evels, whites and blacks. Between 1890 and 1950, great improvements in machinery resulted in a labor saving economy resulting in less blacks being needed on southern plantations. Millions of blacks were not needed and became an economic liability causing more than forty percent to shift towards the cities in the Northeast and Midwest in search of jobs. Because the white workers were involved in the World Wars, blacks were needed for industries. When the whites returned from the wars, the first competition for similar jobs between the two races occurred. Many industries often tried to get rid of white workers because the blacks would work for a lot less. As result of this competition, whites began to use power to fend off the competition. They recreated a system of segregation from competing with poor black workers and thus influenced exclusion once again at another level. (Stokes)The paternalistic racism of the past shifted to an antagonistic form and as a result lynching became the greatest part of American culture. Between the 1920s and late 1940s violence intensified as a result of antagonistic racism. Once again, the economic interests of the whites promoted racial exclusion. Black men were considered to be dangerous in an unconscious competitive sort of way, but consciously as immoral beings. This different kind of racism paved the way for a structural trap of the lower classes of African Americans. (Stokes)After 1950, during the Post-Industrial period, there was an extreme decline of white racism resulting in hoped improvements for black workers. The Civil Rights Movement greatly contributed to the decline of white racism. A sense of shame among whites resulted in this significant decline. As a result, affirmative action came into to play in hopes to increase job openings for blacks in fear of racism. These changes created great opportunities for blacks, especially the middle class.The period following the Civil Righ...
