  Mulhall,  the  poor  have  a  rate 
twice  as  high  as  the  rich,  and  the  well-to-do  are  between  the  two.  The 
same  is  true  in  Sweden,  Germany  and  other  countries.  In  Chicago  the 
death  rate  among  whites  of  the  stock  yards  district  is  higher  than  the 
Negroes  of  that  city  and  further  away  from  the  death  rate  of  the  Hyde 
Park  district  of  that  city  than  the  Negroes  are  from  the  whites  in 
Philadelphia. 

Even  in  consumption  all  the  evidence  goes  to  show  that  it  is  not  a 
racial  disease  but  a  social  disease.  The  rate  in  certain  sections  among 
whites  in  New  York  and  Chicago  is  higher  than  the  Negroes  of  some 
cities.  But  as  yet  no  careful  study  of  consumption  has  been  made  in 
order  to  see  whether  or  not  the  race  factor  can  be  eliminated,  and  if 
not,  what  part  it  plays. 

The  high  infantile  mortality  of  Philadelphia  today  is  not  a  Negro 
affair,  but  an  index  of  a  social  condition.  Today  the  white  infants  fur- 
nish two-thirds  as  many  deaths  as  the  Negroes,  but  as  late  as  twenty 


♦  See  paper  on  "  Housing  and  Sanitation :  "  Report  Hampton  Institute  Conference, 
11M)6,  and  So.  Workman,  September,  lii06. 


90  ELEVENTH   ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

years  ago  the  white  rate  was  constantly  higher  than  the  Negro  rate  of 
today — and  only  in  the  past  sixteen  years  has  it  been  lower  than  the 
Negro  death  rate  of  today.  The  matter  of  sickness  is  an  indication 
of  social  and  economic  position:  Professor  Du  Bois,  in  his  most  valua- 
ble study  of  the  Philadelphia  Negro,  gives  a  number  of  family  budgets. 
One  or  the  most  striking  things  in  these  budgets  is  that  the  amount  paid 
for  sickness  is  highest  among  the  poorer  classes  and  lowest  among  the 
better-to-do.  It  seems  that  the  sickness  bill  increases  inversely  as  the 
wages.  Benefit  insurance  men  of  Philadelphia  assure  me  also  that  the 
time  people  lose  at  work  is  also  approximately  in  inverse  ratio  to  the 
wages  they  receive. 

We  might  continue  this  argument  almost  indefinitely  going  to  one 
conclusion,  that  the  Negro  death  rate  and  sickness  are  largely  matters 
of  condition  and  not  due  co  racial  traits  and  tendencies.  This  condition 
so  far  as  Philadelphia  is  concerned  is  caused  by — 

1.  Lack  of  proper  training. 

2.  Bad  water. 

3.  Unskilled  labor  of  men,  which  is  hard  and  long  and  tends  to  ex- 
posure. 

4.  Work  of  women — 66  per  cent  of  Philadelphia  Negro  women  work. 
This  means: 

5.  Neglect  of  their  children,  often  to  care  for  others'  children. 

6.  LTnwholesome  and  imi^roper  feeding,  which  plays  an  extremely 
great  part. 

7.  Ignorance. 

8.  Improper  education.  The  children  get  a  great  deal  of  so-called 
mental  and  a  little  moral,  and  often  a  smattering  of  industrial,  but  the 
fundamentals  of  physical  education  in  order  to  develop  the  bodies  of 
the  children,  is  criminally  neglected  at  least  among  Philadelphia's 
poorest  Negroes. 

In  concluding,  the  situation  is  not  hopeless,  but  is  on  the  contrary 
becoming  better  in  nearly  every  city  in  the  North.  Ten  years  ago  the 
death  rate  was  twice  the  birth  rate  in  New  York ;  today  they  are  about 
the  same,  with  the  death  rate  steadily  decreasing  and  the  birth  rate 
increasing.  Ten  years  ago  the  birth  rate  of  Philadelphia  was  less  than 
the  death  rate:  today  it  is  six  per  thousand  higher.  What  Mr.  Hoffman 
wrote  of  the  Northern  Negro  ten  years  ago  is  not  true  today. 

In  Philadelphia  the  Negroes  composed  4.5  per  cent  of  the  population 
in  1900;  they  now  compose  about  5.5  per  cent.  For  the  six  years  from 
1900-1905,  inclusive,  they  probably  comprised  an  average  of  5  per  cent  of 
the  population.  During  these  years  there  has  been  a  total  of  149,786 
deaths,  of  which  9,514  or  6.3  per  cent  were  Negroes.  There  have  been 
183,479  births,  of  which  10,266  were  Negroes  or  5.6  per  cent,  and  60,678 
marriages,  of  which  3,708  or  6.1  per  cent  were  Negroes.  Thus  it  is  seen 
that  in  deaths,  marriages  and  births  the  Negroes  have  a  little  more 
than  their  pi'oportion. 

With  the  improved  sanitary  condition,  improved  education  and  bet- 
ter economic  opportunities,  the  mortality  of  the  race  may  and  probably 
will  steadily  decrease  until  it  becomes  normal. 


NEGRO   HEALTH  AND   PHYSIQUE  91 

10.     Insurance 

We  now  come  to  the  remedial  measures  to  alleviate  tlie  burdens  of 
sickness  and  death  and  to  reduce  the  rate.  First,  there  is  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  economic  burden  by  insurance.  An  attempt  has  been  made 
to  reduce  this  benefit  by  discriminting  against  Negro  risks.  In  1884 
the  Massachusetts  legislature  passed  a  law  prohibiting  discrimination 
by  life  insurance  companies  against  Negroes.  This  was  followed  by  simi- 
lar laws  in  Connecticut  (1887),  Ohio  (1889),  NewYork  (1892),  Michigan 
(1893),  New  Jersey  (1894)  and  Minnesota  (1895).  A  few  other  states 
have  laws  which  courts  have  evaded  or  emasculated.  The  argument 
against  these  laws  is  thus  put  in  the  leading  insurance  journal.*  After 
giving  some  of  the  vital  statistics  for  1900,  the  article  says: 

The  general  conclusions  deduced  from  these  two  tables  would  be  that  the 
most  recent  investigation  into  the  subject  confirms  earlier  investigation  tend- 
ing to  prove  couclusively  that  the  mortality  of  the  Negro  race,  especially  in 
Northern  states  and  cities,  very  largely  exceeds  the  mortality  of  the  white 
race  living  in  the  same  sections  of  the  country,  and  that  for  life  insurance 
purposes  it  would  be  a  reckless  disregard  of  the  policyholders'  interest  to  ac- 
cept the  two  races  at  the  same  rates  of  premiums  or  to  solicit  on  any  consid- 
erable scale  this  particular  class  of  business. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  conclude  these  brief  observations  on  the  Negro 
as  an  industrial  insurance  risk  with  two  extracts  from  the  letter  of  Dr.  Leslie 
U.  Ward,  to  the  editor  of  llie  Indicator,  published  under  date  of  September  5, 
1894: 

But  the  high  mortality  amongst  colored  persons  is  not  the  only  objec- 
tionable feature  to  the  writing  of  life  insurance  policies  on  their  lives.  We 
find  from  our  oftice  statistics,  that  policies  on  colored  lives  lapse  in  far  greater 
ratios  than  policies  on  white  persons,  and  that  the  highest  percentage  of  lapse 
comes  within  a  very  few  weeks  of  the  issuance  of  the  policy.  In  fact,  the 
greater  portion  of  the  colored  business  issued  by  the  Prudential  is  not  con- 
tinued on  the  books  of  the  company  long  enough  to  recoup  the  company  for 
the  initial  expenses  of  getting  the  business.  In  many  cases  those  who  con- 
tinue their  policies  do  not  seem  to  value  them  or  lay  much  stress  upou  their 
possession.  Numerous  instances  are  found  upon  our  books  where  policies  on 
colored  people  have  been  lapsed  and  revised  a  dozen  or  more  times. 

The  argument  here  adduced  would  be  stronger  if  similar  discrimina- 
tions were  proposed  in  the  case  of  Americans  born  in  Germany  or  Ire- 
land, or  in  the  case  of  certain  social  classes  or  localities.  Indeed  car- 
ried to  its  utmost  logical  conclusion  it  would  contradict  the  very  idea 
of  insurance,  viz.,  tlie  distribution  of  the  economic  burden  of  the 
unfortunate  or  old  on  the  shoulders  of  so  many  of  their  luckier  fellows 
that  the  cost  will  be  negligible.  A  study  of  the  actual  experience  of  life 
insurance  companies  results  as  follows: 


■  The  Spectator,  September  11  and  18, 1902. 


