Week Five - The Origins of Jim Crow, the Battle for Women’s Rights, and the “Progressives”
Share an idea or two from this week's reading. What was most interesting to you? What was most strange? How does the reading this week fit into issues and discussions we have had in this class?
I found Ida B. Wells's "Lynching at the Curve" to be horrifying. It was saddening to see that people still felt hatred for African American people even as they tried to earn a living for the themselves and their family. The interesting part was that the owners were able to get several men to watch the backside of the grocery store. However, the strange part was that this did not help very much due to the several white men firing upon them with no warning. It was sad to see that many people were sent to jail only due to suspicion of the crime. Even worse was that in the jail cells, most African Americans weren't even safe. The murders of the three owners completely displays this. I believe this reading fits in with our discussions because it talks about how horribly African American people were being treated, which we discussed in class.
ReplyDelete"Lynching at the Curve" by Ida B. Wells was a true eye opener for me. In all of my history classes throughout school we have talked about how African Americans were slaves and how hard they really had it back in the days, but this true story makes me have goosebumps. Ida B. Wells talks about so much detail of really went on the night of that lynching. I can't believe someone would Lynch someone whose wife is having a baby soon, how you could shoot someones hand into pieces, and gouge their eyes out. It takes a cruel person to have so much hatred to do that to someone. It saddens me to know that our American "Free" country had so much hatred for different individuals. That is why I believe that our country was shaped into different individuals not liking others because by what we were brought up by and what our beliefs are. I hope to one day see America change for the better and have peace.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting reading to me this week is “Mary Church Terrell” where Terrell talks about what it is like for her to be a colored woman in the capital of the United States. And how life is different for her as not only a woman but a colored woman. I really enjoyed this reading and think she did nice job at giving the readers a clear picture of what it was like for her. There was one thing she said in the reading that really stood out to me, she said, “surely nowhere in the world do oppression and persecution based solely on the color of the skin more hateful and hideous than the capital of the United States” what I think she means by this is all the people care about is the color of someone’s and everything else is pretty much irrelevant. This relates about what we talked about in class when we talked about women at work and in life in general.
ReplyDeleteThe reading that I found to be the most interesting was "What It Means to be Colored in the Capital of the U.S." by Mary Church Terrell. She talked about how colored people were treated in Washington D.C. during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Life was pretty hard for them. She said that the capital was called "The Colored Man's Paradise", when in reality it was far from this. She talked about how it was hard for a colored person to find a place to stay unless you knew someone that lived there. One thing that really stuck out to me was this: "As a colored woman I may enter more than one white church in Washington without receiving that welcome which as a human being I have the right to expect in the sanctuary of God...." This showed that even in the church, there was racial prejudice. She said that what she talked about were just some examples of the injustices going on in the nation's capital. This fact was sad to me because you would think that the nation's capital would have at least been upholding the principles that our country was founded on. But at that time, it was quite the opposite.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading the Booker T. Washington Atlanta Address most of all because he adds a story that he refers to many times in his speech. He talks about two ships, one distressed and in need of water. Washington refers to the story by saying "cast down your bucket where you are!" We spoke about how difficult it was for slaves to actually get out of slavery once it was abolished and how they slowly began to earn seats in Congress, Washington also discusses this by saying seats in Congress were more important to blacks than simply obtaining "real estate and industrial skill." As ignorant or stumped as blacks might've seemed, they thought highly of themselves; they knew they could be more than free, they can be equal to whites in every aspect! I loved this pure hope so much. Washington's speech was about more than black advancement, it was about the advancement of America as a whole; America's advancement into love. We should all remember: "Cast down your bucket where you are!" It is strangest that we forget this simple idea of friendship and helpfulness.
