The black population of Detroit was disproportionately affected by deindustrialization and the movement of industry away from major American cities. This was due to many factors. This essay will address three categories of these factors: the black housing situation in Detroit, blacks’ experience in the workplace, and the effect of automation of factories on black employees.
In order to understand the effect of deindustrialization on the black population, one must first begin with the housing situation in Detroit. Blacks were unable to live in the same areas as whites, because of property classifications and rules made by neighborhood organizations. Black renters were charged higher rates compared to white renters, and black families often had to live in multiple-family dwellings. No area of the city wanted to build public housing for blacks because it would lower the real-estate value of the area, so these buildings were often built near the edges of the city.
Due to this, black applicants were unable to forge relationships with whites. Because most jobs relied on references…show more content… Blacks were almost always paid less for their work and forced into certain positions. Job listings would often specify the preferred race of the applicant, and agencies for black applicants often catered to employers of domestic service workers, rather than other white-collar positions. In addition, black applicants would often be turned away for positions even when they were qualified or had relevant experience, and the position would instead be filled by a white applicant. As mentioned previously, when factories relocated, black employees had more competition for work and less job openings to apply for. Firms could afford to hire the employees who fit their ideals, because the supply for labor was much greater than the demand. This, coupled with workplace cultures that preferred homogeneity, shows that black applicants were again at a