92 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Summation — Actual  and  expected  deaths* 
Insurance  Years  1-30 


AGES 
AT  ENTRY 

Americans  born 
in  Germany 

Americans  born 
in  Ireland 

Americans  born 

in  Sweden  or 

Norway 

Negro- Ameri- 
cans 

Deaths 

Expected 

Deaths 

Expected 

Deaths 

Expected 

Deaths 

Expected 

15-28 

29-42 

48-56 

57-70 

1,418 
8,823 
8,776 
1,495 

i:o,512 

1,746  6 

8,721.1 
7,557  7 
1,288.7 

19,314.1 

486 
2,950 
3,084 

784 

7,804 

459.4 
2,485.4 
2,379.4 

580.9 

5,855.1 

273 
636 
237 

28 

1,174 

286.2 
6.5.8 
228.5 
27.9 

1,238.4 

29 

137 

70 

6 

242 

29.2 

120.8 

63.9 

9.8 

15-70 

223.7 

Summation — Actual  and  table  deaths} 
Insurance  Years  6-30 


• 

Americans  Born  in— 

.      AGES 
AT  ENTRY 

Germany 

Ireland 

Sweden  or  Nor- 
way 

Negro-Ameri- 
cans 

Deaths 

Table 

Deaths 

Table 

Deaths 

Table 

Deaths 

Table 

15-28 

1K^ 

5,857 

6,003 

902 

13,545 

i'88.8 
5,716  6 
5,243.4 

790  0 

12,7:^.8 

245 

l,8(i8 

1,93;^ 

412 

4,458 

256. 1 
1,585.8 
1,571.6 

841.5 

3,755  0 

103 

275 

120 

16 

514 

127  0 

322.4 

122  9 

15.5 

587.8 

8 
53 
80 

4 

95 

12.7 

29-42 

54.6 

48-56 

57-70 

31.2 

4.7 

15-70 

103.2 

The  reports  of  the  thirty-four  leading  companies  conclude:  "It  has 
been  supposed  in  the  past  that  colored  people  have  less  vitality  than 
whites,  l)ut  the  somevvliat  scanty  facts  here  available  do  not  prove  it." 
In  fact  the  Negro  makes  a  better  showing  than  the  Irish,  nearly  as 
good  as  the  Germans,  and  better  than  the  economic  class  of  lal)orers  in 
general.  To  be  sure  these  Negroes  were  carefully  selected,  but  this  fact 
only  emphasizes  the  injustice  which  would  have  been  done  them  had 
they  been  discriminated  against  merely  on  account  of  color,  as  the 
insurance  companies  so  often  do. 

One  result  of  this  discrimination,  particularly  in  industrial  insurance, 
has  been  the  rise  of  a  number  of  Negro  companies  which  are  today 
doing  millions  of  dollars  worth  of  business  among  black  folk. 

One  of  these  insurance  societies  is  so  important  that  a  government 
report  was  made  on  it  in  1902,  which  deserves  printing  in  part,  as  the 
society  has  been  called  "the  most  remarkable  Negro  organization  in 
the  country."  X 

The  association  was  organized  in  January,  1881,  by  Rev.  William  Washiug- 
ton  Browne,  an  ex-slave  of  Habersham  county,  Ga.,  as  a  fraternal  beneficiary 
institution,  composed  of  male  and  female  members  with  a  capital  of  $150.  On 
April  4,  188.3,  or  over  two  years  later,  the  circuit  court  of  the  city  of  Richmond, 
Va.,  granted  a  regular  charter  of  incorporation  as  a  joint  stock  company  to 
Browne  and  his  associates  under  the  name  of  "The  Grand  Fountain  of  the 

*  Experience  of  thirty-four  Life  Companies,  page  472. 
+  Experience  of  thirty-four  Life  Companies,  page  476. 
I  United  States  Bulletin  of  Labor,  No.  41,  pp.  807-14. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  93 

United  Order  of  True  Reformers."  The  chief  purpose  of  incorporation  was 
"to  provide  what  is  to  be  known  as  an  endowment  or  mutual  benefit  fund;" 
the  capital  stock  was  "to  be  not  less  than  one  hundred  dollars  nor  more  than 
ten  thousand  dollars,  to  be  divided  into  shares  of  the  value  of  five  dollars 
each  ;  "  the  company  was  to  hold  real  estate  "not  to  exceed  in  value  the  sum 
of  twenty-fiv.e  thousand  dollars;"  the  principal  office  was  "to  be  kept  in  the 
city  of  Richmond,"  and  the  officers  named  in  the  charter  for  the  first  year 
were  Rev.  William  W.  Browne,  Richmond,  Va.,  grand  worthy  master;  Eliza 
Allen,  Petersburg, Va.,  grand  worthy  mistress;  R.  T.  Quarles,  Ashland,  Va., 
grand  worthy  vice-master;  S.  W.  Sutton,  Richmond,  Va.,  grand  worthy 
chaplain  ;  Peter  H.  Woolfolk,  Richmond,  Va.,  grand  worthy  secretary  ;  Robert 
I.  Clarke,  Centralia,  Va.,  grand  worthy  treasurer.  These,  with  six  others,  com- 
posed the  board  of  directors  for  the  first  year.  Thus  the  True  Reformers 
started  on  their  way  as  a  full-fledged  joint  stock  coi'poration  whose  chief  aim 
was  to  provide  a  form  of  what  is  known  as  mutual  beneficial  insurance  for  its 
members.  In  1898  the  charter  was  amended  so  that  a  part  of  section  2  should 
read  as  follows ;  "  The  said  corporation  shall  issue  certificates  of  membership 
to  its  members  and  shall  pay  death  benefits  to  the  heirs,  assigns,  personal  or 
legal  representatives  of  the  deceased  members;"  and  section  4  as  follows: 
"The  real  estate  to  be  held  shall  not  exceed  in  value  the  sum  of  five  hundred 
thousand  ($500,000)  dollars." 

Up  to  December,  1901,  the  last  report  of  the  organization  shows  that  it  had 
paid  in  death  claims  $60(3,000  and  in  sick  dues  $1,500,000  and  that  the  membership 
was  over  50,000,  having  increased  18,000  in  the  preceding  year.  The  increase  in 
twenty  years  from  a  membershiii  of  100  and  a  capital  of  $150  to  a  membership 
of  over  50,000  with  payments  to  members  aggregating  over  $2,000,000,  and  with 
real  estate  aggregating  $223,500  in  value,  constitutes  an  excellent  showing. 

But  it  is  not  the  growth  nor  even  the  existence  of  the  Grand  Fountain  of  the 
True  Reformers  as  a  mutual  insurance  association,  with  its  small  army  of 
employees,  that  causes  it  to  be  considered  here ;  it  is  the  affiliated  by-products, 
to  use  an  industrial  expression,  that  are  of  interest  and  that  may  prove  to  be  of 
great  economic  value  to  the  Negro  race. 

Among-  these  are  a  savings  bank,  a  real  estate  department,  a  news- 
paper, old  folk's  homes,  co-operative  grocery  stores  and  a  hotel. 

11.     Hospitals 

Hospitals  and  careful  nursing  are  sorely  needed  by  Negroes.  As  a 
little  North  Carolina  hospital  reports:  The  hospital  there  has  "had  a 
wonderful  effect  on  the  death  rate  among  our  people  during  the  last 
decade.  The  deaths  used  to  be  three  to  one  when  compared  with  the 
whites,  while  the  colored  population  was  only  about  one-half  as  large 
as  the  white  population.  But  since  we  have  had  the  trained  nurse, 
there  is  a  marked  change." 

In  the  North,  Negroes  are  admitted  to  the  general  hospitals;  in  the 
South  they  have  separate  wards  or  distinct  institutions;  outside  the 
public  hospitals  which  receive  colored  patients  there  are  the  following 
private  hospitals  of  which- this  Conference  has  knowledge: 

Alabama. — Harris  Sanitorium,  Mobile;  Colored  Infirmary,  Eufaula;  Hos: 
pital,  Birmingham  ;  Hospital,  Tuskegee. 
Arkansas. — Colored  Sanatorium,  Little  Rock. 


94 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


District  of  Columbia. — Freedman's  Hospital,  Washington. 

Florida. — Bruster  Hospital,  Faxville. 

Georgia. — Georgia  Infirmai-y,  Savannah;  Charity  Hospital,  Savannah; 
McVickar,  Spelraan  SemiuaryJ  Atlanta;  Lamar  Hospital,  Augusta;  Burrus 
Sanitoriumi  Augusta. 

Indiana. — Colored  Hospital,  care  of  Dr.  Dupee,  Evansville. 

Illinois. — Provident  Hospital, Chicago. 

Kansas.— Douglass  Hospital,  Kansas  City;  Mitchell  Hospital,  Leavenworth. 

Kentucky. — Red  Cross  Hospital,  Covington  ;  Citizens'  National  Hospital, 
Jiouisville;  Louisville  National  Medical  College. 

Missouri. — Provident  Hospital,  St.  Louis. 

Maryland. — Provident  Hospital,  Baltimore. 

Mississippi. — Tougaloo  University  Hospital,  Tougaloo. 

North  Carolina. — Pineharst  Intirmary,  Pinehurst;  Lincoln  Hospital, 
Durham;  St.  Agnes  Hospital,  Raleigh;  State's  Hospital, Winston;  Good  Sa- 
maritan Hospital,  Charlotte;  Shaw  University,  Raleigh. 

New  York. — Colored  Home  and  Hospital,  New  York. 

Ohio. — Colored  Hospital,  Cincinnati;  CoUey's  Hospital,  Cincinnati. 

Pennsylvania. — Douglass  Hospital,  Philadelphia;  Mercy  Hospital,  Phila- 
delphia. 

South  Carolina. — Nurse  Training  School,  Charleston. 

