Occupations of the Negroes

"Occupations of the Negroes" by Henry Gannett is a data-rich exploration into the jobs held by African Americans in the years after the Civil War. Concentrating on information pulled from the 1890 census, the book breaks down where Black Americans were working, revealing that most were in farming or personal service roles, while very few had jobs in professional or skilled trades. Gannett's study points out that more than half of working Black people were farmers by 1890, and many Black women were also working in farming. The study takes a look into how jobs changed depending on where people lived, and it also looks at how many Black people owned their farms and houses, painting a picture of progress along with the difficulties Black communities still faced in gaining economic and social opportunities. In its eessence, the book delivers a detailed statistical view of the ways African Americans made a living in the late 1800s.