Introduction 19 



The increase in farms operated by Negroes is greater 

 in Georgia than in any other State. The rural districts of 

 Florida and Arkansas show a faster rate of population in- 

 crease, notwithstanding a slower rate of farm increase than 

 Georgia, because large numbers of rural Negroes in Florida 

 and Arkansas are farm laborers and laborers in turpentining 

 and sawmilling. 



Oklahoma, on the edge of the Cotton Belt, increased 1 14.2 

 per cent in Negro rural population and 107.9 in Negro farms. 

 This was due to the opening of new government lands, and 

 is the most striking instance of the effect of agricultural 

 opportunity on Negro movements. 



The distribution of Negroes in Georgia also makes it an 

 interesting State to study. In general the distribution of 

 Negro population varies with definite geographical belts, and 

 all of the geographical belts of importance in the South, 

 except the delta lands are found in the State. The Blue 

 Ridge and Appalachian Mountains extend into the northern 

 section of the State, the Upper Piedmont Plateau lies just 

 south of the mountains, the Black Belt includes the Lower 

 Piedmont Plateau, extending somewhat past the fall line 

 of the rivers, and south and east of the Black Belt is the 

 Coastal Plain commonly known as the "Flatwoods" or 

 "Wiregrass" region. 4 Within the State counties with all 

 proportions of Negroes to white people are found. The 

 percentage Negro in the total population ranges from less 

 than 5 in some of the mountain counties in the North to 

 over 85 in Lee County. Map II (page 98) shows these 

 sections separated by heavy boundary lines. The white 

 counties, with less than 10 per cent of their total popula- 

 tion Negro, lie in the unproductive mountainous section of 

 the North. The next belt of counties, ranging from 10 to 

 25 per cent in Negro population, represents the Upper Pied- 



*See Atlas of American Agriculture, U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture, 1919, Part V, Page 8. 



