A last measure of the family and group tie is the care bestowed on the old. From early times Negroes in the United States have established old folks’ homes and have now perhaps a hundred such homes throughout the nation. Our correspondents send these answers to our question concerning the care of the old people.1
Much attention is given. Have old people’s homes here for colored supported by the colored people.
Most of the old people are cared for by relatives, friends, or some charitable institution. Many of them have acquired enough to maintain their own support.
Each family is caring for its old people.
Nothing is being done for the old people by way of caring for them.
A committee of colored citizens have established an Old Folks’ and Orphans’ Home and an attempt is made to care for the old people.
The old people are cared for by the family and city.
There is no organized effort to care for the old people nearer than the city of Birmingham.
Old people who have homes or people who are able to see after them are cared for by their people. As a rule the old people who have not someone to care for them see a very hard time.
Those of the church are seen after.
There are several old people’s homes being provided for and charitable donations for the benefit of the old people.
Poorly cared for old folks’ home. Individuals take good care of aged parents in their respective homes.
The people are very nice in caring for old people. They have a society to help the people, a sick committee to visit and see after them and they take up collections in the church for the old people.
Our home with about six inmates.
Women’s clubs here do a most commendable work in this respect, especially the Dunbar Club.
The churches and a number of benevolent institutions are turning their attentions more and more to this most needed work. Our local church here has a treasury from which it disburses monthly a stipend as to its worthy poor old people. The love and care are growing proportionately in the home and church as the people are being educated to it.
The principal way which I know of for caring for old people is in the various old folks’ homes established throughout the country. Several cared for by contributions from churches and some by local contributions including money and clothing, supplies, etc.
I can point to a good many Old Folks’ Homes started and maintained by colored women. Dozens of cases of young people giving up education and pleasures for aged parents come under my notice annually.
Very little is done along this line. We have an Old Folks’ Home and Orphans’ Home for the care of the aged and distressed but it is poorly provided for as there is no general awakening with interest in the care for the aged.
They are beginning now to reverence old age more and to make provisions for old people.
Very much neglected.
Our Women’s Club and one or two of the churches assist the aged.
Much of it is done by the individual family. Very little organized work for that purpose. One Old Folks’ Home.
There are homes built for old and decrepit people, also charitable hospitals.
There is a home for the aged but few ever go out to be cared for. At present there are no inmates.
Many organizations and the public at large seem to regard it their duty to contribute to this purpose.
Nothing at present is being done along this line. Six years ago a home was started for such but about a year ago was closed for lack of funds.
There is a good one of some ten years’ standing in New Haven.
Home for aged women supported by colored people but no provision made for the aged men.
Ancestral worship is a cult which is not yet affected by our people. In return, for the missionaries of the Gospel sent to them, we hope that China will send to us, who will teach us the meaning of the fifth commandment.
Commendable efforts are made to care for the aged and indigent but much is needed to be done in these matters.
No provision made in this community for the care of old people and no effort being made to that end.
This subject seldom enters into their religion. They do not even take care of their worn-out preachers, but appropriate these funds to suit their own conveniences.
Very little, if any, as yet. There is a plan now on foot in this community that will soon have a comfortable home for the old and helpless.
The old people are cared for in an Old Folks’ Home which is supported by the people here.
A philanthropic association by the name of the Buckingham-Smith Association left considerable cash, stocks, bonds, real estate, etc., all of which is very valuable to the old colored people of St. Augustine. The value exceeds over a half million but it is now in the hands of a white man who gives a small pittance to a few now and then. This gift is worthy of investigation but the colored people here seem afraid to tackle it. The leading whites say that something should be done about it.
They die here before they get old. Notwithstanding, Pensacola has begun to operate an Old Folks’ Home and Orphan Home.
A growing necessity. The white people are saying the Negroes were better cared for in slavery than now. Too much shiftlessness characterize the youths of today. We should wake to our sense of duty.
We have two homes for old people; one dependent upon the general public and the other supported by the Steward A.M.E. Church.
Everybody is in societies which care for them.
There are quite a number of societies that are doing real good work in looking after and caring for the old and needy.
No place for old people supported by the city. The Carter Old Folks’ Home is the only place in the city. It is largely sectarian in its admissions; not wholly so, however, I am told.
The old are pretty well cared for by church and society.
Good. Old Folks’ Homes are being established in many places.
I know of only one place for the care of old people as an institution.
In the homes the old people seem well cared for.
No arrangement is made for them. They are left to individual care of whoever may do for them. A number are cared for by their former white employers.
I know of several homes for the old, both North and South, and I think our race is as generously supporting them as any other race.
We have an Old Folks’ Home.
There seems to be a growing pride in the Old Folks’ Home. The churches are establishing them and the Women’s Clubs as well.
