History
‘230 in Chicago Pullman Strike Ignore Plea to Return’ An Examination of African American Workers during World War II
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Subject Area
History & Classics
Start Date
13-4-2018 2:15 PM
End Date
13-4-2018 2:45 PM
Sponsor
Vivian Deno (Butler University)
Description
Chicago during World War II was an epicenter of job opportunities with over 3,000 people coming into the city each week. Since African American’s were mostly prohibited from participating in the war itself, they were able to capitalize on the lack of white workers and the plethora of production jobs. Thanks to an overwhelming sense of racism in America, these men were not receiving fair treatment: wages were lower, and there was no opportunity to advance themselves in the workforce. Hundreds of workers for Pullman Inc., which produced ships for the Navy, decided to take matters into their own hands due to the inequality and go on strike. In the past when minority workers have attempted a strike, they have not been successful. A lot of these workers were welders and therefore vital to the production of Navy ships. The Navy, needing their ships on time and ready in a time of crisis reacted negatively to this news. This was no more evident than in a newspaper article in 1943 from the Chicago Tribune which stated, “The Navy threatened to take away the contract should they not return to work immediately.” In this paper, we see the difficulties faced by so many workers and what it took to see some small part of equality in the workforce. We also see the effect the war has on the workforce, by opening up the positions in the first place and the demand for the labor.
‘230 in Chicago Pullman Strike Ignore Plea to Return’ An Examination of African American Workers during World War II
Indianapolis, IN
Chicago during World War II was an epicenter of job opportunities with over 3,000 people coming into the city each week. Since African American’s were mostly prohibited from participating in the war itself, they were able to capitalize on the lack of white workers and the plethora of production jobs. Thanks to an overwhelming sense of racism in America, these men were not receiving fair treatment: wages were lower, and there was no opportunity to advance themselves in the workforce. Hundreds of workers for Pullman Inc., which produced ships for the Navy, decided to take matters into their own hands due to the inequality and go on strike. In the past when minority workers have attempted a strike, they have not been successful. A lot of these workers were welders and therefore vital to the production of Navy ships. The Navy, needing their ships on time and ready in a time of crisis reacted negatively to this news. This was no more evident than in a newspaper article in 1943 from the Chicago Tribune which stated, “The Navy threatened to take away the contract should they not return to work immediately.” In this paper, we see the difficulties faced by so many workers and what it took to see some small part of equality in the workforce. We also see the effect the war has on the workforce, by opening up the positions in the first place and the demand for the labor.