Research Paper #1
Robert Preston
Cleveland State University
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Racial Discrimination of African Americans in the 20th Century
The severity of racial discrimination and disparity of African American in-groups
of the 20th century is vastly understated across a wide variety of cultural lenses. Yet, is it possible
to paint an entirely accurate portrait of racial tensions between African Americans and others in
the city of Cleveland, Ohio throughout the 20th century? No, but through critical analysis of
events and people that shaped the culture we exist in now, we can further understand the
hardships and adversity that African Americans had to work past in order to get where we are as
a society. Racial discrimination in Cleveland has been a problem for generations; racism has
worn many different masks and has disguised itself throughout history. It is famously quoted that
“time heals all wounds,” yet time does not change the past, nor reveals the true nature of the
brutality that African Americans were forced into. As a society, it must be noted that the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 is extremely recent in the United States’ history, Cleveland having played a
major part in the unearthing of such injustices. Incredible figures who helped advance this, such
as Carl B. Stokes, Marcus Garvey, and many others paved a path for others to follow in hopes of
showing the world that separation will only stunt the advancement of humanity itself. This paper
will detail events, people, and locations with ties to the great city of Cleveland, Ohio that were
key instruments in bringing the African American experience to light, helping society reach an
age of understanding that will continue to adapt and grow until racial and ethnic discrimination is
only a concept within history books.
Cleveland was a key city in the Underground Railroad, among other surrounding cities in
the state of Ohio, instilling a sense of hope in escaped slaves that they may one day retake their
freedom in Canada and refuge locations across the Northeastern part of the country (“In Search
of…”). This paper cannot possibly encompass the entire timeline due to length constraints, but
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many people consider the Civil War as a major turning point in the grand scheme of the United
States’ timeline due to its influential context in contemporary history. However, after the Civil
War, African Americans still had few rights and opportunities in the south (“Great Migration”).
Thus, the Great Migration, a landmark event that occurred between 1890 and 1940, where
hundreds of thousands of African Americans traveled from the tense social culture of the South
to a slightly more tolerant, progressive North; many of whom settled in Cleveland and its
surrounding cities (“Great Migration”).
Upon arrival to Cleveland, these settlers faced immediate opposition when it came to
property, such as discriminatory housing policies, deed restrictions, and racially restrictive
covenants (Sanchez, 2018). Deed restrictions prevented African Americans from buying houses
