The tricky truth is that race plays a big role in the development of Atlantic City. After the Civil War, many newly freed slaves made their way up North in hopes of a better life for themselves and their families. A good number of these families ended up in Atlantic City, the hottest resort town on the East Coast.
Although the city is happily integrated in the early days, white residents becomes increasingly hostile to their black neighbors, eventually enacting de-facto segregation. Though their struggles remained ignored for most of American history, black residents of Atlantic City are finally getting their stories told in the pages of Boardwalk Empire.
Questions About Race
- Why do white residents become increasingly hostile as more black families move to Atlantic City?
- How does the Civil Rights Movement affect Atlantic City?
- How would Atlantic City history be different if black workers were treated like white workers?
- Why does the black church play such an important role in the community?