LEARNING TOGETHER: The Story of America
I don’t know why some people view Black progress as a threat, but their hatred of Black upward mobility has had major detrimental effects on the lives and livelihoods of Black Americans for generations.
It seems that Black progress in American always came with a heavy price to be paid. We take one step forward and we are brutally forced back five steps. There are far too many Americans who don’t believe in Black success, Black independence, or Black pride (Sadly, some of this hatred is coming from Black folks, Black leaders, Black politicians, etc.).
Resistance to Black freedom, equality, and success has occurred since the formation of America. The year 1919 was only 54 years after the end of the American Civil War. Former slaves were alive during this time. These former slaves and free Black Americans (those not born into slavery) were free on the condition that they knew and stayed in their place. Fortunately, what little real freedom Black Americans possessed felt great, it felt right, and they began to demand more of it. And they were willing to test the notion that “all men were created equal”.
There were numerous reasons why the year 1919 was an extremely bloody and violent time for Black Americans.
The Great Migration, where thousands of African Americans fled the Jim Crow south to move up north hoping for a better life. This action caused resentment from white Northerners (Many of these immigrants were fresh off the boat themselves. So, I don’t’ understand how they could claim rights to a country that they just started calling “their home” yesterday. African Americans had been in this country since 1619…probably earlier).
White soldiers returning from the war found that their old jobs were now being performed by African Americans. Plus, some Black workers were used as strike breakers. And because they were Black, businesses could offer these minority workers less pay for the same job done by white workers…sounds familiar.
Black veterans who’d fought during World War l returned with an expectation that America would reward their heroic military service with respect and equality. Of course, that didn’t happen. But these brave soldiers weren’t having it. They returned fighting. They had experienced a sense of equality under the French army, and they didn’t want to go back to a legalized submissive role. (And why were Black soldiers fighting under the French government/military instead of the leadership of American generals? Because white American soldiers refused to fight side-by-side with Black American soldiers.) Black soldiers viewed their role in servicing in the military representing America with a sense of pride, yet there were many white Americans who feared these Black men…veterans who were now trained to use a weapon.
Add to this the fact that American was changing. Social changes…this is the year that women would finally secure the right to vote. Many women had entered the workforce and some of them didn’t want to give up the freedom and independence that came with a weekly paycheck.
There were Black Americans in a few positions that previously had been for whites only. Now stir in again the fact that you have a segment of the American population who sees Black progress as threatening, aka the old southern way of life is not just for southerners.
And last, but not least, there was the belief that some African Americans had been used by the Russians. Especially when it came to labor and organized unions. There was absolutely no proof African Americans had joined forces with Russia.
Dubbed The Red Summer of 1919, when Black people were just trying to get a small piece of the American Dream, there were over 25 race riots. This bloody series of white-on-Black violence happened all across America, for example:
Washington, D.C., July 1919, Black neighborhoods were attacked by violent white servicemen. It began with a rumor that a white woman had been attacked by Black men. The white mob attack any Black person in their path. The police either could not or would not stop the violence. So, Black veterans determined to fight back, took up arms, and positioned themselves in various neighborhoods. And just like the white mob had attacked Black people indiscriminately; the African American mob attacked anyone white who crossed they path. This race riot lasted for four days.
Chicago, IL, July 1919, a Black teenager, Eugene Williams, was killed because his homemade raft drafted across an invisible color line. He was attacked with stones, fell into the water, and drowned. When his friends pointed out the white man who’d killed their friend, the police did nothing. Crowds gathered; fights erupted, resulting in race riots that left several Chicagoans (Black and white) dead and over 1,000 Black families homeless before this race riot was brought an end.
Elaine, AR, September and October 1919, was where the deadliest attack on Black Americans occurred, over 250 African Americans were murdered.
See Part 2
2-part mini-series
Noteworthy Fact(s):
The number of lynchings increased during this time.
Black men in military uniforms were attacked more frequently than those not wearing military attire. Because many white Americans didn’t like the fact that these returning Black American soldiers (who fought bravely in WWl) refused to go back to the status quo of obedient roles.
OUR HISTORY MATTERS
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