State Historical Society of Iowa

Picket Line at Mid-City Realty Company in Chicago, Illinois, July 1941

 Download Image Resource

Courtesy of Library of Congress, Vachon, John, "Picket Line at Mid-City Realty Company, South Chicago, Illinois," July 1941

Description

This photograph shows African Americans standing in a picket line outside a midtown business in Chicago, Illinois, in 1941 protesting the discriminatory wage gap between African Americans and white people in the workforce.

Source Dependent Questions

  • Why were African Americans protesting outside this business in Chicago? What was their intended message? How do you know?
  • Compare this photo to the photo of an African American man carrying a protest sign outside of a milk company in Chicago. What was similar about the protest messages? What was different?
  • What do this photo and the photo of an African American man carrying a protest sign outside of a milk company in Chicago suggest about the economic reality of those who migrated to northern cities? Do you think these photos, and others like it, inspired hope, fear, or both for African Americans as they considered migrating to northern cities like Chicago? Point to specific evidence in the photos to support your claim.

Citation Information

Vachon, John, "Picket Line at Mid-City Realty Company, South Chicago, Illinois," July 1941. Courtesy of Library of Congress Courtesy of Library of Congress