From Side Street to Ghetto: Understanding the Rising Levels and Changing Spatial Pattern of Segregation, 1900-1940

Area of Science:

• Urban Studies
• Sociology
• Historical Geography

Background:

• Traditional views attribute Northern urban segregation intensification to social control against growing African American populations.
• This perspective suggests segregation was less necessary in the South due to different demographic and social dynamics.
• Existing interpretations often overlook the scale and spatial dynamics of segregation at the neighborhood level.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-evaluate the standard interpretation of early 20th-century urban segregation intensification.
• To investigate the role of African American population size as a predictor of segregation trends.
• To analyze the spatial scale and neighborhood-level changes in segregation patterns across multiple US cities.

Main Methods:

• Utilized newly available data for 134 cities spanning the period 1900-1940.
• Analyzed segregation at the neighborhood scale, examining changes in spatial distribution.
• Employed multivariate analyses to assess the relationship between Black population size and segregation trends in Northern and Southern cities.

Main Results:

• Segregation was already high at the neighborhood scale in 1900, indicating deep-rooted patterns.
• Segregation intensified and changed its spatial scale, with Black settlement shifting from dispersed patterns to concentrated zones.
• Multivariate analyses demonstrated similar segregation trends in both Northern and Southern cities, with Black population size not being a significant predictor.

Conclusions:

• The intensification and spatial scaling of segregation were nationwide phenomena, not solely a Northern response.
• The 'Black threat' or population size did not drive increasing segregation; other factors were likely at play.
• Early 20th-century segregation evolved into a pervasive national pattern affecting urban landscapes across the United States.