African American Population Increases

Detroit experienced a 600% increase in its African-American population during the war and a 200% increase immediately afterward.

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50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

NYC Chicago E. St. Louis Cleveland Philadelphia

1910

1920

1930

Northern African American Experiences

• Race riots– East St. Louis (1917)

• touched off by the fear of white working class men that “Negro advances” in economic, political, and social status were threatening their own status. When an aluminum plant went on strike, the plant hired African Americans. A union meeting later demanded that “E. St. Louis remain a white man’s town”. A riot followed. The official riot tallies were 9 whites and 29 blacks killed, hundreds wounded, and 300 buildings in the black neighborhood destroyed.

– Chicago (1919)• In July of 1919, a young black man “encroached” upon an all white

swimming area. He was stoned until drowned. By the time the riot ended 13 days later, thousands of people were involved in frays , 15 whites and 23 blacks were killed, and 178 whites and 342 blacks were injured. More than 1,000 families, mostly black, were left homeless.

– Red Summer – 1919 – worst summer of racial violence in US. What reasons?

Continued…

• Poor living conditions– Confinement to certain sectors of the city

through red lining and discrimination– Chronic poverty– Overcrowded, unhealthy conditions – Less access to public services

• Higher mortality rates than other groups

Living Conditions

• Jacob LawrenceUnited States, 1917-2000The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 47

• “As well as finding better conditions in the North, the migrants found very poor housing conditions in the North. They were forced into overcrowded and dilapidated tenement houses.”

Impact on Harlem Renaissance• Migration (geographical movement) and its

sociological, psychological, and political impact is a major theme in black literature. In other words, movement has mythical significance. – American geography has had its obvious political

implications for blacks since the early 1800’s– Fugitive slave stories about movement from South to

North symbolize the movement from slavery to freedom.– The mythical idea behind movement is exemplified in

the poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes or Jacob Lawrence’s Migration series.

Langston Hughes"Harlem" What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry uplike a raisin in the sun?Or fester like a sore -

And then run?Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over -like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sagslike a heavy load.

Or does it explode? - Langston Hughes, 1951

What dream do you think Langston is referring to? What conditions did he find that might make him feel his dream will not come true? What does Langston think might happen if the dream continues to be deferred? What words does he use to make you think so?

Jacob Lawrence’s Migration

• Jacob LawrenceUnited States, 1917-2000The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 1

• Jacob LawrenceUnited States, 1917-2000The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 49

• “They also found discrimination in the North although it was much different from that which they had known in the South.”

• Jacob LawrenceUnited States, 1917-2000The Migration of the Negro, Panel no. 59

• “In the North the Negro had freedom to vote”

Continued…• Cultural trends and innovations usually start in major cities.

Spread of Jazz music to mainstream culture was caused by the spread of blacks to other cities. – Jazz is an urban music. It requires man-made instruments and

places to be heard– The increased income for black workers in the North led to an

increase in the demand for race records – the creation of music for a specific race.

– The urbanization of blacks increased their cultural exposure. Jazz musicians became more knowledgeable about other types of music. Their newer music and raised cultural awareness helped to create a larger jazz audience beyond the black race.

– Do you think that jazz could have been popular without the Great Migration?