Discuss the early role of the NAACP. What were they working for? Would you consider them radical?
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed at a time when Booker Washington had been the most influential African American leader (Holt 1997). The NAACP was formed mainly to help stop racial discrimination and segregation. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) also fought for African Americans to be granted voting rights. The NAACP also helped fight for better political and economic conditions. The NAACP was radical since it fought many legal battles and fought against ideologies of some of the most prominent African American leaders like those of the late Booker Washington and the government (Dagbovie 2010).
Discuss the role of African American women in Progressive Era reform. What types of activities were they in and why?
African American women formed various clubs that helped the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to fight against the Jim Crow segregation laws (Dagbovie 2010). They came together and formed numerous clubs that were instrumental in assisting the less privileged African Americans in the society. They provided accommodation for the sick and poor African Americans. They also provided accommodation for African American women who were at the time working. These clubs also helped the NAACP to fight discrimination against African Americans through the legal and political systems (Painter 2006).
Why did African Americans leave the South and rural areas in the early 20th century? What reality did they find in urban communities?
African Americans moved from the rural south after Jim Crow segregation laws were enacted. The whites in the south decided to enforce the segregation laws by lynching African Americans who tried to compete with them politically or economically. African Americans left the south in search of better economic opportunities. However, their migration brought about racial tension and riots in both the northern and southern states (Dagbovie 2010). The riots were a result of conflicts over job resources, segregation, and racism. The African Americans who had migrated slowly came to realize that racism was not only limited to the rural south.
What were the views of Marcus Garvey? How was he different or like his predecessors? Choose at least 2 and explain.
Marcus Garvey had been among one of the most influential African American leaders in the 1920s. Marcus Garvey wanted African Americans to move back to Africa. However, his plans never materialized as he was subjected to ridicule by fellow African American leaders and the government (Sadler 2009). The two groups worked together to make sure that Marcus Garvey was out of the picture and he was soon deported. He was different from the other prominent African American leaders since he, unlike the rest had a large number of followers (Holt 1997). Marcus believed that in order to be self-sufficient, African Americans had to work hard and be proud of the color of their skin.
Why was the military desegregated? Who was responsible for this action? (Discuss the role of politics and African American activism)
In the year 1941, the then president, President Roosevelt bowed to pressure from the NAACP and decided to desegregate the defense industries. He, however, refused to desegregate the military. African Americans who served in the military were mainly given menial non-combat roles. African American women were excluded from the war department during World War II. This prompted an outcry from the civilians and soldiers. After World War II, the cold war commenced. This had some benefits for African Americans. It was at this time that Harry Truman decided to desegregate the military (Hine 2011). The NAACP did not stop there as it went on to fight for the rights of African Americans. They were able to win some of the cases they had filed in the Supreme Court (Painter 2006).
References
Dagbovie, P. G. (2010). African American history reconsidered. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
Hine, D. C. (2011). African American odyssey. S.l: Prentice Hall.
Holt, T. C. (1997). African-American History. The new American history, 211-31.
Painter, N. I. (2006). Creating Black Americans: African-American history and its meanings, 1619 to the present. New York: Oxford University Press.
Sadler, J. (2009). African American history: an introduction. New York: Peter Lang.