Tennessee. — Hairston  Intirmarj%  Memphis;  Mercy  Hospital,  Nashville; 
Dr.  J.  T.  Wilson's  Infirmary,  Nashville ;  The  Clinic,  Memphis. 

Texas.— Colored  Hospital,  Dallas. 

Virginia. — Richmond  Hospital,  Richmond;  Woman's  Central  League  Hos- 
pital, Richmond. 


NAME 

PLACE 

■a 
c 

2^ 

a  0/ 

.2  ■'• 

a; 
SO 

0)  OJ  b£ 

III 

REMARKS 

fjlncoln  

New  York,  N.Y 

Washington,  D.  C. ... 
Chicago,  111 

1889 

1862 
18!»1 

1896 

18!'6 
1897 

lyol 

3,i:04 

2,918 
•  1,216 

137 

242 

$115,115 
25,234 

12,000 

47 

144 

74 

27 

15 
18 

Old    and    important 

charity  work. 
A  great  war  legacy. 

Freedman's 

Provident 

St.  Agnes 

Douglass 

Hospitals,  etc.... 

Raleigh,  N.  C 

Philadelphia,  Pa 

Charleston,  S.  O 

Augusta,  (ia 

Wlnston-Salem,  N.  0. 
Atlanta,  Ga 

024.51. 
Part   of    St.    Augus- 
tine's school. 

Burrus 

232 
71 

328 

Private. 

Slater 

McVickar 

Part  of  Spelman  Sem. 

Louisville 

Louisville,  Kv 

11 

■12 
83 

Part  of  Nat.  Med.  Col. 

Good  Samaritan 

Provident 

Dixie  

Charlotte,  N."0 

St.  Louis,  Mo 

Hampton,  Va 

1891 

lSi;5 
1891 

1.53 
200 
249 

2,389 
3,083 
11,151 

Affiliated     with    the 

Hampton  Inst. 

Many  of  these  hospitals  have  interesting  histories:  The  Colored 
Hospital  and  Home  of  New  York  was  founded  by  a  relative  of  John  Jay 
and  went  through  the  draft  riots.  The  Freedman's  Hospital  grew  out 
of  the  war.  The  Provident  Hospital  is  one  of  the  best  organized  and 
most  efficient  in  the  country.  It  has  easily  solved  the  color  question, 
admitting  both  white  and  colored  patients  and  employing  white  and 
colored  physicians.  Other  institutions  have  been  less  successful.  The 
Colored  Hospital  and  Home  of  New  York  will  not  allow  Negro  physi- 
cians to  practice  in  it,  nor  will  the  McVickar  Hospital  of  Atlanta  allow 


•  Also  4,953  patients  treated  In  dispensary. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND   PHYSIQUE  95 

them  to  operate,  although  it  is  part  of  a  great  missionary  school  for 
Negroes. 

12.     Medical  Schools 

Tliere  are  at  present  five  medical  schools  for  the  especial  training  of 
Negro  physicians.-  In  order  of  size  and  importance  these  institutions 
are: 

Walden  University. — Meharry  Medical  College.  Founded  1876  at  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.    Endowed,  and  under  care  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Four  buildings:  The  main  building  is  constructed  of  brick,  is  40  feet  wide 
and  (iO  feet  in  length  and  four  stories  in  height  including  the  basement.  The 
ground  floor  is  used  as  laboratories  for  practical  work  in  chemistry ;  the  second 
floor  for  office,  museum  and  dwelling  apartments;  the  third  floor  contains  a 
lecture  room  of  sufficient  size  to  accommodate  100  students,  recitation  room 
and  cabinet  of  materia  medica;  the  fourth  story  is  fltted  for  lecture  room. 

The  Dental  and  Pharmaceutical  Hall,  with  new  laboratory  annex,  contains 
adental  operatory,  two  dental  laboratories  and  a  reading  room  ;  three  rooms 
for  pharmaceutical  work,  laboratory  for  analytical  chemistry;  historical  and 
pathological  laboratory ;  clinical  amphitheatre,  with  waiting  rooms  for  pa- 
tients; recitation  room'and  museum. 

The  new  Meharry  Auditorium  is  located  on  a  lot  north  of  Meharry  College 
and  fronting  on  Maple  street.  It  has  an  extreme  width  of  62  feet,  with  a  length 
of  91  feet.  The  foundation  rests  on  solid  rock.  The  walls  of  the  basement  are 
built  of  stone  and  are  10  feet  in  height. 

Mercy  Hospital,  which  is  located  at  811  South  Cherry  street,  is  a  two-story 
structure  of  12  rooms  and  contains  23  beds,  most  of  which  are  of  the  lates't 
hospital  pattern. 

Courses  of  study :               Kinds  Months  j)er  year  Years 

Medical 7  4 

Dental    ...; 6  4 

Pharmaceutical.  6  3                  ' 

Nurse  training. .  9  2 
Number  of  teachers,  lfO5-10C6,  34. 

Number  of  students.  Medical       Dental  Pharmaceutical  Nurse  training 

1UI5-15)(6 3-iO                 88  3.5  (3 

Number  graduates..          733                74  8.5  15 

Howard  University. — Howard  University  Medical  Department.  Founded 
1867  at  Washington,  D.  C.    Supported  by  the  United  States  government. 
Buildings :    The  Medical  College  and  Freedman's  Hospital. 

Courses  of  study :               Kinds             Months  per  year  Years 

Medical 8  4 

Dental 8  3 

Pharmaceutical.  8  3 

Nurse  training..  9  2 
Number  of  teachers,  H.  . 

Number  of  students.   Medical       Dental  Pharmaceutical  Nurse  training 

Ii0.5-19(i6 147                 31  26 

Graduates,  1900 •.         542               OT  108 

Shaw  University. — Leonard  Medical  School.  Founded  1882  at  Raleigh, 
N.  C.    Supported  by  the  Northern  Baptists. 

Buildings:  The  Leonard  Medical  building  is  on  the  site  donated  by  the 
North  Carolina  legislature.  This  building  contains  the  lecture  rooms,  amphi- 
theatre, laboratory,  dissecting  rooms,  etc.,  and  has  been  fitted  up  at  some 
expense. 

The  Medical  Dormitory  contains  rooms  to  accommodate  60  students. 

A  hospital  building  containing  three  wards  affords  the  students  clinical 
instruction. 

A  dispensary  has  been  completed  and  is  in  operation.  It  has  two  rooms,  one 
in  which  to  receive  students,  the  other  in  which  to  make  necessary  examina- 
tions. 


96  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Courses  of  study :  Kinds  Months  per  year       Years 

Medical 7  4 

Pharmaceutical.  7  3 

Number  of  teachers,  1905-15)06, 12. 

Number  of  students,   Medical     Pharmaceutical 

lSi05-1906 147  ai 

Number  of  graduates        236  64 

New  Orleans  University,  Flint  Medical  College.  Founded  1889  at  New 
Orleans,  La.    Supported  by  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Buildings :  The  building  has  a  front  of  22  feet  and  a  depth  of  114  feet;  it  is 
a  large  three  story  brick  structure.  The  lot  on  which  the  building  stands,  114x 
64  feet,  affording  room  for  an  addition  to  the  building.  The  value  of  the  entire 
property  is  .$110,000. 

Courses  of  study :                Kinds            Months  per  year  Years 

Medical 7  4 

Pharmaceutical.                7  3 

Nurse  training. .                12  2 
Number  teachers,  11. 

Medical     Pharmaceutical  Nurse  training 
Number  students ...  55  13  .  23 

Number  graduates..  73  8  26 

Louisville  National  Medical  College.— Founded  1887  at  Louisville,  Ky. 
Buildings :    The  college  building  is  equipped  with  laboratories  and  modern 
appliances. 

Alumni  Hall  is  a  two  story  brick  building  in  the  rear  of  the  college,  which 
will  be  devoted  to  laboratory  work  in  bacteriology,  histology  and  pathology. 
The  first  floor  will  be  devoted  to  chemistry  and  pharmacy. 

The  hospital  is  well  equipped. 

Courses  of  study :  Kinds  Months  per  year  Years 

Medical 7  4 

Pharmaceutical.  7  3 

Nurse  training..  3 

Number  teachers,  1905-1906,  23. 

Number  of  students,  Medical     Pharmaceutical   Nurse  training 

1905-1906 47  3 

Number  graduates..  83  1  11 

There  was  a  medical  department  at  Knoxville  College,  Tennessee, 
opened  in  1895,  but  it  was  soon  discontinued.     It  liad  two  graduates. 


13.     Physicians 

The  census  reports  the  following  Negro  physicians: 


Their  ages  were : 


1890—  909;  male  794,  female  115. 
1900—1,734;  male  1,574,  female  160. 
Increase  per  cent — 90.7  per  cent. 


