The Negro at Work in New York City: A Study in Economic ProgressHaynes, George Edmund
History
The Negro at Work in New York City: A Study in Economic Progress
Haynes, George Edmund
African American businesspeople; African Americans -- Employment -- New York (State) -- New York; African Americans -- History
This proprietor said he came to New York leaving paying work behind,
because of tales of high wages in his trade; that at first he answered
advertisements for journeymen but was turned away when they saw he was
a Negro. Finally, he worked as waiter to get money to start for
himself. His first "stand" was in a white neighborhood with white
trade, but when a considerable number of Negro customers began to
frequent his place the neighbors made objections to the landlord, who
would no longer rent him the place. At the time of the interview he
was in a Negro neighborhood and had only four or five white customers.
No. 12. This also was a tailoring firm, started in 1907, which did
mainly cleaning, pressing and repairing ("busheling"). The proprietor
was a Georgian by birth, came to New York six years previously, and
worked as a valet, and as elevator man in an apartment. He employed
one part-time assistant, used for his business the front room, about
12 feet by 14 feet, of an apartment which rented for $25 per month.
His tools and fixtures were valued at $140, and he carried about $75
worth of second-hand clothing in stock. His gross receipts in 1908
were about $800. He kept lists of work done for customers. He had been
in the same line of business for seven years in his native state, and
both times had saved wages to carry out his "desire from a lad up to
do business." About two-thirds of his customers were white, and he
gave credit habitually.
No. 13. This firm for express and moving service was established in
September, 1902, in the same block where found, by a Virginian, who
had lived in New York City fifteen years and who worked as a Pullman
porter before beginning in this line of business. He usually employed
from five to seven men, according to the seasonal trade. He had an
express wagon and two vans, which with the horses were valued at
$1,200. His gross receipts amounted to about $3,100 in 1907, and about
$3,600 in 1908. In keeping accounts both ledger and day-book were
used. The proprietor had run a small grocery in Virginia before coming
to New York, and some of the capital from its sale had been saved and
put into this enterprise. He depended upon white customers for about
two-thirds of his patronage.
No. 14 was a manicurist and hair-dressing firm started by the
proprietress in May, 1903, who had been in New York eleven years in
1909 and who worked at a pocket-book factory before starting into this
venture. She was a native of Virginia. The enterprise was not large
enough for any employees; tools and fixtures were worth about $60, and
hair goods, _etc._, on hand were valued at $75; the front room, about
12 by 14 feet, of the living apartment was used for business purposes.
In 1907 and 1908 the gross receipts averaged about $1,000, which was
mainly fees for manicure and hair-dressing services. This enterprise
was started that the proprietress might "be at home," and a cash trade
almost solely among white people was being developed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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