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The Civil Rights Movement
In the late 19th century, race relations between white Americans and other races were very tense. Although Lincoln abolished slavery in 1864, many people were wholly against any equality of the races.There were many ways that white Americans attempted to maintain their perceived supremacy in hopes of subduing minorities. Whites controlled groups through legal and fiscal intimidation, forced assimilation, and even murder, which led to anger, hatred and occasional retaliation from these groups. -
Slavery Abolished
In the years following the emancipation of slaves, there were many changes to law to both grant rights and take them away. There were many ways that white Americans attempted to maintain their perceived supremacy in hopes of subduing minorities. Although slavery was abolished December 18, 1865 through the 13th Amendment, many states retaliated by passing laws known as "Black Codes" which prohibited freed slaves to have the same rights as white people. -
The Right to Vote
The Fifteenth Amendment, which was ratified December 18, 1870, granted all Americans the right to vote.This included African American men, although there were many states that retaliated by passing laws known as "Black Codes" which were legal loopholes to prevent black men from their constitutional rights. -
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The Progressive Movement
The changes in laws and increased growth of the United States led to great reform. Many political activists were prominent in this time period: Ida B. Wells and Booker T. Washington were early Civil Rights activists that desired to bring forth change and expose the evils of the racism they endured through eloquent speeches and publications. -
Southern Horrors
Ida B. Wells was an author and a civil rights leader. In "Southern Horrors," Ms. Wells wrote about suffering she endured and witnessed as a black woman living in the South. Through her writings, we are able to see the lack of legal due process when it came to blacks being accused by whites, as well as the inaccuracies the white press would publish in order to keep the public ignorant to the truth. -
The Atlanta Compromise
In Booker T. Washington’s speech in Atlanta on September 18, 1895, he addressed the businessmen of the Cotton and Railroad Exposition. Through his speech, he implores that they reconsider hiring (presumably white) immigrants and give black men a chance to have fair wages as well. The speech also highlighted that through work, fair wages and basic education, the working black man would be a functional member of society. -
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Moving Beyond the South
The end of slavery and other constitutional rights granting African Americans rights did not change the ignorance of the South. The "Great Migration" was the movement of African Americans from the south to other areas of the United States, in hopes of greater freedom and ability to move beyond the racism of the South. -
African Americans in World War I
Although African American men were not considered equal in the eyes of many Americans, they fought as Americans in the World War. The “Harlem Hellfighters” were one group of the 350,000 African American military men that fought in the war.1 Many of those brave men were given medals upon their return for their heroic acts, although segregation was still in effect even while traveling abroad. A parade in New York in February of 1919 celebrated their return. -
Red Summer Riots
In the summer of 1919, race riots erupted in several cities throughout the United States. On July 27, 1919 a boy was stoned to death at Lake Michigan because he swam into a "white beach". The white perpetrator was not arrested for the murder. The outrage over this incident prompted many people to riot, most noteably in Chicago.
