History - African Americans in the 1920's

Push Factor

Factors that compel individuals to leave their current location and migrate to another place. These factors can include poverty, political instability, war, natural disasters, and lack of job opportunities.

Pull Factor

Factors that attract people to move to a new place or country, such as better job opportunities, higher wages, improved living conditions, political stability, and access to education and healthcare.

Persecution

Mistreatment of a group or individual by another.

Melting Pot

A place where people of different backgrounds and cultures mix together.

Why would people want to have moved to America?

• Start a new life

• Small population

• Escaping famine (Irish)

• No class system in America

• Search for gold (1848-55)

• Escaping poverty and persecution

• Escaping Russia (Jews)

What were the Challenges/Opportunities of America?

• You wouldn’t know anybody

• You wouldn’t have a home

• You would have no job

• If you weren’t from England/Netherlands, there would be a language barrier.

Poverty

In the early 1900s, the vast majority of European citizens lived in poverty, including terrible housing, poor health, bad diet and an endless struggle just to feed themselves.

Persecution

Various groups were persecuted for their religion or belief in some European countries. E.g in Russia, there were restrictions on the number of Jews allowed in school, and in some cities Jews were expelled altogether. Organised crime against Jews was common.

Lack of Space

Many European towns and cities were overcrowded, land was in short supply and more expensive than in the USA.

Lack of Opportunity

In the late 1800s and early 1900s much of Europe was divided by a strict class system. The wealthier upper classes owned the best land, and it was very difficult for lower class people to improve their lives.

Land

America is a vast country (40x the size of the UK), with millions of acres of cheap, fertile farmland. It is also rich in natural resources, such as coal, iron, cotton, oil, and timber.

Opportunities

By the early 1900s, America was beginning to lead the world in steel, coal, and textile production, overtaking Britain. It’s car, electrical, and chemical industries were growing quickly too. There were plenty of jobs and lots of opportunities to set up new businesses.

American Dream

America prides itself that everyone has the right to achieve success and prosperity. The Declaration of Independence states that all men are created equal with the right to Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These were attractive to immigrants who believed they would be free to live their own lives with freedom of speech and religion.

Pay/Conditions

In the 1920s, the US government announced that American workers were earning, on average, nearly twice as much as workers in any other country. It said that the standard of living in the USA was the highest it had been in the country’s history.

The First Americans

• Originally lived across the whole of the North American continent.

• Greatly affected by Immigration.

• Forced off their own land gradually between the 1850s and 1890s.

• By 1917, many natives lived in a number of Reservations across America.

African Americans

• In the 18th and 19th century millions of Africans were brought to America as slaves to work in the cotton plantations of the Southern states.

• Slavery ended in 1865 after the Civil War.

• By 1920 there were 11 million black people living throughout America.

• Many worked as farmers or farm labourers in the old slave states or as factory workers in the growing industrial cities of the North.

Early Immigrants

• First Western settlers came from Northern and Western Europe (Britain, Germany, Scandinavia)

• Their descendants had the best jobs, had the most money, and the most political power.

• Referred to as WASPS

W.A.S.P.S

White Anglo-Saxon Protestants

New Immigrants

• In the late 1800s, most new immigrants came from Eastern and Southern Europe (Russia, Poland, Italy)

• Escaping persecution and poverty in Europe.

• Many were Jews and Catholics.

• Growing number of Japanese and Chinese people, particularly on the West Coast, building railroads.

• USA was also attractive to Hispanics, who shared the common language of Spanish. Mexicans worked mainly on cattle ranches.

1917 Literacy Law

Banned entry to any immigrant over the age of 26 who couldn’t read a sentence of 40 words.

1921 Immigration Quota Law

Allowed only 350,000 immigrants to enter the USA each year.

1924 National Origins Act

Allowed only 15,000 immigrants to enter each year.

Jim Crow Laws

A collection of state and local statutes that legalised racial segregation. Named after an insulting song lyric regarding African Americans. The laws existed for around 100 years, from the post-Civil War era until 1968. Meant to return Southern states to an 'antebellum’ (before the war) class structure.

