The strong development of racial consciousness, which has been increasing during the last century and is just beginning to show the first signs of waning, is the gravest obstacle to the progress of the Negro race, as it is an obstacle to the progress of all strongly individualized social groups. The simple presentation of observations, like those given by Miss Ovington, may help us to overcome more quickly that self-centred attitude which can see progress only in the domination of a single type. This investigation was carried on by Miss Ovington under the auspices of the Greenwich House Committee on Social Investigations, of which she was a Fellow.[1] FRANZ BOAS. FOOTNOTE: [1] The Greenwich House Committee on Social Investigations is composed of Edwin R. A. Seligman, Chairman, Franz Boas, Edward T. Devine, Livingston Farrand, Franklin H. Giddings, Henry R. Seager, Vladimir G. Simkhovitch, Secretary. Miss Ovington's is the second publication of the Committee, the first being Mrs. Louise Bolard More's "Wage-Earners' Budgets," published by Henry Holt & Co. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I "UP FROM SLAVERY" 5 II WHERE THE NEGRO LIVES 31 III THE CHILD OF THE TENEMENT 52 IV EARNING A LIVING--MANUAL LABOR AND THE TRADES 75 V EARNING A LIVING--BUSINESS AND THE PROFESSIONS 106 VI THE COLORED WOMAN AS A BREAD WINNER 138 VII RICH AND POOR 170 VIII THE NEGRO AND THE MUNICIPALITY 195 IX CONCLUSION 218 APPENDIX 229 INDEX 233 HALF A MAN INTRODUCTION Six years ago I met a young colored man, a college student recently returned from Germany where he had been engaged in graduate work. He was born, he told me, in one of the Gulf States, and I questioned him as to whether he intended going back to the South to teach. His answer was in the negative. "My father has attained success in his native state," he said, "but when I ceased to be a boy, he advised me to live in the North where my manhood would be respected. He himself cannot continually endure the position in which he is placed, and in the summer he comes North to be a man. No," correcting himself, "to be half a man. A Negro is wholly a man only in Europe."