| Examples of the three stories of black men lives | | | | be noted that blacks were residing in completely |
| distinctly portray the situation in Los Angeles in the two | | | | different parts of the city, not in proximity with each |
| decades between 1900’s and 1920’s. Although | | | | other as if they did not want to belong to their own |
| none of the families described in the book were the | | | | culture. They had no desire to be associated with |
| same, their fates as fates of blacks among whites | | | | other black neighbors as they were looking to be |
| were similar. The principal difference that they were | | | | surrounded by whites and thus to be accepted by |
| looking for in the West America was to be treated as | | | | them. |
| equals among the Caucasian society. The miraculous | | | | The emergence of Restrictive Covenants was a legal |
| change however did not happen and African | | | | start for the oppression of the blacks moving into |
| Americans were facing bitter truth of being unwanted. | | | | white areas. It allowed whites to sell property only to |
| The hostile behavior of the whites was not only an | | | | whites or other ethnicities excluding black minorities. |
| unpleasant element in the lives of newcomers to | | | | "For legal reasons covenants expired after a certain |
| California, there were real and serious obstacles | | | | period of time, but for twenty, thirty of forty years they |
| created by the white community for the migrants. The | | | | kept their white-owned property locked up". The |
| foremost issue in the adaptation on the new land for | | | | frightening thing in this whole matter was that keeping |
| blacks was inability to find a decent, well paying job. | | | | out blacks who were free to live where they wished |
| Definitely conditions were much better than in the | | | | was made legal. Clearly it not only was creating a |
| South, but it was all about unequal treatment of the | | | | dysfunctional community but it was giving birth to an |
| equal opportunity workers. They dug ditches, cleaned | | | | ultimate misconception of the nature of black people |
| toilets, laid brick, washed dishes, those were the kids of | | | | that was also supported by the government. |
| jobs a black man could obtain in the 1910’s. | | | | The situation on the real estate market with the |
| Laws and federal statutes were not designed with | | | | segregation of the blacks from the white communities |
| regard on opportunities of the black population, thus | | | | caused a unique condition. It was a so called "racial |
| eliminating them from the employment market that | | | | payback time" when white people wanted to sell out, |
| could give a decent job. This situation meant that | | | | they hired black realtors as they would find a black |
| employers were free to choose only whites for better | | | | buyer who would want to pay a better price for a |
| jobs without having to explain why they were doing | | | | good neighborhood. More and more of such deals |
| this, as there was no legal power to stop them. | | | | were taking place which resulted in money generation |
| Neglecting all obstacles black women and men were | | | | for black speculators and realtors and, which in turn |
| striving for equality in the society or at least the | | | | made them richer and more able as a part of the |
| possibility to do what they wanted. As many as | | | | society. With such practices a new business class |
| twenty women by 1920’s were in nursing, teaching | | | | was emerging in the Los Angeles, and this process |
| and musical professions. It was a huge achievement | | | | was impossible to stop. Women and men were taking |
| taking into consideration that in the beginning of the | | | | advantage of the opportunity and were selling their |
| century there was none. Men also were beginning to | | | | services mostly to the black community, at the same |
| obtain professions of the white men, and by 1920 | | | | time creating a financial foundation for their future. It |
| there were 200 of them who were teachers and | | | | was one of the legal ways to get a bit ahead in a |
| lawyers and dentists. It was a good tendency although | | | | socio-cultural sense and make decent money, for |
| most of them were squeezed out of the profession | | | | there were no decent jobs offered to blacks. |
| by the white labor unions. This dreadful discrimination | | | | Social aspect of the problem rising from the |
| was trying to break the natural cycle of things, | | | | establishment of the covenants and other restrictive |
| although continuous growth of the city and ambitions | | | | measures was of an even bigger concern to the black |
| of the African Americans served as a reverse force. | | | | population. Southern idea was prevailing in the society |
| Trials and tribulations of the blacks in the West were | | | | of that time and by using psychological pressure they |
| of severe character but as was already mentioned it | | | | achieved great results in letting black population down. |
| was impossible for the whites to stop integration of | | | | Letting blacks inside most of institutions such as movie |
| the new culture into the old one. | | | | theaters, saloons and restaurants was unheard of. |
| Another essential part of live of any human is a place | | | | According to Titus Alexander a Race man there were |
| to live. This question was largely disturbing the white | | | | only three saloons that would serve a black customer. |
| population of the city in terms of their immense desire | | | | Movies theaters were charging colored men more that |
| to keep them out of their neighborhoods. | | | | whites, which was absolutely illegal but was supported |
| Officially until 1910 black families were free to settle | | | | by the government nevertheless. In most cases they |
| and buy property where they wanted. From the turn | | | | were welcomed to file a suit against such |
| of the century though, accidents of violent intrusions | | | | establishment and as practice shows they usually won. |
| and threats from white neighbors started escalating in | | | | The problem was though that they didn’t do it |
| numbers and it became merely impossible to become | | | | often taking into account the expenses and efforts |
| a part of that society in such a way. The fact has to | | | | that were not reimbursed in full in the end. |