Dependent upon charity; no organized effort.
Cared for as best we can under present conditions. No home for them—yet they do not suffer.
I really believe better efforts would be put forth in this respect if the Negro’s salary was better. His spirit is willing but his pocket weak.
No hospital nor home for the aged and helpless. Lodges and other charitable organizations contribute to the needy.
We have a home for the old and infirm which is fairly well supported by the race.
There are two homes in New Orleans for the old people: “The Lafon” and “Fait Home.” In my home, committees are organized to erect an Old Folks’ Home.
There are many benevolent societies whose mission is the care of the old and helpless. The churches are doing much along this line.
Homes for aged conducted by the M.E. Church and another by Bethel A.M.E. Church. Then there is still another shelter or home for the aged.
Mothers, fathers and relatives are seldom neglected although they are not as well looked after as are the Hebrew parents. This should be looked after.
I know of only one home not conducted under auspices of some church.
They are caring for old people all right in my churches.
An Old Folks’ Home managed by a club of Christian women; nondenominational. They have a small home and a few old people in it.
An Old Folks’ Home is maintained, but it is not at all creditable to the people.
An old and invalid hospital home. In place of the old people going to the poor farm, we get the County Courts to let us have them in the Hospital and give us what it would cost to keep them at the poor farm and we beg the rest of the money necessary.
Little generally done. As individuals, our people are proud and care for their old in a very creditable way. Our people remain young and we have very few real old and helpless people.
A home with limited improvements is being developed in Newark.
In a community so small as this, the number of old people is, of course, not large. There is no “Old Folks’ Home” here; yet, I know of none of the old people here that are not fairly well cared for. The churches here, regardless of color or race, look out for such.
Great interest manifested in the past ten years due, I think, to the fact that white people are gradually withdrawing their support along this line.
Seemingly indifferent except among the colored Catholics and Episcopalians.
Quite dutiful in way of Old Folks’ Home.
I have noted in many places that great care is given the old.
All things considered, I think we are to be commended on the care given. I can call to mind a dozen families who are caring for their aged parents respectfully and not one where their parents are on charity. There are a few of the other kind however.
This duty is performed very largely through the church organizations.
Some commendable enterprises are on foot for caring for the aged which is very commendable for the colored people. The Home for the Aged and Infirm Colored People is located here.
Philadelphia has, perhaps, the best home for old folks in the country. The churches are beginning to provide for their aged.
Satisfactorily met with. Churches and small charitable bodies make provision for the aged. This is a beautiful contrast to the lamentable neglect observed twenty or more years ago and as is met with in uncivilized countries.
The state maintains an institution. Our people have a home in Providence, which is supported in part by contributions from clubs run by leaders of the race.
The lessened number of our old people proportionately now found in poor houses and on the streets as beggars, and as subjects and objects of public charity, convinces me that they are being cared for more successfully by their own relatives than was the case some years ago. Many of the secret societies and charitable orders among our people too, are largely supplementing what is being done in private homes for the support of the aged.
They are establishing and maintaining an Old Folks’ Home.
Not much provision. Even the county does not provide a place for them, although it will appropriate a small sum for their maintenance if they are in some home. Some lodges provide a home for the old and orphans. They are generally very kindly cared for by some member of the family or friend.
In the main, by the various benevolent organizations. There is no special suffering here. All things considered, they are looked after very well.
Nothing systematic. Personal response as occasion calls is most gratifying.
The fraternal and benevolent societies and church organizations are doing much in this direction, the sick and feeble being cared for and the dead being buried.
Greater interest being taken. Old Folks’ Homes being established.
Looked after by various charity clubs but there is not an established institution in the city to care for the aged. That has been and is shamefully neglected.
Outside of societies, there is little care for the aged.
On a whole, there are a few old paupers among our people considering large number of aged Negroes. Fine examples of filial loyalty to aged parents and relatives are not rare.
Must excellent. Now, more than ever, the Negro’s Home is an old folks home as well as an orphan asylum.
In Texas, our people are becoming aroused on this subject. While several meager attempts have been made to help the aged, last week the Baptist Conventions of Texas raised several thousand dollars to construct a building. Ten acres of land paid for here in Houston, Texas.
My observation is that while many old people are neglected, in the majority of cases they are better cared for than formerly.
There is no organized charity but the aged are taken care of by their relatives. I do not know of a single case where an aged or helpless person has been neglected.
I know of numbers of old people who have been helped and cared for. I have in mind also the caring for older parents by the children.
Only family care. No institutions.
A healthy sympathy is growing. The needs are being fairly well looked after through relatives, benevolent societies and the Church.
1. Editor’s note: Based on the content analysis of the data provided for this section, responses were provided for ninety-three persons. Responses were received from respondents living in twenty-three different states and the District of Columbia.