Lives of Their Own: Blacks, Italians, and Poles in Pittsburgh, 1900-1960

The Working Class in American History

by John Bodnar, Roger Simon, Michael P Weber

Lives of Their Own depicts the strikingly different lives of black, Italian, and Polish immigrants in Pittsburgh. Within a comparative framework, the book focuses on the migration process itself, job procurement, and occupational mobility, family structure, home-ownership, and neighborhood institutions. By blending oral histories with quantitative data, the authors have created a convincing multilayered portrait of working-class life in one of our great industrial cities.
 

Genres: History, Labor

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had everything I could've hoped for concerning a research-based book. In overall context, this was a good perspective on 3 groups that were strangers to a city and all faced similar struggles yet championed them in different ways. The most glaring thesis proven here that was repeated constantly was that black people were always on the bottom and remained there while groups who arrived at the same time with similar backgrounds could rise. The only available explanation for the lack of increased home ownership and job advancement is overt racism. The authors state that all groups had their fair share of prejudice, but the black population was the only one that seemed unable to shake it no matter how hard they tried. For me, this proved some level of white privilege: that in if a white person (in this case white immigrants) goes up in the same poverty and inexperienced job bracket as a black person, the reasons for it are different, and one of these people will not have to face prejudice just from being looked at in the face.

For the more specific and regional aspect, I found the research done on the neighborhoods made me appreciate Pittsburgh's culture and history. Having lived in East Liberty, it reminded me of the constant shifts the neighborhoods have gone through and its current gentrification. The fact that the Hill District used to have a 'Lower Hill' that was forced to be destroyed for the Civics Arena was shocking, and the continued state of the Hill District has not changed much since this study took place. The current state of Pittsburgh property value and commercialization is disheartening, yet this book has shown me that it wouldn't be the first time. When I see the destroyed, abandoned buildings in the Hill District or Polish Hill, it will make me think of them differently.

I enjoyed the different backgrounds of the Polish and Italian immigrants and their subsequent benefits or disadvantages this gave them upon arrival to Pittsburgh. I enjoyed the stats about how many of these immigrants ended up leaving and their motives for coming in the first place were not just a peachy "to find a better way of life". I also enjoyed the realization of black women's struggles even in the early 1900's.

Overall, great study. Yes, a bit redundant, but just with interest of keeping the study focused.

[Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first few chapters of this are a little overly statistical and insufficiently, hm, concerned with human experience. It picks up in the chapter concerned with homeownership, though. Also, the adaptation of the Central Tube Company's 1925 chart headed "Racial Adaptability to Various Types of Plant Work" is outstanding. (As I am very fond of saying - there's nothing better than a good primary source.)

[Rose Schrott · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5.
Would recommend, especially for Pittsburghers interested in the history of their city.

[Elizabeth Higginbotham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lives of Their Own: Blacks, Italians, and Poles in Pittsburgh, 1900-1960 by John Bodner, Roger Simon and Michael Weber is a comparative history, focusing mostly on the 1900 to 1930 and then look at census, occupational, and housing data to cover the next 30 years. There are oral histories from 1974, that provides some context as to how members of these groups survived in this industrial town. The Black population includes longtime residents, as well as migrants after 1916, while the immigrants from Poland and Italy keep coming.

My focus is on the Black residents, but the comparison is nice. Black residents were more likely to send their children to high school than the immigrants. The Polish sent sons to work, often to help with mortgage. The Italians were more inclined to see their sons get skills as barber, shoemakers, etc. Yet, both groups of immigrants had easier access to industrial jobs than did the Black population.

The authors cover patterns of residence and many people lived on the Hill, which over time would be majority Black, but early in the century integration was common and many people lived close to the Central Business district. The lower hill, the oldest housing was demolished to build the Civic Arena and other urban renewal influenced housing patterns. Many of the immigrants settled near their industrial employment, but that was not the pattern for the Black population. More dependent on service work, the Hill was close to their employment options.

Rather than just focus only on racism, the authors look at the obstacles groups faced and the decisions they made as they adjusted to urban life. The Polish were very drawn to home ownership, so that they could provide for their children but also not be evicted. A common practice when owners wanted to move out boarders to accommodate family members. The employment in the mills also meant that their sons followed in those footsteps, as many people were hired with recommendations for kin and friends. They lived on Polish Hill and the Strip district, until the latter was more commercialized.

The Italian occupational pattern varied more, but many did cluster in neighborhoods, especially Bloomfield and East Liberty. Yet, there were able to secure industrial work and became home owners. Yet, the Black story is different, limited occupational mobility since many unions did not take Black members, but they did find inroads. Thus, their home ownership number are much smaller.

Noting the difference between long-term residents and migrants is important. Members of the Black community, residing in the Hill District and the Homewood-Brushton and the Northside, had churches but never the strong community organizations found among the Polish and Italian. Many of those were connected to the Catholic churches, which were quick to recognize social problems. The scattering of members of the Black community about the city also meant that their business sector was small.

You can see how education would be valued by both long-term Black residents and migrants. The could not help their sons and daughters negotiation the occupational structure. Yet, discrimination impacted those who did finish high school and even college. Black people could not teach in the public schools and other firms. In terms of housing, patterns of segregation develop in the 1930s and 1940s, so some neighborhoods that were initially integrated changed. However, in the earlier days people developed relationship across race.

Everyone suffers during the Depression and there is more work during World War II, but as industry declines in Pittsburgh some of the immigrants had a foothold to advance, while the Black community had to keep reinventing itself. Employment for women was limited, since there were few clerical or sales jobs for Black women.

Interesting reading and filling many holes in my knowledge about this city. The oral histories are nice, but there is much quantitative data to work through.

[Nicholas Marshall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Analysis of voting patterns and political movements was lacking here. The book was useful for some social context, but it read much more like a collection of statistics than a narrative of a city or its people. It is unclear how any of these groups had autonomy in their economic or social conditions, a noticeable miss given its title.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Way too dry to read for pleasure. Too many statistics interspersed throughout the text.