African Americans have faced difficult adversities throughout their whole life. During World War I more opportunities began to spring up for the blacks. The south treated blacks with hatred and the African Americans had no freedom. The North seemed to allow more opportunities and freedom for the blacks. This is what started The Great Migration. Through all the struggles the African Americans faced the North seemed like the perfect escape for more opportunities and developing a new society for the blacks
The Great Migration began in 1910 through the 1920's. This period in time was when the north received the most african americans to their land. 300,000 to 1,000,000 moved up North during this era. Blacks living in the South lived a very had life. They were treated like dirt and experienced violence and racial tension just about everyday. The South wanted to have all their control over the blacks so they created things like the grandfather clause, the literacy test, and residency tests to lessen their freedom. It was very hard for blacks to even keep jobs in the South because of the Jim crow act and the competion of the white sharecroppers. This was more of a reason for Blacks to move up North. The Great Migration mechanism between the South and the North was called the "Push vs. the Pull". The South was pushing the South away by their threatening ways of life towards the African Americans. The opportunities and the idea of freedom were pulling the blacks to come to the North. The South and the North viewed the Great Migration negatively. The South needed the African Americans for black labor and farming. The North saw the Blacks as a threat of competition in the labor market as more blacks fled to the North looking for jobs. The Blacks didn't care how anybody viewed them they just wanted to escape the treatment and racial tension of the North.
Many Blacks reached the North and were given the worst jobs that were provided. Many blacks came to the North to live with a family member or friend until they could begin a life of their own. Once WWI began the Europeans couldn't leave Europe so they weren't able to work in the market. This opened up a lot of better jobs for the African Americans. Men were allowed to work with STeel, trucking, puclic transportation and munition. The North was a big improvement for women because during the wa they were able to belong to the work force. It also was a great opportunity for blacks to receive higher wages. These wages were a lot better than they got in the South. Whites were against this movement because they didn't like to be associated with blacks at the same while working. This began more tension for the blacks and the whites. It developed racial tension, exactly what the blacks were trying to escape! Many Blacks had arrived to the city of Chicago in 1919. So many African Americans arrived that they city began to be overcrowded. Other African Americans already located in the city were displeased with the arrival of so many African American. They felt that they were bringing attention to their race and would create trouble. This was the result of the Chicago Race Riot. The riot lasted 13 days arousing lots of tension between the blacks and whites. Houses were burned, many fights broke out, and people killed. Twenty-three Blacks killed and fifteen Whites killed. After the riot one-thousand African Americans were left homeless. This was major news to spread throughout the U.S. Woodrow Wilson had to promote racial harmony.This was a huge wake up call for the Blacks. They felt threatened. The Blacks thought they were avoiding this kind of behavior when they arrived to the North. This began to rise lots of questions for the Blacks. They felt they needed to make a change!
The Blacks began to make a goal for improvement in their society. Many African Americans found their comfort through churches. Many churches would offer food, clothes, and a place to stay for those in need. The Blacks felt like they were developing their own community. The Blacks still faced the racial struggle but they were able to create their own community. It consisted of theater, arts, musicians, and the newspaper. They were able to accomplish these wonderful things with help from the NNACP and the UNIA. Right as the Blacks began to settle and felt a bit of freedom in their life another riot began. A White mob entered the black neighborhood and burned many houses and killed all the African Americans they encountered. Forty Blacks were killed just out of hatred. This put a major dent in the Blacks confidence. They were just beginning a new society and developing new advancements to their community. Many Blacks were devastated by the way they were treated but they were sadly used too it. The Blacks still continued on with confidence and demand to improve their lifestyle. Blacks went through a very rough time yet they still had the motivation to keep working no matter what the consequences.
Blacks suffered for a long period of time and felt the North was their cure, although it wasn't they were still motivated to improve their society. The Blacks suffered a hard life from the past and still struggle with racial conflict today. Our society has made some major improvements and are still working to become better. Looking back from today to the period of WWI we can really see how important it is to keep motivated and believe in yourself.
  |
African Americans packing up to move South primary source  Sources: AVL: "The Great Migration and the Literary Imagination" This source helped me realize what the truggles and job opportunities were like for the blacks. AVL: "Distance traveled during the Great Migration" I used this source to explain where all the blacks traveled during the Great Migration Land of Hope: Chicago I used this source to help explain the reasons why the African Americans wanted to go to the North. Myweb.rollins.edu:"The Great Migration" I used this source to explain the result of the African Americans in the North and how they improved their society. Book.Google.com: "The Great Migration in Historical Perspective" Joe. W. Trotter This source explained the story of the white mob burning and killing the blacks in their neighborhood. American History: Economic and Social Results of the War I used this source to explain the push vs. the pull for the South and the North. Chicago Race Riot of 1919 This source gave me information on the Chicago Race Riot and its causes. |
No comments:
Post a Comment