Schools

“Separate free schools shall be established for the education of children of African descent; and it shall be unlawful for any coloured child to attend any white school, or any white child to attend a coloured school.”

Marriage

“All marriages between a white person and a person of colour, or between a white person and a person of African descent to the fourth generation inclusive, are hereby forever prohibited.” (Florida law)

How would the Jim Crow laws make African Americans feel?

Emotionally drained, You would be completely separated from other people in every aspect of your life. They were a large inconvenience.

Lynching

Lynching was when African-Americans were hanged without any legal trial. Justice was never a driving factor, it was always done to remind African Americans that white people had control.

Why did African Americans move North?

2/12 million black people left Southern America to head North. There was still racism, prejudice, and even race riots (Chicago in 1919), but there were a lot more opportunities (better jobs, better pay, better housing)

Black Renaissance

The Black Renaissance was when, in Harlem New York, many black writers, poets, artists and musicians collected and began to flourish. (Renaissance = Rebirth). Some African Americans got into politics.

NAACP

In 101-. Web Du Bois set up the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) which worked to improve African American lives. Sadly, politicians failed to introduce any of their suggested changes in the 1920s.

Red Scare

The period of intense fear and paranoia in the United States during the early 20th century, characterized by the perceived threat of communism and radicalism. It led to widespread suspicion, government investigations, and the suppression of political dissent. Anarchists were also feared, people who believed countries should not be ruled by a state or an organisation, but by each person ruling themself through voluntary co-operation.

Mitchell Palmer

Man in charge of America’s law and police. In July 1919, a bomb ripped out the front of his house. Later in 1919, another unidentified bomber blew up 30 people in New York. He vowed to remove communists, so he arrested 6,000 suspected communists over 33 cities. It was clear the Red Scare left a lasting impact, as trade union membership fell from 6 million to 3.6 million in 3 years.

Sacco and Vanzetti case

Two Italian immigrants, Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, were convicted and executed in 1927 for a robbery and murder they were accused of committing in Massachusetts. The case sparked international controversy due to claims of unfair trial, prejudice, and political motivations. Many believed they were innocent and were targeted for their anarchist beliefs and immigrant status. Even the judge doubted they committed the murder, and called ‘anarchist bastards’.

The KKK

The KKK was a white supremacist organization founded in 1865. They used violence and intimidation to oppress African Americans and other minority groups. The KKK aimed to maintain white supremacy and resist social and political equality.

Why did the KKK grow in prosperity in the 1920s?

William J Simmons revived the Klan after “The Birth of a Nation” came out. The film had a lot of promotional value, and he joined publicists who led an aggressive campaign to get new members. This new Klan had a national structure, and by 1924 they had 4 million members.

What kind of people were members?

Mainly upper/middle working class people, however some lower class people joined the Klan in order to improve their class. KKK members they were on a moral crusade, and now targeted a wider range of minorities. There was no large gender or political difference.

In what ways were the lives of Americans affected by the KKK in the 1920s?

Racial tensions rose as the KKK targeted African Americans, immigrants, and Catholics. They used violence, intimidation, and political influence to spread fear and discrimination. This led to social divisions, restricted civil rights, and a climate of intolerance in America.

Sharecroppers

Black farm labourers, who lived on very infertile land owned by white famers. A portion of their crops had to “shared” (given) to the white farm owner.

Ways 1920’s was a time of change for African Americans

• Many began to campaign for more rights (e.g ability to vote)

• Organisations were set up (e.g NAACP)

• The Black Renaissance changed some white people’s views.

Ways 1920’s was a time of continuity for African Americans

• Injustice was still rife

• No political status

• Jobs was still very inequal.

Burial

“The officer in charge shall not bury, or allow to be buried, any coloured persons upon ground set apart or used for the burial of white persons.”

