The New Deal and race relations Pt.1 Flashcards
1
Q
What was the impact of Southern democrats within the New Deal era?
A
- FDR needed the support from the democrat controlled congress and senate to pass economic reform
- VP was John Garner of Texas (Southern democrat), who had major influence and experience, to prevent upset from Southern Democrats and their dominance over their states
- VP kept such activities as white primaries secure to appease them
- Government rapidly increased in power due to New Deal programs which caused disquiet among many Democrats to the point that many influential figures joined the new deal opposed liberty league
-Conservative manifesto (after the court packing plan) in December 1937 was driven by Josiah Bailey - called for limitation on new deal spending, created an informal alliance between southern democrats and republicans to oppose social and economic reform support for it was gained due to the 1937-38 “roosevelt recession” that was blamed on excess public spending
- Southern democrats kept in power due to securing the white vote using racism - Theodore Bilbo got to the senate due to his plan of using federal funds to deport Black Americans
- Southern Democrats made sure new deal legislation benefited white Americans primarily and that they did not interfere with Jim Crow laws - Meaning FDR’s reforms did not advance rights or stations of Black Americans as he needed their support
- Southern democrats controlled most of the committees in Congress
2
Q
How were Southern democrats able to dominate the period?
A
- Democrat party was united in its support for strong state government over federal involvement, meaning North and South states could differ depending on their views
- Federal government’s responsibility was foreign policy, national defence, interstate crime prevention and interstate commerce/trade
- State governments were responsible for education and law/order
- Democrats were liberal within the Northern states, encompassing many immigrants, while the southern states were dominated by democrats due to negative impacts upon it from republicans during reconstruction
- Gerrymandering was common within the many democratic states
- November 1932 elections democrats secured all former confederate state seats and every senate seat up for election, dominating the federal government
- Committees were dominated by the southern dixiecrats who had been in power since reconstruction, making civil rights legislation extremely difficult to pass (seniority principle)
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3
Q
How was FDR unable to help Black Americans?
A
- Priority was the 25% unemployed population (March 1933)
- FDR needed the support from the democrat controlled congress and senate to pass economic reform
- Southern Democrats made sure new deal legislation benefited white Americans primarily and that they did not interfere with Jim Crow laws - Meaning FDR’s reforms did not advance rights or stations of Black Americans as he needed their support
4
Q
Who was FDR?
A
- November 1932 Franklin Roosevelt (FDR) became president with 57.4% popular vote and over 7 million more votes than Hoover
- FDR needed the support from the democrat controlled congress and senate to pass economic reform
- VP was John Garner of Texas (Southern democrat), who had major influence and experience, to prevent upset from Southern Democrats and their dominance over their states
- VP kept such activities as white primaries secure to appease them
- Government rapidly increased in power due to New Deal programs which caused disquiet among many Democrats to the point that many influential figures joined the new deal opposed liberty league
- FDR’s failed Court packing Plan of 1937 grew opposition greatly as it was a blatant effort for greater political and presidential presence within the institution. FDR claimed the reform would make the institution more efficient but his aim was to pass more New Deal legislation with a Court who would not deem it unconstitutional due to his growth in power
-Conservative manifesto in December 1937 was driven by Josiah Bailey - called for limitation on new deal spending, created an informal alliance between southern democrats and republicans to oppose social and economic reform support for it was gained due to the 1937-38 “roosevelt recession” that was blamed on excess public spending
- Southern Democrats made sure new deal legislation benefited white Americans primarily and that they did not interfere with Jim Crow laws - Meaning FDR’s reforms did not advance rights or stations of Black Americans as he needed their support
5
Q
What were the 2 types of segregation?
A
De Jure
- Legal racism enabled by Jim Crow laws and such decisions as Plessy V Ferguson - mainly governmental
De Facto
- Racism from individuals and businesses
- Formation of segregated ghettos and disadvantaged black communities
6
Q
How did De Jure segregation impact Black Americans?
A
- US Armed forces were racially segregated up until 1948, with White officers in charge of black units
- Separate transportation, public schools, facilities and even telephone booths
- Alabama dictated that no white nurses could work in black men’s wards
- Wyoming outlawed interracial marriage
- Georgia banned interracial sports leagues and white/black men could not eat within the same room of a restaurant
- Restrictions on what housing was available and memberships
7
Q
How were Black voters excluded?
