Chapter 2 - The Quest for Civil rights (1917-1932) Flashcards
what percentage of US did blacks make up in 1917
10%
however 90% of the blacks lived in the south
and over half were impoverished sharecroppers
what did the Jim Crow laws do to black poeple
they were segregated from white people in public places such as schools buses and cafes
what did MLK experience as a child in the south
white friends told he couldn’t play with him
couldn’t by things from white shops and if they did it would be through a side window where no one could see
sit segregated and drink from different water fountains
what did Martin Luther king say about his childhood in the south
made him “determined to hate every white person”
what were used to prevent Black people from voting
very difficult literacy tests and poll taxes - Mostly enforced by the southern sates until the 24th Amendment
what did the inability for black people to vote lead to
all white juries and white law enforcement officials that offered little to no protection from the law for black people
why did lynching increase during the period 1917-32
because the First World War generated greater black self confidence
e.g 1918 - Georgia mob - 11 black men lynched after murder of white farmer
what was the great migration
between the years 1910-70 6 million black people migrated to northern cities such as New York or Chicago where there were greater employment opportunities, no Jim Crow laws and fewer lynchings
how did the migration benefit many black amerians lives
felt like they belonged as there was less segregation and were allowed to vote so had representation and influence
Oscar DePreist was the 1st black alderman and in 1920 became the first black American elected into the US house of representatives in the 20th century
what were the disadvantages of life in the north for black people
racism sometimes made it difficult to obtain employment
and urban accommodation was crowded and expensive
where were Black migrants concentrated in the north
ghettos such as New Yorks, Harlem
ghettos were areas of poor people made up mostly or solely of the same ethnicity
why were black people concentrated into the ghettos
it was where there friends and relations lived
white Americans ensured Black Americans couldn’t live alongside them or have access to white schools
why did the great migration increase racial tensions outside of the south
small Black populations in the north that weren’t perceived to be threatening before began to grow
and as there numbers increased they were increasingly resented
what did Detroits population increase by from 1910-30 due to the great migration
from 5741 in 1910
to 120.066 in 1930
2400% population increase
due to the greta migration what did the membership of the Ku Klux Klan increase by
100,000 in 1921
4 million in 1924
what happened when the soldiers returned from ww1
there were race riots in 25 American cities as they resented black people for scarce jobs and accommodation
what did the American press say had caused the black violence during the riots
communist influence
the Chicago riots
between 1910-1920. 50,000 black Americans moved to Chicago
between 1917-21 58 home made bombs were thrown at homes of black residents who moved into white residential areas
15yr old boy accidental crossed diving line of a beach in Lake Michigan
was stoned white people causing black chicagoans to protest and become arrested
Irish and polish workers supported by the police and military attacked black people
what did the white peoples attack on black people during the Chicago riot result in
2 weeks of riot where 15 white people and 25 black people were killed
500 injured
1000 black homes set on fire
what did the Chicago riots cause the governor of Illinois to call for
desegregation and blamed the riots on
unfair treatment on black people by white law enforces
ghetto living conditions
increasing black race consciousness that developed with urban life
how did WW1 increase race consciousness
French were a lot less racist
German propaganda mocked the president Wilsons claims that Americans were fighting for democracy while black Americans lacked equality
returning black soldiers joined black organisations
what did organisation did most middle class black Americans join
the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP)
what organisation did most railroad porters join
A.Phillip Randolphs trade union for rail road porters established in 1925
what was the most popular black organisation during the 1920’s
Marcus Garvey’s United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA)
what was the difference between the NAACP and the UNIA
NAACP sought integration
UNIA advocated self help, armed self defence, separation of races and black pride
what types of things did Garvey’s newspaper reject
adverts for skin whitening and hair straightening products
how many people were a part of the UNIA by1925
500,000
including macolm little (x) who’s dad was a member and went to many rallies
who was A.Philip Randolph
leading black activist and established the first black union
was behind president Roosevelts establishment of the fair employment practices commission
organised march on Washington 1963
progress in the government during the 1920s
1921 harding made a voluntary plea for greater black opportunities and equality
he and coolidge supported an increase in a number of black American federal government employees and favoured an anti lynching bill but was rejected due to southern white democrat senators in 1922 1923 and 1924
what did Hoover believe about Black people
believed they were of a low mental order
impact the great migration had on the south
some were glad to see what they deemed ineffiecnt and discontented workers move north whilst others feared the loss of cheap labour
some tried persuasion emphasising how goof life in the south weasand offering black workers lower rents and higher wages during periods of Labour shortages
