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The First Great Migration Begins
Black Americans started to move from the South to the North during the early 1900s. They were fleeing the intense racism and violence that was allowed by Southern Jim Crow Laws. Even more people moved to work in Northern factories once America entered WW1. They settled in Northern cities like Chicago. -
Black and White Soldiers Return From WW1
Black and white soldiers returned from WW1 in 1918. In Northern cities, these soldiers returned to find that their communities had changed while they were gone - more Black Americans had moved to the North. The return of the soldiers led to a shortage of jobs and housing. Racism against Black Americans caused many white men to blame the Black community for this problem. -
Murder of Eugene Williams
On a hot summer day, a black 17-year-old named Eugene Williams was floating in the waters of Lake Michigan when he accidentally floated over the invisible line that divided the "white" beach and the "Black" beach. George Stauber, a twenty-four-year-old white man, threw rocks at Eugene until he fell off his raft and drowned. The police refused to arrest Stauber. -
The Riots Begin
Police reinforcements arrived to confront a crowd of upset Black Americans gathered near the beach that evening. A black man fired a gun at the officers. Police returned fire and killed the gunman. In response, to these events, white men armed themselves and responded by attacking Black communities - shooting people, beating people, and setting homes and businesses on fire. In the photo, a mob carrying bricks and stones chase a black man through the streets and alleyways of Chicago. -
The National Guard Ends the Riot
Both white and Black Chicagoans were killed during the riot - some while rioting, others while defending themselves, and others while trying to peacefully go about their day. The violence lasted for days. The Governor of Illinois eventually called in the National Guard to end the riot. The military protected Black communities and helped them move from damaged homes (seen in the photo). -
More Black Americans Organize Against Racism and Lynchings
The wartime struggle for democracy - combined with the violence of Red Summer - encouraged Black Americans to fight for their rights at home. For the first time, Black Americans organized and fought back. The NAACP experienced a surge in membership after the war, and in 1919 it launched a new campaign for a federal law against lynching.