World War Two Impact Flashcards
(49 cards)
What percentage of black people could vote before World War II?
Before World War II, only 2% of black people had the vote.
What percentage of black people could vote by 1945?
By 1945, the percentage of black people who could vote increased to 15%.
What was the percentage of black voters in the North?
Black voters in the North made up 13% of the population.
Who were the first two black men elected to Congress between 1943-1955?
William L Dawson (1943) and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr (1945) were the only two black men elected to Congress during this period.
What position was William Haist appointed to in 1949?
William Haist was appointed as a federal judge in 1949.
Were the number of black people in federal government positions representative of the general population?
The number of black people in federal government positions was nowhere near representative of the number of black people in the general population.
What were the race riots during the Second World War?
During the Second World War, race riots continued due to the migration of black people to the North, with 242 major racial clashes recorded in 1943, mainly in the North and the West.
What are ‘defence migration’ attitudes?
Defence migration attitudes refer to the unease white people felt about the migration of black people, leading to fears of job loss, school overcrowding, and racial prejudice, including unfounded beliefs about violence.
What happened in Detroit in 1943?
In 1943, a massive race riot occurred in Detroit after 25,000 white workers went on a hate strike against black migrants working in the defence industry, resulting in 9 white and 25 black deaths.
How did the Mayor of Detroit react to the riots?
The Mayor of Detroit blamed the riots on black people, referring to them as ‘Negro hoodlums’ and stated that black and white Americans should not be seen in the same part of Detroit.
What was the impact of the Detroit riots on factories?
The riots resulted in a loss of man-hours in the factories.
How did the NAACP describe the fighting in Detroit?
The NAACP referred to the fighting in Detroit as the ‘Black Pearl Harbour’, viewing it as an unprovoked attack on innocent people.
What year did the riots break out in Harlem?
The riots broke out in Harlem in 1943.
What rumor circulated that led to the Harlem riots?
Rumors circulated that a white police officer had shot a black soldier in front of his mother at his house.
What was the real story behind the incident that sparked the Harlem riots?
The police officer was arresting a black woman who worked as a prostitute, and the man had tried to help her, resulting in him being shot in the arm.
What motivated thousands of people in Harlem to protest?
The rumors about the shooting and the riot in Detroit motivated thousands of people in Harlem to seek revenge.
What actions did the Harlem rioters take during the riots?
The Harlem rioters turned to violence and looting.
What were the outcomes of the Harlem riots?
1,000 people were arrested and 700 people were injured, including 400 police officers.
What is ‘white flight’?
The movement of many white people out of cities and into rural areas after the Second World War.
What contributed to the increasing popularity of the suburbs after the Second World War?
11 million new homes were built in the suburbs, many by the Levitt brothers.
What percentage of Americans lived in the suburbs in 1920 compared to 1960?
In 1920, only 17% of Americans lived in the suburbs; by 1960, this increased to 33%.
Who primarily moved to the suburbs during this time?
Most of these people were white and middle-class.
What were some reasons for moving to the suburbs?
Reasons included escaping race riots, government offered cheap mortgages, cheaper houses, and a lower standard of living.
What was a consequence of the building of new suburban areas?
It was a new form of de facto segregation.
