I was acting crazy in North America, and all the crazy people there took it seriously.

Chapter 85 Chicago, the Hall of Fame: Are Black People Welcome?

A Black man stepped out of Chicago's Grand Central Station and took a breath of the legendary "sweet air"!
On the platform, a man with the same Black face excitedly greeted him, "Hughie, my brother! Welcome to Chicago, this damn magical city!"

The two embraced excitedly, patting each other's backs forcefully.

Hugh Dylan looked at Leo, his old comrade-in-arms from the European war. The two had shared the same biscuits in a trench and dodged the same German artillery fire.

Seeing that Leo was dressed somewhat decently but still couldn't hide the fact that he came from a poor background, Hughie knew what was going on.

His old comrade-in-arms, however, was already eager to introduce him to this city, which seemed to be filled with a restless yet vibrant atmosphere.

"Let me tell you, this place is completely different now, there's something new happening every day!"

"Yeah, that's Chicago style, underground bars. Drinking and selling alcohol are practically an open business here! Don't make a fuss!"

"You've probably heard that the Italians and Irish fought with the American army, and after that, nobody dared to interfere."

"The gangs here, tsk, you have to get used to it. They're everywhere, and they're even more ruthless than the police when it comes to catching criminals."

"By the way, the government has already pushed for 'serious crime legislation,' so remember, don't get into trouble here, or you'll be in big trouble!"

"Those Italian and Irish sons of bitches have already bought two state prisons and are expanding them. They're going to arrest even more people in there!"

"Human prison? Everyone in Chicago knows that it's for the rich, oh, and the big shots."

"Speaking of heroes, you know Ethan, the 'King of Prison Break' who's been all the rage lately, right? The one who escaped from Tennessee and fled to a private prison! The latest Sun estimates that just from being famous, his net worth is almost $100,000! $100,000! My God!"

Leo described the city's madness and opportunities with great enthusiasm, as if every Chicagoan were part of this grand, absurd feast.

However, Hughie simply listened quietly, his face remaining expressionless.

After Leo finally finished speaking, he calmly asked, "What you've said sounds exciting. But what does it have to do with Black people in Chicago?"

Leo groaned and slapped his forehead in exasperation: "Oh God... here we go again! Can't we have a break for a moment?"

They had all shed blood and sacrificed their lives for this country in the trenches of World War I, and they had all thought that their circumstances would be different after returning victorious.

But after the war, they faced deeply entrenched racial segregation, discrimination, and violence. This stark contrast deeply wounded the hearts of all Black veterans.

Many people like Leo chose silence and adaptation. They felt that being able to find a job in a big city, have a relatively stable community, and occasionally catch a glimpse of the "spectacle" of the white world was far better than living on a plantation in the South.

They advocated for gradual improvement, emphasizing that Black people should first improve their status through vocational skills education and economic accumulation, avoiding direct conflict with white society, and believing that "time will solve the problem."

Hughie, on the other hand, belongs to a different category.

These Black people generally possess a strong sense of independence, firmly believing: Haven't we enlisted in the military just like white people? Haven't we fought for democracy and for oppressed minorities? Haven't we contributed to the country through hard work?

They had reason to believe in their role in the country, but when they discovered that this society seemed to belong to them, their initial fervor for independence turned into resentment and indignation.

They began calling on Black people to fight back more fiercely, "to fight back, no longer like livestock being herded!"
They are deeply skeptical of any "progress" that does not address the core of the racial issue.

Just like Hughie's follow-up question, "Does Chicago welcome Black people now?"

"Can we go in and out of those semi-public bars as freely as white people?"

"Will those felony laws be used more against poor Black people?"

"Would those private prisons, which claim to be beacons of civilization, be used to incarcerate Black people?" "Would that list of legendary figures, which supposedly records achievements, also welcome Black people?"

A series of questions, like cold awls, pierced through the disguise that Leo had woven with "liveliness".

He opened his mouth, but the light on his face vanished completely. His shoulders slumped, and he finally shook his head bitterly.

He couldn't deny it.

During the European war, the North lacked labor, leading to a large-scale migration of Black people from the South to Northern cities.

The Black population in Chicago has surged from tens of thousands to over one hundred thousand.

When Black people arrived in Northern cities, they still encountered the discrimination they thought they had left behind.

In the factory, Black workers did the dirtiest and hardest jobs, received the lowest wages, and constantly faced hostility from white workers and exclusion from the union.

Police brutality against Black people is commonplace.

Their children cannot attend the same schools as white children, and they cannot choose to live in any neighborhood as freely as white children.

Serious crime legislation? That's practically tailor-made for impoverished Black youths...

Even the most glamorous bars, aside from having Black musicians, don't welcome Black people.

Even the illegal bootlegging business was a stage exclusively for white people, with blacks only able to get a piece of the action—Leo sold alcohol for black gangs, but those gangs were all dependent on the Mafia and Irish gangs, just scraps on the leftovers.

Leo's voice was filled with helplessness: "You're right, brother, this is a white man's world! It always has been."

"Just like that 'Heroes' list,' no matter how exciting it is, it's still a game for white people."

"But isn't it like this everywhere in America?"

In the South, the situation for Black people was even worse!

Almost the entire South was under the control of Democratic mayors, governors, and legislatures who openly supported racism. Black people sometimes even faced death threats.

As Hughie listened to his comrade's words, his gaze swept over the white faces on Chicago's bustling streets, who were hurrying by but casting either indifferent or wary glances at the Black people. A faint, cold smile appeared on his face.

“Because nowhere else is good, that’s why I came. Black people need a ‘hero’!”

"I came precisely because it's a white man's game; black people need to break in and see!"

Leo smirked. "You? Don't be ridiculous. What's your record? Can you rob a bank? Or are you planning to go to jail and then escape?"

"No, I don't know any of that. I just killed some white scum on my way north from New Orleans to Chicago!"

"?!"

Just casually? Some? White scum?

That's terrifying!

……

(End of this chapter)