Mississippi Between the Wars1920-1940

Women’s Rights

• America was the world’s greatest democracy however, our Constitution did not allow women to vote

• Women’s suffrage movement: Led by women such as Ida B. Wells to fight for women’s right to vote

• Finally came to a head with the passing of the 19th Amendment in 1920– Extends the franchise (right to vote) to women

• This truly changes politics!

MS’s Economic Development

1. World War I had brought prosperity back to MS because cotton prices rose.

2. After the war, cotton prices dropped again and MS farmers began to struggle – only the Delta planters continued to thrive.

3. Dairy farms began developing in some areas of the state.

4. Canneries were opened in some areas – factories that can food products.

5. The lumber industry later returned because of governor Whitfield’s reforestation program.

Real Estate1. The biggest boom industry of the 1920’s in MS was real

estate.2. Many northerners began moving south to escape the

north’s harsh winters.3. This led to a great deal of investment in MS’s Gulf Coast

area.

The Great Migration

• Thousands of African Americans moved North in search of jobs

• Labor shortages during the war in cities like Chicago

• If you could afford a train ticket you could “get out”

• Chicago Defender, a militant black newspaper, encouraged the migration by saying Chicago was the promised land for African Americans

How many migrated????

• 1910-1920: 150,000• 1930s: Very slow migration due to Depression• 1920-1940: 150,000• 1940s alone: Over 300,000!

How Migration affected MS• Caused a labor shortage• Whites used force and

threats to keep blacks from leaving– Police entered trains and

forced blacks to get off– Blacks were arrested if they

were seen buying a train ticket

• Blacks however used the threat of migrating to better their lives.. Get things they want if they stay

• Black doctors, lawyers, and newspaper editors left Mississippi and caused black middle class to decrease

• The gap between whites and blacks grew larger as a result

• By WWII, most blacks had been forced to work as field hands, domestic servants, or manual laborers

Theodore Bilbo“The Man”

• 1907 elected to the Senate• 1911 becomes Lt. Governor• 1915 becomes Governor– Balances the state budget– Worked to modernize the school system– State Highway Dept.

• 1928 Re-elected as Governor– Tries to consolidate MSU and Ole Miss into one college at

Jackson…. Clearly not successful • 1934,1940, and 1946 Elected as U.S. Senator– Opposed Civil Rights Bills, antilynching laws, and fair

employment practices

Scandal, Fighting, and Controversy• 1908-Bilbo is accused of accepting bribes and

was almost expelled from the state Senate• Race for Lt. Gov- Assaulted one of his opponents

for making derogatory remarks against him and takes a swing at opponent Washington Gibbs after being hit in the head with a walking stick of Gibbs

• 1946- Scandal involving work done on his mansion for free by government contractors (illegal) – Dies before he is ever convicted

Governors election of 1924

• Candidates: Henry Whitfield, Theodore Bilbo, Lee Russell (incumbent)

• Women could vote in primary now due to 19th amendment (ratified in 1920!)

• Whitfield had the edge in the election– Russell was involved in a scandalous court case– Bilbo was actually jailed for contempt of court because he

refused to testify in court– Bilbo chooses to announce from jail that he is running for

governor• Whitfield promised to not embarrass the people of MS• Whitfield wins

Governor of the People• Blacks made up over half of the population• “If they did not prosper, the state does not

prosper”• Enforced laws that protected the blacks• Fewer lynching's because he expected proper

legal procedures • He actually visited black schools• Insisted on strict segregation yet heard requests

from blacks• Whitfield died in 1927

Bilbo Returns

• 1927 Election• He promised free textbooks and said the state

needs a factory to make them (better education and jobs!)

• Wanted a road program for the state• Bilbo wins • Supported reforms to improve quality of life

for poor white farmers

• Legislature (mostly democrats) ignored Bilbo

• Wanted to modernize and improve higher education

• Bilbo tried to consolidate Mississippi A & M, University of Mississippi, and Mississippi Southern College and move them to Jackson for one large university

• Did not work and eventually colleges got renamed to Mississippi State University, TSUN, University of Southern Mississippi

• Also created Jackson State University and Delta State University

Junior College System

• Agricultural schools were dying out (boarding high schools)

• Schools were getting more funding and schools were consolidating

• 1922- Agricultural schools become junior colleges (first two years)

• $50 a semester; $16 room and board– Today room and board estimates $1000 and $2100 a

semester• Gave average Mississippians an opportunity to better

themselves• 1939-1940: 4,000 students attended junior colleges