African Americans In The 1930s Essay

Rights of African Americans in the 1930s African American rights in the 1930s were immensely limited, depending on where you were located. The US was vastly different, and had very diverse views on society. Each state had its own thoughts on what should and should not be permitted. After the Civil War, African Americans had more rights in the south then in the north. Mississippi was one of the worst states when it came to racism and segregation. Signs often labeled buildings and water fountains as “colored” and “whites”. Blacks were often denied social forms of respect. Consequently, black men were often addressed as “boy” by whites. Although blacks were humans the same as whites, they were expected to act differently. (State of Siege: Mississippi Whites and the Civil Rights Movement) Similar to Mississippi, Alabama was also horrific when it came to racism and segregation. The Montgomery Streetcar Act of 1906 was one of the nation's first "Jim Crow" laws. Blacks were often treated as third class citizens and were denied the right to vote. The only available jobs for African American women were teachers and nurses. (Role Of African Americans in Alabama during the 1930’s)

Early demands focused on the abolition of slavery and desegregation of public accommodations. African American unemployment was high, and thousands of people lost their homes. In response, black Philadelphians joined the Democratic Party, the National Negro Congress, and the Communist Party. They engaged in “Don’t buy where you can’t work” campaigns to pressure employers to end discrimination. And they demanded that political leaders meet a number of pressing needs: public housing to make up for the lack of decent and affordable housing, access to government-funded jobs, and an Equal Rights Bill to once again guarantee access to public accommodations. (Civil Rights (African