posted by Josiah Neiderbach

on May 24, 2006

I have been thinking about supplementary ideas that could be added to the website to make it more interesting. Perhaps it would be neat to have a section devoted to the occupations of black Philadelphians around 1900. This might include two detailed things:

1) Description and illustration of what type of work a black laywer, doctor, teacher, shopkeeper, laborer, or servant might each expect to do and with whom they would work.

2) Description of the lifestyles that people employed in each of these occupations might be able to afford given their wages.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to try to track down the specifics of a few individuals who lived in the 7th Ward and try to research their professional or working lives. DuBois mentions that there were several black newspapers being published, they might include mention of some of the more prominent members of the 7th Ward. Problems with this idea might include not being able to look through these specific newspapers and the fact that most members of the black community were probably not written about at all (laborers and servants).

It's just an initial idea, but I thought I would throw it out there. Post suggestions and comments!

Josiah