3.3.2
The Home Front
American Industry
American Industry
During the Second World War, American industry boomed across the country due to the war machine.
Randolph and Roosevelt
Randolph and Roosevelt
- In the South, black people were still denied industry jobs that were better paid than agricultural jobs.
- Philip Randolph threatened a march on Washington which caused President Roosevelt to pass the Executive Order in 1941.
- The Executive Order forced industries to employ all Americans regardless of their ‘race, creed, colour or national origin’.
- Roosevelt also set up the Committee on Fair Employment Practices (FEPC) to promote equality in the workplace.
Migration to industrial centres
Migration to industrial centres
- Following Roosevelt's actions, 2 million black people became employed in industry.
- This meant many agricultural workers in the South migrated to Southern cities and out of rural areas.
Migration to Northern cities
Migration to Northern cities
- Wartime industry also boosted migration to Northern cities such as Chicago, Philadelphia, New York and Detroit.
- Chicago’s black population rose from 250,000 in 1940 to 500,000 by 1950.
- By 1950, almost a third of black people lived in Northern cities and 48% of the black population of the USA was urban.
Impact of migration
Impact of migration
- Migration meant that black people were paid better than they were before the war.
- It also showed them, thanks to Philip Randolph, that putting pressure on the government could result in a triumph for black people.
Race Riots
Race Riots
During the Second World War, the increase in migration of black people to the North meant that race riots continued. In 1943, 242 major racial clashes were recorded, mainly in the North and the West.
'Defence migration' attitudes
'Defence migration' attitudes
- The migration of black people made white people feel uneasy and some talked of a ‘Negro Invasion’.
- Whilst many Northern white people claimed to still support the Civil Rights of black people, they didn’t want a mass influx of them in their local areas.
- White people feared that they could lose their jobs and schools.
- Their prejudice meant some believed black people would rape their daughters.
- These reasons for riots are collectively known as ‘defence migration’ attitudes.
Detroit, 1943
Detroit, 1943
- In 1943 there was a massive race riot in Detroit.
- Many black people had flocked to Detroit to work in the defence industry, notably the Packard aircraft factory.
- When these migrants turned up, 25,000 white workers went on a hate strike.
- The riots erupted into horrific violence which took the lives of 9 white people and 25 black people.
Reaction to the Detroit riots
Reaction to the Detroit riots
- The Major of Detroit blamed the riot on black people who he said were ‘Negro hoodlums’ and publicly stated that black and white Americans should not be seen in the same part of Detroit.
- The riots resulted in a loss of man-hours in the factories.
- The NAACP stated that the fighting in Detroit was the ‘Black Pearl Harbour’ reflecting their view that it was an unprovoked attack on innocent people.
Harlem, 1943
Harlem, 1943
- Riots broke out also in Harlem in 1943.
- Rumours had circulated that a white police officer had shot a black soldier in front of his mother at his house.
- The real story was that the police officer was arresting a black woman who worked as a prostitute and the man had tried to help her. In the process, he had been shot in the arm.
- The rumours motivated thousands of people in Harlem to come out into the street and seek revenge for the incident and the riot in Detroit.
Outcome of the Harlem riots
Outcome of the Harlem riots
- The Harlem rioters turned to violence and looting.
- 1,000 people were arrested and 700 people were injured, 400 of them police officers.
1‘Free at Last’ 1865-77
1.1The Thirteenth Amendment
1.2Radical Reconstruction, 1867-77
2The Triumph of ‘Jim Crow’ 1883-c1890
2.1Jim Crow Laws & Civil Rights Cases
3The New Deal and Race Relations, 1933–41
3.1Failure to Address Black Grievances
3.2The New Deal
3.3The Second World War
4‘I have a dream’, 1954–68
4.1Civil Rights Activities, 1954–63
4.2Civil Rights 1964-68
4.3Malcolm X & The Black Panthers
5Obama's Campaign for the Presidency, 2004–09
5.1The Late 20th Century
5.2Barack Obama & his Political Career
5.3Reasons for Obama's Victory
Jump to other topics
1‘Free at Last’ 1865-77
1.1The Thirteenth Amendment
1.2Radical Reconstruction, 1867-77
2The Triumph of ‘Jim Crow’ 1883-c1890
2.1Jim Crow Laws & Civil Rights Cases
3The New Deal and Race Relations, 1933–41
3.1Failure to Address Black Grievances
3.2The New Deal
3.3The Second World War
4‘I have a dream’, 1954–68
4.1Civil Rights Activities, 1954–63
4.2Civil Rights 1964-68
4.3Malcolm X & The Black Panthers
5Obama's Campaign for the Presidency, 2004–09
5.1The Late 20th Century
5.2Barack Obama & his Political Career
5.3Reasons for Obama's Victory
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