100 years ago- Flu epidemic, jim crow, and Black Chicago
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“There Wasn't a Lot of Comforts in Those Days:” African Americans, Public Health, and the 1918 Influenza Epidemic
THE RACIAL INCIDENCE OF INFLUENZA
Tommie Burns, Sr. was 12 years of age when influenza struck his hometown of Lumberton, Mississippi. Recalling his experiences he remarked, “It killed more whites than it did blacks.”65 Several items from black newspapers echoed Burns' view. On October 12, the Defender published a piece from its Atlantic City correspondent, who reported that the town had been dealt a “staggering blow” by influenza but that “among our own population we have had but few cases. . ., and we have had no deaths.” The writer continued, “While in the usual parlance, the town ‘is dead' we are not, so cheer up, we have that much more to be thankful for.”66 On the same day, the Philadelphia Tribune wrote that in West Philadelphia, “hundreds are lying now at the point of death, colored and white” but added, “There seems to be more influenza and deaths among white people than the colored people.”67 The Defender published three items on October 26 that also contended that the influenza epidemic affected African Americans less frequently. One dispatched from Commerce, Texas, noted, “The Spanish influenza is still spreading here. So far no deaths have been reported among our people.” Another from El Paso proclaimed, “The Spanish ‘flu' is still raging in the city among the Mexicans and whites. No fatalities nor serious cases among our people as yet.”68 The third under the headline, “Influenza Spares Race,” maintained that not one African American in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, had contracted the disease.69 On November 1, in a letter in the Baltimore Afro-American, J. Franklin Johnson opined, “As far as the ‘Flu' is concerned the whites have the whole big show to themselves.” “Otherwise,” he continued, “if the “Flu”. .. had bee
THE RACIAL INCIDENCE OF INFLUENZA
Tommie Burns, Sr. was 12 years of age when influenza struck his hometown of Lumberton, Mississippi. Recalling his experiences he remarked, “It killed more whites than it did blacks.”65 Several items from black newspapers echoed Burns' view. On October 12, the Defender published a piece from its Atlantic City correspondent, who reported that the town had been dealt a “staggering blow” by influenza but that “among our own population we have had but few cases. . ., and we have had no deaths.” The writer continued, “While in the usual parlance, the town ‘is dead' we are not, so cheer up, we have that much more to be thankful for.”66 On the same day, the Philadelphia Tribune wrote that in West Philadelphia, “hundreds are lying now at the point of death, colored and white” but added, “There seems to be more influenza and deaths among white people than the colored people.”67 The Defender published three items on October 26 that also contended that the influenza epidemic affected African Americans less frequently. One dispatched from Commerce, Texas, noted, “The Spanish influenza is still spreading here. So far no deaths have been reported among our people.” Another from El Paso proclaimed, “The Spanish ‘flu' is still raging in the city among the Mexicans and whites. No fatalities nor serious cases among our people as yet.”68 The third under the headline, “Influenza Spares Race,” maintained that not one African American in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, had contracted the disease.69 On November 1, in a letter in the Baltimore Afro-American, J. Franklin Johnson opined, “As far as the ‘Flu' is concerned the whites have the whole big show to themselves.” “Otherwise,” he continued, “if the “Flu”. .. had bee
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get these nets
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DrBanneker
Space is the Place
Interesting. I know one famous Black man who lost a sibling to the flu was Charles Drew. His sister died from it when he was a child and that was reportedly what inspired him to enter medicine. I had no idea of the differential incidence (if it is accurate) though.
Just as today, I really wonder how much this has to do with the lack of admixture socially (even in major metropolitan areas like Chicago) in the 19'teens.
Today, black people get Chinese food from chinatown, but i dont know too many that shop there or chill in mahjong parlors of SF. Bet you see cacs though..
Good article. We gonna learn alot about virology in 2020
