Conclusion

Hartford was affected by World War I in many ways. As this exhibit shows, the growth of the city's African American population due to the Great Migration began in earnest during this time period. African Americans moving North sought economic opportunities, safer communities, and equal rights. To a certain extent, such outcomes were indeed more achievable in Hartford than in the Southern United States. At the same time, those that arrived in the city still faced challenges and discrimination. Still, African Americans in Hartford contributed to both military and civilian aspects of life in the city during this time period.

In the decades after World War I, the African American and Caribbean population in Hartford continued to grow. Other racial and ethnic communities also moved to the city, making the population much more diverse. Unfortunately for those living in Hartford, as with other cities across the United States, beginning in the 1960s many of the manufacturing companies that once dotted the landscape moved to other areas. Many of the jobs that they supported went with them. Affluent and middle class Hartford residents with more resources were better able to follow these jobs or find employment in different sectors of the economy. African Americans, certain ethnic groups, and poor European Americans were generally less able to do so. Nonetheless, while Hartford faces challenges as it enters the 21st century, the diversity of its population may serve to be one of its strongest assets.