1890  1900 

16-24  years 96  95 

25-34      "      264  607 

35-44      "      187  532 

45-54      "      135  257 

55-64      "      Ill  122 

65  and  over 104  105 

Unknown 12  16 

Total    909  1,734 


From  the  Negro  medical  schools  there  were  the  following  living  grad- 
uates at  two  periods,  1895  and  1905: 


NEGRO  HP:ALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 


Negro  Physicians,  1895 


03 
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03 

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Meharry  Medical  College  . 
Howard  University 

'^ 

17 

7 

10 

16 

s 

8 

17 

9 

5 

■il 

55 

910 

H 

1 

9 

9 

2 

2 

2 

11 

1 

2 

12 

54 

1 

2 

•> 

19 

9 

9 

9 

51 

13 

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19 

90 

1 

9 

1 

94 

Other  Colleges* 

Total 

4 

a 

1 

4 

8 

'^ 

1 

1 

1 

9 

-^ 

13 

22 

11 

39 

53 

25 

9 

19 

23 

26 

55 

05 

23 

2 

385 

Negro  Physicians,  1905 


STATES 


Howard     Meharry     Leonard    Louisville 


Flint 


Alabama 

Arizona 

Arkansas  

California 

Colorado 

Dakota 

Delaware 

District  of  Columbia 

Florida 

Georgia 

Illinois 

Indian  Territory 

Indiana  

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentuckj' 

Louisiana 

Maine 

Maryland 

Massachusetts 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

Nebraska 

New  Jersey 

New  Mexico 

New  York 

North  Carolina 

Ohio 

Oklahoma 

Pennsylvania 

Rhode  Island 

South  Carolina 

Tennessee 

Texas 

Vermont " 

Virginia  

Washington   

West  Virginia 

South  America    

Central  America 

British  West  India  Islands. 

South  Africa 

West  Africa 

Nova  Scotia 

Spanish  Honduras 

Unknown 


3 

lit; 

5 
18 
5 
1 
6 
1 
5 
10 


Known  to  be  dead 


344 
? 


10 


11 
111 
71 


48 


579 

72 


1H4 
15 


34 


1 
3 

122 

40 

83 

25 

18 

23 

3 

19 

113 

50 

2 

13 

8 

4 

3 

34 

50 

2 

14 

1 

19 

53 

24 

8 

24 

4 

41 

116 

86 

1 

68 

2 

22 
2 
3 
11 
2 
2 
1 
1 


1252 


•Northern  schools. 


98  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

In  addition  to  these  there  are,  1906,  at  least  213  Negro  graduates  of 
the  Northern  medical  schools  of  the  country. 

A  circular  was  sent  to  all  the  medical  schools  in  the  country,  asking 
if  they  had  Negro  students  or  graduates  and  their  character,  etc.  The 
Southern  schools,  except  those  for  Negroes,  do  not  receive  colored  stu- 
dents, and  most  of  them  simply  stated  this  fact.  Others  replied  as 
follows : 

We  have  never  had  a  Negro  pupil  in  the  Baltimore  Medical  College.    One 
such  pupil  would,  I  am  sure,  be  a  great  injury  to  our  class  on  entering. 
Baltimore,  Md.  Baltimore  Medical  College. 

If  you  are  looking  for  "  niggers  "  go  to  Boston  or  other  "  nigger  "  loving  com- 
munities. 
None,  thank  God !  ! 

None,  by  God,  sir !    And  what's  more,  there  neVer  will  be  any  here. 
St.  Louis,  Mo.  (L.  C.  M.  McElwee,  Dean.) 

The  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  Baltimore  does  not,  never  has, 
and  never  will  admit  Negroes  to  its  lecture  halls  and  work. 

College  ok  Physicians  and  Surgeons. 

There  are  no  niggers  in  this  school  and  there  never  have  been  and  there 
never  will  be  as  long  as  one  stone  of  its  building  remains  upon  another. 

Medical  Department  University  of  Georgia. 

The  Hospital  College  of  Medicine  never  matriculated  a  "coon"  in  all  its 
history  and  never  will  so  long  as  I  am  Dean. 
Hospital  College    of    Medicine,  Medical    Department  of    Central 

University. 

Louisville,  Ky. 


The  practice  of  some  of  the  border  states  varies.  The  following  do  not 
receive  Negroes : 

University  of  Louisville,  Louisville,  Ky. 

Southwestern  Homeopathic  Medical  College,  Louisville,  Ky. 

Baltimore  University  School  of  Medicine,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Universitj'  of  Nashville,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

Barnes  Medical  College,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Woman's  Medical  College,  Baltimore,  Md. 

University  Medical  College,  Columbia,  Mo. 

Hospital  Medical  College,  Memphis,  Tenn. 

A,  M.  Medical  College,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

St.  Louis  University,  Medical  Department,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

St.  Louis  (!ollege  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

University  of  Tennessee,  Department  of  Medicine,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

University  of  Iowa,  Department  of  Medicine,  Keokuk,  la. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 


Medical  College  of  Virginia,  Richmond,  Va. 
Louisville  Medical  College,  Louisville,  Ky. 


The  following  schools  have  never  had  Negro  students;  although  some 
would  admit  them  if  thej'  applied,  others  would  not: 

Johns  Hopkins  University,  Baltimore,  Md. 
Medical  Department,  Willamette  University,  Ore. 
The  Detroit  Homeopathic  College,  Detroit,  Mich. 
Saginaw  Valley  Medical  College,  Saginaw,  Mich. 
Medical  College,  Cincinnati,  O. 
Miami  Medical  College,  Cincinnati,  O. 
The  Medical  Chirurgical  College,  Kansas  City,  Kans. 

College  of  Homeopathic  Medicine  and  Surgery,  University  of  Minnesota,  St. 
Paul,  Minn. 
Sioux  City  College  of  Medicine,  Sioux  City,  la- 
Wisconsin  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 
The  George  Washington  Universitj^,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Medical  Department  Washington  University,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
Medical  Department  of  Oregon,  Portland,  Ore. 
Georgetown  University,  W^ashington,  D.  C. 
The  American  College  of  Medicine  and  Surgery,  Chicago,  111. 
Hahnemann  Medical  College,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 
Milwaukee  Medical  College,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 
Maryland  Medical  College,  Baltimore,  Md. 
Army  Medical  School,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Eclectic  Medical  University,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 
Homeopathic  Medical  College,  Baltimore,  Md. 


These  schools  have  had  Negro  students,  but  no  graduates; 
Starling  Medical  College,  Columbus,  Ohio. 
University  of  Kansas,  Kansas  City,  Kans. 
Medical  College,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 
Colorado  School  of  Medicine,  Boulder,  Colo. 


The  following  schools  reporte.d  students  and  graduates  as  follows; 


100 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


NAME  OF  SCHOOL 


Dartmouth  Medical  School 

Colorado  School  of  Medicine. . 

Medical  College,  Los  Angeles. , 

Cleveland  Homeop.  Med.  Col. 

Medical  Dep.  of  Univ.  of  Pa 

University  of  Kansas 

Starling  Med.  Col.,Columbus,0 

Harvard  Univ.  Medical  School 

Woman's  Medical  Col.  of  Pa. 

University  of  Michigan 

Eclectic  Med.  Inst.,  Cincinnati 

Eclectic  Med.  Col.,  N.  Y.  City  . 

Denver  Gross  Medical  College 

Medico- Chirurglcal  College, 
Philadelphia,  Pa 

Hahneman    Medical   College, 
Philadelphia,  Pa 

Drake   University   College    of 
Medicine,  Des  Moines,  la. . . . 

Cooper  Med. Col.,  San  Francisco 

Medical  Department  of  Colum 
bia  University,  New  York. . . 

College  of  Medicine  and  Surge 
ry,  University  of  Minnesota. 

Hahnemann  Med.  Col.,  Chicago 
"College  of  Physicians  and  Sur 
geons,  San  Francisco 

Physio-Medical  College  of  In 
diana 

Hering  College,  Chicago 

Cornell  Univ.  Med.  Col.,  N.  Y. 

Col.  f)f  Physicians  and  Surgeons 
of  Hamlin  Univ.,  Minneapolis 

Western    Reserve    University, 
Cleveland,  O 

Toledo  Med.  Col.,  Toledo,  O.. . . 

College  of  Medicine,  Syracuse 
University,  New  York  

Denver  Homeopathic  College. 

Long  Island  College  Hospital 

Medical  Department,  Universi 
ty  of  Buffalo,  New  York 

Ohio  Med.  Univ.,  Columbus,  O 

Rush  Medical  College,  Univer- 
sity of  Chicago 

Medical  Department,  Western 
Reserve  University 

Ka  n  sas  Medical  Co  liege  ,Topeka 

Boston    University   School    of 
Medicine 

Ft.  Wayne  College  of  Medicine, 
Ft.Wayne,  Ind 

Detroit  College  of  Medicine 

Homeopathic  Med.  Col.,  N.  Y. . 

Medical    Department  of   Yale 
University,  New  Haven,  Ct. 

Creighton     Medical     College, 
Omaha,  Nel) 

Northwestern  University  Med- 
ical School,  Chicago 

Homeopathic  Department  Un- 
iversity, Michigan 

Albany  Medical  College,  N.  Y. , 

Bennett  Col.  of  Eclectic  Medi- 
cine and  Surgery,  Chicago 


Known  to  be  dead 


Negko 


Students 


In         At 
past     present 


5  or  6 
Several 


Several 
2  or  3 


20 


Several 


Graduates 


5 
0 
0 
12 

26  since  1882 

0 

0 

6 

12 

S 
4 
1 


1 
1 

1 

1 

0 

0 

2 
2 
0 

(?l 

10 
1 


1 

12(7) 


5 

8(?) 


1 

30 

6 

9 

1 

10 

1 
2  or  3 

? 


