Violence Moves North:
Progressive Era Racial Conflict in Illinois (1900-1920)
Michael Pollock / Urbana High School / Summer Fellowship 2010
Abstract: This lesson series will investigate the violent eruption of racial tensions in early 20th
century Illinois. The American political and social reform movements of the 20th century’s
opening decades known as the Progressive Era did not successfully address racial prejudice and
discrimination. Students will discuss the meaning of progressivism, internal migrations, and
racial equality as well as the government’s role and responsibility in securing it. Through the use
of primary documents, they will investigate and evaluate three major incidents that illustrate
these frictions. These include racially motivated riots in Springfield (1908), East St. Louis
(1917), and Chicago (1919).
Essential Questions:
• What causes racial conflict, and why does it escalate into violence?
• Are racial conflict and discrimination preventable?
• What racial issues confronted early 20th Century America?
• To what degree did Progressive Era reforms address the issues of racial
discrimination?
• Why did reform during this era not more adequately address racial conflict?
• What is “progressivism?”
• In viewing primary source documents, how can we identify bias, and what impact does
bias have on the usefulness of the resource?
• To what degree is government responsible for and/or capable of addressing
discrimination and racial violence?
• How did racial segregation differ in the North and in the South?
Enduring Understandings:
Students should understand….
• The meaning of progressive reform and the role that racial conflict played in the first 2
decades of the 20th century
• The reasons that racial friction turned to violent chaos in northern cities during this era
• The debatable role of governments in responding to discrimination and to public violence
Assessments:
Students will be graded on class discussion, a push-pull graphic organizer about the Great
Migration, a compare and contrast worksheet detailing the causes, details about, and effects of
each of three major racial disturbances between 1908 and 1919. Finally, students will
individually compose an essay comparing the three incidents.
Setting the purpose / Accessing prior knowledge:
This 4 part lesson will follow the Progressive Era unit in U.S. History. Students will discuss and
review the key themes of political, social, and economic reforms enacted between 1900 and 1920
primarily in response to immigration, economic disparity, and the rapid industrial/urban growth
of the Gilded Age. Each lesson can be designed for from one to several days.
Lesson 1 – Progressive era review and the Springfield 1908 Race Riot
Students will review the Progressive Era using a review sheet to consider why a time of
political, economic, and social reform failed to adequately address the issue of race. This can
be done in class or as home reading the evening prior. Included is a teacher’s reference to
the shortcomings of these reformers titled “When Bigots Become Reformers.” In groups of
3-4, they will analyze a summary of the 1908 Springfield Race Riots as a starting point, and
discuss articles about the disturbance from local Champaign-Urbana newspapers. Also
included is an audio clip about the 100th anniversary of the riot broadcast on NPR.
Individually or in groups, students should use the Race Riot Recap and Reflection to analyze
the various causes and effects of each of the three incidents. (See Documents 2a-2f).
Lesson 2 – The Great Migration and the 1917 St. Louis Race Riot
A. Students will review the Great Migration during and after WW I using the review guide
or in guided discussion led by the instructor. Groups will each receive a document packet
and push – pull organizer and using the documents, discuss and complete the worksheet.
(See Documents 3a-3c).
B. Either as in-class reading, teacher led discussion, or as preparatory homework, students
will investigate the general narrative of the causes, events, and results of the bloody 1917
East St. Louis race riot, keeping in mind the pressures that beset the city following the
major African migration from the south in the years preceding the melee. (See
Documents 4a and 4b).
C. In groups, students will review and discuss primary source documents from the St. Louis
riots and fill in the riot reflection worksheet (see doc. 2f)
Lesson 3- The 1919 Chicago Riot
A. Either as in-class reading, teacher led discussion, or as preparatory homework, students
will investigate the general narrative of the causes, events, and results of the 1919
Chicago Race riot using the background materials provided. (see Documents 5-1 and 52).
B. In groups, students will review and discuss primary source documents (se Documents 5-1
through 5-44) from the Chicago riots and fill in the riot reflection worksheet (see doc. 2f)
C. Engage in a whole class discussion of the documents and the comparisons between the
three incidents.
D. Each student will use the comparison sheet to write an essay comparing the causes,
details, and effects of the 1908, 1917, and 1919 riots.