Assignment: Chapter 4
Posting Deadline: Thursday, February 6
Reading: Chapter 4: “The Meanest & Dirtiest
Jobs”: The Structures of Employment Discrimination
Question:
Identify and discuss the central
contention of this chapter.
Source for Questions: Charles Brown, “[Marxism-Thaxis] Study
Guide: Origins of the Urban Crisis.” Retrieved Jan 11, 2009. http://lists.econ.utah.edu/pipermail/marxism-thaxis/2009-January/023574.html
Assignment
- Deadline: Thursday, February 6
A. Post two
paragraphs inspired by the study guide questions/thoughts for the week
B. Post two
separate comments to one or more of your colleagues reacting to their paragraphs.
The major argument of Chapter 4 is that racial discrimination is not the sole reason African Americans remained underemployed or relegated to the “meanest and dirtiest jobs.” Sugrue details the plight of Blacks in Detroit employed or seeking work in the industrial, municipal, building trades and service sectors. The building trades, small industrial shops, and retail seemed to be the most reluctant to integrate its workforce. The automotive industry, steel manufacturers and (eventually) the municipal sector were more receptive to African American workers. Yet, the evidence of their acceptance of Blacks was not evenly spread across these sectors. Some sties within the same industry may have a relatively high level of Black employees, while other locations hired only a token few African Americans.
ReplyDeleteThe author contends Black workers were often victims of de facto discriminatory practices. That is, in some occupations, family and friends proved more highly valued than someone who may have greater experience or a higher aptitude for these positions. Since white people tended to hire people they knew and few had Black associates, African Americans were not considered or disregarded early in the hiring process. This phenomenon even continued during times of labor shortages.
Another factor in relegation of many Blacks to lower paying jobs had to do with the ineffectiveness of unions to deal with these issues. While union leadership gave lip service to the support of non-discriminatory policies, during the 1940s and 1950s they actually did little to encourage their adoption or enforce their compliance when in place.
Chapter 4 not only highlighted the discriminatory practices of the job market, but the struggles of racial integration in the workplace. Early on in Chapter 4, the story of Joseph Mays and his unwillingness to take racial discrimination sitting down shed light into the lives of many African Americans during this period.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the racial barriers, culture, customs and "brotherhood" often created barriers for racial and gender discrimination in many industries. This discrimination was clear in 1949 when a Detroit company was seeking 250 white workers. Despite their inability to find qualified white workers, the company refused to interview black workers. Even in the automotive industry, the employment of black workers rose a single percentage point between 1945-1960 (15% to 16%).
Through the remainder of chapter 4, the author shows the injustices of these racial practices across multiple industries over the course of several decades.
Thank you for your cogent response to this question.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the chapter provided insight to the experience of my father and mother. From the mid-1940s to 1960s, my father served as a streetcar conductor and later as a sanitation worker; while my mother worked as a teacher. My uncles and aunts found work at Ford or auto-related jobs. As the chapter cited, these were the types of positions "open" to African Americans during this period. It makes me better appreciate the sacrifices they made, so my sisters and cousins would be in the position to access far greater opportunities than were available to them.
My family one was of the black families, seems there were few, who've never worked in automotive, past or present. Not sure if that was due to discrimination or other pursued interests.
ReplyDeleteIn reading this book, the human factor rarely appeared in the decision making of those in charge. Racial stereotypes of being unproductive, prone to high absenteeism, and unreliable were prevalent. Why was this the norm? No worker of another color never not do their job, ALWAYS showed up for work and ALWAYS did what they were suppose to do? That was a horrible barometer to hire blacks being that they were rarely hired in the first place. Black men showing up day after day after day, after been told no; it took productivity, commitment and reliability to show such diligence in the first place.
I think that is amazing your family did not work in the automotive industry. What drew them to Detroit?
DeleteI agree with your statement about Black stereotypes. Unfortunately, these images still affect us today. Some people give in to these stereotypes and give up. It truly is a sad situation. I am lucky I was born into a family who encouraged us to get the most out of life, despite these obstacles.
Alexis, that's interesting that your family didn't work in the automotive - what did they do for a living?
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather and my great-grandparents (Polish immigrants) also lived in Detroit but didn't work in the automotive industry. If I remember correctly, both my great grandfather and grandfather were dentists and most likely drawn to Detroit/Hamtramck area due to the growing Polish community.
My grandmother was born in Jackson, MS (her parents moved to Detroit shortly after she was born) and was a housekeeper/hotel cook/caregiver and my grandfather was born in Alexandria, VA and was a repairman. My great-grandparents occupations were pretty much that of my grandparents.
ReplyDeleteFunny thing, when I think about my grandparents siblings, my memory is telling me that they were already retired before I came of age. My mother, aunts and uncles professions were that of my grandparents in some capacity as well.
Racism is simple, idiotic and perplexing at the same time. You don't like someone because of the color of their skin?! Observing and/encountering someone that dumb is extremely exhausting to me, so I can only imagine how depleted their brain must be to operate in such a manner.
Thank you for your thoughtful post. When you think about how much talent was wasted due to racism and other discriminatory barriers, it makes the situation even more pathetic. We should all strive to try to help each other reach our greatest potential, instead of inhibiting it.
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