Results of the classification of December 15, 1917 to September 11, 1918, in respect to colored and white registrants are shown in the following table:
Colored and white classification compared. Number. Percent Percent
of total of
classified. classified.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total colored and white registered:
June 5, 1917, to Sept. 11, 1918 10,640,846 100.00 -----
Total colored registered 1,078,331 10.13 100.00
Class I 556,917 ----- 51.65
Deferred classes 521,414 ----- -----
Total white registered 9,562,515 89.87 100.00
Class I 3,110,659 ----- 32.53
Deferred classes 6,451,856 ----- -----
Percentage accepted for service on calls before Dec. 15, 1917 (report for 1917).
Colored ----- ----- 36.23
White ----- ----- 24.75
It will be seen that a much higher percentage of Negroes were accepted for service than of white men. It is true that enlistments which were permitted white men but denied Negroes, depleted the whites eligible to Class 1 to some extent. Probably there were more Negro delinquents in proportion to their numbers in the south than white delinquents. The conditions under which they lived would account for that. Delinquents, under the regulations, were placed in Class 1. Then there is the undoubted fact that the Negro sought and was granted fewer exemptions on the ground of dependency. Many Negroes in the south, where the rate of pay was low, were put in Class 1 on the ground that their allotment and allowances while in the army, would furnish an equivalent support to their dependents. But whatever the reason, the great fact stands out that a much greater percentage of colored were accepted for service than white men. The following table gives the colored and white inductions by states:
Total colored Colored Colored Per
and white registrants, Percentage inducted Percent of
registrants, June 5, of colored June 5, colored
June 5, 1917, 1917, to and white 1917, to registrants.
to Sept. 11, Sept. 11, registrants. Nov. 11,
1918. 1918. 1918.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States 10,640,846 1,078,331 10.13 367,710 34.10
===================================================================
Alabama 206,210 81,963 39.75 25,874 31.57
Arizona 40,179 295 .73 77 26.10
Arkansas 168,287 51,176 30.4l 17,544 34.28
California 316,302 3,308 1.05 919 27.78
Colorado 91,556 1,103 1.20 317 28.74
Connecticut 174,820 3,524 2.02 941 26.70
Delaware 24,559 3,798 15.46 1,365 35.93
District of Columbia 36,670 11,045 30.12 4,000 36.22
Florida 94,585 39,013 41.25 12,904 33.08
Georgia 260,197 112,593 43.27 34,303 30.47
Idaho 45,478 254 .56 95 37.40
Illinois 707,070 21,816 3.09 8,754 40.13
Indiana 283,731 11,289 3.98 4,579 40.56
Iowa 240,703 2,959 1.23 929 31.40
Kansas 167,266 5,575 3.33 2,127 38.15
Kentucky 215,910 25,850 11.98 11,320 43.79
Louisiana 179,941 76,223 42.36 28,711 37.67
Maine 68,104 163 .24 50 30.67
Maryland 136,501 26,435 19.37 9,212 34.85
Massachusetts 397,698 6,044 1.52 1,200 19.85
Michigan 411,019 6,979 1.70 2,395 34.32
Minnesota 249,291 1,541 .62 511 53.16
Mississippi 157,525 81,548 51.77 24,066 29.51
Missouri 334,902 22,796 6.81 9,219 40.44
Montana 97,073 320 .33 198 61.87
Nebraska 132,107 1,614 1.22 642 39.78
Nevada 12,640 59 .47 26 44.07
New Hampshire 41,694 77 .18 27 35.07
New Jersey 332,671 14,056 4.23 4,863 34.60
New Mexico 37,011 235 .63 51 21.70
New York 1,118,035 25,974 2.32 6,193 23.84
North Carolina 228,459 73,357 32.11 20,082 27.38
North Dakota 72,902 65 .09 87 -----
Ohio 617,001 28,831 4.67 7,861 27.27
Oklahoma 188,156 14,305 7.60 5,694 39.80
Oregon 69,520 144 .21 68 47.22
Pennsylvania 902,469 39,363 4.36 15,392 39.10
Rhode Island 59,006 1,573 2.67 291 18.50
South Carolina 144,660 74,265 51.34 25,798 34.74
South Dakota 65,040 144 .22 62 43.06
Tennessee 213,409 43,735 20.59 17,774 40.64
Texas 460,056 83,671 18.19 31,506 37.65
Utah 46,099 169 .37 77 45.56
Vermont 30,882 63 .20 22 34.92
Virginia 206,072 64,358 31.23 23,541 36.57
Washington 124,125 373 .30 173 46.38
West Virginia 142,144 13,292 9.35 5,492 41.32
Wisconsin 266,219 718 .27 224 31.20
Wyoming 24,892 280 1.12 95 23.93
Alaska 5
Hawaii
Porto Rico
White Percent of White
registrants, colored inductions, Percent
June 5, and June 5, of white
1917, to white 1917, to registrants.
