Research Paper on NAACP
During the early 20th century, violence towards African Americans became an integral part of the imperialistic ideology to subject blacks to caste control and wage slavery. This new century was to represent more bloodshed for African Americans. During the very first year (1900), more than 100 blacks were lynched and by the time World War I broke in 1914, the count grew to more than 1100. Although the South accounted for most of this violence, there were notable instances in the North; one being the riot in Sprinfield, Illinois.
The aforementioned riot would shake the entire country. It was in August 1908 that the white wife of a streetcar conductor alleged she had been drug from her bed and raped by a black man. This African American man came to be known as George Richardson and he had been working around the neighborhood. Richardson was arrested and jailed. Although the woman recanted her story, and explained that a white man whom she refused to identify had beaten her, the damage had already been done. Officials removed Richardson from Springfield as a precaution. The mob that was gathering found out that he had been removed and the inevitable riot ensued. Starting with wrecking the vehicle of a restaurant owner that had been used to transport Richardson, whites began to surge through the town.
The aforementioned riot would shake the entire country. It was in August 1908 that the white wife of a streetcar conductor alleged she had been drug from her bed and raped by a black man. This African American man came to be known as George Richardson and he had been working around the neighborhood. Richardson was arrested and jailed. Although the woman recanted her story, and explained that a white man whom she refused to identify had beaten her, the damage had already been done. Officials removed Richardson from Springfield as a precaution. The mob that was gathering found out that he had been removed and the inevitable riot ensued. Starting with wrecking the vehicle of a restaurant owner that had been used to transport Richardson, whites began to surge through the town.
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Local officials were unable to get the crowd to disperse, so finally the governor had to call out the militia. The mob continued oblivious to the efforts of higher officials. They began to destroy black businesses and drive blacks from their homes. A barber was lynched behind his shop and his body was drug through the streets. If not for the militia shooting into the crowd, his body would have been burned as well. The night after this incident, an 84 year-old man was lynched right outside of the statehouse, most probably because he was married to a white woman. It took more than 5000 militiamen to restore order to the town. At final count, two blacks had been lynched, four whites killed and more than 70 others injured. Even though more than 100 were arrested and approximately 50 indictments given, the alleged leaders of the mob went unpunished.
The abovementioned incident in itself would spark the creation of the NAACP. Shocking the sensibilities of many whites, William English Walling took the initiative of inviting citizens to come to the aid of the blacks in the “Race War in the North”. It was Mr. Walling’s position that society “come to treat the Negro on a plane of absolute political and social equality”. A New York social worker, Mary White Ovington, read the article and took up the matter with both Walling and Henry Moskowitz. They would decide to call a conference in 1909 to accept Walling’s challenge. Among those interested and attending were William Lloyd Garrison’s grandson, Oswald Garrison Villard and the young radicals of the Niagara movement.
The Niagara Movement, which was organized in 1905, under the leadership of W. E. B. DuBois, is one of the 1st organizations to organize for the determined and aggressive action in order to secure full citizenship. They demanded freedom of speech and criticism, abolition of all distinctions based on race, male suffrage, and recognition of the basic principles of human fellowship. The resolutions were drawn up at Harpers Ferry by DuBois. After the first meeting in Niagara Falls, the Movement continued to have conferences at locations that were significant to blacks. The Movement met in Boston, the center of Eastern abolitionism; Oberlin OH, hotbed of Western abolitionism; Harpers Ferry, scene of John Brown’s martyrdom and Niagara Falls, an important terminus of the Underground Railroad.
After 1908, the Niagara Movement no longer had conferences, as it was absorbed the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). After whites have a conference on February 12th 1909, the abolitionist movement is conjured up. Although Monroe Trotter refused to show, the conference was attended by Dubois and many other distinguished educators, publicists, social workers, and clergy. By May 1910, the formal organization of the NAACP was perfected. The NAACPs major concerns were lynching (first and foremost), political disenfranchisement, racial segregation (Jim Crow laws), and racial violence and riots. During its 1st year of existence, the NAACP began the Crisis magazine with DuBois at its helm. The magazine waged a dynamic campaign against lynching and mob law. One thousand copies were quickly sold, escalating to approximately 100,000 copies monthly. This magazine is still in production today.
In order to accomplish its goals, the NAACP resorted to the use of the judicial system. The judicial system was more amenable to change. Rulings were made regardless of race as long as it was in the best interest of America. Although the courts could be influenced by public opinion, it would generally rule on the side of the law.
In 1915, case of Guinn v. US, Supreme Court declared grandfather clauses to be repugnant to the 15th Amendment and therefore null and void.
In 1917, case of Buchanan v. Warley, Supreme Court declared unconstitutional Louisville ordinance requiring Negroes live in certain city sections.
In 1923, case of Moore v. Dempsey, the Court ordered a new trial in Arkansas for a African American accused of murder, after the NAACP argued the person had not received a fair trial.
These cases show that within 15 years after its induction, the NAACP had won three very important decisions. These decisions illustrate the accomplishments of the NAACP in the areas of concern regarding disenfranchisement, segregation, and lynching. These successes continued through the middle years of the 20th century. In the case of Nixon v. Herndon, the Supreme Court declared a Texas statute null and void that excluded blacks form Democratic parties of that state. With all successes come some failures though, and the NAACP had a setback in 1935 when in the Grovey v. Townsend case the Court refused to interfere with the exclusion of blacks from Democratic primaries when the exclusion had been put into effect by the state. The NAACP regained the lost ground though in the case of Smith v. Allwright (1944), in which the Supreme Court ruled that exclusions of blacks for the Democratic primary was a clear violation of the 15th Amendment.
This organization was one of the most important to the advancement of blacks in American society during this era. By 1921, it had more than 400 branches nationwide and began its program across seas. Breaking the barriers down via the judicial system allowed for blacks to begin a greater campaign for civil rights. Thankfully, this is one organization that did not perish, and continues its ideals today.
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