﻿HOUSING CONDITIONS IN INDIANAPOLIS 



139 



Negroes of the Ohristamore District." The fact was men- 

 tioned in the general disciission of the Christamore district, that 

 two streets in the w^estern part of the district are populated al- 

 most entirely by negroes. A special study of the cards obtaineri 

 in their homes brings ont some interesting facts : 



Total number of families 139 



Normal families 84 60;^ 



Families not normal 55 40^ 



Father dead 25 45.5,'^ 



Mother dead 5 9^' 



Father deserted 15 26^^ 



Mother deserted 6 12^ 



Number of children in 139 families 248 



Average per family 1.7 



In a total of 139 families only tw^o were found where both the 

 man and wife w^ere born in Indianapolis. In 14 families both 

 parents w^ere born in the State of Indiana. One family had come 

 to the city from Cuba and was classified as foreign. In the other 

 122 families either one or both parents were natives of some 

 other states of the Union. 



The Ciuestion is frequently asked ''from ivhere do the negroes 

 come to Indianapolis?" The following table show^s the native 

 state of the 223 adults who are part of the 139 families under 

 consideration : 



Kentucky 123 North Carolina 4 



Tennessee 44 Georgia 2 



Indiana 32 Mississippi 2 



Virginia 9 Pennsylvania 1 



Alabama 5 Illinois 1 



The average length of residence in Indianapolis of the adults 

 is fourteen years. This average is high because a few people 

 were found who had been among the first colored residents of the 

 city. The great majority of the people had been in Indianapolis 

 only five or six years. 



The following table shows the average weekly income and 

 expense of the 139 families : 



11 In order to make a comparison of conditions as we found tliem among the 

 negroes and •vhites, we are giving here the figures secured in the homes of 112 

 negro families on Yandes and Lewis Streets. These negroes have already been 

 counted among the other residents of the district, and the figures secured in their 

 homes make up a part of the general average for the district. 



