It is just as important to know how people live in times of depression as it is in times of plenty. It was the casual suggestion of many that a study of the Negro working class generally, and of the Negroes in the special district investigated, should be postponed until a more normal period. However, it seems even more vital to study any group during the less pleasant times. In the case of this particular survey we find out more of the actual position of the working class Negro than we can in \"normal times\", because while all may seem to live relatively well in boom periods, depression strips away any transitory unreal gains and shows more truly the actual condition of the Negro. This study is undertaken, firstly, because a depression period offers a truer picture of the life and position of such a dynamic, constantly-shifting group as that which includes the average working class Negro. Secondly, because the study of living conditions in time of business prosperity gives only one side of the picture. The ideal, of course, being a constant study covering all phases of the business cycle--an ideal, however, which is virtually impossible. This study should be part of a continued investigation.
","abstract_html":"<p>It is just as important to know how people live in times of depression as it is in times of plenty. It was the casual suggestion of many that a study of the Negro working class generally, and of the Negroes in the special district investigated, should be postponed until a more normal period. However, it seems even more vital to study any group during the less pleasant times. In the case of this particular survey we find out more of the actual position of the working class Negro than we can in "normal times", because while all may seem to live relatively well in boom periods, depression strips away any transitory unreal gains and shows more truly the actual condition of the Negro. This study is undertaken, firstly, because a depression period offers a truer picture of the life and position of such a dynamic, constantly-shifting group as that which includes the average working class Negro. Secondly, because the study of living conditions in time of business prosperity gives only one side of the picture. The ideal, of course, being a constant study covering all phases of the business cycle--an ideal, however, which is virtually impossible. This study should be part of a continued investigation.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Borus, Joseph Berdichevsky"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1932,"date_issued":"1932-06-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1932-06-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:12:08Z","subjects":["St. Louis","St Louis","Saint Louis","STL","Saint Louis (Mo.); African Americans -- Missouri -- Saint Louis -- Economic conditions -- 20th century. African Americans -- Missouri -- Saint Louis -- Social conditions -- 20th century. Cost and standard of living -- Missouri -- Saint Louis -- History -- 20th century.","African American Studies"],"languages":["English (en)"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/etd_restrict/78","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Borus, Joseph Berdichevsky"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["St. Louis","St Louis","Saint Louis","STL","Saint Louis (Mo.); African Americans -- Missouri -- Saint Louis -- Economic conditions -- 20th century. African Americans -- Missouri -- Saint Louis -- Social conditions -- 20th century. Cost and standard of living -- Missouri -- Saint Louis -- History -- 20th century.","African American Studies"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English (en)"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/etd_restrict/78"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["It is just as important to know how people live in times of depression as it is in times of plenty. It was the casual suggestion of many that a study of the Negro working class generally, and of the Negroes in the special district investigated, should be postponed until a more normal period. However, it seems even more vital to study any group during the less pleasant times. In the case of this particular survey we find out more of the actual position of the working class Negro than we can in \"normal times\", because while all may seem to live relatively well in boom periods, depression strips away any transitory unreal gains and shows more truly the actual condition of the Negro. This study is undertaken, firstly, because a depression period offers a truer picture of the life and position of such a dynamic, constantly-shifting group as that which includes the average working class Negro. Secondly, because the study of living conditions in time of business prosperity gives only one side of the picture. The ideal, of course, being a constant study covering all phases of the business cycle--an ideal, however, which is virtually impossible. This study should be part of a continued investigation.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Negro Standard of Living in St. Louis"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Borus, Joseph Berdichevsky"],"dc:description.abstract":["It is just as important to know how people live in times of depression as it is in times of plenty. It was the casual suggestion of many that a study of the Negro working class generally, and of the Negroes in the special district investigated, should be postponed until a more normal period. However, it seems even more vital to study any group during the less pleasant times. In the case of this particular survey we find out more of the actual position of the working class Negro than we can in \"normal times\", because while all may seem to live relatively well in boom periods, depression strips away any transitory unreal gains and shows more truly the actual condition of the Negro. This study is undertaken, firstly, because a depression period offers a truer picture of the life and position of such a dynamic, constantly-shifting group as that which includes the average working class Negro. Secondly, because the study of living conditions in time of business prosperity gives only one side of the picture. The ideal, of course, being a constant study covering all phases of the business cycle--an ideal, however, which is virtually impossible. This study should be part of a continued investigation.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/etd_restrict/78"],"dc:language":["English (en)"],"dc:subject":["St. Louis","St Louis","Saint Louis","STL","Saint Louis (Mo.); African Americans -- Missouri -- Saint Louis -- Economic conditions -- 20th century. African Americans -- Missouri -- Saint Louis -- Social conditions -- 20th century. Cost and standard of living -- Missouri -- Saint Louis -- History -- 20th century.","African American Studies"],"dc:title":["The Negro Standard of Living in St. Louis"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:12:08Z"}