The Rise of Nativism

Causes of racial tension: The Great Migration and the end of WWI Cause of the Riots: Death of a young African American man at an informally segregated beach. The riot lasted about a week. During the riot, dozens died and hundreds were injured. Red Summer of 1919: A wave of violence and riots that occurred during the summer following WWI. Chicago Race Riots

Postwar Labor Disputes Many laborers went on strike following the end of WWI Deals under the WLB no longer valid Strikes were only mildly successful; fear of Communist revolution limited their success

The Red Scare Cause: Bolshevik Revolution and Russia’s retreat from WWI The Red Scare: A fear of the rise of socialism, communism, and anarchists destroying the American way of life. Fearful of workers revolutions (unions) and immigrants from undemocratic countries (South and Eastern Europe). Xenophobia: An irrational or unreasoned fear of anything perceived to be foreign or strange.

Italian anarchists sent letter bombs to prominent government officials, including AG A. Mitchell Palmer Bureau of Investigation (future FBI) created to investigate bombings and other radical groups Led by J. Edgar Hoover The Red Scare

The Palmer Raids: A series of well- publicized and violent raids on suspected anarchists and socialist sympathizers by the Bureau of Investigation. November 7, 1919, (the 2nd anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution) Many arrested, few actually deported (little to no evidence) The Red Scare

Emergency Quota Act (1921): Restricted immigrants to 3% of their nationality’s U.S. population in 1910 National Origins Act of 1924: Restricted to 2% of the population from 1890 (before many New Immigrants arrived) Natives of the Western Hemisphere were excluded Immigration Issues

Trial of Sacco and Vanzetti Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti accused of robbery and murder Italian immigrants; militant anarchists Found guilty and executed Spurred violent demonstrations worldwide Trials generally seen as unfair, targeting radical immigrants, and holding opinion over evidence at trial April 15, 1920 two men shot and killed two employees of the Slater & Morrill Shoe Co. and robbed them of their $15,000 payroll. The investigation centered on local Italian anarchists, Ferdinando Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti. While neither Sacco nor Vanzetti had a criminal record, the authorities knew them as radical militants. Police speculated that the robbers were motivated by the need to finance more bombings. After a controversial trial and a series of appeals, the two Italian immigrants were executed on August 23, 1927. Violent demonstrations swept through many cities the next day, including Geneva, London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Tokyo. There is a highly politicized dispute over their guilt or innocence, as well as whether or not the trials were fair Trial of Sacco and Vanzetti

What are these men protesting about? Eugenics

Eugenics: Believed it was possible to improve human genes through selective breeding and sterilization Based on IQ Testing, physical traits, social mobility, and predisposition towards violence and crime. Reaffirmed the existing class and racial hierarchies 31 U.S. states passed compulsory sterilization laws. Men were sterilized to treat aggression and eliminate criminal behavior Women were sterilized to control their sexuality 60,000 nationwide from 1909 up until the 1960s Eugenics

“Keep America American” Revival of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s Caused by fears from WWI era Targets: Catholics, Jews, pacifists, communists, socialists, anarchists, bootleggers, gamblers, birth control activists, African Americans. Used the same methods of fear, intimidation, and lynching Over 5 million members, including prominent members of local, state, and the national government “Keep America American”

The Birth of a Nation (1915) – A silent film by D. W The Birth of a Nation (1915) – A silent film by D.W. Griffith that chronicled the “true story” of the American Civil War, and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. The first movie blockbuster and was the first motion picture to be shown at the White House. “Like writing history with lightning. And my only regret is that it is all so terribly true."