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| Black Americans living in Ann Arbor were an active group;
amazingly, their community grew by a mere 75 residents between 1910 and
1920. Young African-Americans marched separately into the World War in
Europe, and their families established the American Liberty Club - a patriotic
group - to support the American cause. The Reverend James A. Charleston
was dismayed to see his congregation left out of the monumental December,
1917, Red Cross meeting (Marwil, p.103.) |
|
| When the first World War ended in 1918, and Ann Arbor
celebrated with the rest of the nation (Marwil, p.101.) Also over was the
hard influenza outbreak that had taken many lives and doubtless challenged
the faith of many Ann Arborites. The Armistice celebrations marked the
beginning of a return to normalcy, and the beginning of new challenges
to be faced, as one shall see in the following narratives. |
|
| The WWI era in Ann Arbor inspired community outreach
in the churches and in the city at large. This movement of charitable works
from the religious institutions to the public sector reflects a trend in
American religious history during these years: the trend created a social
gospel preaching humanitarianism and love for all mankind. (Marty, p. 348.) |
