Customer Reviews

Black Chicago: The Making of a Negro Ghetto, 1890-1920

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black chicago starts off w/ a 17year old negro boy who gets drowned and stoned by angry whites because he accidentally floated across the unmarked barrier that separated the white and negro sectors of the beach. this book talks about the boundaries regulating the behavior of different races being challenged in the city of Chicago in the years between 1890 and 1920. also how the changes affect the basic institutions of this city,including education, recreation, business, and politics, and etc. stories are so tragic and you will find out why in this book. you will be surprised by what happened. i liked this book and i think it is a great book to find out a real racial conflict.

A lot happened in the city of Chicago around the turn of the 20th century. Specifically, a black ghetto developed between the years 1890 and 1920. In this striking book, author Allan Spear takes us behind the scenes to show us what really happened during that time. There is A LOT of information present, and that is both good and bad. Readers definitely will get their fill of history, but it can become a bit dry at times. However, the vivid imagery painted in the stories interspersed among the facts provides excitement. Will it be enough to satisfy you? I can't answer that. Basically, I would recommend "Black Chicago" to anyone who is really interested in urban studies, the history of the ghetto and the African race, or any other relevant topic. For anyone looking for a brief, casual read about this era, this book is probably not for you. Overall, though, it is a very informative and valuable look at a time that shaped modern life as we know it.