Toilets

“Every employer of white or coloured males shall provide for such white or coloured males reasonably accessible and separate toilet facilities” (Alabama Law)

Impact of the KKK in politics

The Klan had a foothold in both the Democrat and Republican parties. Its strength meant that it was able to make or break political careers. For example, when an attorney-general in Maine spoke out about the Klan, he was promptly removed from office. In 1924, when a Catholic, Al Smith, stood for the position of Democratic Party presidential candidate, Klan opposition resulted in his defeat. There were also powerful politicians who were backed by the Klan, such as the governor of Alabama and senator Earl Mayfield from Texas. By 1924 limits were in place favouring immigrants from North-West Europe who were seen as sharing the Klan’s WASP ideals (lasted until 1965)

Intimidation and Terror (KKK)

In 1922, Simmons had been replaced as Imperial Wizard by a Texan dentist, Hiran Wesley Evans. It was under Evans that the Klan violence escalated, with multiple lynchings, shootings, and whippings. Anyone who was considered a ‘traitor’ to their race or gender could face punishment.

Women of the KKK

The 1920’s also marked the beginning of the Women of the Klu Klux Klan. This sprang out of a climate of hopefulness after women gained the right to vote, causing some to feel emboldened to take part in civic life. Their contribution to the horror was not insignificant. Their headquarters were in Little Rock, Arkansas, and they had delegates in every state. Numbers reached 500,000 and were drawn from stable, middle-class communities.

Why did the Klan decline rapidly between 1925 and 1929?

By 1929 Klan membership had fallen to under 200,000. The Klan also suffered counter attacks from the clergy, the press, and a growing number of politicians. Full stories of the horror, hypocrisy, violence and internal divisions in the Klan were being released. One example was when in 1925, the Grand Dragon of the Klan in Indiana (David Stephenson) was convicted of the rape and murder of a woman on a train. This publicity caused great damage as the Klan was supposed to stand for moral, upholding, Christian values. Only in Florida was the Klan still a factor in the 1930s.

How/Why did the Klan re-emerge in the 1950s?

The Klan began to re-emerge again in 1953, as a reaction to the growth of the civil rights movement. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that the existence of separate schools for white and coloured children should be ended. Unlike the 1920 version, this Klan was not controlled by a central organisation, rather loosely organised racist groups. Most of the members also came from lower class white society, and were ill-educated and often as poor as black people.

Impact of the Klan in 1950s/60s.

In 1955, white violence and intimidation escalated. The Klan began night riding and cross burnings again and there were blatant murders of African Americans attempting to vote and a total of eight lynchings. It was also during the 1950s that the Klan discovered dynamite as a weapon and civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr had their homes and churches bombed.

Racial Violence + Civil Rights Movement

The patterns of KKK violence continued until the early 1960s amid the constant tension in the South between those who favoured integration and those who opposed it. In 1960 the Supreme Court ruled that interstate bus terminals had to desegregate. In 1961, white and black students went on Freedom Rides across the South, and were brutally beaten to death by the KK. In total, the Klan’s campaign of terror against the civil rights movement resulted in almost 70 bombings, the arson of 30 black churches, and 10 racial killings in Alabama alone.

Why did the Klan decline in the mid 1960s?

The acts of violence began to arouse public indignation, across the nation. The FBI infiltrated the Klan, and in 1965, President Lyndon. B Johnson called for a Congressional probe of the Klan, and as a result of the lack of cooperation, the House of Representatives voted to cite seven Klan leaders for contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over Klan records. They were found guilty in trial, and as a result some members drifted away, and others seemed less eager for clashing with authorities.

Why do the Interpretations differ?

• Identify an aspect of provenance of both Interpretations that would mean they would have a positive/negative view.

• Explain why that aspect would mean their view was positive/negative for A and B.

• What is distinctive about A might not be important for B (e.g for A it might be that they were Republican, but for B it might be that it was written in 1968)

How do the Interpretations differ?

• Identify which is positive and which is negative based on your knowledge.

• Explain what Interpretation A finds negative/positive and repeat for B.

• Do not talk about the provenance (who wrote it etc.) or copy quotes.

Which is more convincing?

• One paragraph about what is convincing/unconvincing about A, repeat for B. Try to make 3 points for each.

• Use your own contextual knowledge - crucial. Try to use specific dates, names, political parties, laws/bills, events.

• One paragraph conclusion about which is the most convincing (try to link them together)

• Don’t talk about provenance, talk about the history. Don’t copy long quotes.