Hartford Hysteria and Hospitality

How were African Americans who came to Hartford during this time period received by Euro-American society? It is impossible to know how every white Hartford resident reacted to the beginnings of the Great Migration, yet it seems there was a range of reactions. Employers hoping to fill a labor shortage likely welcomed their presence, at least as long as the laborers served their needs. It is likely that many Hartford residents had little opinion on the newcomers, especially since, despite growing numbers, African Americans made up only about two percent of the population.

Still, it is clear that at least some Hartford residents did not welcome arriving African Americans. For example, one newspaper article from the 1917 stresses a “big increase” in “colored” workers, even though a larger number of Irish immigrants and “Americans” arrived in the city. Indeed, it should be noted that “colored” people are not categorized as “Americans” in the mentioned article. Another article mentions housing problems for “southern Negroes.” At the same time, not all press was negative. An October 1917 article points out that the new arrivals “promise to become good citizens.”