Late 20th Century Changes

Key to Illinois

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Late 20th Century Changes

The 1960's were a time of political turmoil in the country. The United States was entangled in an ill-advised war in Vietnam. As the war progressed, sentiments against our involvement grew. Antiwar protestors clashed with police at the Democratic convention in Chicago in 1968, and 650 were arrested. The civil rights movement also gained momentum during the 1960's. The struggle to overcome the problems caused by racial inequalities became violent at times. Riots occurred in Chicago and elsewhere around the country following the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968. Illinois senator Everett Dirksen, the Republican minority leader, played a key role in the passage of civil rights legislation during the 60's.

During the 1960's and 70's, the economy of Illinois weakened and the state's population declined. Many of the state's industries suffered from outdated and inefficient factories. They lost market share and jobs to companies in other parts of the United States and to foreign competitors. Beginning in the 1980's, Illinois began offering incentives to companies to update their facilities or relocate to Illinois. By 1990, the economy had significantly recovered.

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Antiwar protestors gather at the General Logan statue in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention in 1968. (Photo courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society. Photographer: Ed Wengen)

The central cities of the large metropolitan areas continued to lose population during the 1970's and 80's. The population of Chicago declined by 7.4% in the 1980's, but the metropolitan area increased slightly due to suburban growth. The flight of middle and upper income people to the suburbs created additional burdens on the central cities to meet the needs of the remaining population. The costs of providing an adequate school system, other government services and maintaining the cities' infrastructure were increasing, while a poorer population was left to support these services. The challenges of meeting these needs continue even today.

During this period, minorities became a larger percentage of the state's population, particularly in the large central cities. African-Americans' influence grew and they began to play a more substantial role in business and government. In 1983, Harold Washington became the first African-American mayor of Chicago. Carol Moseley-Braun became the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate in 1992.

The population of other ethnic groups also grew significantly in Illinois during the latter part of the 20th Century. Hispanics became the fastest growing ethnic group in the state. From 1960 to 1980, the Mexican population in Chicago and its suburbs increased from 55,000 to more than 360,000. The Mexican population continued to grow to more than 575,000 by 1990. Puerto Ricans represented the second largest Hispanic group in Illinois, with more than 140,000 living in the Chicago area in 1990. With the repeal in the 1940's of the harsh immigration laws passed in the early part of the century, the Asian population in Illinois also increased. The largest immigrant groups came from Taiwan, India and Korea.

The transportation industry suffered a number of tragedies in Illinois during this period. In 1972, two Illinois Central commuter trains collided in Chicago, killing 45 and injuring more than 300. Plane crashes occurred at Hinsdale in 1961, killing 78 persons, and at Midway Airport in 1972, killing 45 persons. The worst air disaster in U.S. history happened at O'Hare Airport in 1979, where 273 persons died. A natural disaster also struck Illinois in 1993 with the worst flooding in the state's history along the western border. The floods caused $1.5 billion dollars in damages to farmlands and towns along the Mississippi River.

Additional Resources

	Visit the National Civil Rights Museum.
	See some historic sights of the Civil Rights Movement.
	Learn more about the Vietnam War.
	For more information about this time period, see the Illinois State Museum's At Home in a House Subdivided.

Study Guide Questions

Who was Everett Dirksen and how did he help the Civil Rights movement?
To what positions were Harold Washington and Carol Moseley-Braun elected? What was significant about their elections?
How has the ethnic makeup of major metropolitan areas change in Illinois during this period? What effect have these changes had on the political and economic status of the people in the central cities?
What was the fastest growing ethnic group in Illinois during the late 20th Century?
What natural disaster occurred in Illinois in 1993 causing more than $1 billion in damage?

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