By Norma Higgs
It’s Black History Month and I found an interesting article by Michael B. Boston relative to black history in Niagara Falls. I will leave the history of the movement of the Underground Railroad to others and just give some details following the period 1865 to 1965 that he refers to as I found it interesting and timely.
In 1850 there were 41 blacks residing in Niagara Falls, many of which were escaped slaves. This number increased to 126 the year slaves were emancipated as it was a relatively safe place to reside. They were mainly concentrated in low-skilled jobs such a laborers, servants, drivers and hotel workers. The city was a major tourist attraction and many of the black hotel workers lived in the basement of the hotel. He told the story of the great bell in the Cataract House that summoned the workers when needed during their breaks.
By 1900, 344 blacks were recorded, indicating an increase of over 100 percent for the 10-year period. Construction of the Edward Dean Power Plant tunnel under the city to land below the cataracts was what brought them to the area. Construction of the tunnel began in 1890 and was finished before 1900 and employed workers of many ethnic backgrounds. Italians played a key role in laying the bricks.
Following this construction period, a strong black community was becoming evident.
Baptist religious services were held in Crick’s Hall and a cornerstone for the first black church was laid at its location on 12th Street. The church was called the Second Baptist Church of Niagara Falls and the Rev. Johnson and his wife were well-known leaders in their community. They planned a great celebration to raise funds to pay off the church debt leading off with a parade led by Rev. Johnson with his sword and military uniform and featuring the “Tunnel District Blues Band”. After a reading of the Declaration of Independence and the Emancipation Proclamation, Rev. Johnson gave a patriotic address. The Johnsons probably left the area around 1901, as there are no further records of his presence. During the period from 1906 to 1957, 14 other Baptist churches were founded by members of one established church leaving to form a new one.
Serious racial problems did not exist in Niagara Falls during the Jim Crow era as in the southern states, probably due to the small percentage of the overall population compared to the South where in some places the population made up one-third or more of the total. There was however a sense of unfairness and a feeling of not being part of the mainstream.
By 1920, 19 years after the assassination of President McKinley in Buffalo, 509 blacks were residing in the Falls. The defense industry jobs and the decline of immigrants due to World War I created this increase. This was part of the First Great Migration from the south to northern urban areas due to WWI where an estimated 500,000 blacks left the south to work in northern industries. The 1920 census listed some as factory workers for the first time.
As the population increased, it was decided (after a comprehensive study) to build a special community center for the black community. There were mixed reactions to the idea of separation as one small group noted “it was counterproductive and that blacks and whites should live side by side to work out the destiny of America”.
Following several meetings held to support the creation of the center, strong black community leaders held regular meetings and on March 29, 1929, over a year after the study was completed, the Niagara Community Center was officially organized and located at 511 Erie Ave. The center expanded and moved to 637 Erie where it remained until 1952. The first director was a woman, a Ms. Palmer. John Pollard Sr. became the long time leader at the Center after two years and played a key role in its history and longevity.
The Great Depression had its effect on population growth within the black community and housing conditions were not good. Overcrowding was evident in many of their dwellings and home ownership was among them was practically non-existent. Even during these times, the Niagara Community Center was strong and continued to sponsor activities for youth.
World War II brought on the Second Great Migration. This brought numerous blacks to the north to work in the war industries. Many migrated from Alabama to Niagara Falls during this period. Recruiting agents were sent to the South to entice black labor to work in the local plants, as it was believed they could withstand the intense heat often generated by the manufacturing. Family members would often follow and many industries chartered buses. The wages were better for a factory worker in Niagara Falls than for a teacher in North Carolina.
Racial tensions were not readily detectable but the characterization of blacks and the types of job open to them produced a distinction of a lower caste than other ethnic immigrants. The U.S. census records from 1865 to 1920 support this contention. While there was no racial violence, there were other means to ensure that black residents of Niagara Falls remained on the margins of society.
Housing discrimination was one of the keys and that story will follow next week.
