An inevitable step forward in anti-Negro prejudice is being taken in
Baltimore, and threatened elsewhere. The colored folk of that city
long ago became dissatisfied with a particularly bad system of alley
homes. They saved their money and purchased nearly the whole length of
Druid Hill avenue--one of the best colored streets in the world. Then
they began to expand into parallel streets, one of which was McCulloh.
They had been told that “money talks,” and that the surest road to
respect in America was financial success. The result was inevitable.
The white people of McCulloh street rose in indignation and are
importuning the City Council to pass an ordinance prohibiting colored
people from “invading” white residential districts, and _vice versa_.
Their argument sounds strong: colored residents bring down the price of
property, therefore get rid of colored residents.
Is this the real logic of the situation? Why do colored people depress
property values? Because of an exaggerated and persistently encouraged
racial prejudice. In the encouragement of such prejudice, Baltimore
and Maryland have particularly sinned. Would not an attempt to allay
prejudice be wiser than laws against thrift?