_dear sir:_ I am writing to you for information concerning a Job I have a wife and 2 children and who so ever my employer may Be I would ask that they may send trancipertation for me and my family and I will pay as i work I am a come laber man my wife is a good launders all So my daughter and My Son is a laber all so I am a railroad mon By trade please aBlige mr ----
Port Arthur, Texas.
_Kind sir:_ inclose you will find Just a word to you in reading the News I found your address and was very glad to see it Kind sir I write you with my hole heart and I do not mean Just to pa.s.s off time my brothers and I are now writing you to please send 2 tickets one for ---- and one for ----
we are Very Well Experence long many lines so long as publice work I am now employed in the largest Company in the south it is the Gulf Refining Co. I have ben Working for them for a number of years Write soon I remain yours very truly.
BEAUMONT, TEXAS, May 7, 1917.
_Dear Sir:_ I see in one of your recent issue of collored men woanted in the North I wish you would help me to get a position in the North I have no trade I have been working for one company eight years and there is no advancement here for me and I would like to come where I can better my condition I woant work and not affraid to work all I wish is a chance to make good. I believe I would like machinist helper or Molder helper. If you can help me in any way it will be highly appreciate hoping to hear from you soon
BEAUMONT, TEXAS, May 8th, 1917.
_Dear Sir:_ I wrote you some time ago, and never received any answer. I learn you can a.s.sist me in bettering my condition. I would like very much to come North. I have no trade but Im a willing worker, and the Job I have now I have had it for eight years and there is no advancement here for me. I can give eight year refference I would like mechinist helper or some thing where I could learn a trade I have a fair education and I wish is a chance I need no transportation Im very well fix financial Im single and 29 years old if you can help me in any way it will be highly appreciate. hoping to hear from you soon.
HOUSTON, TEXAS, April 21, 17.
_Dear Sir:_ As I was looking over your great news paper I would like very mutch to get Some information from you about Comeing to your great City, I have a famile and Can give you good Referns about my Self. I am a Working man and will Prove up to what I say and would be very glad to Know from you, about a Job Allthough I am at work But, If I Could get Something to do I would be very glad to leave the South, as I Read in the Chicago Defender about Some of my Race going north and makeing good.--well I would like to be on the List not with Standing my reputation is all O.K.
I thank you.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA., May 22, 1917.
_Chicago Defender:_ I wish to go North haven got money enuff to come I can do any kind of housework laundress nurse good cook has cook for northen people I am 27 years of age just my self would you kindly inderseed for me a job with some rich white people who would send me a ticket and I pay them back please help me. I am brown skin just meaden size.
NEW ORLEANS, LA., August 27, 1917.
_Dear Sir:_ i am wrighting you for help i haird of you by telling my troble i was told to right you. I wont to come there and work i have ben looking for work here for three month and cand find any i once found a place $1 a week for a 15 year old girl and i did not take that, now you may say how can that be but New Orleans is so haird tell some have to work for food and the only help i have is my mother and she have work 2 week now and she have four children young then me and i am 15teen and she have such a hard time tell she is willing for me to go and if you will sin me a pa.s.s you will not be sorry i am not no lazy girl i am smart i have got very much learning but i can do any work that come to my hand to do i am set here to day worry i could explane it to you i have ben out three time to day and it only 12 oclock.
and if you please sire sine me a pa.s.s, it more thin i am able to tell you how i will thank you i have clothes to bring wenter dress to ware, my grand mama dress me but now she is dead and all i have is my mother now please sire sin me a pa.s.s and you wont be sorry of it and if you right and speake mean please ancer i will be glad of that but if you would sin a pa.s.s i would be so much glader i will work and pay for my pa.s.s if you sin it i am so sorry tell i cant talk like i wont to and if you and your famely dont wont to be worry with me I will stay where i work and will come and see you all and do any think i can for you all from little A---- V---- excuse bad righting.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA., April 29, 1917.
_My dear Sir:_ I take grate pleazer in writing you. as I found in your Chicago Defender this morning where you are secur job for men as I realey diden no if you can get a good job for me as am a woman and a widowe with two girls and would like to no if you can get one for me and the girls. We will do any kind of work and I would like to hear from you at once not any of us has any husbands.
MOSS POINT, MISS., May 5, 1917.
_Dear Sirs:_ Will you please send me in formation towards a first cla.s.s cookeing job or washing job I want a job as soom as you can find one for me also I want a job for three young girls ages 13 to 16 years. Pease oblidge.
NEW ORLEANS, LA., May 7, 1917.
