Two Societies, Chicago Plan

Many southern blacks moved to the north, Chicago in particular, for more opportunities. However, most soon realized there was almost as little freedom in the north as in the south. Blacks had to pay more for cars and houses, and had less chance for employment. Baldwin and Beven wrote and warned about the situation in Chicago. They wanted to mimick what the SCLC did in Birmingham, and exploit the inequality to stop segregation in simple ways, like having sit-ins at lunch counters. 

Here is the question:

How did the Chicago Plan define a “slum”? How did slums embody the problems in Chicago and

other Northern cities?

The Chicago Plan defined a "slum" as a place where "people do not receive comparable care and services for the amount of rent paid on a dwelling." This shows the unfairness in these parts of the country. The slums embodied problems in Chicago and other Northern cities because it showed the inequalities, and clearly showed what had to be changed in these cities. These problems were all over the country, so if they could be solved in Chicago, they could also be solved in other parts of the country.