Document 19.5 Sanitary Precaution (c. 1914)

DOCUMENT 19.5 | Sanitary Precaution (c. 1914)

Although progressives’ interest in public health and sanitation was often motivated by a sincere desire to prevent the spread of disease, these concerns were often closely linked to racial and ethnic anxieties. Immigration opponents, for example, argued that certain immigrant groups, by virtue of an inherent disposition toward uncleanliness, posed a direct threat to public health. The cartoon here suggests a similar link between African American servants and the spread of disease.

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