Rank  of  such  Students 


In 
Character 


Well 


Well 


Well 
Well 


High 


Good 


Excellent 
Honorable 


Fairly 
High 


Average 


In  Alnlitv 


Fair 

Not  so  well 

Well 

Variable 

Variable 

Fair 
Well 
Variable 
Well 

Below  average 

Considerable 

Well 

Moderate 

Variable 

Variable 
Well 

Average 

Average 

A  good  average 

Excellent 


Fair 

Well 

Variable 
Excellent 
Very  well 

Average 
Average 

Very  well 

Fairly  well 
Well 

Fair 

Equal  footing 

Fair 

Well 

Well 

Below  average 

Fair  average 

Fair 

Average 


^^EGRO   HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  101 

A  few  extracts  from  letters  received  from  the  college  officials  follow  : 

University  op  Pennsylvania  : 

The  ability  of  these  [26]  graduates  has  been  quite  variable. 
Harvard: 

I  am  unable  to  state  how  they  rank  in  character,  but  in  ability,  I  should  say 
fair. 
Yale: 

One  of  these  eight  graduates  I  should  rank  as  being  exceptionally  good, and 
the  others  as  about  the  average  of  our  pass  men. 

If  the  colored  men  had  sufficient  means  to  pay  their  way  without  being 
obliged  to  do  work  and  drudgery  for  a  living  through  college,  their  chances 
would  be  much  better. 

Cornell: 

Since  the  opening  of  the  college  in  1898  we  have  had  one  Negro  student,  who 
came  from  the  West  Indies.  He  was  an  excellent  student  but  after  complet- 
ing three  years  died  of  tuberculosis. 

LoN«  Island  College  Hospital: 

These  students  (probably  a  dozen)  have  ranked  very  well  in  character  and 
ability;  occasionally  on  the  honor  rolls. 

Ohio  Medical  University: 

During  the  past  thirteen  years  we  have  graduated  on  an  average  of  one  or 
two  each  year.  I  can  freely  say  that  these  young  men  have  shown  themselves 
to  be  average  students  in  both  character  and  ability,  and  we  have  had  some 
exceptions  in  both  directions. 

I  personally  recall  two  men  as  exceptionally  good  students  and  their  work 
in  the  general  tield  since  graduating  has  been  satisfactory  evidence  of  excel- 
lence as  men  and  representatives  of  their  profession. 

College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  (Medical  Department  of  Colombia 

University): 

The  student  who  is  at  present  in  tjae  college  has  a  very  good  record,  but  the 
[one]  graduate  turned  out  verj'  badly  after  leaving  the  college  and  was  for  a 
time  confined  in  jjrison. 

Northwestern  University: 

The  tAvo  who  will  graduate  next  June,  the  only  colored  men  in  the  senior 

class,  are  above  the  average  of  the  class:  in  fact,  Mr. ranks  about  fourth 

in  the  class. 

The  University  of  Minnesota: 

I  believe  there  is  but  oneiiolored  graduateof  this  medical  school  and  he  was 
one  of  the  best. 

Perhaps,  half  dozen  more  have  made  the  attempt  and  all  have  failed,  being 
mediocre  or  w  orse.    This  is  not  of  record,  but  my  recollection. 

Woman's  Medical  College  of  Pennsylvania: 

The  number  [12]  is  so  small  compared  with  the  total  number  of  alunmje  that 
it  is  not  possible  to  make  intelligent  comparisons. 

University  op  Michigan  {Homeopathic  Department): 

The  only  colored  graduate  in  the  last  ten  years  was  of  the  pure-looking 
African  type ;  was  in  his  classes  one  of  the  best  students  we  have  ever  had. 
Never  got  a  condition,  always  had  his  lessons  and  seemed  to  have  ample 
scientific  grasp. 


102  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Kansas  Medical  College: 

The  answers  to  your  questions  regarding  Negro  graduates  may  be  summed 
in  tlie  description  of  one  student  who  is  now  in  our  graduating  class.  This 
student  ranks  well  in  his  classes  and  in  character.  He  has  been  one  of  our 
best  football  players,  and  is  generally  liked  in  school. 

Rush  Medical  College  {University  o'  Chicarjo): 

During  my  connection  with  the  college,  seventeen  years,  the  colored  stu- 
dents thatwe  had  have  ranked  very  well  in  character  and  ability.  I  am  bound 
to  say,  however,  that  I  think,  as  a  rule,  that  those  persons  in  which  there  is  a 
mixture  of  the  Caucasian  blood  have  ranked  higher  than  those  of  purely 
Negro  descent,  in  that  they  have  had  better  opportunities  for  preparation. 
Kven  in  the  last  two  or  three  years  some  of  our  colored  students  have  been 
obliged  to  drop  out  because  they  felt  themselves  unable  to  keep  up  with  the 
classes.  This  has  been  due,  in  part,  to  the  fact  that  they  were  handicapped  in 
being  obliged  to  do  a  great  deal  of  outside  work  to  earn  a  living,  and  not 
because  they  were  not  as  capable. 

Jefferson  Medical  College  (Philadelphia,  Pa.): 

We  have  five  students  at  present  of  Negro  descent. 

The  character  and  abilitj^  of  these  students  has  been  good. 

As  the  color  is  not  mentioned  in  our  alumni  list,  I  have  no  means  of  identi- 
fying them. 

Western  Pennsylvania  Medical  College  : 

We  have  two  students  and  four  graduates.  They  have  ranked  very  good  in' 
character  and  ability. 

BowDOiN  College  (Maine): 
Have  only  two  graduates.    Fairly  good  in  ability  and  of  good  character. 

In  the  replies  from  three  schools  the  name  of  the  school  was  not 
given  : 

A  New  York  city  medical  school  has  a  graduate  who  ranked  "•  equal " 
to  his  fellows. 

A  Chicago  school  has  eight  students  and  six  graduates.  They  show 
fair  ability. 

Another  Chicago  school  has  one  student,  and  he  is  "first-class." 

We  have,  therefore,  by  this  compilation  1,252  living  physicians  from 
Negro  schools  and  213  from  white  schools,  or  1,465  in  all.  The  census 
figures  recorded  1,734  colored  physicians  in  1900. 

There  is  not  space  in  a  report  like  this  to  say  much  of  the  success  of 
colored  physicians  ;  a  few  specimen  cases  from  letters  of  college  officials 
and  others  are  added  : 

Dr. ,  of  Newport,  R.  I.,  is  the  leading  X-ray  specialist  of  New  England, 

and  has  been  called  in  consultation  by  the  best  practitioners. 

It  may  interest  you  to  know  that  Dr. ,  who  entered  Rush  as  a  graduate 

from  the  University  of  Wisconsin,  and  who  is  now  practicing  in  Maryland, 
stood  at  the  head  of  the  list  when  he  took  the  examination  for  licensure 
before  the  Maryland  State  Board  of  Medical  Examiners.  He  was  in  competi- 
tion with  a  number  of  graduates  from  the  Johns  Hopkins  University  Medical 
School. 


NEGRO  HEALTH   AND  PHYSIQUE  103 

Dr. —  received  letter  from  examiner  in  surgery  (State  Board  of  Penn- 
sylvania), complimentine:  him  on  that  branch  as  being  the  best  examination 
passed  before  the  board  in  surgery  and  anatomy  up  to  that  time;  ijractieed  in 
Philadelphia  for  three  years;  then  entered  University  of  Bishop's  College 
(McGill)  Montreal,  Canada;  graduated  spring,  19()1. 

Went  to  University  of  London,  England,  and  was  attached  to  London  Hos- 
pital for  two  years;  passed  the  examination  of  the  Royal  College  of  Surgery 
of  London  and  is  now  a  M.  R.  C.  S.  (of  England)  and  L.  R.  C.  P.  (of  London). 
To  the  best  of  my  knowlege  it's  the  only  instance  of  these  degrees  held  by  a 
Negro  in  this  country,  and  I  don't  suppose  more  than  a  dozen  whites.  Was 
assistant  at  the  Royal  South  London  Ophthalmic  Hospital  (London,  England,) 
and  also  a  registered  qualified  druggist  (Ph.  G.)  in  Jamaica;  now  practicing  in 
Philadelphia. 

Drs. and ,  of  Barbados,  are  practicing  there  and  are  the  leading- 
homeopathic  physicians  there. 

Dr. had  a  long  and  honorable  career.    He  was  the  first  to  reach  the 

prostrate  form  of  President  Gartield  and  alleviated  his  suffering  when  the 
president  was  shot  in  the  depot  at  Washington.  He  is  given  due  credit  by  the 
biographers,  but  not -as  a  Negro. 

The  first  colored  graduate  of  the  Eclectic  Medical  Institute  (Cincinnati)  was 
a  man  named  Tate.  He  graduated  in  1880  or  1881  and  went  to  Memphis,  Tenn., 
where  he  volunteered  during  the  yellow  fever  epidemic.  Made  a  record  for 
himself  such  as  to  receive  a  medal  from  the  city  government  and  a  handsome 
purse,  but  succumbed  to  the  disease  and  died. 

