Society
The focus on the War led to the decrease in conditions for African American neighborhoods, as they became the exact opposite of nurturing environments. Because of the increased population due to immigration for jobs that were created to produce war goods, black neighborhoods were overcrowded, leading to insufficient education and in these neighborhoods was not nearly as up-to-speed as the white neighborhoods. In fact, almost all Chicago Public Schools that held half-day classes were in black neighborhoods. On top of the education dilemma, living conditions began to decrease as the population increased. Paul T. Gilbert of the Chicago Sun published a story about the living conditions that one family was experiencing: "Mrs. X has five children... Her husband, a G.I., has been returned from overseas service for hospitalization. The family occupies an unheated three-room apartment... [Rats] race around the apartment day and night... The baby has had his nose entirely bitten off by rats, his entire body lacerated. His mother was awakened at 4 A.M. to find the child almost smothered by rodents."
Left: A man wheels his belongings around in a wooden cart that is falling part.
Right: Businessmen survey the poor conditions of housing units in a black neighborhood.
Right: Businessmen survey the poor conditions of housing units in a black neighborhood.