Urban Black Communities In The North example essay topic

The New Negro Generation was one of the most dynamic generations of the African American race. Not only did this generation assist blacks in moving out of the south, but it also changed the heart of the black community. It signaled a new dynamism and a new aggressiveness. The Great Migration was the migration of thousands of African-Americans from the South to the North. African Americans were looking to escape the problems of racism in the South and felt they could seek out better jobs and an overall better life in the North. It is estimated that over one million African-Americans participated in this mass movement.

The Great Migration created the first large, urban black communities in the North. The North saw its black population rise about 20 percent between 1910 and 1930. Cities such as Chicago, Detroit, New York, and Cleveland saw some of the biggest increases. World War I and boll weevils were major factors in pulling blacks to the North. The war created a huge demand for labor in the North. It caused millions of men to leave their jobs to serve in the armed forces, and forced immigration to slow down.

In the South, a boll weevil infestation of the cotton crop ruined harvests and threatened thousands of African Americans with starvation. This also caused people to head north. Racism in the south also contributed to this movement. During the 1920's the was resurrected after it's the disappearance after reconstruction. The Birth of a Nation was released which was a movie based on white supremacy. Not only did it have an impact on the African American race, but to all races that weren't accepted by them.

This lead to the formation of black organizations. Railroad companies were so desperate for help that they paid African Americans' travel expenses to the North. Northern labor agents traveled to the South to encourage blacks to leave and go find jobs in the north. With black labor leaving the South in large numbers, southern planters tried to prevent the outflow, but were ultimately unsuccessful.

The more progressive southern employers tried to promise better pay and improved treatment. Others tried to intimidate blacks, even going so far as to board northbound trains, and to attack black men and women to try to force them into returning to the South. Recruiters toured the South convincing whites and blacks to head north with promises of high wages in the new war factories. They arrived in such numbers that it was impossible to house them all. Blacks who believed they were heading to a promised land found a northern bigotry every bit as pervasive and virulent as what they thought they had left behind in the Deep South.

Southern whites brought their own traditional prejudices with them as both races migrated northward. The influx of newcomers strained not only housing, but transportation, education, and recreational facilities as well. The race riots that occurred in many of the states were a prime example of the problems that came along with the migration. Many blacks had no housing and were laid off of their jobs because of the overpopulated areas. Outraged by what was going on, the blacks in these areas retaliated by having these riots. The Red Scare was also a moment in history where blacks were unhappy with the work forces.

This was a period were blacks went on many strikes because of labor conditions and the low pay rates. Companies were not improving these conditions so the workers decided to go on strike. There were 3,600 strikes that occurred in 1919. The Great Migration led to the rise of the Harlem Renaissance. From 1920 until about 1930 an unprecedented outburst of creative activity among African-Americans occurred in all fields of art. Beginning as a series of literary discussions in the lower Manhattan (Greenwich Village) and upper Manhattan (Harlem) sections of New York City, this African-American cultural movement became known as "The New Negro Movement" and later as the Harlem Renaissance.

Marcus Garvey who founded the UNI A and Dubois who established the Crisis magazine played a major role in the success of African American artist during this time period. The era of Jazz was another major part of the New Negro Generation. Jazz was a form of music that represented the lives of African Americans. People like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Bessie Smith were just a few of the many Jazz artists. The Cotton Club in Harlem was the top spot for Jazz artists. In 1928 Duke Ellington and his band started a 12-year association with the club.

Blacks were not allowed to attend this club because it was one of the more fashionable nightclubs and it was also owned by a white man. Blacks would attend the clubs that were not so expensive such as the Sugar Cane. Food and drinks at these clubs were much more cheaper and they would usually stay open later than the other clubs. The "Chicago Defender" was a remarkably successful in encouraging blacks to migrate from the South to Chicago, often listing names of churches and other organizations to which they could write for help. As a result, thousands of prospective migrants wrote letters to black churches, such as the Bethlehem Baptist Association in Chicago, Illinois, which assumed the task of helping, black migrants find housing and employment. They also helped migrants to adjust to their new environment.

The geographic isolation and discriminatory school policies imposed on urban blacks gradually lowered the quality of their public education system and inspired the use of stopgap measures to solve such problems as overcrowding. For example, the Ida B. Wells housing project community center was used to alleviate overcrowding in the kindergarten classes of the Chicago school system. Many of the black migrants who came to Chicago between 1910 and 1930 started businesses and became entrepreneurs. The "Perfect Eat" Shop, a restaurant on 47th street near South Park, is an example of such a business. Ernest Morris, seen standing in the rear of the restaurant owned it. The New Negro Generation was the birth of a new life for African Americans.

It gave them a chance to express their ideas and to show their talents. It gave blacks a chance to establish themselves and to be respected by other races. The movement to the North helped blacks to achieve these goals and was a stepping stone for their strive for equality. web web.