"Black Metropolis: A Study of Negro Life in a Northern City" (Vol. II) – Vintage 1962 Edition

​The Artifact

You are holding a piece of intellectual history. Published as a Harper Torchbook in 1962, this is Volume II of St. Clair Drake and Horace R. Cayton’s landmark study, Black Metropolis. Originally published in 1945, this book did for Black Chicago ("Bronzeville") what Middletown did for white America—it provided a deep, data-driven, and unflinching look at the structures of life, class, and survival in a segregated city.

​Why This Artifact Matters (The Knowledge)

• ​The "Bronzeville" Blueprint: This book is the definitive map of Chicago's Black Belt. It doesn't just describe the neighborhood; it dissects the "Color Line" that created it.
• ​Systemic Analysis: Volume II specifically dives deep into the institutions that held the community together. It features fascinating chapters on "The Power of Press and Pulpit," the myth and reality of Black businesses, and a breakdown of social classes (Upper, Middle, Lower) within the community.
• ​Visual Data: This edition is filled with incredible vintage charts and graphs—like "Where The Church Dollar Goes" and diagrams of the Black press—that visually represent the economic and social flow of the era.
• ​Revised History: This 1962 edition includes a special chapter, "Bronzeville 1961," updating the study for the Civil Rights era.

​Condition Report

• ​Edition: Harper Torchbooks / The Academy Library. Revised and Enlarged Edition, 1962.
• ​Format: Paperback (Volume II only).
• ​Cover: Vintage design in mustard and black. Shows visible surface scuffing and edge wear consistent with a book that has been studied.
• ​Spine: Shows creasing and wear, typical of a well-read trade paperback.
• ​Interior: Binding is tight. Pages show standard age-tanning (yellowing) but are clean and legible. The charts and diagrams are crisp.
• ​Provenance: Vintage academic stock.