Negroes of Xenia, Ohio: A Social Study

              THE NEGROES OF XENIA, OHIO:  A SOCIAL STUDY.
\\\   HICIIARI)  K.  AVRTGHT, .FK.. W.  1).
This study of the Nogrocs of Xonia, Ohio, is undertaken on the plan of th(> previous studios of the Xej^roes of Farmvillc, Virginia, (") and of the Negroes of Sandy Sprinjr, Maryhind,('') published by the Depart¬ ment of Labor. Tt is the first of these studies relating to a northern connnunity, and it is hoped that it Mill prove useful in comparison with the other two studies as showing the mode of life of Negroes under somewhat different socrial, political, and ec^onomic conditions. For this studj- Xenia otfei's several advantages which may justly entitle it to 1)0 called typical. It is one of the oldest towns in Ohio, and has a very well-defined group of Negroes settled almost entirely in one section. Tt has a larger proportion of Negroes to the total population than any othcir i)lace of 2,500 inhabitants or more in Ohio; and these Negroes have among them some of the oldest residents of the city, and also some of the most recent immigrants. Here are families of several genei-ations of freedmcn, descendants of runaway slaves, together with the Negi-o of the South who has ventured North for the first time in search of what he thinks is more freedom.
The statistics upon which this study is based were gathered during the months of Ma}' and June, 11)02, and a partial recount was made during the following September.
OKEENE COUNTY, OHIO. (")
Greene County, named for (ron. Nathaniel Greene, the Revolution¬ ary war hero, is bounded on the north by Clark County; on the east by Madison and Fayette counties; on the south by Clinton and Warren counties, and on the west by Montgomery County. It is in the south¬ western part of the State, alxMit midway between Columbus and Cin¬ cinnati, and was one of the first counties provided for by the Ohio legislature in 1803.
The principal features of its topography are the valleys of the Little Miami  River, Beaver  Creek, Csesar's Creek, and   Mad River, into
a Bulletin of the Department of Labor, X"o. 14. & Bulletin of the Department of Labor, No. .32.
cCf. HJHtoryof Greene County, U. S. Dills, 1881; also History of Greene County by RobinHon, 1902, and Howti's Historical ColiectionH of Ohio, 1852. 1006