THE OTHER THE OTHER AMERICAAMERICA CHAPTER 27, SECTION 4CHAPTER 27, SECTION 4

URBAN POVERTY URBAN POVERTY Post-War wealth didn’t extend to all AmericansPost-War wealth didn’t extend to all Americans

1960: ¼ of all Americans living in poverty1960: ¼ of all Americans living in poverty Who are the poorest?Who are the poorest?

ElderlyElderly Single mothersSingle mothers Minorities: African-Amer., Latinos, N. Amer.Minorities: African-Amer., Latinos, N. Amer.

Post-War Migrations: Massive inter-regional Post-War Migrations: Massive inter-regional movement during 1950’s; Where?movement during 1950’s; Where? ““White Flight”: Millions of white Americans leave White Flight”: Millions of white Americans leave

cities for suburbscities for suburbs Afr.-Amer. Movement: 1945-60: 5 mil. move from Afr.-Amer. Movement: 1945-60: 5 mil. move from

rural South to urban areas; Why?rural South to urban areas; Why? U.S. economic expansion; industrial growth in NorthU.S. economic expansion; industrial growth in North Civil Rights problems in South Civil Rights problems in South

URBAN POVERTY URBAN POVERTY (Cont’d.)(Cont’d.) ““White FlightWhite Flight””: Effects?: Effects?

Cities lose businessesCities lose businesses Cities lose property / income taxesCities lose property / income taxes Loss of tax base = Cities lose $ for …Loss of tax base = Cities lose $ for …

Public transportationPublic transportation Public schoolsPublic schools Emergency Services (Fire, Police Dept., etc.)Emergency Services (Fire, Police Dept., etc.) Infrastructure (road maintenance, etc.)Infrastructure (road maintenance, etc.)

So… Cities begin to decaySo… Cities begin to decay See quote, bottom p. 820See quote, bottom p. 820

URBAN POVERTY URBAN POVERTY (Cont’d.)(Cont’d.) White / Suburban America unaware / White / Suburban America unaware /

unconcerned w/urban poverty; Why?unconcerned w/urban poverty; Why? ConsumerismConsumerism Popular culture hid urban povertyPopular culture hid urban poverty Suburban distance from citiesSuburban distance from cities

Solutions?Solutions? 1949: 1949: National Housing ActNational Housing Act ; Did What? ; Did What?

Demolition of rundown neighborhoodsDemolition of rundown neighborhoods Construction of low-income housingConstruction of low-income housing

Problems? YesProblems? Yes Not enough housing constructed to accommodate all urban Not enough housing constructed to accommodate all urban

poorpoor So…Urban poor are simply moved outSo…Urban poor are simply moved out ““URBAN RENEWAL” = “URBAN REMOVAL”URBAN RENEWAL” = “URBAN REMOVAL”

L.A. CityL.A. City

EvictionEviction

Notice,Notice,

19501950

CHAVEZCHAVEZ

RAVINE, L.A.RAVINE, L.A.

THE GREAT WALL OF L.A.THE GREAT WALL OF L.A.

LATINO & NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUESLATINO & NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES Mexican-American & Native American Mexican-American & Native American

Activism:Activism: Growth of Afr.-Amer. Civil Rights movement Growth of Afr.-Amer. Civil Rights movement

encourages Latinos & N. Amer. to do sameencourages Latinos & N. Amer. to do same Civil Rights “activism” increases after WW IICivil Rights “activism” increases after WW II

Mexican-Americans: large #s enter U.S. during Mexican-Americans: large #s enter U.S. during & after WW II& after WW II

Many are Many are ““BracerosBraceros””: Define:: Define: Braceros: “hired hands” brought into U.S. to Braceros: “hired hands” brought into U.S. to

do agricultural work / harvest cropsdo agricultural work / harvest crops Why? Workers needed to meet war Why? Workers needed to meet war

demandsdemands 1942-47: 200,000 enter U.S.; expected to 1942-47: 200,000 enter U.S.; expected to

leave U.S. after work completedleave U.S. after work completed Many stay in U.S. illegallyMany stay in U.S. illegally

BRACEROS AT WORKBRACEROS AT WORK

LATINO & NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES,Cont’d.LATINO & NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES,Cont’d. U.S. Government responds:U.S. Government responds:

When? 1954When? 1954 What? Operation WetbackWhat? Operation Wetback Why? To stop flow of illegal immigration into Why? To stop flow of illegal immigration into

U.S.U.S. Did What?Did What?

1953-55: large-scale arrests made1953-55: large-scale arrests made 1953-55: 2 million illegal aliens deported1953-55: 2 million illegal aliens deported

So What? So What? Temporary, not long-term solutionTemporary, not long-term solution Latinos still dealt w/many problemsLatinos still dealt w/many problems

PROBLEMS BECOME PUBLICPROBLEMS BECOME PUBLIC THE LONGORIA INCIDENT:THE LONGORIA INCIDENT:

When? 1945When? 1945 What?What?

Felix Longoria, US Army KIA in PhilippinesFelix Longoria, US Army KIA in Philippines Texas funeral home owner denies family use of Texas funeral home owner denies family use of

funeral home because they are Mexican-Am.funeral home because they are Mexican-Am. Mexican-Am. Population outragedMexican-Am. Population outraged

Results?Results? FDR has Longoria buried in Arlington National FDR has Longoria buried in Arlington National

CemeteryCemetery CA outlaws segregated classrooms for Mex.-Am. CA outlaws segregated classrooms for Mex.-Am.

studentsstudents League of United Latin American Citizens gains League of United Latin American Citizens gains

nation-wide attention for Latino rightsnation-wide attention for Latino rights

NATIVE AMERICAN ISSUESNATIVE AMERICAN ISSUES Problems for Native Americans:Problems for Native Americans:

Poor preparation for gaining job skillsPoor preparation for gaining job skills High UnemploymentHigh Unemployment Tribes had no power to influence their own economic, political, Tribes had no power to influence their own economic, political,

cultural directioncultural direction N.A. do what?N.A. do what?

1944: National Congress of American Indians1944: National Congress of American Indians Goals:Goals:

To ensure equal rights for N. AmericansTo ensure equal rights for N. Americans To enable N. Americans to retain their owns customs on To enable N. Americans to retain their owns customs on

ReservationsReservations Federal Government actions:Federal Government actions:

1953: 1953: Termination PolicyTermination Policy: Did What?: Did What? Feds eliminate federal economic support for N. AmericansFeds eliminate federal economic support for N. Americans Reservation system discontinuedReservation system discontinued Tribal lands distributed among individual Native AmericansTribal lands distributed among individual Native Americans

The 50’s and Early 60’s The 50’s and Early 60’s Essay Topic Essay Topic

Consider the following three areas of American Consider the following three areas of American life:life: Big Business Big Business Daily LifeDaily Life Popular Culture & the Mass MediaPopular Culture & the Mass Media

Which one of those three areas changed most Which one of those three areas changed most noticeably in the Postwar (Post – WWII) era? noticeably in the Postwar (Post – WWII) era?

Why do you think so? Please explain. Why do you think so? Please explain.