Economic Independence
The Fail of Economic Independence Strategy as A Result of Social Sentiments
During late nineteenth and early twentieth century, in order to reach their goal of equality, literate blacks with sympathetic whites began to fight against Jim Crow and injustice using different concepts-some black leaders urged for equal rights; while some believed that, instead of political rights, economic independence and contribution to the society could improve black people’s social positions gradually (Cuban 79). The economic strategy did not success because it did not associate all the problems in the society where whites were still considering themselves as blacks’ owners. It is impossible to change the situation by conforming themselves to the white social …show more content…
As Washington’s and Garvey’s passionate theories were spread out in the whole nation, lots of blacks struggled for their economic independence, believing that every other forms of improvement could be adapted after they gained property and financial independence (Carter). This message was a challenge to whites. The Atlanta Massacre in 1906 was set up because of the increasing of black business which was eyesore to some of the whites (Grimshaw 44). For instance, several guys in the mob dragged a black barber out of his shop which was demolished by the mobs later, and it is reported that the mobs were white barbers who could not cope their shops successfully with their black competitors (Grimshaw 45). Another similar situation happened in Lincoln’s hometown-Springfield. Yelling “Lincoln freed you, we’ll show you where you belong”, the mobs plundered and destroyed blacks’ houses and stores, claiming that the reason they did this was “the nigger came to think they were as good as we are”(Grimshaw 46)! Promoted by the anger of the riots, whites in Springfield spread the information of black men’s unfitness for the ballot, and they recalled the concept that black men are naturally inferior, which means they do not need education and should accept whites’ superior position in this society (Grimshaw 48). Beside this, blacks suffered injustice in court trials. After the St.Louis riot in 1917, white mobs were charged few dollars and forced to serve a short term jail; while eleven blacks who went through the violence in this riot were convicted of killing two detectives (Rudwick 97). Apparently, the goal of these riots was to demonstrate whites’ dominant status to
During late nineteenth and early twentieth century, in order to reach their goal of equality, literate blacks with sympathetic whites began to fight against Jim Crow and injustice using different concepts-some black leaders urged for equal rights; while some believed that, instead of political rights, economic independence and contribution to the society could improve black people’s social positions gradually (Cuban 79). The economic strategy did not success because it did not associate all the problems in the society where whites were still considering themselves as blacks’ owners. It is impossible to change the situation by conforming themselves to the white social …show more content…
As Washington’s and Garvey’s passionate theories were spread out in the whole nation, lots of blacks struggled for their economic independence, believing that every other forms of improvement could be adapted after they gained property and financial independence (Carter). This message was a challenge to whites. The Atlanta Massacre in 1906 was set up because of the increasing of black business which was eyesore to some of the whites (Grimshaw 44). For instance, several guys in the mob dragged a black barber out of his shop which was demolished by the mobs later, and it is reported that the mobs were white barbers who could not cope their shops successfully with their black competitors (Grimshaw 45). Another similar situation happened in Lincoln’s hometown-Springfield. Yelling “Lincoln freed you, we’ll show you where you belong”, the mobs plundered and destroyed blacks’ houses and stores, claiming that the reason they did this was “the nigger came to think they were as good as we are”(Grimshaw 46)! Promoted by the anger of the riots, whites in Springfield spread the information of black men’s unfitness for the ballot, and they recalled the concept that black men are naturally inferior, which means they do not need education and should accept whites’ superior position in this society (Grimshaw 48). Beside this, blacks suffered injustice in court trials. After the St.Louis riot in 1917, white mobs were charged few dollars and forced to serve a short term jail; while eleven blacks who went through the violence in this riot were convicted of killing two detectives (Rudwick 97). Apparently, the goal of these riots was to demonstrate whites’ dominant status to