The Changing Nature of Cities

Question 1

Population Change

Population Growth + Shift

Answer 1

130 million in 1940, 165 million by mid 1950s
Urban areas- 96.5 mil to 124.7 mil (1950-1960)
Rural farms- 23 mi to 13.4 mil (1950-1960)
Many moved to ‘Sun Belt’ cities (Dallas, San Diego, LA)

Question 2

Population Change

Affluence

Answer 2

Not everyone experienced affluence
Median income white- $4,392 to $5,835 (1953 to 1960)
Median income non-white- $2,461 to $3,233 (1953 to 1960)

Question 3

Discrimination

Migration

Answer 3

Black people escaped rural poverty + discrimination by moving to northern cities
12 largest gained 1.8 million non-white residents
By 1960s, cities becoming increasingly segregated- South Bronx + Harlem (NYC)

Question 4

Discrimination

Federal Policy

Answer 4

The Federal Housing Administration supported anti-Jewish and anti-black covenants on suburban redevelopments
Aimed to ensure racial cohesion
Black people forced to live in private rental accomodation- became racial ghettos

Question 5

Discrimination

Redevelopment

Answer 5

Congress authorised construction of 810,000 public housing units + purchased slums for redevelopment in 1949
Nowhere to live for black Americans- couldn’t afford high rent
1949-1959, only 320,000 houses funded from Truman’s Public Housing Act

Question 6

Discrimination

‘Two Societies’

Answer 6

Predominantly non-white inner city, predominantly white suburbs
1951- Cicero, Chicago, several thousand w/c whites drove out sole black family through looting + burning