One  of  the  most  prominent  surgeons  of  the  West  is  a  Chicago  Negro. 
He  was — 

Born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1858,  is  attending  surgeon  to  the  Cook  County  and 
Provident  liospitals  in  Chicago,  and  was  formerly  at  the  head  of  the  Freed- 

man's  Hospital  in  Washington.    In  1893  Dr. operated  upon  a  stab  wound 

of  the  heart  which  had  pierced  the  iiericardium  ;  the  operation  was  successful, 
and  the  patient  was  known  to  be  alive  three  years  afterward.  "Otticial  records 
do  not  give  a  single  title  descriptive  of  suture  of  the  pericardium  or  heart  in 
the  human  subject.  This  being  the  fact,  this  case  is  the  first  successful  or 
unsuccessful  case  of  suture  ever  recorded."  So  said  the  Medical  Record,  of 
March  27,  1897.    The  case  attracted  the  attention  of  the  medical  world,  as  have 

several  other  cases  of  Dr. .    It  was  only  last  svimmer  that  the  Charlotte 

Medical  Journal,  of  North  Carolina,  published  a  violent  article  against  Negro 
physicians,  stating  that  the  formation  of  the  Negro  head  was  such  that  they 
could  never  hope  to  gain  etficiency  in  such  a  profession.  About  the  same  time 
the  editors.  Doctors  Register  and  Montgomery,  were  writing  the  following 
letter  to  Dr. in  blissful  ignorance  of  his  race : 

"We  have  just  read  a  paper  of  yours  entitled  'A  Report  of  Two  Cases  of  Ces- 
arean section  under  Positive  Indications  with  Termination  in  Recovei-y' 
that  was  recently  published  in  Obstetrics.  You  are  an  attractive  writer.  Is  it 
possible  for  us  to  get  you  to  do  a  little  editorial  writing  for  us?"* 

Dr. was  four  years  chief  medical  inspector  in  the  Health  Department 

of  the  city  of  DenvA',  and  was  special  state  inspector  in  contagious  diseases 
1899. 

*  Booklover's  Magazine,  July,  1'j03. 


104  ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Dr. is  pathologist  at  Wesboro  Insane  Hospital,  and  one  of  the  best  men 

in  his  line  of  worlv  in  the  state  of  Massachusetts. 

Curiously  enough  the  first  women  physicians  in  the  South  were  col- 
ored.    Some  examples  follow: 

The  press  in  general  spoke  highly  of  the  brilliant  state  examination  wliieh 
passed  and  the  fact  that  she  was  the  first  woman  to  practice  in  Alabama : 


later  the  local  press  commented  favorably  on  her  ability  as  a  physician. 

I  am  informed  by  the  legal  authorities  that  I  was  the  first  and  at  present 
the  only  woman  pliysiciau  i^racticing  in  Savannah. 

She  graduated  at  the  Woman's  College  of  PhiladeliDhia  and  established  her- 
self at  Columbia,  S.  C, and  was  the  first  woman  iJhysician  in  the  state. 

When  she  first  settled  in  Columbia  there  was  no  hospital  there.  Seeing 
dire  need  of  one  she  opened  her  own  house  as  one  for  a  time — then  she  rented 
a  building  where  she  now  accommodates  thirty  patients  (but  that  is  crowded). 
This  was  the  only  emergency  hospital  in  Columbia.  The  four  railroads  have 
contracts  with  the  hospital  to  care  for  their  employees  when  injured.  She  had 
500  surgical  operations  there  in  two  yeai's.  All  of  the  city  physicians — white — 
affiliate  with  the  management  and  place  their  patients  there,  and  hold  every 
important  consultation  with  her. 

Some  persons  object  to  being  classed  as  ''Negroes"  simply  because 
they  are  of  Negro  descent: 

was  a  colored  physician,  who  recently  died  at .    He  married  a 

white  lady:  two  children  survive.    He  passed  as  for  white;  went  into  white 

society,  was  an  eminent  practitioner  and  on  visiting  staff  at Hospital, 

and  did  not  associate  with  colored  people. 

If  you  wish  to  give  correct  statistics  on  the  subject  j'ou  can  not  include  the 
name  of  one  who  by  93  percent  belongs  to  another  race. 

The  path  of  the  Negro  physician  is  not,  however,  always  smooth.  As 
a  student  he  may  be  rebuffed  even  at  the  larger  colleges  as  this  letter 
illustrates.  It  was  in  answer  to  a  simple  inquiry  as  to  terms  of  admis- 
sion from  a  colored  boy : 

University  or  Pennsylvania, 
Departvfient  of  Medicine. 

Philadelphia,  February  10, 1906. 


Office  of  the  Dean, 

Charles  H.  Frazier,  M.  D. 


Mr.  William  J.  Harvey,  .Jr., 

Atlanta  Baptist  College. 
Dear  Sir: 

Replj'ing  to  your  letter  of  the  5th  instant,  I  am  afraid  that  your  being  col- 
ored would  handicap  you  very  seriously  in  this  institution,  inasmuch  as  in  all 
our  clinical  work  the  students  are  brought  in  close  contact  with  the  patients, 
and  ver  J'  many  patients  object  to  being  examined  by,  or  being  exhibited  before 
colored  students.  Yours  very  truly, 

Chakles  H.  Frazier,  Dean. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  105 

The  colored  physician,  if  successful,  is  in  danger  of  tli^e  mob  in  certain 
sections,  as  this  communication,  dated  December  1,1906,  shows: 

We  were  out  that  evening  at  a  tent  sfl'ow.  The  city  marshal,  who  has  known 
me  from  babyhood,  appointed  me  deputy  marshal  for  the  night.  The  big  show 
had  tiuished  when  I  walked  up  the  aisle  separating  the  two  races  and  asked  a 
young  lady  whom  I  accompanied  there  if  she  desired  to  remain  to  concert. 
She  decided  to  remain.  I  turned  to  pass  out,  when  a  white  man,  who  carries 
the  reputation  of  being  mean  to  Negroes,  ordered  me  to  sit  down.  I  told  him 
that  I  was  not  ready  to  be  seated.  He  then  drew  back  his  stick  and  struck  me. 
I  had  a  stick  and  went  for  him  with  that.  At  my  getting  the  best  with  stick, 
he  drew  his  revolver  and  fired  at  me,  the  ball  taking  effect  in  the  muscular 
part  of  right  arm.  I  attacked  this  white  man  and  when  I  jumped  upon  him 
about  forty  other  whites  pounced  upon  me  with  guus,  knives  and  clubs. 
Through  the  aid  of  some  of  the  whites, I  was  freed  from  the  howling  mob  and 
rushed  to  the  jail.  I  received  some  ugly  bruises  about  the  face  and  head.  I 
asked  a  doctor  whom  I  knew  to  come  up  and  look  after  me.  He  came  and 
before  he  could  dress  even  one  wound  the  sheriff  was  notified  of  a  raging  mob 
of  lawless  white  citizens.  I  asked  the  sheriff  to  let  me  out  of  jail  that  I  might 
have  an  opportunity  to  shuu  the  mob  since  I  felt  sure  he  could  not  protect  me. 
He  granted  my  request  and  guarded  me  to  a  dark  street,  I  had  committed  no 
offense,  neither  had  I  violated  any  law.  It  was  a  matter  of  prejudice  on  the 
part  of  inefficient  doctors  and  poor  worthless  whites.  When  I  got  vut  of  the 
jail  I  decided  once  to  go  to  my  home  and  get  .$500.00  that  I  placed  under  my 
safe  in  my  office  that  afternoon,  but  hearing  the  mob  whoop  down  about  there 
I  continued  out  of  the  city.  I  am  told  that  the  poor  scoundrels  broke  into  my 
house  and  office  and  robbed  them  of  their  valuables,  then  weut  into  the  parlor 
and  made  up  fire  and  completely  destroj^ed  my  household  affairs,  office  and 
office  fixtures,  including  cabinet  with  instruments  worth  at  least  $1,000.00  and 
library  of  books  worth  about  $1,200.00. 

Mv  house  was  worth  about $  I,2(I(>.(M) 

Household  eftects 1,1(K».00 

Office  library  and  fixtures 1,800.00 

Instruments  and  cabinet 1,000.00 

Cash  and  valuables  destroyed 1,5(X).00 

Total  amount $(),l(i(i.00 

Amount  of  insurance 1,.5(K).00 

Total  loss $4,800.00 

My  realty  and  personal  property  I  shall  have  to  sell  at  a  great  sacrifice. 
What  trotibles  me  most  of  all  is  that  there  is  no  remedy  for  such  troubles  to 
Negroes  in  this  section  of  the  country.  Other  Negroes  here  are  even  afraid  to 
express  themselves.  If  they  express  themselves  as  being  against  such,  they 
endanger  their  lives. 

I  must  say  just  here,  if  you  see  any  part  of  this  letter  you  would  like  to  pub- 
lish, do  not  furnish  it  as  coming  directly  from  me,  because  it  might  give  me 
more  trouble. 


106 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


'    14.     Dentists  and  Pharmacists 

The  census  gives  the  foUowino-  details  as  to  dentists: 

1890 120 

1900 212 

Increase 76.5  per  cent. 

