The Chicago Race Riot of 1919 and Its Continued Impact Essay

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The Chicago Race Riot was the conflict between white citizens and African-Americans on the basis of race. Due to the fact that this conflict lasted for a week, and as a result of it, thirty-eight people died, it is considered the most influential confrontation on the basis of race in the United States (Hartfield, 20). The Chicago Race Riot is an example of the racial tensions that continue to affect modern-day America.

The conflict happened in Chicago, where many of the African-Americans from the South decided to settle (Hartfield, 20). This resulted in the rapid expansion of the African-American community. The white Americans began confrontations with the ethnic minorities because the newly arrived African-Americans competed with other ethnic groups for jobs (Hartfield, 20). Moreover, the economic and social environment of the state was changing after WW I, which also contributed to the racial tensions between the two groups. The racial disagreements, interstate migration, and economic difficulties served as the basis for the conflict.

The riots began after an African-American minor died because white children threw stones at him. The event that triggered the confrontation was the death of Eugene Williams, who was 17 years old at that time (Bates). He and his friends were swimming at a segregated beach but eventually swum to the area dedicated to white people. As a result, people at this beach began throwing rocks at Williamson, which caused him to drown (Hartfield, 20). This event only heightened the racial tentions that were present before and prompted an open confrontation since black neighborhoods were attacked by a mob after Williams’ friends provided details of the incident. The negligence of the police and the local government contributed to the continuation of the protests.

The Chicago race riots have an impact on the lives of people today. This was one of several race-based conflicts in the history of the United States that prompted the legislators to review the existing laws and grant freedoms to all citizens, as guaranteed by the Constitution. In 1922, a commission consisting of white and black Americans was established to investigate the true cause of the conflict (Hartfield, 20). The results showed that the tension was caused by veterans returning from WWI and not being able to return to their jobs caused this unrest. Notably, the majority of the attackers were recent immigrants, yet their worries about jobs, segregation, and black vote prompted them to engage in violence against African-Americans (Green). In his article for the New York Times, Green argues that this riot continues to impact Americans to this day by stating that “Chicago’s 1919 Race Riot was a bridge toward, as well as a break from, a racial order.” Hence, this riot was an example of racially motivated violence that serves as an example of why equality should be the central concern for contemporary society.

Overall, this paper focuses on the Chicago Race Riot of 1919. The riots were caused by the increasing tensions between the two groups. The African-Americans migrated to Chicago from the southern regions. The European immigrants and veterans of WW I were concerned about losing jobs and violently attacked the community of African-American citizens. Today, we can learn from these protests because they show that ignoring inequality and racial tentions can lead to severe consequences and violence, which is why equality should be the priority.

References

Bates, Karen. “Red Summer In Chicago: 100 Years After The Race Riots.” NPR, 2019. Web.

Hartfield, Claire. A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919. Clarion Books, 2018.

Green, Adam. “How a Brutal Race Riot Shaped Modern Chicago.” The New York Times, 2019. Web.

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