Atlanta Daily World

J. B. Blayton Is Speaker On Omega Achievement Program

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.— "Business is no longer a resort to which Negroes retreat after failing in some other calling," said Mr. J. B. Blayton, who spoke on the Achievement Week program sponsored by the local chapter of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity Sunday, at the Congregational Church. He spoke from the subject Trends In Negro Business.

Mr. Blayton is a distinguished Atlanta businessman and Certified Public Accountant who enjoys a national reputation for his interest in the development of organizations for the promotion of better business among Negroes. In the course of his speech he brought out the change of attitude towards business both by the Negro public and Negro business man.

'Negro public opinion is becoming more and more favorable to the successful operation of the concerns,' he said. He mentioned that there was 'a more tolerant attitude towards Negro business and that it is becoming the responsibility of Negroes to employ one another.'

He pointed out that Negroes in business, from a relative point of view, compared favorably with any of the other groups engaged in commerce in this country.' He warned that Negroes must not be satisfied with this relative position 'because 'his white competitor' inherits advantages which he must achieve.'

By statistics he revealed that only three per cent of Negroes employed are managers and that this 'low business ratio offers unlimited opportunities for those of sufficient training, courage, and industry to penetrate the boundaries.'

In discussing the necessity of Negro business, Mr. Blayton deduced the dire consequence that will come. The success of any one of them (Negro concerns) is indirectly profitable to every Negro in this country.' He said that there is a hidden economic value contained in each package bought from a Negro concern.' Sacrifice for principle of cooperation among Negroes in business and among those who ought to be interested in it, is absolutely necessary.

'Negroes in business are now looking for a new type of leadership. The Negro realizes that he must work to succeed.' He spoke further of the training of Negroes for business.

Mr. Blayton gave a very fine appraisal of the experiments being conducted in Atlanta and told of their endorsement by the United States Department of Commerce which recognized it as an outstanding agency for the improvement of living standards among Negroes, and as an aid in the establishment of what may some day become a self sustained economy.

In conclusion he appealed to the church and other social agencies to join hands with Negro business and industry, and with enlightened public opinion, to the end that this great race of men may not be starved from the face of the earth.'

An open forum was conducted after the conclusion of the speech. Lively interest was shown in the possibility of establishing organizations to achieve results such as revealed in the Atlanta plan in this city.