Q? How did the urbanization of America in the post Civil War period affect African Americans?

Political (mixed/ mostly positive):
[+] During the post Civil War era, many former slaves began gaining political influence and voted in large numbers.
This created some tension between the African-American community, but overall this was a huge gain for them.
Some 600 blacks served as state legislators, although never elected governor. This was still a step forward for
blacks and political influence.
[-] However, with migration out of the city, authority was scattered, thus eventually putting emphasis on a more
centralized structure. Some of the reforms and legislation benefit the blacks in the cities. Sanitation programs
emerged as well as other attempts at improving the city conditions. These regulations were intended to help, but
often times were not enough or could not raise enough money to create all the necessary programs of reform.
The Progressive movement was also taking place, but many of the programs exempted African Americans.
Progressivism was basically a whites-only movement.

Economic (negative):
[+] African American participation in the Union army or navy taught the freedmen leadership and respectable
qualities for advancement in society. Many learned how to read and write which opened up more opportunities
for jobs and independence.
[-] As the rise of big business and urbanization occured, affluent whites moved outside the city, leaving mostly
blacks and poor people behind. From this, the cities became a place of poverty. Most of these people were
forced into the dangerous and low paying jobs because they had no other options and were the only people
who would take those jobs. Segregation was prevalent in the workforce. African Americans and other minorities
were desperate for any money they could make, which wasn't very much.

Social (mixed/ mostly negative):
[+] Instilled in African Americans after the Civil War was a sense of nationalism that brought about the fight for
reconstruction. Many churches were established by former slaves after the war along with the attempt to
create schools. This was a more controversial topic that caused uprisings and protests. Many churches helped
to raise the money to establish schools and pay the teachers, and thus the freed slaves became integrated into
society as more educated individuals - adults and children alike. Booker T. Washington emerged at this time as a
voice for black Americans, putting emphasis on exercising a strong work ethic and exhibiting good citizenship to
gain the respect of white Americans. His "Atlanta Compromise" speech emphasized his ideas of hard work and
self-discipline in the black community as an essential to mutual progress. His ideas and influence would later be
criticized by W.E.B. Dubois as endorsing the black man's status as working hands, rather than intelligent
competitors in the job field.
[-] Some setbacks in the family structure took place, however, as the slave culture did not keep them in the
mindset of strong family units. Many families struggled. The cities became an unhealthy living space with its lack
of sanitation and the congestion of homes and people. The conditions were extreme and many became sickly and
some even died from the conditions. As immigration increased, many whites repelled from the cities. Immigrants
were isolated and often formed ethnic neighborhoods. The idea of Social Darwinism also arose, thus causing
more segregation and white supremacy sentiment in which blacks were treated poorly and unequally. Race riots
took place in which whites would violently attack and destroy black property and the people themselves