Washington—A general movement of Southern negro farmers to Northern industrial centers, where high wages are obtainable, is indicated by a special survey of farming districts in the South made by the Department of Agriculture.
Unprofitable cotton growing, due to boll weevil conditions, unrest among returned negro troops who experienced more attractive living conditions away from farms during and after the war, and the breakdown of the contract labor system are cited in the report, made public today, as contributory causes of the migration.
Approximately 13 per cent or 32,000 of the total number of negro farm-hands in Georgia is estimated to have moved North during the last 12 months, and the movement continues, although crops for the present season are already started.
A large abandonment of acreage is reported, and the labor shortage is expected to be a major factor in limiting acreage this season. The situation in Georgia is declared to be much worse than that prevailing generally.
From South Carolina about 22,750 negro farmers, or about 3 per cent of the total negro farm population, have departed.
The movement from Florida is estimated at about 2 per cent on negroes living in or near farming communities.
Alabama reports that approximately 3 ½ per cent of its negro farmers have moved North since the last crop season.
Arkansas shows a movement of about 15,000 negro farmers, or about 3 ½ per cent of the negro farm population.
Movement from Kentucky has been very small, and from Missouri, North Carolina and Oklahoma no migration is reported.
Louisiana reports an exodus of about 1 per cent, Tennessee about 4,500 negro farmers since April, 1922, while in Texas the farm labor situation apparently is not so serious as in the Eastern cotton-growing States.
From the front page of the Concord Daily Tribune, April 25, 1923
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