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Landscapes of Hope

• Nature and the Great Migration in Chicago

• Author: Brian McCammack

• Published by Cambridge University Press, 2017

Richard Wright's Arrival in Chicago (1927)

• Background: Richard Wright arrived in Chicago from Mississippi via Memphis.

• First Impressions: Wright found the urban environment dominated by manmade structures, lacking in trees and curves—"only angles, lines, squares, bricks and copper wires."

• Exception: Despite his observations of the South Side's urban landscape, there existed contrasting green spaces such as Washington Park.

Washington Park

• Description: Washington Park was a large public park (371 acres) designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1871, featuring pastoral landscapes, lagoons, and winding paths.

• Change in Perception: Although the park was a human construct, its design aimed to offer a respite from the city's harsh urban grid, serving as a landscape of hope for many African Americans post-migration.

• Significance: It provided a visual and experiential contrast to the spatial rigidness of the city and evolved to become a vital community space for African Americans during the Great Migration.

The Great Migration Years (1915-1929)

• Demographic Shifts: The African American population in the South Side neighborhoods, including Washington Park, shifted dramatically during the migration years due to discriminatory real estate practices.

• Increased Usage: By the late 1920s, Washington Park became primarily frequented by African Americans, accounting for significant park patronage and cultural activities.

Park Features and Activities

• Multi-sensory Experience: Visitors to Washington Park experienced a diversity of sights, sounds, and smells, with seasonal variations enhancing its allure.

• Hybrid Leisure Practices: African Americans in the park engaged in sports, picnics, and music—activities reflecting both Southern heritage and Northern urban life.

• Cultural Space: Washington Park became a venue for hybrid leisure culture, combining Southern folk traditions and Northern city life.

Racial and Social Dynamics

• Racial Tensions: Despite being intended as a neutral public space, Washington Park was not immune to the racial violence that plagued Chicago. Incidents of violence occurred throughout the late 1910s and into the 1920s, complicating African American access.

• Public Spaces as Battlegrounds: The park served as a site for interracial conflicts as well as intraracial disagreements about appropriate leisure behavior.

• Reformers vs. Folk Culture: Tensions between the black cultural elite's notions of respectability and the informal behaviors of working-class migrants led to community conflict.

Nature as a Healing Space

• Significance of Nature: Washington Park represented a landscape of hope, offering brief escapes from the harsh realities of urban life for African Americans.

• Illusions of Fresh Air: The park offered a false sense of rural utopia, becoming a place to engage with nature that was often denied in other urban settings.

The Legacy of Racial Violence

• Continuity of Tension: Racial violence persisted around public spaces. The infamous 1919 race riot, beginning on the lakefront, spilled into public spaces like Washington Park.

• Transformation and Ongoing Tensions: As African Americans steadily claimed the park, the racial composition shifted with more whites relocating away from the area due to the prospect of integration.

Conclusion

• Washington Park stands as a testament to the complex heritage of African Americans in Chicago, representing both the struggle for equitable access to public space and the vibrant culture that they forged in the city’s evolving landscapes during the Great Migration.

**Page 1:** Overview of Richard Wright's Arrival in Chicago (1927) from Mississippi. His first impressions of a manmade urban environment lacking greenery. Notably mentions Washington Park as a contrast. **Page 2:** Description of Washington Park (371 acres) designed by Olmsted and Vaux in 1871. It features pastoral landscapes and serves as a respite from urban life, offering hope to African Americans post-migration. **Page 3:** Discusses demographic shifts during the Great Migration (1915-1929) and how Washington Park gained popularity among African Americans for cultural activities. **Page 4:** Reflects on the multi-sensory experiences in the park showcasing diverse leisure practices that meld Southern heritage with Northern culture. **Page 5:** Addresses racial and social dynamics, including racial tensions and conflicts within the park as a public space. Highlights the contrast between different cultural expectations and behaviors. **Page 6:** Explores the significance of nature in Washington Park as a landscape of hope for African Americans, despite the harsh realities of urban living. **Page 7:** Discusses the legacy of racial violence, including the impact of the 1919 race riot and shifts in the park's racial composition over time. **Page 8:** Concludes that Washington Park symbolizes the complex heritage of African Americans in Chicago, showcasing their struggle for access to public space and their cultural contributions during the Great Migration.