Black Neighbors

Race and the Limits of Reform in the American Settlement House Movement, 1890-1945

By Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn | Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

About the book

Professing a policy of cultural and social integration, the American settlement house movement made early progress in helping immigrants adjust to life in American cities. However, when African Americans migrating from the rural South in the early twentieth century began to replace white immigrants in settlement environs, most houses failed to redirect their efforts toward their new neighbors. Nationally, the movement did not take a concerted stand on the issue of race until after World War II. In Black Neighbors, Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn analyzes this reluctance of the mainstream settlement house movement to extend its programs to African American communities, which, she argues, were assisted instead by a variety of alternative organizations. Lasch-Quinn recasts the traditional definitions, periods, and regional divisions of settlement work and uncovers a vast settlement movement among African Americans. By placing community work conducted by the YWCA, black women’s clubs, religious missions, southern industrial schools, and other organizations within the settlement tradition, she highlights their significance as well as the mainstream movement’s failure to recognize the enormous potential in alliances with these groups. Her analysis fundamentally revises our understanding of the role that race has played in American social reform.

Editions of Black Neighbors

Hardcover
ISBN 9780807821145
Paperback
ISBN 9780807844236
EBook
ISBN 9781469621494
PDF
ISBN 9798890865847

Read an Excerpt

Professing a policy of cultural and social integration, the American settlement house movement made early progress in helping immigrants adjust to life in American cities. However, when African Americans migrating from the rural South in the early twentieth century began to replace white immigrants in settlement environs, most houses failed to redirect their efforts toward their new neighbors. Nationally, the movement did not take a concerted stand on the issue of race until after World War II. In Black Neighbors, Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn analyzes this reluctance of the mainstream settlement house movement to extend its programs to African American communities, which, she argues, were assisted instead by a variety of alternative organizations. Lasch-Quinn recasts the traditional definitions, periods, and regional divisions of settlement work and uncovers a vast settlement movement among African Americans. By placing community work conducted by the YWCA, black women’s clubs, religious missions, southern industrial schools, and other organizations within the settlement tradition, she highlights their significance as well as the mainstream movement’s failure to recognize the enormous potential in alliances with these groups. Her analysis fundamentally revises our understanding of the role that race has played in American social reform.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Black Neighbors about?

Professing a policy of cultural and social integration, the American settlement house movement made early progress in helping immigrants adjust to life in American cities. However, when African Americans migrating from the rural South in the early twentieth century began to replace white immigrants in settlement environs, most houses failed to redirect their efforts toward their new neighbors. Nationally, the movement did not take a concerted stand on the issue of race until after World War II. In Black Neighbors, Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn analyzes this reluctance of the mainstream settlement house movement to extend its programs to African American communities, which, she argues, were assisted instead by a variety of alternative organizations. Lasch-Quinn recasts the traditional definitions, periods, and regional divisions of settlement work and uncovers a vast settlement movement among African Americans. By placing community work conducted by the YWCA, black women’s clubs, religious missions, southern industrial schools, and other organizations within the settlement tradition, she highlights their significance as well as the mainstream movement’s failure to recognize the enormous potential in alliances with these groups. Her analysis fundamentally revises our understanding of the role that race has played in American social reform.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Black Neighbors?

History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas

Where can I read a sample of Black Neighbors?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807821145

How long is Black Neighbors and how many pages does it have?

Black Neighbors has 240 page(s)

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Black Neighbors?

Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn

Who is the Publisher of the book Black Neighbors?

The University of North Carolina Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Black Neighbors is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807821145) and paperback(ISBN 9780807844236) and ebook(ISBN 9781469621494) and pdf(ISBN 9798890865847)

Where can I buy Black Neighbors online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy Black Neighbors from below

Where can I buy Black Neighbors?