How did the lives of black Americans change between 1930 and 2000?
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In the 1920s, life was very difficult for black Americans. For example the Jim Crow laws were devised to maintain white supremacy and to deprive black people of their right to vote by poll taxes and literacy tests. Also blacks were terrified of the KKK, who were a white supremacy Klan, which used very brutal methods to intimidate blacks, such as lynching.
By 1929, life had started to change for black people. For example 22% of blacks had migrated north to seek a better lifestyle. On the other hand, life didn’t improve due to the depression as black Americans fell below the bread line. However, it did improve as Roosevelt’s new deal helped over 1 million blacks secure relief money to support them during the depression.
In 1940, WW2 began, which then changed life again for blacks. For example the Selective Service Act of 1940 forbade discrimination in the calling-up and training of back soldiers. This improved lives of many black people as by 1944 nearly 2 million blacks were working in war factories. However, life did not improve as they were still fighting in segregated army. Overall, the 1940s slowly started improving lives for blacks as the membership of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People) rose from 50,000 to 450,000 during the war which meant blacks started getting support and self-confidence.
During the 1950s, life further changed for black people dramatically. For example segregation in schools was made illegal. His improved lives of many black Americans due to the desegregation of education in 1954 with the ‘Brown/Topeka’ case. However, this did not improve lives of blacks because by the end of 1956, not one black child was attending an integrated school. In 1955, Martin Luther King was involved in the Bus Boycott, this improved lives of black people as it led to the desegregation of buses and further movements. On the other hand, it...