ReplyDeleteI found "Lynching at the Curve" by Ida B. Wells to be the most attention-grabbing piece of this weeks readings. In class we have discussed the injustices faced by African Americans even after the end of slavery, but this article was the most raw and honest account of what was really happening. I also found it interesting to be reading about events that occurred in Memphis, a city I've lived in my entire life, all those years ago. The most disturbing part of this was the details that the local papers printed about the lynchings. While, yes, the murders should have made headlines, it shocked me that they printed such horrifying details of the men begging for their lives that came from a source associated with the lynching.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading Booker T. Washington Atlanta Speech the most because it gives a close feeling to whats happening today in America. It talks about how African Americans basically build up America in a way that wouldn't have been possible without them. They built the railroads they work the land work the factories. The same way immigrants do today. It talks about how they are not viewed equally because of who they are and how thats wrong. Its strange to me that some people do all the work and others take the credit for it. They want the south to change to be better. This ties with what we talk about in class because we talk about how the railroads were a very important part part of America at that time.
ReplyDeleteThe reading that I found the most interesting was “Lynching at the Curve” by Ida B. Wells. I found this to be the most interesting reading because it was a shock to read about how terribly the African American individuals were treated and how violent the white people were towards them. I already knew about their mistreatment, but reading a recount of a story from someone who had a personal connection to the topic made it even more impactful. This article even relates to today as we see stories being changed or exaggerated to make it seem as though a certain party is in the wrong, even if they are not. The African American individuals were painted as criminals in the leading white newspapers and everyone believed it, which also shows the true impact that media has on society. In class and in our group discussions we talk a lot about the mistreatment of African American individuals over the years and this story helps shed light on just one of the many cases that we have and will look at.
ReplyDeleteI found W.E.B. DuBois’ critique on Booker T. Washington interesting. He said they for years African Americans have been fighting for their rights: to be free, vote, own land, be educated and many others. Washington stated in his Atlanta Compromise Speech, “It is at the bottom of life we must begin, and not at the top.” Washington is now telling everyone that they do not want to start at the top of society, as equals, but at the bottom, only slightly higher than they were previously. W.E.B. DuBois somewhat commends Washington in that, he lowers the expectations of African Americans, and demands much less than previously demanded. When hearing this, Whites were more than obliged to give them the bare minimum, but this allows African Americans to grow in society.
ReplyDeleteI found the description of Ida B. Wells' "Lynching at the Curve" to be utterly inhumane. The things that could be seen as right for the "superior race" back then was nothing short of atrocious. The lynching of the men for the fact that they were trying to defend themselves is in itself a crime against human rights. Thankfully the times have changed since then and lynching has been deemed illegal, for if not these atrocities might still continue.
ReplyDeleteI found it quite interesting that Booker. T Washington addresses those “who underestimate the importance of cultivating friendly relations with the Southern white man, who is their next-door neighbour.” This is particularly interesting since it is the Southern white man that is actively ruining potential friendly relations with their black neighbours with their acts of segregation, racism and violence. In the same article Washington says, “No race can prosper till it learns that there is as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.” This statement can be applied to all times in American history, including today. Jurgis and his family were treated with less dignity then his bosses because of the work they did and the income they made. Slaves as well were treated with no dignity yet their work was instrumental to the success of the economy. Even today certain jobs are more acclaimed then others. In Marry Church Terrell’s account of what it meant to be coloured she did not only refer to the African-American people but to all the races that were affected by the discrimination in American at the time. American at this time was segregated into two races; white or not white. Those who weren’t white were discriminated against and were pigeonholed as lesser people. These people where handicapped by laws, left unable to improve their education and their rights.
ReplyDeleteI found Mary Church Terrell's reading most interesting. I was aware that fair conditions and tolerable situations were scarce, if not nonexistent, at the time for people of color. However, I suppose I didn't necessarily think about the specifics of it all. Mary Church Terrell speaks about not being able to dine-in at a restaurant without being separated by a screen. While having ample funds to purchase a meal she was still not deemed worthy of even eating in close proximity to a white person. Mary Church Terrell goes on to speak about education. The initial appointment of a person of color being superintendent of colored schools was seemingly a practical beginning to progress on education. It was most strange in the way of the swiftness of going from one extreme to another. From the years 1870 to 1900 there was at the very least a small semblance of impartiality, in regards to education. After 30 years of the superintendent being a person of color, it was deemed a time for change. The appointment and progress that came with a person of color was snuffed out suddenly. This reading fits in with our class discussions in the way of familiarity. Whether it was the removal of the authority to run their own schools or prior to the passing of the 15th amendment, people of color were excluded and oppressed far more than I previously realized.