Age:  Years  1890  1900 

15-24 a2  45 

25-34 36  i)3 

35-44 25  43 

45-54 13  17 

55-64 10  10 

65  and  over 1  4 

Under 3  0 

120         212 


There  are  no  separate  figures  as  to  pharmacists  in  1900.  In  1890  there 
were  139  retail  "  dealers  in  drugs  and  medicines"  recorded.  This  num- 
ber was  probably  near  300  in  1900.  From  the  colored  medical  schools 
mentioned  above  dentists  and  pharmacists  have  been  graduated  and 
are  located  as  follows : 


Colored  Graduates  in  Dentistry 


NAME  OF  STATE 


Number  of  Gi'aduates 


Hoicard      Meharry 


Total 


Alabama 

Arkansas  

District  of  Columbia 

Florida 

Georgia  

Illinois 

Indian  Territory 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Louisiana  

Maryland 

Massachusetts 

Mississippi 

Missouri    

New  Jersey 

New  York 

North  Carolina 

Ohio 

Pennsylvania 

Rhode  Island 

South  Carolina 

Tennessee 

Texas  

Virginia    

"Wisconsin 

South  America 

West  Indies 

Total 


68 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE 

Colored  Graduates  in  Pharmacy. 


107 


NAME  OF  STATE 

Number  of 

Graduates 

Howard 

Meharry 

Flint 

Leonard 

Louisville 

Total 

1 

1 
2 
1 
50 
2 
7 
1 
1 
1 

12 
8 

"  l" 

3 

16 

5 

California         

2 

3 

4 

District  of  Oolumbla 

50 

Florida    

7 
6 

9 

Georgia 

3 

16 

1 

Illinois      

(i 

2 

9 

1 

1 

7 
3 

1 

Kentucky 

I 

""2"' 

1 

1 

10 

5 

Maryland         

2 
1 

2 
2 
1 

2 

1 
1 
3 
1 
2 
1 
2 
5 
I 
3 
2 

I 

2 

Michigan 

1 

4 
3 

2 

8 

5 

1 

- 

9 

North  Carolina    .       .           ... 

23 

24 

1 

3 

1 

2 

7 
1<5 
2 

""1" 

4 

2 
2 

7 

8 

11 

Tennessee             

20 

Virginia  

14 

1 

2 

5 

2 

West  Indies 

3 

2 

Total 

105 

82 

6 

4<t 

1 

243 

A  colored  dentist  has  been  prominent  in  the  National  Dental  Asso- 
ciation and  was  appointed  at  the  head  of  the  international  dental  clinics 
at  the  St.  Louis  fair.  Southern  men,  however,  learned  that  he  was  col- 
ored and  made  it  so  unpleasant  that  he  resigned.  The  incident  event- 
ually led  to  tlie  formation  of  a  Southern  Dental  Association. 

The  pharmacists  go  mostly  into  colored  drug  stores,  of  which  there 
are  some  200.    We  have  record  of  the  following  by  states: 


Alabama 10 

Arkansas 8 

Colorado 4 

District  of  Columbia  . .  14 

Florida 16 

Georgia 21 

Illinois 6 

Indiana 1 

lovya 2 

Indian  Territory 4       Ohio 3 


DRUG  STORES 

Kansas 5 

Kentucky 7 

Louisiana 1 

Mississippi 2 

Missouri  8 

Maryland 2 

Massachusetts 4 

North  Carolina 10 

Ne\y  York 5 


Pennsylvania 2 

Rhode  Island 1 

South  Carolina 4 

Tennessee 8 

Texas 2 

Virginia 11 

Total 160 


Statistics  of  forty-three  of  these  stores  follow 


108 


ELEVENTH  ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 


PLAC  E 


Year  es- 
tablished 


Capital 


Persons  Devotlng- 


A II  time     Part  time 


Little  Rock,  Ark 

Newport,  Ark 

Portsmouth,  Va 

Pine  Bluff,  Ark 

Helena,  Ark 

Anniston,Ala 

Key  West,  Fla 

Augusta,  Ga 

Atlanta,  Ga 

Sparta,  Ga 

Albany,  Ga 

Columbus,  C4a 

Washington,  D.  O 

Washington,  I).  C 

Washington,  D.  C 

Washington,  D.  C 

M^ashlngton,  1).  C 

Washlngtt)n,  D.  C 

Norfolk,  Va 

Richmond,  Va 

Staunton,  Va 

Roanoke,  Va  

Charleston,  S.  C 

Henderson,  N.  O 

Raleigh,  N.  C 

Jacksonville,  Fla 

Pensacola,  Fla 

Mobile,  Ala 

Mobile,  Ala 

Charleston,  S.C 

Charleston,  S.  0 

Brunswick,  Ga 

Savannah,  Ga 

Boley,  Indian  Territory 

Muskogee,  Indian  Territory 

Topeka,  Kans 

Chicago,  111 

New  Bedford,  Mass 

Baltimore,  Md 

Cincinnati,  Ohio 

St.  Louis,  Mo 

Opellka,  Ala 

Mobile,  Ala 

Total  


1893 
I'.ioe 
1896 
lil04 
1904 
1892 
1904 
1892 
1904 
1905 
1902 
1894 
1903 
1894 
1905 
1894 
1905 
1902 
1905 
1886 
1902 
1894 
1899 
1906 
1904 
1902 
18!:6 
1902 
1905 
18'.!3 
1905 
1903 
1905 

nm 

1905 
1898 
l'.!05 
181.7 
1902 
1904 
1904 
1902 
1902 


f  3,600 
1,843 
5,000 
5,(X)0 
2,5(X) 
10,00(J 
6,OoO 
2,0(K) 
700 
2,500 
1,360 
3,(XK) 

i,;M) 

5,000 
3,000 
3,000 
3,000 
3,000 
1,500 
4,200 
8,{KX) 
3,(XI0 
2,000 
l,aK) 
5,000 
3,000 

8(10 
1,650 

850 
2,000 
5,000 
5.000 
1,000 
2.500 
2,.500 
2,5(K) 
4,0(K) 
3,500 
1.8(10 
3,000 
3,500 
4,500 
6,280 


$139,883 


The  Negro  drug  .stores  of  the  land  represent  probably  an  investment 
of  nearly  $500,000  and  employ  about  800  persons. 
Some  comments  follow : 

Charleston. — This  community  ha.s  a  Negro  population  of  about  35,0(X3  aud 
an  adjacent  Negro  population  coming  here  for  medical  treatment  of  about 
100,000. 

Four  Negro  druggists  including  myself. 

I  fill  about  .3,000  prescriptions  a  year,  not  including  repeats.  General  drug 
business  good  and  increasing.     Bulk  of  my  patronage  from  the  poorer  class. 

Muskogee,  I.  T. — We  are  doing  a  nice  drug  business,  average  sales  about 
one  thousand  (,$1,000)  dollars  a  month. 

Cincinnati,  O. — This  store  was  opened  April,  1904.  The  owner  was  forced  to 
the  wall  October  of  the  same  year.  A  white  druggist  on  the  opposite  corner 
bought  him  out.  I  offered  him  ,$50  more  than  he  gave  for  the  store.  H  e  refused. 
I  went  up  town  and  had  a  Jew  to  buy  him  out  for  less  money. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND   PHYSIQUE  109 

Washington,  D.  C. — Having  started  with  ten  dollars  without  fixtures,  etc., 
since  have  purchased  fixtures,  soda  fountain,  etc.,  with  stock  on  hand  assessed 
at  $1,300.    Store  now  in  debt  |.50. 

Washington,  D.  C. — This  drug  store  is  on  one  of  the  most  popular  business 
thoroughfares  in  the  town,  and  is  well  patronized  by  the  members  of  both 
races. 

Portsmouth,  Va. — I  started  business  with  only  .$16  and  I  went  in  debt  to  get 
my  stock.  I  leased  the  place  where  I  did  business,  paying  $10  per  month. 
Now  I've  purchased  a  corner  lot,  paid  $1,400  for  same.  I  built  on  this  lot  a  two 
story  brick  building  at  a  cost  of  $2,500,  all  paid  for. 

Albany,  Ga. — Present  stock  paid  in  full  $7,000.  Amount  of  dividends  paid 
since  beginning  business  $3,400. 

Little  Rock,  Ark. — First  five  years,  discouraging,  disgusting.  vSecond  five 
years  an  increase  of  confidence  as  the  public  saw  that  it  was  a  permanent  fix- 
ture and  so  many  of  our  people  had  opened  business  on  six  months  trial  and 
quit.    Last  three  years  are  record  breakers. 

Newport,  Ark — The  company  is  composed  of  twenty-six  men  and  women. 
The  colored  people  give  the  store  hearty  support,  and  many  of  the  best  white 
citizens  are  fast  flocking  in. 

Anniston,  Ala. — Wholesale  and  retail  business. 


15.     The  Eleventh  Atlanta  Conference 

The  Eleventh  Atlanta  Conference  convened  at  Ware  chapel,  Atlanta 
University,  Tuesday,  May  29,  1906,  and  carried  out  the  following  pro- 
gramme : 

First  Session,  10  A.  M. 
President  Horace  Bumstead,  presiding. 
Subject:    "Health  of  Students." 
Mortality  in  Cities — Mr.  R.  R.  Wright,  Jr.,  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 

Philadelphia. 
Tuberculosis— Dr.  W.  F.  Penn,  of  Atlanta. 

Special  Session,  11:30  A.  M.  (Room  15) 
A  Talk  to  Boys — Dr.  W.  E.  B.  Du  Bois,  of  Atlanta  University.    ( Open  to  Senior 
Preparatory  boys  and  College  men). 

