The experience of African American people in the 20th century has been very different over the decades and depended on the region. Historical events and economic shifts forced middle-class African Americans to move to new neighborhoods and adapt in different communities. Todd M. Michney discusses the experiences new homeowners had in several areas and the challenges they faced there. With that, the writer showed that even though minorities still faced numerous challenges, their lives were greatly enhanced by neighborhoods humanly attitude.
One of the described neighborhoods is Corlett, historically populated by residents of Easter European descent, such as Polish and Czech. Up until the 1960s, racial tensions were described as sparse and insignificant. The new black residents were accepted into the community and maintained good status among other residents. However, the situation has changed drastically, and as early as 1953, an African American family reported that “once accepted and trusted … we were facing loss of our standing in the community and [of] credit at our stores” (Michney, 2017, p. 140). This quote suggests that even the long-term inhabitants faced discrimination in once-accepting neighborhoods.
A different example comes from Mount Pleasant, where, despite the extremist attempts to exclude the newly moved residents, the community showed overall acceptance. As a statement from one of the violated citizens illustrates, “not only have we had no trouble with vandals anymore, but more than a dozen of our neighbors have telephoned to welcome us to the area and assure us of their friendship” (Michney, 2017, p. 127). This report suggests that some neighborhoods were open to integrating African American families into the area, and residents expressed these opinions directly.
In conclusion, the chapter shows the complexity of the described situation. Even the historically accepting communities were affected by racist fearmongering, while others preserved open-minded viewpoints. Overall, the related problems still affect the well-being of African American families across the USA and the concerns continue to be relevant in modern days. These precedents are a valuable example of people being able to treat minorities humanely and actively support them in times of discrimination.
Reference
Michney, T. M. (2017) Surrogate suburbs: Black upward mobility and neighborhood change in Cleveland, 1900-1980. University of North Carolina Press.