T1: Racism and the Red Scare

Where were immigrants arriving from?

Initial immigrants: northern Europe (e.g. Germany, Scandinavian countries, 19th century), Mid 19th century: Jews from Eastern Europe, Irish, Italians

Why did people move to USA? 3

Escape poverty, opportunities: more land and immense resources, open door policy: lots of space + need people for jobs

Why were attitudes hardening in 1920s?

Scale of immigration, background of immigrants, jobs, ghettos and poverty, war, isolationist, racism

Why were attitudes hardening in 1920s? Scale of immigration - no. of immigrants

Almost 9 mill immigrants arrived, feared too many immigrants

Why were attitudes hardening in 1920s? Background of immigrants

Different religions, poorer and less educated, brought different languages and customs

Why were attitudes hardening in 1920s? Jobs

Feared new immigrants would compete for jobs, Belief: willingness to work for less would keep wages low

Why were attitudes hardening in 1920s? Ghettos and poverty

Many live in areas of squalor/deprivation, ethnic groups stay together

Why were attitudes hardening in 1920s? War

WW1 --> hostility to migrant communities (mainly Germans), German beer boycotted and German language banned

Why were attitudes hardening in 1920s? Isolationist

Many wanted USA to remain out of foreign affairs/wanted USA to look after itself, Led to restrictions on immigration

Why were attitudes hardening in 1920s? Racism

Racist in attitudes and believed in superiority of WASPs, Believed migrants to be: lazy , inferior, followers of other religions + dangerous politics, Fear --> hate groups (e.g. KKK) --> pressures for quotas on immigrants

What is the Immigration Quota Act + year?

1921 Immigration Quota Act was a quota limit of 357,000/year. It limited the no. of ethnic groups to 3% of no. already in US

What is the National Origins Act + year?

1824 National Origins Act reduced the quota to 150,000/year, Asian immigration was completely stopped

What was the Red Scare?

Period of nationwide fear and hysteria about a likely rise of communism/anarchist in USA

When was the 1st Red Scare?

1917-20: post-Bolshevik Revolution

Describe the Red Scare

Afraid of Russian immigrants/similar ideas, 1919: 400,000 workers went on strike, race riots in 25 towns

List the Palmer Raids

April 1919: bomb in church killed 10 (Milwaukee), May 1919: bombs posted to 36 prominent Americans, June 1919: bombs went off in 7 cities - almost killed Mitchell Palmer (US attorney general)

Affects of the Palmer Raids

Believers of radical political beliefs rounded up - usually immigrants and evidence not that reliable, 1919-20: ~10,000 people informed they were to be deported from US

Describe Sacco and Vanzetti

Crime robbery at a shoe factory and murder of 2 men, prosecution relied heavily on racist/radical beliefs, not much reliable evidence/evidence in general but still convicted

What are Jim Crow Laws?

Name given to the laws which segregated African Americans from white people in society

What is the Ku Klux Klan?

A white supremacist group who used violence and intimidation against African Americans Jews and immigrants

What is a ghetto?

The poorest part of a town/city with the worst housing and amenities

What is lynching?

The violent killing of African Americans by racist groups

Difficulties faced by African Americans

Segregation - Jim Crow Laws in south, difficulty obtaining good housing/well paid jobs in North (ghettoisation of black housing), racial violence (lynchings and police brutality), high rates of conviction

Reasons why African Americans faced problems

Ku Klux Klan - Birth of a Nation, Racist laws meant many couldn't vote

What were the motives for people attacking African Americans?

WASPs - Afraid of white protestant supremacy being lost after abolition of slavery

How did African Americans respond to difficulties from racism?

Migrated north in thousands, Howard University - for black students, Harlem Renaissance: hub of creativity, jazz and art, Langston Hughes, Duke Ellington, Adelaide Hall

NAACP African American Response

Supported Black Civil rights, promoted legal challenges to injustice, 300 branches + ~90,000 members by 1919, campaigned against lynching: published no. of people lynched to raise awareness

UNIA African American Response

Urged A-As to be proud of race and colour, 1 mill members at height - 1921, Mid 1920s: UNIA groceries/laundries/restaurants

Positive Experiences of African Americans in Northern States

Better chances of getting good jobs + decent education (e.g. Howard University solely for A-As), Growing African American middle class and setting up businesses

Negative Experiences of African Americans in Northern States

Many lived in great poverty: Harlem - worse housing but higher rents, poorer education + health services, Car factories: employed few African Americans or used White Only Policy