African American Rural Culture, 1900-1950

Abstract

Between 1900 and 1950, the social, political, and economic conditions of African Americans living in rural communities throughout the United States were atrocious. Housing, for the majority, was poor, wages were low, and educational opportunities were limited for rural black children. Many felt oppressed, exploited, and in serious need of relief. Opportunities for self-identity and expression of beliefs and values evolved, however, within rural enclaves throughout the South. African American rural culture was quite diverse and represented interactions across institutional, religious, social, racial, class, recreational, and gender lines. Culture, as defined here, includes any act, behavior, idea, value system, or activity that illustrates how blacks lived and celebrated life at work, school, church, home, and throughout the community. Landowners, tenants, renters, sharecroppers, day laborers, and simple rural nonfarming residents composed this rural population. Businesspeople, teachers, and preachers provided leadership.