Throughout the many chapters of Blood Relations, written by Irma Watkins-Owens, the readers notice the emerging changes that take charge of the Harlem community. Many changes were underway during the years 1900 to 1930. In Chapter 4, known as Churches, Benevolent Associations, and Ethnicity, the growth and the spread of the influence of churches shows the major ways that they impacted the people of the Harlem community. As many native born African Americans and Caribbean immigrants moved to the Harlem region, many new social networks were created to form a sense of community and stability for the people. These organizations formed essential social links that helped assimilate all the colored people into the lifestyle of New York City. Over time, these groups became more specialized, as various types of people kept moving into Harem. I found it interesting that Churches became the first social organizations to become specialized for different types of people. Churches became very essential for most community members in many aspects of life. Churches became involved in all parts of the community; they helped provide many of the housing contracts for immigrants, they helped upkeep old traditions from native countries, and they helped form political connections by offering community members goals to follow. It was also interesting to me that the book mentioned that any man even slightly significant in Harlem, either native or foreign-born, was expected to be a member of one of the major lodges or fraternal orders of the community. This statement shows the major impact that these social organizations had over the community by providing gridlines and creating social connections between the most influential of the community members. The thing that I became curious about was related to the wide array of influence that the Churches seemed to have over the community. In the book, Watkins-Owens makes it clear that many of the community members in Harlem found it nearly impossible to attend church regularly due to the fact that they had to work at their jobs even on Sundays. These workers were mainly porters or elevator men, needing to work extra hours just to etch out a living in New York City. It is also interesting to note that Churches used to cater to only native born African Americans. However, as more Caribbean immigrants came to Harlem, new Churches specialized to cater to their traditions popped up in the community. This shows that social organizations were essential and considered necessary for the community to function.

Although social organizations were some of the most important foundations of the Harlem community, politics and representation in the community was equally important to the members. In Chapter 5, known as Politics and the Struggle for Autonomy, the steps that led to representation in the community and in New York City are outlined. In the first decades of living at the community, black people had no direct representation in politics of the city. As Caribbean immigrants moved into the city, new political alliances started forming in Harlem in exchange for certain favors. Overall, however, most of the black members slowly switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party. Slowly over time, influential men, such as Anderson and Morton, who became heads of political parties, helped improve the political position of blacks in the patronage system. Something interesting to note about politics is the development of Tammany Hall in 1786. This organization was a Democratic political machine that favored white immigrants, specifically the Irish immigrants. This organization helped bring political power and influence to many of the white immigrants. These white foreign immigrants tended to gain naturalization and citizenship quickly in an attempt to gain jobs and establish a stable lifestyle. Native and immigrant blacks, however, were slower at the process of gaining citizenship. They weren’t in a rush to gain citizen ship solely for practical reasons. I found this to be very interesting because this was a great way to assimilate Caribbean immigrants into the native African American population of Harlem. However, these immigrants seemed to fear gaining citizenship due to the possibility of losing connection with their traditional roots once they become tied in with the social organizations of Harlem. As the years went by, the local political clubs were mainly available to more influential natives and immigrants. However, these connections allowed blacks for the first time in history to start leading their community by making decisions about community-improvement projects, etc.

With the development of political clubs and institutions, many new radical ideas started to form. Of them all, Marcus Garvey serves as one of the most drastic and dangerous ideology that brings the Harlem community to a dilemma. In Chapter 7, known as Marcus Garvey “Negro Subject of Great Britain”, Garvey’s ideologies and his rise and fall are described and analyzed. After World War I, Marcus Garvey, moved to Harlem in 1916 and founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). Garvey’s radical ideologies caused much distress in the American communities; there was a lot of opposition to his ideas. On the other hand, he had a lot of support from certain types of people. Marcus Garvey believed that there were better possibilities for the black people if they went back to their native countries. Many Americans feared Garvey’s influence on the blacks because then the employers would lose cheap laborers from their companies. Garvey gained the support of many influential blacks in the communities of America. Garvey’s methods for supporting his ideas became extreme and aroused suspicion. I found it extremely interesting that Garvey met up with the Ku Klux Klan at one point during his campaign. One of the main things that stuck out to me was the fact that Garvey was deported from the country. Apparently, it was due to the fact that Garvey had committed fraud related to his Black Star Line propaganda. However, it seems more likely that this was just an excuse for American officials to get rid of Garvey because he posed a risk to the economies of influential white people in the cities. It is also interesting to note that Garvey’s expulsion from America actually caused an outcry in America by many people in an attempt to provide him with equal treatment for the court case.

While politics and social organizations were on a public display for all the community members to see, illegal underground systems started to develop as the Harlem communities became more intricate. In Chapter 9, known as The Underground Entrepreneur, the development and impact that these illegal systems have on the communities as a whole are thoroughly discussed. One of these systems, known as “Numbers” developed within the community in the 1920s. Numbers, which was similar to an illegal lottery, in the beginning, could be played out in the open. However, police officials became aware of these economic tactics and they tried to put an end to it by making it illegal. In a Numbers operation, there was a banker, collectors/runners (took bets from people), and then controllers (returned money to the bank). Each banker would have many legal staff members who work around the clock. They provided the community directly with most of the jobs. The money that the bankers made, which was a lot, was then used as investments in Harlem property and in small businesses. Many small businesses benefitted from the help of Numbers, thus aiding the community by providing networks and economic support. I found it interesting that white gangsters even started the practice in response to what they saw in the Harlem communities. I also found it interesting that although the bankers from Numbers aided the community by supporting it, many of the community members viewed Numbers as a short-term element. Mostly poor people participated in Numbers. It is interesting to see how a community evolves over time as certain elements change in the community for the better.

As the Harlem communities developed, so did their literary arts and press. In Chapter 10, known as Harlem Writers and Intraracial Ethnicity, one of the most important things, the press, is discussed with a detailed explanation of how it impacted the community. With the press, the tensions between the native African Americans and the Caribbean immigrants are noted in their writings. New York Race papers were produced and maintained by the increasing numbers of black immigrants coming into the Harlem community. These race papers became the center stones for many immigrants to discuss their propaganda and discontent with something in society. The press became very influential in the community during the years 1917 to 1930. During the Depression, many immigrant and native writers talked mainly about the racial tensions that communities had between members. I thought it was interesting that the independent newspapers seemed to express their emotions more freely than newspapers who were owned by white influences.

In Chapter 11, known as Conclusion: Blood Relations in the Black Metropolis, we see the major impact that Caribbean immigrants had on the Harlem communities. It is interesting to note that native African Americans and Caribbean immigrants had a very tense history with one another due to racial reasons. Each group of people created their own social networks and economic systems to help them cope with the harsh living conditions of New York City. These people each formed many types of Churches that helped form goals and unity on a political level. Everyone was able to create a way to seem familiar with their new surroundings. Overall, it was very amazing to see how native African Americans and Caribbean immigrants for the first time in history encountered each other and tried to assimilate themselves into the communities in efficient ways.