Emma Lou Thornbrough. Blacks in the Twentieth Century. Edited and with a fnal chapter by Lana Ruegamer. Bloomington: Press, 2000. xii + 287 pp. $27.95, cloth, ISBN 978-0-253-33799-3.

Reviewed by Stephen A. Vincent

Published on H-Indiana (July, 2001)

A Black History Pioneer Completes Her Jour‐ black inferiority--is more than convincingly ney demonstrated, partly through the author's impres‐ Indiana Blacks in the Twentieth Century sive array of evidence, and partly through her brings to fruition the second half of Emma Lou even-handed, dispassionate style of analysis. Per‐ Thornbrough's two volume history of African haps not surprisingly, Before 1900 continues to be Americans in the Hoosier state. Almost but not an invaluable resource for anyone interested in quite completed at the author's death in 1994, it is its subject matter. (Indeed, Indiana University the fnal efort of a talented scholar who devoted Press reissued the book in 1994, testimony in its her career to uncovering Indiana's black history own way to its enduring value.) and promoting racial justice in our time. Fittingly, Twentieth Century shares many of its prede‐ Twentieth Century is a work of high quality. With cessor's fner qualities and implicitly develops the its publication, Indiana now has not only a com‐ same theme. Thornbrough relies once again on a prehensive account of its African American past, wide array of primary sources--including newspa‐ but arguably the best state-level black history pers, census data, local NAACP and Urban League published to date. records, and private correspondence--together Thornbrough's frst volume, The Negro in In‐ with a smattering of secondary materials to pro‐ diana Before 1900 (1957), is rightfully considered vide a comprehensive, well-rounded survey of a classic in the felds of Indiana and black histori‐ key twentieth century developments. The book is cal scholarship. It is, above all else, a fnely craft‐ also organized efectively, with specifc chapters ed study--thoroughly researched, well organized, devoted to the turn of the twentieth century, carefully written, and judicious in its assessments. World War One and the beginnings of the Great Thornbrough's principal argument--that Indiana Migration, the 1920s, the Great Depression and black Hoosiers' early progress proved the fallacy the New Deal, the fght for greater civil rights af‐ of their white contemporaries' assertions about ter World War Two, and so on. And Thorn‐ H-Net Reviews brough's characteristic "voice" is fully evident, American Hoosiers since 1970, seem much more carefully guiding the reader through controver‐ impressionistic and less cohesive than those that sial matters in a judicious, seemingly objective comprise the bulk of Twentieth Century. This, too, fashion. She does not completely shy away from is understandable--it stems from the successes of making strong judgments, but generally allows the civil rights movement and subsequent frag‐ the evidence to speak for itself. Her restraint, in mentation of the black community as American turn, gives the narrative greater authority, and society opened up. The story of Indiana's black draws the reader's attention when she does, in population no longer has the same degree of focus fact, make strong assertions. and unity it had before the 1960s. (Lana The strongest sections of Twentieth Century Ruegamer's fnal chapter, much to her credit, is are those dealing with the major public struggles wisely tailored to this new dynamic.) faced by African Americans in Indiana in the last A fnal, more substantive criticism concerns century. These include the fghts over greater ac‐ context. Thornbrough begins most chapters with cess to decent jobs, public accommodations, high introductory paragraphs placing her immediate quality housing, and integrated public schools. In subject matter in a broader regional or national recounting these events, Thornbrough often casts discussion. In the body of each chapter, however, her story in a vivid, engaging narrative form. And, the focus narrows almost exclusively to the Indi‐ despite (or because of) the author's even-handed ana setting, with little attempt to compare or con‐ approach, it is easy for the reader to make her/his trast Indiana patterns with those found else‐ own judgment about the "heroes" and "villains" where. This will not bother some readers, espe‐ involved. (I, for one, was appalled by the obstruc‐ cially if their interest is largely confned to the lo‐ tionist tactics of groups like the Indiana Chamber cal or state level. It will be less satisfying, howev‐ of Commerce and the Board of Real‐ er, to those wanting to understand Indiana blacks' tors; and conversely, heartened by the courageous typicality or exceptional character--i.e., to place actions of the NAACP, the CIO, and a long list of lo‐ Indiana blacks' experiences in the "big picture" cal African American political leaders, from concerning matters like industrialization, housing Willard Ransom and Henry Richardson to An‐ segregation, African American political activism, drew Ramsay and Jessie Jacobs.) or the infuence of the Ku Klux Klan. Twentieth Century, like any book, is open to a Notwithstanding these minor quibbles, Twen‐ degree of criticism. the overall narrative seems at tieth Century is a fne book. It provides a well re‐ times uneven, in large measure because of its giv‐ searched, detailed, and at times authoritative ac‐ en geographic and chronological scope. While count of the Indiana black experience since 1900. Twentieth Century takes the entire state of Indi‐ Like its predecessor, it will undoubtedly become ana as its focus, the narrative narrows increasing‐ the standard reference on its subject for decades ly to Indianapolis and Gary as it proceeds, with to come. only an occasional brief reference to a few other Copyright 2001 by H-Net, all rights reserved. cities. This narrowing is understandable--the H-Net permits the redistribution and reprinting of state's black population is increasingly concen‐ this work for nonproft, educational purposes, trated in a few urban settings over time--but it with full and accurate attribution to the author, does draw attention to the limits of using the state web location, date of publication, originating list, as a unit of analysis, especially in the twentieth and H-Net: Humanities & Social Sciences Online. century. On a somewhat similar note, the fnal For any other proposed use, contact the Reviews two chapters of the book, dealing with African editorial staf at [email protected].

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Citation: Stephen A. Vincent. Review of Thornbrough, Emma Lou. Indiana Blacks in the Twentieth Century. H-Indiana, H-Net Reviews. July, 2001.

URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=5293

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