Jackson's arrival in Chicago occurred during the Great Migration, a massive movement of black Southerners to Northern cities. Between 1910 and 1970, hundreds of thousands of rural Southern blacks moved to Chicago, transforming a neighborhood in the South Side into Bronzeville, a black city within a city which was mostly self sufficient, prosperous, and teeming in the 1920s. This movement caused white flight with whites moving to suburbs, leaving established white churches and synagogues with dwindling members. Their mortgages were taken over by black congregations in good position to settle in Bronzeville. Members of these churches were, in Jackson's term, "society Negroes" who were well educated and eager to prove their successful assimilation into white American society. Musical services tended to be formal, presenting solemnly delivered hymns written by Isaac Watts and other European composers. Shouting and clapping were generally not allowed as they were viewed as undignified. Special programs and musicals tended to feature sophisticated choral arrangements to prove the quality of the choir.Harris pp. 91–116.Marovich, pp. 17–20.Jackson and Wylie, pp. 60–69.
Jackson's arrival in Chicago occurred during the Great Migration a massive movement of black Southerners to Northern cities Between 1910 and 1970 hundreds of thousands of rural Southern blacks moved to Chicago transforming a neighborhood in the South Side into Bronzeville a black city within a city which was mostly self sufficient prosperous and teeming in the 1920s This movement caused white flight with whites moving to suburbs leaving established white churches and synagogues with dwindling members Their mortgages were taken over by black congregations in good position to settle in Bronzeville Members of these churches were in Jackson's term "society Negroes" who were well educated and eager to prove their successful assimilation into white American society Musical services tended to be formal presenting solemnly delivered hymns written by Isaac Watts and other European composers Shouting and clapping were generally not allowed as they were viewed as undignified Special programs and musicals tended to feature sophisticated choral arrangements to prove the quality of the choirHarris pp 91–116Marovich pp 17–20Jackson and Wylie pp 60–69