_Gentlemen:_ I read Defender every week and see so much good youre doing for the southern people & would like to know if you do the same for me as I am thinking of coming to Chicago about the first of June, and wants a position. I have very fine references if needed. I am a widow of 28. No children, not a relative living and I can do first cla.s.s work as house maid and dining room or care for invalid ladies. I am honest and neat and refined with a fairly good education. I would like a position where I could live on places because its very trying for a good girl to be out in a large city by self among strangers is why I would like a good home with good people. Trusting to hear from you.
SELMA, ALA., May 19, 1917.
_Dear Sir:_ I am a reader of the Chicago Defender I think it is one of the Most Wonderful Papers of our race printed. Sirs I am writeing to see if You all will please get me a job. And Sir I can wash dishes, wash iron nursing work in groceries and dry good stores. Just any of these I can do. Sir, who so ever you get the job from please tell them to send me a ticket and I will pay them. When I get their as I have not got enough money to pay my way. I am a girl of 17 years old and in the 8 grade at Knox Academy School. But on account of not having money enough I had to stop school. Sir I will thank you all with all my heart. May G.o.d Bless you all. Please answer in return mail.
NATCHEZ, MISS., Oct. 5, 1917.
_Dear Sir:_ Now I am writing you to oblige me to put my application in the papers for me please. I am a body servant or nice house maid. My hair is black and my eyes are black and smooth skin and clear and brown, good teeth and strong and good health and my weight is 136 lb.
CORINTH, MISS., April 30, 1917.
_Dear Sir:_ I am a good cook age 35 years. I can bring my recermendation with me my name is ---- ----. I am in good health so I would like for you to send me a transportation I have got a daughter and baby six months old so she can nurse so I would like to come up there and get a job of some kind I can wait table cook housegirl nurse or do any work I am ready to come just as soon as you send the pa.s.ses to us I want to bring a box of quilts and a trunk of clothes so you please send us the pa.s.ses for me and daughter. Write me at once I am a negro woman. We will leave her Sat. if you send the pa.s.ses if you are not the man please give me some infamation to whom to write to a negro friend.
BILOXI, MISS., April 27, 1917.
_Dear Sir:_ I would like to get in touch with you a pece of advise I am unable to under go hard work as I have a fracture ancle but in the mene time I am able to help my selft a great dele. I am a good cook and can give good recmendation can serve in small famly that has light work, if I could get something in that line I could work my daughters a long with me. She is 21 years and I have a husban all so and he is a fireman and want a positions and too small boy need to be in school now if you all see where there is some open for me that I may be able too better my condission anser at once and we will com as we are in a land of starvaten.
From a willen workin woman. I hope that you will healp me as I want to get out of this land of sufring I no there is som thing that I can do here there is nothing for me to do I may be able to get in some furm where I dont have to stand on my feet all day I dont no just whah but I hope the Lord will find a place now let me here from you all at once.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA., April 28, 1917.
_Kind sir:_ I seen your name in the Chicago Defender I am real anxious to go north I and my family I am a married womon with family my husbon and 3 children my olders boy 15 younger 13 baby 4 my sister 20. I can wash chamber mad dish washer nurse or wash and my boy can work my sister can cook or wash or nurse my husband is a good work and swift to lern we are collored pepel a good family wonts a job with good pepel pleas anser soon
_Kind Sir:_ We have several times read your noted paper and we are delighted with the same because it is a thorough Negro paper.
There is a storm of our people toward the North and especially to your city. We have watched your want ad regularly and we are anxious for location with good families (white) where we can be cared for and do domestic work. We want to engage as cook, nurse and maid. We have had some educational advantages, as we have taught in rural schools for few years but our pay so poor we could not continue. We can furnish testimonial of our honesty and integrity and moral standing. Will you please a.s.sist us in securing places as we are anxious to come but want jobs before we leave. We want to do any kind of honest labor. Our chance here is so poor.
MOBILE, ALA., April 30, 1917.
_Dear Sir:_ I after seeing your jobs advertised in the Defender was moved to write to you for clear information of the ---- ----.
I am a laundress wanting a position in some place where I can get pay for what I do, work here are too scarce to support me necessarily so I humbly wish you to favor me with an early answer stateing the entire nature of the great colored society. Your answer are daily and impatiently expected by your humble servant.
VICKSBURG, MISS., May 7, 1917.
_Dear Sir:_ This comes to say to you will you please inform us of some place of employment. We are working here at starvation wages and some of us are virtually without employment willing to accept any kind of work such as cooking, laundering or as domestics no objection to living in a small town, suburb or country. There are fifteen wants work. You can just write me and I will notify them please let me hear from you at your earliest convenience.
LETTERS ABOUT CLUBS AND GROUPS FOR THE NORTH
SAUK, GA., May 1, 1917.