Sept. 11, registrants. Nov. 11,
1918. 1918.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
United States 9,562,515 89.87 2,299,157 24.04
=====================================================
Alabama 124,247 60.25 33,881 27.27
Arizona 39,884 99.27 8,036 20.15
Arkansas 117,111 69.59 31,768 27.13
California 312,994 98.95 60,148 21.13
Colorado 90,453 98.80 22,487 24.86
Connecticut 171,296 97.98 31,598 18.45
Delaware 20,761 84.54 3,628 17.48
District of Columbia 25,625 69.88 5,631 21.97
Florida 55,572 58.75 12,012 21.62
Georgia 147,604 56.73 32,538 32.04
Idaho 45,224 99.44 12,471 27.58
Illinois 685,254 96.91 68,729 24.62
Indiana 272,442 96.02 65,170 23.92
Iowa 237,744 98.77 65,935 27.73
Kansas 161,691 96.67 39,778 21.60
Kentucky 190,060 88.02 47,010 24.60
Louisiana 103,718 57.64 27,494 26.51
Maine 67,941 99.76 15,216 22.40
Maryland 110,066 80.63 24,655 22.40
Massachusetts 391,654 98.48 75,367 19.24
Michigan 404,040 98.30 94,085 23.29
Minnesota 247,750 99.38 73,169 29.53
Mississippi 75,977 48.23 19,296 25.40
Missouri 312,106 93.19 83,624 26.79
Montana 96,753 99.67 27,142 28.O5
Nebraska 130,493 98.78 29,165 22.35
Nevada 12,581 99.53 8,138 24.94
New Hampshire 41,617 99.82 8,377 20.13
New Jersey 318,615 95.77 66,527 20.88
New Mexico 36,776 99.37 8,811 23.96
New York 1,092,061 97.68 247,396 22.65
North Carolina 155,102 67.89 38,359 24.73
North Dakota 72,837 99.91 18,508 25.41
Ohio 568,170 95.83 130,287 22.15
Oklahoma 173,851 92.40 59,247 34.08
Oregon 69,376 99.79 16,090 23.19
Pennsylvania 863,106 95.64 185,819 21.53
Rhode Island 57,433 97.33 10,885 18.95
South Carolina 70,395 48.66 18,261 25.94
South Dakota 64,896 99.78 21,193 32.66
Tennessee 169,674 79.51 42,104 24.81
Texas 376,385 81.81 85,889 22.82
Utah 45,93O 99.63 10,711 23.32
Vermont 30,819 99.80 6,607 21.44
Virginia 141,714 68.77 34,796 24.55
Washington 123,752 99.70 28,513 23.04
West Virginia 128,852 90.65 39,863 30.94
Wisconsin 265,501 99.73 70,758 26.65
Wyoming 24,612 98.88 7,828 31.81
Alaska 1,957
Hawaii 5,406
Porto Rico 15,734
Further light on the question of more Negroes in proportion to their numbers being selected for service than white men, is found in a comparison of the Negroes and whites rejected for physical reasons. The following table gives the figures for the period between December 15, 1917 and September 11, 1918:
Colored and white physical rejections compared. Number. Percent of Percent of
examined partial
disqualifications.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, colored and white examined Dec. 15, 1917,
to Sept. 11, 1918 3,208,446 100.00 -----
Group A 2,259,027 70.41 -----
Disqualified partly or totally 949,419 ----- 100.00
Group B 88,436 2.76 9.31
Group C 339,377 10.58 35.75
Group D 521,606 16.25 54.94
Total, colored examined 458,838 100.00 -----
Group A 342,277 74.60 -----
Disqualified partly or totally 116,561 ----- 100.00
Group B 9,605 2.09 8.24
Group C 27,474 5.99 23.57
Group D 79,482 17.32 68.19
Total white examined 2,749,608 100.00 -----
Group A 1,916,750 69.71 -----
Disqualified partly or totally 832,858 ----- 100.00
Group B 78,831 2.87 9.47
Group C 311,903 11.34 37.45
Group D 442,124 16.08 53.08
The percentage of Negroes unqualifiedly accepted for service, was 74.60% of the number examined; the white men accepted numbered 69.71% of the number examined. The Negroes it will be seen rated about 5% higher physically than the whites. No better refutation could be desired of the charge, having its inspiration in the vanquished, but unrepentant defenders of Negro slavery, mourning about its dead carcass, that the Negro is deteriorating physically, or that the so-called degenerative influences of civilization affect him in greater degree than they do the white man.