Chapter 1 of Blood Relations talks about the relations between racial groups in Harlem. The dynamics of these relations were important to Harlem’s development as a center for immigrants from the Caribbean. These people, due to their complexion, were inevitably settled into black Harlem. However, they had a particularly great social and cultural impact. The differentiating factor between African-Caribbean people and native African-Americans may have been the patterns in their cultural institutions, to which women contributed greatly. There seemed to be an emphasis on kinship networks and lodging because they led to (what the book called) “employers and hiring.” Harlem politics evolved as the old elite lost its power due to the influx of immigrants, and one notable and new tradition in these politics was the street corner forums.
Chapter 2 talks about the migration of African-Caribbeans within the Caribbean as well as to America. We are introduced to 3 phases in this migration: 1) interterritorial (1835-1885); 2) to foreign lands at the edge of the Caribbean Sea (1880s-1920s); and 3) to America (World War I and later). After emancipation, freed slaves started traveling to find work and good wages in order to acquire property. There was little work in the Caribbean; however, projects farther away (like the Panama Canal) encouraged migration. There were tastes of Jim Crow laws in the Panama Canal Zone along with the establishment of important cultural traditions. For example, blacks were paid in lower wages than whites and were paid in silver (instead of gold). As time progressed, America began to hold the promise of an improvement of life (the “Land of Promise”). However, there were numerous restrictions that migrants had to deal with when coming to America. They included health tests and consultation with the Consul. The receiving individual must have demonstrated financial responsibility, and there was harsh treatment waiting for anyone caught coming illegally. Women played a crucial role in helping settle newcomers. The White Rose Mission, Travelers’ Aid Society, and the Welcome Stranger Committee all helped newcomers find temporary lodging and employment. An immigration bill in 1924 enforced quotas and restricted immigrants of the “black or African race.” Many initially opposed; however, this opposition eventually waned. Thus, African-Caribbean people were being identified as part of a racial community rather than an ethnic one.
Chapter 3 talks about the housing and occupational characteristics of African-Americans (both native and foreign-born) in Harlem. Many immigrants had an education and even a skill; however, they possessed little money. As a result, they could not afford their own housing and had to lodge. Harlem offered a good environment for community building as more and more blacks began to settle there. Thus, the phrase “On to Harlem” became popular. Changes began to come about. The Payton block was basically an example of this transformation: from an Irish and German community to a heterogeneous black American and Caribbean-immigrant community. It was originally thought that Harlem itself could not become a black sector. However, this was proven wrong when there was a movement of black immigrants uptown and Russian Jews and Italians downtown. In terms of occupation in and around the Payton block, most were in low white-collar occupations. Some others made it in real estate, like Nail and Parker. Churches and organizations owned most of the property available. For smaller groups, collective economics was required with the pooling of resources. An increase in tenement development as well as higher rates led to an increase in household size. One inevitable side effect was the concept of lodging, which was a way of life due to high rents and an influx of newcomers. There was often a similarity in occupations and origin among lodgers and hosts.
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What is important is that the main motivation of migration involved the possibility of finding a better job and improving one’s (or one’s children’s) present condition. This is true even today. However, it seemed that the true struggle back then was to maintain one’s status despite economic condition. In doing so, few achieved social mobility. However, these Caribbean immigrants could at least hope that their children could move up the social ladder. It was certainly a reachable goal; however, that goal involved an arduous path.
One thing I noticed throughout these chapters was the importance of immigrant family networks. It seemed that there was a mention of this on almost every other page. We could see the large amounts of communication between immigrants and their families. Relatives had numerous expectations of their loved ones abroad, and relations could get strained because of this. There was also the mention of family obligations (for example, older people being expected to help raise younger children). This all highlights how important the notion of family was to these immigrants. Families could have provided a support system for these immigrants. However, they could have also been a source of stress. I can understand how the expectation of making enough money and succeeding can put a burden on those already here. However, these family ties were beneficial for those relatives who were planning to come to America as it could have made the immigration process somewhat easier. Thus, family ties contributed to a “snowball effect” in immigration.
In chapter one, a point was made that if a black person was foreign-born, he/she was treated generally better than a native-born black person. One could tell from differences in language or accent. This actually surprised me. I believed that prejudice was based solely on skin color (despite country of origin). However, this statement seemed to challenge that assertion. Indeed, the book even mentions it as the “strange ways of U.S. prejudice.” I am curious as to why this was the case. Why were foreign-born blacks treated better than native-born blacks? In addition, the opposite seems to have become the case later on. I am also curious as to what caused this abrupt shift.
I particularly enjoyed the stories that the author put into the chapters, especially those about Aletha Dowridge and Charles Petioni. It seemed to add a human component to the writing. Instead of the book being a recitation of facts, it became more personal and relatable to the reader.
