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Difficulty: HardWorld War I: Mobilization and the Home Front

"We that want Democracy for ourselves, how can we ask it for others if we are not willing to pay the price? Let us, while this war lasts, forget our special grievances and close our ranks shoulder to shoulder with our own white fellow citizens and the allied nations that are fighting for democracy. We make no ordinary sacrifice, but we make it gladly and willingly with our eyes lifted to the hills."

— W.E.B. Du Bois, "Close Ranks," *The Crisis*, July 1918

Which of the following developments during World War I most directly challenged the optimism expressed by Du Bois in the excerpt?

  1. The persistence of racial segregation in the military and outbreaks of racial violence in northern citiesAnswer
  2. B
    The consensus among all major African American leaders that political protest must be permanently abandoned
  3. C
    The federal government's strict adherence to laissez-faire economic policies that prevented black workers from securing industrial jobs
  4. D
    The immediate adoption of absolute isolationism by civil rights organizations to protest American interventionism

Answer

The persistence of racial segregation in the military and outbreaks of racial violence in northern cities
The correct answer identifies that despite W.E.B. Du Bois's call to support the war effort in hopes of achieving postwar equality, the home front reality was marked by the persistence of racial discrimination. Black soldiers faced segregation and discrimination in the military, and the influx of black migrants to northern cities during the Great Migration led to severe white backlash, resulting in bloody race riots in cities such as East St. Louis in 1917 and Chicago in 1919.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus to identify the author's argument and expectations.
The excerpt shows W.E.B. Du Bois advocating for African Americans to support the WWI effort and temporarily suspend grievances to demonstrate loyalty and earn equal rights.
This establishes the baseline of optimism and the strategy proposed by Du Bois.
2
Evaluate the actual historical conditions faced by African Americans during World War I mobilization.
Black servicemen faced strict segregation and menial labor in the military, while the Great Migration of black workers to northern cities triggered severe racial hostility and riots.
This provides the historical counter-evidence to the optimism of the stimulus.
3
Select the option that represents the historical reality contradicting the expectations in the excerpt.
The option describing racial segregation and violence directly challenges the hope that wartime sacrifice would bring domestic democracy.
This completes the connection between the stimulus and the historical context.

Key Concept

African American participation, expectations, and realities during World War I mobilization and the Great Migration
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

World War I: Mobilization and the Home Front

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