1894 is the same year in which Florida and Ulysses Ridley bought their 1 st home. It was
in Brookline. Thus they became what likely was was the first African American home
owners in town.
Editorial by Florida R. Ridley & Josephine St. Pierre Ridley
from the monthly newspaper they published:
The Women’s Era, v. 1, #9, 1894.
…It is enough to make one's blood boil and to keep one in it perpetual
fighting mood to see not only how law and justice are violated, but rules of
honor and courtesy perverted by Caucasians in dealing with the negro." You
call yourself a Christian, and sell a house in a first-class neighborhood to
colored people." This is the reproach of an estimable Brooklyn lady!
"You a Harvard graduate and an instructor and do a thing like this!" said an
indignant white man to a fellow when he found that his house had been sold
to colored people.
Not only are colored people to be kept out of all desirable trades,
employments, homes and business places, but anyone who assists the poor
wretch to anything desirable is to be denounced.
The difficulty which colored people experience in obtaining property in
Boston is an astonishing revelation to outsiders. Houses are put upon the
market with the almost universal instruction, "Under no consideration to be
sold to darkies." Occasionally there are individuals anxious to realize money
who will sell at a great advance to colored people; then, too, when nobody
else will buy colored people will be welcomed.
The position is absurd. No other class of venders say who shall and shall not
buy their wares. A real estate agent advertises for a purchaser, does not
intimate that anything is necessary but the requisite amount of cash and
then reserves to himself the right to refuse and perhaps insult a colored man
if he chance to apply. However, people get what they want, a fact which
sellers of houses will begin to realize by-and-by; in the meantime, don't let
them in their blind anger put things in a wrong light. A Christian and a
gentleman, a Harvard graduate and instructor can do such a thing as sell a
house to colored people without any loss to honor or discredit to their
standing. On the contrary, the discredit is with any Christian or gentleman or
Harvard graduate who draws the line simply because of color.
in Brookline. Thus they became what likely was was the first African American home
owners in town.
Editorial by Florida R. Ridley & Josephine St. Pierre Ridley
from the monthly newspaper they published:
The Women’s Era, v. 1, #9, 1894.
…It is enough to make one's blood boil and to keep one in it perpetual
fighting mood to see not only how law and justice are violated, but rules of
honor and courtesy perverted by Caucasians in dealing with the negro." You
call yourself a Christian, and sell a house in a first-class neighborhood to
colored people." This is the reproach of an estimable Brooklyn lady!
"You a Harvard graduate and an instructor and do a thing like this!" said an
indignant white man to a fellow when he found that his house had been sold
to colored people.
Not only are colored people to be kept out of all desirable trades,
employments, homes and business places, but anyone who assists the poor
wretch to anything desirable is to be denounced.
The difficulty which colored people experience in obtaining property in
Boston is an astonishing revelation to outsiders. Houses are put upon the
market with the almost universal instruction, "Under no consideration to be
sold to darkies." Occasionally there are individuals anxious to realize money
who will sell at a great advance to colored people; then, too, when nobody
else will buy colored people will be welcomed.
The position is absurd. No other class of venders say who shall and shall not
buy their wares. A real estate agent advertises for a purchaser, does not
intimate that anything is necessary but the requisite amount of cash and
then reserves to himself the right to refuse and perhaps insult a colored man
if he chance to apply. However, people get what they want, a fact which
sellers of houses will begin to realize by-and-by; in the meantime, don't let
them in their blind anger put things in a wrong light. A Christian and a
gentleman, a Harvard graduate and instructor can do such a thing as sell a
house to colored people without any loss to honor or discredit to their
standing. On the contrary, the discredit is with any Christian or gentleman or
Harvard graduate who draws the line simply because of color.