historian christopher robert reed described this period as a "metamorphosis" of the black population from being a "barely discernible presence" into a dynamic, revolutionary change. an important component of this change was the rising racial consciousness that affected and unified all classes of black society. it was a level of racial solidarity that bonded the community's thinking and manifested itself in the formation of the black metropolis. reed noted that the 1919–20 edition of "black's blue book" listed 1,200 black-owned businesses which included five banks, 48 real estate offices, 106 physicians, 40 dentists, 70 lawyers, three insurance companies, six hotels, and 11 newspapers.