Evidences of Progress Among Colored People

by G. F. Richings

Mrs. C. Hodges, a colored woman, is holding the position of Deputy Meat Inspector in one of Mr. Armour's large packing houses at Kansas City, Kan.

MRS. M. M. BROWN.

Mrs. M. M. Brown, of Staunton, Va., has a good dressmaking business. She keeps on hand a large stock of ladies' ready-made clothing of all kinds. She owns a splendid building on Main Street. The most of her customers are white.

MISS ELIZABETH B. SLAUGHTER.

MISS E. B. SLAUGHTER.

Miss E. B. Slaughter, of Louisville, Ky., is a young lady who deserves more than passing mention. She is engaged in the millinery business, and has built up a splendid trade among both white and colored patrons. Miss Slaughter learned her trade in the "Armour Institute" at Chicago, Ill., where she, in part, worked her way through that institution. Her store is well and neatly furnished, and she keeps on hand a line of goods that will please the best class of patrons among both races. I regard her work of great interest from the fact that she is one of the first among colored ladies who have made an effort along this line. We publish a splendid picture of Miss Slaughter in this edition in the hope that it, along with this short sketch of her work and success, may inspire some other young lady to start in business of some sort. When colored people, and especially ladies, are engaged in different business enterprises, such as women take up as a means of support, white people will then be compelled to see them not only as cooks and washerwomen, but as business women and competitors. Then, too, when colored ladies can operate successful millinery stores, that in itself will at least have a tendency to make white women engaged in such business treat their colored customers with more consideration. Miss Slaughter is a graduate from the schools of this city. She is very highly respected, and I am sure that the better class of colored ladies are proud of the fact that Louisville has a colored milliner. At Lexington, Ky., Mrs. J. C. Jackson and Mrs. Hathaway have opened a millinery and notion store, and they are meeting with success.

MR. ANDREW HAYDEN.

Andrew Hayden, of Cynthiana, Ky., a blacksmith by trade and an ex-slave, has, by very hard work and good business judgment, built up quite a start in life in the way of good property. He owns, in addition to his residence, which is a beautiful brick structure, several houses, which are rented—one as a business house, and some ten others as dwellings. Mr. Hayden has his own home in the most aristocratic part of the town, and his family are the only colored people on that street. His house is well furnished, and his wife takes great pride in her home. She has a very large and fine collection of house plants, and Mr. Hayden built her a very fine pit to keep them in during the cold weather. He has but little education, but a large stock of good common sense. I regard him as a credit to the town.

PEOPLE'S DRUG STORE.