African Americans in Chicago, Chapter 9

It is interesting that it took a World War to ignite black rights in the north. With the loss of Anglo-Americans to the war front and the decline of immigrants to America, African Americans enjoyed job opportunities. The Great Migration consisted of southern blacks moving north for racial equality and higher wages. So many African Americans flooded the “Black Belt” that they had become influential in many areas of life. Jazz music preformed by predominately black music players allowed for interracial conversing. Politically African Americans held a large percentage of the mayoral vote, influencing the electing of blacks to offices. A race riot in 1919 symbolized the power African Americans had gained by flocking to Chicago. Finally blacks had defended themselves against white racists and were not ignored. In Chicago African Americans had enjoyed many more privileges than they had in the south such as schooling, voting rights, job opportunities, and entertainment.