A
- Poll taxes - Black Americans were in poverty across the USA
- Literacy tests - 60% of the black population in Southern states were illiterate
- Grandfather clause overturned in 1915
- Intimidation from the KKK and other white supremacist groups caused deterrence from voting - with racial violence increasing in the 1920s
8
Q
Explain the anti-lynching legislation
A
- Campaign spearheaded by the NAACP (1909)
- Lynching was unconstitutional through the breaking of the right to life and due process under the law (as well as the 14th Amendment as it more often occurred to Black people)
- Lynching had increased after 1882 - Over 3200 Black Americans had been lynched between 1882-1932
- Aggravated economic turmoil caused an increase within FDR’s terms
- Raper’s “The tragedy of lynching” published in 1933 as well as societal changes pressured FDR and his new era of change to encompass civil rights also
- NAACP proposed 2 anti lynching bills in 1933
- May 1934 told Walter White of the NAACP he was unwilling to challenge the power of the dixiecrats saying he needed them to pass legislation to benefit poor and unemployed Americans - FDR remained silent on anti-lynching laws from 1933-41
- Costigan bill January 1934 to add harsher punishments for lynchers and those who failed to apprehend them - lasted a 2 month filibuster in the senate before in June it was adjourned with no vote - reintorduced in 1935 but once again was halted
- Gavagan Bill - multiple attempts at passing, clearing house of reps in 1937 but was defeated by filibusters from Dixiecrats - Southern democrats claimed it would allow Black Americans to rape white women and Edward Cox said it was an attempt to break the South and the white spirit there - reintroduced in 1940 where it was again stopped and the NAACP decided too many resources had been put into this empty effort
9
Q
What was the effect of the AAA on black farmers?
A
Agricultural Adjustment Act 12th May 1933
- idea was to compensate farmers for voluntary cutbacks to stabilise farm prices - $100 million was put towards it
- 1932-1935 farm incomes rose by 58% but did not lead to lower prices for consumers
- Black American farmers did not always benefit as sharecropping was still a predominant aspect 40% of all Black American workers were doing it. Rich white farmers dominated committees set up to distribute funds. 700,000 farms existed but funds went primarily to white farmers on large estates.
- By 1940 200,000 Black farmers were forced off their lands to allow the owners to have the subsidy
- FSA was set up to help tenant farmers and give black farmers a voice within committees but was forced to remove black representation by Dixiecrats
- 1938 second AAA also did little to aid black farmers
10
Q
How did the CCC affect black Americans?
A
- 31st of March 1933 an act allowed the introduction of the Civilian Conservation Corps to provide work experience and a stable temporary income of $30 a week which was sent home to families especially
- By August 275,000 men were house in 1300 CCC camps
- By 1942 3 million had gone through the camps
- engaged in conservation projects etc to teach skills
- 10% of places were reserved for Black Americans and 275,000 out of 3 million were black
- Racial discrimination was rife as in Georgia not 1 black American was chose to attend the camp even though they comprised of 60% of the population in the camps area - placed only offered when funding was threatened by the government
- In Mississippi only 46 Black Americans were picked to attend despite 50% of the population being black
- Fechner head of the CCC issued complete racial segregation of the camps in July 1935 in response to complaints in the South
- Complaints also against all black camps
11
Q
How did the NRA affect Black Americans?
A
NIRA - Naitonal Industrial Recovery Act 1933 - created:
NRA - National recovery administration - To create jobs and raise wages - added a minimum wage of $13 a week
- Congress deliberately ignored unskilled jobs occupied mainly by Black Americans in the codes - In many industries a flat wage increase was introduced, but it disproportionately affected black Americans who already had lower paying jobs
- Industries where Black American women worked were completely ignored
PWA - Public works administration - allocated 3.3 billion towards construction projects for the unemployed
12
Q
How did other new deal legislation affect Black Americans?
A
- trade unions were officially recognised and could bargain for better wages and conditions for members
- Black Americans heavily underrepresented within them: 50,000 out of 3.4 million and many industry unions were not inclusive
13
Q
How did the New deal era affect black Americans?
A
- 1934 Robert Weaver, black American, was appointed as FDR’s special adviser - introduced racial quotas for new housing and workforce
- WPA provided work for 350,000 black Americans every year and its educational programmes taught 250,000 Black Americans to read and skills to 500,000 young
- FSA gave Black Americans in agriculture more voice in committees and provided land, cattle, seed and fertiliser to many communities
14
Q
What did Eleanor Roosevelt do?
A
- Used her role as first lady to regularly advise her husband on aspects of federal policy and championed the position of women and ethnic minorities
- Held 348 conferences where she explained to the press her views on affairs - highlighting young people who faced extreme poverty and lack of opportunity - encouraged citizens to write to her about their problems
- recieved over 300,000 letters and by January 1934 she became aware of much racial violence, poverty and homelessness caused by discrimination
- directed letters around congress and pressured many into inquiring about certain differentials such as wages however her efforts achieved limited success
- Promoted the NAACP’s anti-lynching bills
- Got Mary McLeod into the position of FDR’s special adviser on minority affairs in 1935 who then became the chairperson of the black cabinet in 1936
- Made high profile symbolic gestures such as the Opera house incident in 1939
15
Q
How did the new deal affect Black American voting patterns?
A
- Traditionally voted republican due to Abraham Lincoln etc
- Change in voting patterns appeared in 1934 congressional elections where the first Black democrat was voted into congress in Chicago
- In 1936 the democrats received the majority of Black American votes for FDR as a person rather than the party - democrat vote increased to 49% in Chicago
Major permanent change to democrats following this
- Many immigrants also turned to the democrat party
