The Color Line: A Brief in Behalf of the UnbornSmith, William Benjamin
History
The Color Line: A Brief in Behalf of the Unborn
Smith, William Benjamin
African Americans
This increase has been rapid--much more rapid than elsewhere; but he
remains, and must always remain, insignificant. The increase has been
due to immigration, for it is conceded that his natural rate of
increase in the North will not even maintain his numbers. Left to
himself there, he would certainly die out. This immigration will
certainly continue and will actually contribute to the destruction of
the race, as it were by steadily lopping off the extreme boughs of the
tree.
Of the West, nothing need be said. For the South Atlantic and South
Central, the record is as follows:
1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900
S. A., W. 282 331 364 466 560 671
N. 186 206 222 294 326 373
S. C., W. 281 373 423 590 749 982
N. 149 204 220[36] 301 350[37] 419
[36] More probably 260.
[37] More probably 365.
Here we perceive, at once, that the situation on the Atlantic is
unequivocal. The Black tinge is fading away; that population has
exactly doubled itself only in fifty years, while in the South Central
it has doubled in forty years. Compare now the White record in the same
(South Atlantic) regions. Owing to the Civil War, the growth during the
decade 1860-70 was under thirty-five myriads--less than half of the
normal growth; nevertheless, the White population has more than doubled
itself in thirty-five years, from 1865 to 1900. In 1850 there were 397
Blacks to every thousand, in 1900 only 356. The next half century will
see a still further reduction. The White increase, in the last decade,
was 20 per cent.; the Black was only 14.
Coming to the South Central, we find the case equally clear. Here
again, the civil strife amerced the Whites of at least half a decade;
the increase from 1860 to 1870 was only fifty myriads, whereas it
should have been over 100, since it was ninety-two from 1850 to 1860.
Nevertheless, we find that the White number has doubled in twenty-five
years (from 1875 to 1900), but the black in forty (from 1860 to 1900).
From 1850 to 1860 the Black gain was over 40 per cent., the White was
under 34 per cent.; but, for the last decade (1890 to 1900), the Black
gain was 20 per cent., the White about 30 per cent. In the whole half
century, the Blacks have gained 181 per cent.; but the Whites, in spite
of their numerous losses in four years' war, have gained over 249 per
cent. In 1850, of every thousand, 347 were Black; but, in 1900, only
299.
It is demonstrated, then, that in these two focal regions of African
strength not only is that strength relatively decreasing, but it is
decreasing faster and faster. The hour cometh when neither by the ocean
nor by the gulf will it signify more than it does now in Philadelphia
or New York.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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