preview

Mississippi River Research Paper

Decent Essays

The great flood of the Mississippi river in 1927 prompted the severing of class divisions and the extension of racial oppression. The flood caused over $350 million in property damage, 246 flood-related deaths, and a home loss of 130,00. Many african americans fled north to escape the racial oppression that resulted from the disastrous flood. Police held black african americans at gun point until they agreed to help raise the levees to protect buildings and houses from rising flood waters. After African americans started refusing to work, one got shot in the back and all the african americans fled north to escape the hardships that were brought about when the river flooded. After Hoover won presidency, he did not keep his promises to ensure …show more content…

The flood of the Mississippi river in 1927 was one of the greatest natural disasters until hurricane Katrina. The flood submerged 27,000 square miles along the lower section of the river that inhabited over 900,000 people. 700,000 residents along the river had to evacuate their homes and flee to a refugee camp. The unyielding waters of the flood produced disastrous damage and have significant impact of the residents along the river. The flood of 1927 caused a dramatic change in the way people saw and treated each other. In the spring of 1926, the central basin of Mississippi received heavy rain fall. The Mississippi River Commission stated that the levees would hold throughout the rainfall and would stand strong through any flood. The rain fell through March and into April. Many residents of Greenville, Mississippi fled the area for safety. All counties along the Mississippi river received anywhere from 6 to 15 inches of …show more content…

When the levee burst, the african americans that were working on it were swept away with the rising flood waters. 13,000 african americans were stranded on the levee with no food, a few blankets, and make shift tents. The water supply had been contaminated after the flood waters swelled through. A boat arrives with enough room to pick up all the refugees atop the levee, but only 33 white children and women are allowed to board. The rest of the refugees are african americans and are left trapped on the

Get Access