Social change in WWI

European immigrants Wartime Experience: War virtually stopped flow of immigrants. Fear and propaganda led to calls for restriction.

European immigrants Positive change as a result: Those in the country by 1914 were drafted. Service in military helped reduce some ethnic rivalry.

European immigrants Negative change: Many refugees applied for entry after war. Fear of radicals and Bolsheviks led to restrictions. Immigration Quota Acts of 1921 and 1924 reduced immigrants from southern and eastern Europe.

African-American Civilians Wartime Experience: Businesses needed labor and recruited southern blacks. Letters from kin, newspaper articles pulled African Americans to northern cities. Great Migration of 500,000 for wartime jobs.

African-American Civilians Positive change: Industrial growth in 1920s attracted more to North including Caribbean workers. Created a cultural and racial rebirth called the Harlem Renaissance,

African-American Civilians Negative change: De facto segregation in jobs and housing. Northern ghettos like Harlem. Returning white soldiers who feared job competition caused race riots in St.Louis and Chicago in KKK reborn in South and Midwest.

African-American Soldiers Wartime experience: 300,000 volunteered. Served in segregated units. Few saw combat except for 369 th Harlem Hell-fighters.

African-American Soldiers Positive change after war: Men welcomed home in Harlem. Croix de Guerre awarded by French. Pride and determination to achieve equality created a “New Negro.”

African-American Soldiers Negative change after the war: Few experienced any long term increase in status. No drop in discrimination. Anti-lynching laws continued to fail. Silent parade in NYC to bring public awareness to lynching and riots.

Mexican Americans Wartime experience: 1000s migrated North to take jobs in western agriculture and industry.

Mexican Americans Positive change after the war: Southwestern farms and industries continued to need cheap labor. Immigration Restriction Acts of the 1920s exempted workers from the western hemisphere.

Mexican Americans Negative change after the war: Residential ghettos of Spanish speaking population developed in western cities, such as Houston and Los Angeles.

Women Wartime experience: Women moved into jobs previously held by men. Labor Department created separate women’s regulations to “protect women” with 8 hour day, minimum wage and rest periods at work.

Women Positive change after war: 19 th Amendment passed Trend of working outside the home continued but only in “women’s jobs.” Daughters of WWI generation expected more freedom.

Women Negative change after war Failed to get Equal Rights Amendment passed. Most women forced to give up high paying wartime jobs when men returned.