ReplyDelete"Lynching at the curve" by Ida B. Wells in general was an interesting reading. It's unbelievable that people received such treatment because of their race. The difference of skin caused such violence and discrimination. It was eye-opening as I heard of lynching but I never knew exactly where or how the term was created. It's saddening that African-Americans received such brutality and unfair treatment because of their skin color. The part that caught my attention the most was when the speaker states, "Over a hundred colored men were dragged from their homes and put in jail for suspicion." It's so ironic because the judicial system was created to serve justice; meanwhile they're creating cases out of "suspicion." This is unjustly fair to the African-American men as they are being accused for crimes due to something they cant control, how they were born. The strange portion being the guards sudden decision to not stand guard and coincidently the three officials of the grocery company were killed. This seems very skeptical as if the whole thing was set up and planned. This connects to the discussion in class about the factory fire, that killed the working women.
ReplyDeleteThe most interesting reading for me was Ida B. Well's Lynching at the Curve. The fact that such things as this happened in America's past does not surprise me but rather puzzles me as to how one race can hate another in such a way. This applies to modern to society in many way but not such as gruesome. It shows the reason behind many peoples prejudisims in our country and the sensitivity it can bring that needs to be fixed.
ReplyDeleteI first read W.E.B DuBois critique of Booker T. Washington and was astonished that someone would even Washington in the first place. DuBois does a very good job of not simply attacking Washington, but instead points out what good Washington has accomplished for the colored people's community. However, Washington has stayed firmly seated politically without really becoming charged for social equality. DuBois calls Washington to action, and points out that Washington has done some damage to the reputation to the colored people. Washington, in an effort to soothe relations with the South, 'aknowledges' that the colored race is inferior to the white race. While hard to swallow, when reading Booker T. Washington's Atlanta Address, you can see that he does. Washington asks whites to 'lower their bucket' into the lives of colored people. Not to end prejudice per se, but to help the 'poor colored folk'. It's almost sickening to read.
ReplyDelete"Lynching at the Curve" is the prime example of white privilege......
ReplyDeleteEven though the colored people had less than the whites, there was still envy and hate towards them? Why? Who knows. It's crazy how the colored attacked the white as defense and get put into jail, even though all of them survived but the colored got murdered brutally by the whites and nobody seemed to care. This racist shit is old. Hopefully everybody gets on the same page one-day.
I found "Lynching a the Curve" by Ida B Wells to be one of the more interesting readings for this week. Ida goes in depth of the situation between African Americans and white people, but focusing mainly on a grocery store incident. It is shocking to me that even after all the laws and rights that were earned and gained for African Americans during that time, the mistreatment of them and the corruptness in society still continued normally. The worst part about this article is that it still has some connection to modern society. There has always been some disconnect created by certain members of society and will continue until those people change their mindset and accept that we are all human.
ReplyDeleteI found "Lynching at the Curve" by Ida B Wells the most intriguing out of all the other readings this week. The way she described the different scenarios in her article in detail really hit hard for me because you could truly feel the hurt and pain the way the whites were treating the African Americans in that time. Regardless of the laws and the rules that were put into action at that time, the whites still continued their tyranny towards African Americans without moral and regret. It really makes you think about how you would've felt if you were in the shoes of African Americans at that time. Would you have fought for your rights and risked your life or if you would've just stayed back in the shadows and took the abuse?
ReplyDeleteW.E.B DuBois critique of Booker T. Washington was most interesting to me. DuBois and Washington were African American leaders who had two different views on segregation. Washington was for segregation he thought having property and better living was more important so he encouraged trade schools. DuBois disagreed with Jim Crow laws any many African Americans supported him. DuBois and the others all came together to form groups and protested against segregation for equal rights.
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