Fifty years after the end of the Civil War, 9.8 million African Americans in the United States have a weak position in society. 90% of African Americans live in the South, most of them engage in low-paying careers, and their daily lives are affected by restrictive “Jim Crow” laws and threats of violence.
But the outbreak of World War I opened up new opportunities and changed American life and culture forever.
“Recognizing the importance of World War I is crucial to a comprehensive understanding of the history of modern African Americans and the struggle for black freedom,” said Chad Williams, associate professor of African Studies at Brandeis University.
migration
Although the United States was not involved in the conflict until 1917, the European war stimulated The US economy almost from the beginning, triggering 44 months of growth, especially in the manufacturing industry.
Meanwhile, immigration from Europe has dropped drastically, reducing the white labor force. Coupled with the boll weevil infestation that swallowed millions of dollars worth of cotton crops in 1915, and other factors, thousands of African Americans across the South decided to head to the north. This is the beginning of a “great migration” of more than 7 million African Americans over the next half century.
During World War I, an estimated 500,000 African Americans moved out of the South, most of whom went to cities. Between 1910 and 1920, the African-American population in New York City increased by 66%; Chicago , 148%; Philadelphia , 500%; and Detroit , 611%.
Like in the South, they face discrimination and isolation in their work and housing in their new homes. Women, in particular, have been largely demoted to the same jobs as domestic workers and child care workers. In some cases, tensions between whites and newcomers turned into violence, such as the deadly East St. Louis riot in 1917.
"Close to Ranking"
African American public opinion on the role of the United States in the war reflects the views of white Americans: First, they do not want to be involved in the European conflict, a rapidly changing course at the end of 1916.
1 April 2, 1917 President Woodrow Wilson stood in Congress demanding formal declaration of war, asserting that the world “must be secure for democracy” resonated with the African American community as an opportunity to fight for civil rights in the United States as part of the broader crusade to ensure European democracy.
"Let's achieve true democracy for America," said an editorial for African Americans in Baltimore, "and then we can recommend house cleaning on the other side of the water."
Some African American newspapers believe that blacks should not participate in the war due to rampant inequality in the United States. On the other hand, WEB DuBois wrote a powerful editorial for the NAACP paper Crisis.
"Let us not hesitate. Let us forget our special dissatisfaction while this war continues, fight alongside our own white compatriots and allies fighting for democracy."
There
Most young African Americans are ready and willing to prove their patriotism and courage. More than one million people registered for the draft, of which 370,000 were selected to serve and more than 200,000 were shipped to Europe.
From the very beginning, there were differences in the treatment of African-American soldiers. They were selected higher. In 1917, the local recruitment committee recruited 52% of black candidates and 32% of white candidates.
Although African-American leaders promoted the integration of troops, the black army was still in quarantine, and the vast majority of these new soldiers were used for support and labor, not for combat.
While many young soldiers may be disappointed to have survived the war as truckers, loaders and laborers, their work is crucial to the efforts of the United States.
The War Department did agree to train 1,200 black officers at a special camp in Des Moines, Iowa, with a total of 1,350 African-American officers being ordered during the war.
Faced with public pressure, the Army created two all-black combat units, namely the 92nd Division and the 93rd Division.
The 92nd Division is trapped in racial politics, and other white divisions spread rumors that damages its reputation and limits its chances of fighting. However, the 93rd Division was placed under the control of the French and did not suffer the same insult. They performed well on the battlefield, and the 369th Regiment—known as the “Harlem Hell Warrior”—had won praise for his tenacious resistance to the enemy.
African American troops fought in Champagne-Marne, Meuse-Agon, Bello Woods, Thierry Castle and other major operations. The 92nd and 93rd Divisions suffered more than 5,000 casualties, including 1,000 soldiers. The 93rd session includes two Medal of Honor winners, 75 Cross of the Distinguished Service and 527 French "Croix du Guerre" medals.
Red summer
African American soldiers will soon be disappointed if they expect white men to thank their service. Coupled with labor riots and paranoia about Russian-style “Bolshevism”, fear of black soldiers being “radicalized” overseas led to the bloody “red summer” of 1919.
Diet racial riots broke out in 26 cities across the country, killing hundreds of people. In 1919, at least 88 black men were lynched — 11 of them were newly returned soldiers, some wearing military uniforms. But World War I also inspired new determination for African Americans to continue their efforts to build a racially inclusive America, truly realizing its claim as the light of democracy in the modern world.
A new generation of leaders was born from the ideas and principles of urban peers and exposed to France's more equal views of race, whose work will help lay the foundation for the civil rights movement in the late 20th century.
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