The Negro in Chicago: A Study of Race Relations and a Race Riot

Chicago Commission on Race RelationsProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.8

Word count: 2.1M words
Chapters: 213

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Negro in Chicago: A Study of Race Relations and a Race RiotAuthor: Chicago Commission on Race Relations,Language: English, Class: F516: United States local history: Ohio River and Valley., Release Date: Jun 17, 2018

Editor's review

This book is the Chicago Commission on Race Relations' investigative report on race relations in early twentieth-century Chicago and on a race riot, belonging to the literature of American local history and prepared by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain e-book. Its value lies in its systematic, commission-style record of the period's urban residential patterns, employment conditions, social institutions, and the course of the conflict; it is primary material for understanding the history of race relations in American cities. The book contains both statistical and testimonial material and the judgments of the researchers of the time, allowing readers to see the investigators' concerns and the limitations of their era. It is suited to close thematic reading by readers in history, sociology, and urban studies, and to selected chapters by those interested in the prehistory of the civil rights movement. Note that its language and framework bear early twentieth-century traces; today's readers should read critically and treat it as historical evidence rather than ready-made conclusions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

University teachers and students studying American urban history and the history of race relations
Readers interested in the prehistory of the civil rights movement and in social-survey methodology
Those who need primary historical material for papers or thematic reports
Advanced readers interested in sociological survey texts and urban archives

Not a good fit for

General readers hoping for light narrative or literary historical storytelling
Those lacking historical background who might mistake old textual views for settled conclusions
Skimmers looking only for brief conclusions and ready-made opinions
Readers with little patience for survey statistics and archival material

Reading tips

Read the preface and conclusion first to understand the commission's investigative aims and the report's structure, then return to specific chapters.
Read the statistical data and testimonial material alongside present-day historical research, distinguishing factual records from the judgments of the time.
Read selectively by theme—such as residence, employment, and the course of the riot—rather than giving equal effort from beginning to end.
Mark passages carrying period bias as you read, to serve as material for critical discussion.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

What is this book mainly about?

It is an investigative report by the Chicago Commission on Race Relations on race relations in early twentieth-century Chicago and on a race riot, covering the state of race relations in the city, the course of the conflict, and related social conditions. Readers should treat it as a historical investigative document for understanding the recording methods, concerns, and urban context of the time, not as a direct conclusion about race issues today.

Do the book's views still hold today?

They should not simply be adopted as they stand. The report arose in the early twentieth century, and its framing, language, and judgments carry the limitations of that era; some statements may appear biased by today's standards. Its value lies first in historical evidence and investigative material; readers should use it critically alongside later scholarship and distinguish the judgments of the time from verifiable facts.

Can non-specialist readers get through it?

Yes, but patience is required. The report follows an archival and investigative format, less fluent than popular history, with much statistical and testimonial material. It is advisable to read the introduction and conclusion first to grasp the main thread, then read chapters according to interest; those lacking a background in American urban history may first acquire some general historical knowledge, which will make the reading much smoother.

What should I keep in mind when citing this e-book?

This book is released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain electronic text, so its layout may differ from a printed book, and old spellings or scanning issues may occur. When citing, check the context in the original, note the authoring institution, title, and source of the electronic version; for key data, best compare with other editions or archives to avoid mistaking typographical issues in the electronic text for the content of the original report.

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About the author

Chicago Commission on Race Relations Author

The Chicago Commission on Race Relations is a collectively authored body dedicated to the study of urban race relations; public information on its exact founding background and organizational history is limited. Its most representative work is The Negro in Chicago: A Study of Race Relations and a Race Riot. Taking the 1919 Chicago race riot as its point of departure, the book systematically examines the circumstances of local Black residents in housing, employment, education, policing, and justice, using investigative materials to reveal the social roots of racial tension. Its style is empirical and analytical, emphasizing factual record and institutional reflection rather than vague commentary. Published as an important reference for the study of American urban race relations and the causes of riots, it reflects the commission's direction of advancing public understanding through investigation and research.