Second  Session,  3  P.  M. 

Ninth  Annual  Mothers'  Meeting. 

In  charge  of  the  Gate  City  Free  Kindergarten  Association,  Mrs.  John  Hope 
presiding. 

Subject:    "The  Training  of  Children  and  Preventive  Medicine." 
Exhibit  of  Work  and  Exercises : 

Kindergarten  No.  1 — Mrs.  J.  P.  Williamson. 

Kindergarten  No.  2 — Miss  Ola  Perry. 
Child  Training— Mrs.  P.  J.  Bryant. 
Preventive  Medicine — Dr.  A.  G.  Copeland. 


110  ELEVEXTH  A^'LANTA  CONFERENCE 

Third  Session,  8  P.  M. 

President  Horace  Bumstead,  presiding. 

Remarks — President  Bumstead. 

Snbject :    "  Physique,  Health,  etc." 

Tuberculosis — Dr.  S.  P.  Lloyd,  of  Savannah. 

Negro  Physique — Dr.  Franz  Boas,  of  Columbia  University,  New  York. 

Seeing  and  Hearing — Dr.  C.  Y.  Roman,  of  Meharrj^  Medical  College,  Nashville. 

The  final  work  of  the  Conference  was  the  adoption  of  the  following 
resolutions.  The  cominittee  consisted  of  R.  R.Wright,  Jr.,  fellow  of 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania;  Franz  Boas, professor  of  Anthropology, 
of  Columbia  University  ;  and  W.  E.  B.  DuBois,  secretary  of  the  Con- 
ference. 

RESOLUTIONS 

The  Eleventh  Atlanta  Conference  has  made  a  study  of  the  physique, 
health  and  mortality  of  the  Negro  American,  reviewing  the  work  of  the 
first  conference  held  ten  years  ago  and  gathered  some  of  the  availalile 
data  at  hand  today. 

The  Conference  notes  first  an  undoubted  betterment  in  the  health  of 
Negroes:  the  general  death  rate  is  lower,  the  infant  mortality  has 
markedly  decreased,  and  the  number  of  deaths  from  consumption  is 
lessening. 

The  present  death  rate  is  still,  however,  far  too  high  and  the  Confer- 
ence recommends  the  formation  of  local  health  leagues  among  colored 
people  for  the  dissemination  of  better  knowledge  of  sanitation  and  pre- 
ventive medicine.  The  general  organizations  throughout  the  country 
for  bettering  healtii  ought  to  make  special  effort  to  reach  the  colored 
people.  The  health  of  the  whole  country  depends  in  no  little  degree 
upon  the  health  of  Negroes. 

Especial  effort  is  needed  to  stamp  out  consumption.  The  Conference 
calls  for  concerted  action  to  this  end. 

The  Ctniference  does  not  find  any  adequate  scientific  warrant  for  the 
assumption  that  the  Negro  race  is  inferior  to  other  races  in  physical 
build  or  vitality.  The  present  differences  in  mortality  seem  to  be  suffi- 
ciently explained  by  conditions  of  life;  and  physical  measurements 
prove  the  Negro  a  normal  human  being  capable  of  average  human 
accomplishments. 

The  Conference  is  glad  to  learn  of  the  forty  (40)  Negro  hospitals,  the 
two  hundred  (200)  drug  stores,  and  the  fifteen  hundred  (1500)  physi- 
cians, but  points  out  that  with  all  this  advance  the  race  is  in  dire  need 
of  better  hospital  facilities  and  more  medical  advice  and  attention. 

The  Conference  above  all  reiterates  its  well  known  attitude  toward 
this  and  all  other  social  problems:  the  way  to  make  conditions  better 
is  to  study  the  conditions.  And  we  urge  again  the  systematic  study  of 
the  Negro  problems  and  ask  all  aid  and  sympathy  for  the  work  of  this 
Conference  in  such  studj'. 


NEGRO  HEALTH  AND  PHYSIQUE  111 


COMMENTS  OF  THE  PRESS,  1896-1906 


Boston  Transcript,  July  8,  1896: 

Atlanta  University,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  has  undertaken  a  new  and  most  important 
work  for  the  benefit  of  the  colored  people  living  in  cities. 

U.  S.  Bulletin  of  Labor,  May,  1897: 
Great  credit  is  due  to  the  investigators  for  their  work  in  the  investigation. 

Outlook,  Jan.  28, 1898: 

The  report  of  the  third  annual  Conference  is  now  before  us  and  is  a  valuable 
sociological  publication. 

London  Spectator,  March  31, 1900: 

The  future  of  the  Negro  population  of  the  United  States  is  a  problem 
charged  with  such  serious  possibilities  that  any  light  which  can  be  shed  upon 
it  by  an  examination  of  present  conditions  and  tendencies  deserves  a  most 
cordial  welcome.  This  work  is  being  done  with  much  intelligence,  discrimi- 
nation and  assiduity  at  the  instance  and  under  the  inspiration  of  the  Atlanta 
University. 

Manchester  Guardian,  April  26, 1901: 
Careful  studies  of  the  life  of  Negroes  in  the  United  States. 

London  Speaker,  June  22, 1901: 
As  important  and  interesting  as  the  reports  that  have  preceded  it. 

Biblical  World,  July  1, 1901: 

For  anyone  who  wishes  to  understand  this  important  subject  this  pamphlet 
gives  a  vast  amount  of  information  gathered  at  first-hand. 

Hartford  Con  rant,  April  5, 1901: 
Based  upon  painstaking  investigation  of  the  facts. 

Publications  of  the  Southern  History  Association,  Sept.,  1901;  July,  Sept.,  1902; 

Nov.,  1904: 

Most  admirable  investigations  into  this  vast  ethnic  problem. 

A  most  capital  piece  of  work  on  that  mighty  race  question.  ...  It  goes 
without  saying  that  we  have  a  most  competent  study  based  on  careful  histori- 
cal research. 

The  best  scientific  work  on  the  Negro  question  of  the  last  two  or  three 
years. 

The  work  done  under  the  direction  of  the  Atlanta  Conference  is  en- 
titled to  the  respectful  and  thoughtful  consideration  of  every  man  interested 
in  any  aspect  of  the  life  of  the  American  Negro. 


112  ELEVENTH   ATLANTA  CONFERENCE 

Dial,  May  16, 1902: 

These  studies  of  the  N^gro  problem  which  are  being  made  with  so  niuch 
intelligence  by  Atlanta  University  are  of  great  sociological  and  educational 
value,  and  deserve  to  be  widely  examined. 

School  Beview,  June,  1902: 
The  work  of  this  conference  is  constructive  and  merits  hearty  support. 

New  Bedford  Standard,  May  10, 1902: 

An  exceptionally  valuable  study  of  one  of  the  most  important  of  all  the 
problems  connected  with  the  presence  of  the  Negro  race  in  America. 

Outlook,  July  12, 1902: 

Every  year  since  their  organization  in  1S9(J  the  Atlanta  Conferences  have 
published  an  invaluable  report  upon  present  conditions  among   the  Negroes. 

American  Journal  of  Sociology,  May,  1903: 

The  most  exhaustive  study  thus  far  made  of  the  economic  aspects  of  the 
problem. 

Boston  Herald,  Feb.  24, 1903: 

It  is  not  easy  to  estimate  too  highly  the  series  of  yearly  reports  that  are 
coming  from  Atlanta  University  relative  to  the  condition  of  the  Negro  popu- 
lation of  the  country.  They  are  social  studies  that  ti'eat  of  matters  about 
which  there  is  to  be  found  nowhere  else  so  carefully  gathered  and  trustworthy 
information. 

Outlook,  Mar.  7, 1903: 

No  student  of  the  race  problem,  no  person  who  would  either  think  or  speak 
upon  it  intelligently,  can  afford  to  be  ignorant  of  the  facts  brought  out  in  the 
Atlanta  series  of  sociological  studies  of  the  conditions  and  the  progress  of  the 
Negro.' 

Philadelphia  Press,  Mar.  S,  1903: 

The  most  important  study  which  has  been  made  ...  in  which  the  in- 
dustrial condition  of  the  Negro  is  presented  with  an  accuracy  and  minute- 
ness which  has  marked  all  the  issues  which  have  succeeded  the  annual  con- 
ferences held  in  connection  with  the  [Atlanta]  university.. 

South  A  tlantic  Quarterly,  Oct.,  1904: 

They  constitute,  so  far  as  the  reviewer  can  learn,  the  most  important  body 
of  direct  evidence  ever  published  as  to  moral  and  religious  conditions  of  our 
colored  people. 

N.  Y.  Evening  Post,  July  3, 1905: 

The  only  scientific  studies  of  the  Negro  question  being  made  today  are 
those  carried  on  by  Atlanta  University. 

N.  Y.  Observer  Jan.  24,  190?: 

It  is  therefore  with  pleasure  that  we  welcome  a  thoughtful  "Social  Study" 
of  Negro  crime  (particularly  in  Georgia)  prepared  under  the  auspices  of  Atlan- 
ta University,  which  has  already  done  such  good  work  for  society  in  connec- 
tion with  its  nine  "Atlanta  Conferences"  for  the  study  of  pressing  social  prob- 
lems. 


DrACO 

^MPHLET  BINDFD