Officially beginning in 1929, The Great Depression hit Americans hard, crossing all ethnic, racial, and social barriers. Northern and southern businessmen, urban and rural working classes, men and women alike faced difficult economic battles during this time. As the nation struggled to recover, African Americans relied on their self taught cooperation that had helped them endure the recovery from slavery to make many political and cultural strides throughout the 1930's and 1940's. The surge in overall African American pride was the perfect precursor to the Civil Rights movement of the 1950's.

In the south, black farmers suffered the most from the Depression. As the demand for cash crops such as sugar and cotton fell, suppliers increased the amount produced in order to compensate. This resulted in an excess supply and a corresponding plummet in value. Black sharecroppers all across the south were on the verge of starvation. Many farmers joined the migration to cities of the north in search of jobs. This created overcrowding and increased competition for jobs. In the years of The Depression, whites were forced into what were once considered "Negro" jobs. Unemp

The political gains that African Americans achieved in the post Depression era opened the door for the development of a black culture that was proud of its ethnicity. "Black culture during the 1930's and 1940's became a source of strength - cultural power - that helped define and assert themselves within American society." Many form of black popular culture such as black music, comics strips, movies, and literature all helped to progress a sense of black nationality and pride and laid the foundation for the Civil Rights movement of the 1950's.

loyment among black men in cities such as Chicago rose to as high as forty percent in 1934. Black women also suffered greatly as employers drastically lowered their wages. Even the few upper class black businessmen were filing for bankruptcy. As economic disparity transcended class and gender of African Americans, President Hoover failed to provide any significant assistance to the impoverished and blacks were forced to rely on each other for help. In essence, the downfall of the economy led to black assimilation that eventually led to the political and cultural achievements of the 1930's and 1940's.

During the 1930's New York was the proving ground for many black musicians as urban nightlife was still popular. As African Americans were not considered part of mainstream culture, neither was their music at the time. However, black musicians did not mask their innovativeness. Small club performers developed a new style of free jazz. This style was transformed by big bands that performed in more socially acceptable venues into what became know as swing. But musicians like Thelonius Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, and Charlie Parker became tired of the constrictions associated with swing. Through many late night experimental jam sessions, these artists meshed complex melodies with their exceptional improvisational skills into a style known as Bebop. "Beboppers were the first generation of thoroughly schooled black musicians... One of the reasons [they] gave their tunes names like Tauntology and Orthi

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Approximate Word count = 1389
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)