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Immigrants In The 1920's

Decent Essays

Most immigrants to america were coming during the late 19th and early 20th century for the most obvious reason, opportunity. Industrialization both in manufacturing and agriculture meant that there were jobs in america. There was so much work in fact that companies used labor recruiters who went to europe to advertise opportunities. The lower east side of manhattan became the magnet for waves of immigrants, first germans, then eastern european jews and Italians. Immigrants flocked to the United States from all over the world in this time period. Millions of Europeans moved to the United States where they drove the growth of cities and manned the rapid industrialization that was taking place. What prolonged the social and economic growth of …show more content…

The demand for asiatic goods took these migrants on a peculiar path, from New Jersey’s coast into the heart of the segregated South. Two decades later, hundreds of South Indian seamen began jumping ship in New York and Baltimore, escaping the engine rooms of British steamers in hopes to find less brutal work onshore. Hard-working and English-speaking, the Asian Indians posed little threat to the socioeconomic fiber of the region. However, by the 1920’s the hostilities toward the growing number of "Asiatics” escalated as the competition between Asian immigrants and white workers increased. As factory owners sought their labor and anti-Asian immigration laws closed in around them, these men built covert networks that stretched from the northeastern waterfront across the industrial Midwest. Indians set up network systems with restaurants as a way to keep their culture alive and to feel safe. They would also set up hot dog stands as ways for people of the Indian culture to be able to trust that there were no pork in the meat(because they couldn't eat pork for religious purposes). This set up a chain of trust, which was important for the Indians that lived in Harlem to have considering they were going through the depression at this time. As steel and auto workers in the Midwest, as traders in the South, and as …show more content…

Khan experiences so much throughout his life and not only grow as an individual but develops his political stance in society. At first he tries to disassociate himself from African Americans when he first starts working with them. Khan tries so hard to prove his worth but doing more than the other workers and he doesn't feel a sense of appreciation or respect for his African American co-workers. This then slowly changes when he falls ill and is admitted into the black wars of the hospital. Khan does not receive proper treatment here and explains to the doctor that he is Indian and after receiving this information, the doctor moves Khan to the white ward where he is able to make a full recovery. Khan worked with white men at first and associated himself with them. Khan’s views change when he moves to a neighborhood in Detroit called Black Bottom. It is here where he witnesses African Americans come unified to help support a member of their community who was wrongfully accused of murder. Khan describes this feeling as admiration and gains respect for the African Americans and the cause that they fought far. One person that changes Khan's perspective on race is his friend Joe Mulkane. Joe was an Irish immigrant and he hears news of his father

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