NEGRO IN AMERICA. The first appear ance of the negro in the English colonies in America was in 1019, when a cargo of negro slaves was landed at Jamestown. The scarcity of labor. especially in the Southern colonies, created an increasing denr:uuI for negro :laves; and by 1714 the number had increased to 58. 850 (estimated). The greater purl of these were brought direct from Africa. although con siderable importations from the West Indies took place, and natural contributed an appreciable number. Importation was carried on more extensively in the following half century. the aggregate of negroes in the colonies reaching about 300,000 in 1754. In 1790 the first census found 757.208 in the United States. In the next hundred :years this number was multiplied ten fold. This extraordinary growth in numbers has been due chiefly to natural increase; although importations were considerable up to 1808, when they were prohibited by the Cimstitution. The smuggling in of Africans continued, however, up to the Civil War. Since that time there has some immigration of negroes from the \\ est Indies, not sufficient, however, to affect the truth of the proposition that recent growth in negro population practically represents a natural increase, It is a matter of great importance whether or not the negro population is increasing more rap idly than the white. Table 1. from the Tieclfth Census shows the initialer of negroes in the United States for each decade, from 1790 to 1900, to gether with the percentage of the total popula tion which the negroes represent: It will be seen that the proportion of negroes to the general population has declined for every decade since 1810 except 1870-80; and it is now generally understood that the apparent increase for that decade was the result of faulty enumera tion. It is true that much of the relative crease in white population is to be ascribed to immigration nix.). Nevertheless, it appears that the native white population is increasing faster than the negro population. Thus, for the decade 1590.1900, .the native whites of native parentage increased 15.9 per cent., while the negroes increased IS.] per cent.
Dismint-riox Or NECRo rnITLATION. In the colonial period negroes were found in every col ony, lint. were most numerous in the South, where their services were in greater demand. The abolition of slavery in the North led to greater concentration in the South; and by 1560. out of 4.441.530 in the rnited States. only 226.216 lived in the Northern States. Since the war a consid erable diffusion has taken place. At times it has been feared that a large proportion of the negroes would Clock to the North: but adverse climatic. conditions and the difficulty of competing with white labor hive fon-cd most of the negroes to remain in the South. See Table II. for the distribution of negroes.
It will be that in absolute numbers the negro,: have increased in each of the greater eensiis divisions. lIelatively to the general popti nation, their numbers have increased in the last decade in the North Atlantic division only. See Table Ill.
Georgia had a negro population in 1900 of 1.031.813, _Mississippi 907,630, Alabama 527,307, South Carolina 782.321. Virginia, North Caro lina, Louisiana. and Texas exceeded 600,000. In Alabama the negroes are 45.1 per cent. of the total population; South Carolina, 58.4; Louisi ana, 47.2; Georgia, 46.7; Florida, 43.7. A more detailed statistical study would show a tendency of the negroes to concentrate in limited areas in some of the Southern States. Thus, in rive coun ties of the Vazoo-\lississippi delta, in Mississippi, the negroes form 87.6 per cent. of the total popu
lation.
Ecoxomic OF TILE NEGRO. As a la borer, the negro is capable of the hardest physical toil, and works without difficulty where the hu midity and heat render labor intolerable for the white. He is lacking in stability, and is inclined to roam from one district to another without any satisfactory reason; he is wasteful and careless. requiring constant supervision. These characteristics have largely determined his economic position. As an agricultural labor er the negro is indispensable in the South, more especially in the low, swampy districts, where the white laborer readily succumbs to disease. As a ilomestic servant the negro has proved his usefulness. In manufactures, on the other hand, negro labor is unsatisfactory, since the negro will not remain in a position long enough to develop a high degree of skill. The same defieiency is driving him out of the handicrafts. Under slav ery a large number of negroes were trained in handicrafts, and proved to he valuable workmen after emancipation; but the generation which has risen since slavery has manifested an unwilling ness to enter upon the long period of training necessary for the exercise of the trades. The ten dency toward agricultural labor and personal service is illustrated by the statistics of oven ptions of the Efreenth Census. In 1590, of all negroes in gainful oecupations, 57.2 per cent. were engaged in agriculture. 31.4 per cent. in personal service. 5.6 per cent. in manufactures. 1.7 per cent. in trade and transportation. and 1.1 per cent, in the professions. In the Southern States the proportion engaged in agriculture was great er-64 and 71 per vent. for the South Atlantic and Smith Central divisions respectively.
The ges of the rwgro agricultural laborer in the South usually range from six to ten dol lars a month, with substantial additions in the shape of food, house room. ete. In the busy sea son of the year the day laborer usually receives a far higher wage. A good cotton-picker in the Vazoo-Mississippi delta often earns a dollar and a half a day. Whether wages are high or low, the negro laborer is likely at any Hine to leave his employment, with resulting embarrass ment to the employer. Thence, it is a common practice to let small holdings to negroes, in order that interest in the crop may diminish their mi gratory tendencies. According to the census of 1890, 549,642 'farms' were occupied by negroes, of which only 22 per cent. were owned by their occupants. The tenant farmers sometimes pay a cash rental, but more frequently farm 'on shares.' The landowner furnishes machinery and draught animals, receiving one-half the crop. Frequently Ire advances food and other supplies to the tenant, recouping himself out of the tenant's share in the crop.
Whether as tenant or as independent land owner, the negro farmer has not as yet attained a high degree of prosperity. Negligence in the care of his stock and machinery and lack of foresight in the expenditure of his income pre vent him from attaining economic independence. Recent educational movements (see NEGRO EDU CATION) aim to encourage the negro tenant to be come a landowner, and to teach him how to util ize his land to the best advantage. The great mass of the negro farmers have not yet been affected by such influences.
In the North the negro manifests a tendency to concentrate in the cities, where his economic activities are chiefly confined to personal service and unskilled labor.