During the rise of Jim Crow, black
Americans fought for their rights; they fought in wars to try to get rid of the
prejudice in America and prove that they were “worth” something. In particular,
black males fought to be seen as men. But in 1898, the Supreme Court approved
denial of black vote. Even after all the help the black Americans were willing
to provide during the Civil War and other minor wars afterwards, their presence
was not welcomed by society, as it had been ingrained in society that they were
seen as less than human.
However, while black men were being
lynched in the South, not every southern city prevented blacks from being
flourishing. In Wilmington, North Carolina, blacks used the skills they had
learned or been given innately to create private enterprises for themselves.
Through these successes, money could be earned and put towards their children’s
education. The black citizens of Wilmington believed they could prove their
humanity. The first generations of slaves to become successful businessmen were
optimistic and prideful in their prosperity, as there were whites who were
lower in class than some blacks. The excitement of this rise in the black
middle class was bound not to last very long, since white people were realizing
black people’s rise in power.
Because black people made up the
majority of those living in Wilmington in 1898, they held many political
offices. They were role models for younger black males; they tried to convey
that equality was possible. It was something they could strive for and earn. The white people living in the city and in
North Carolina brought rise to the white supremacist democratic party. From
here, black political power went downhill.
White supremacists began
illustrating evil images of black men, and the white women caught on in their
own way crying out for protection. Normally, we think of men as being the ones
who made up stories of their women being raped, but that was not always the
case. Women played their part. Little by little, white people caught on and
economically sabotage or threaten black employees, especially those who
were/had registered to vote. At the same time, black women encouraged black men
to stand up for themselves and fight for liberty. Fights broke out and blood
was spilled, though blacks fought and sought help from the government to
receive nothing in return.
Many blacks fled Wilmington in hopes
of something better, but not all decided to go so easily. Through a positive
outlook, people like Charlotte Hawkins Brown, saw Jim Crow as a “challenge” and
not an “obstacle to overcome.” Being educated in the North, she went back to
North Carolina to educate black children. She taught them leadership skills;
she was their role model. She was not going to let Jim Crow get in the way of
how she could live her life, and she wanted to make sure her students
understood that as well.
While laws provided opportunities to
the black community of Wilmington, the lack of enforcement of these laws made
it difficult for black voices to be heard. Many fought and others fled. Those
who stayed behind challenged Jim Crow and worked their part for their own
benefit. If the government wasn’t going to help, then they had to take matters
into their own hands by whatever means they could.
WC: 560
Kendall Gasner
The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow | PBS | Fighting Back. July 15,
2016. Accessed November 22, 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utwE5ZPd7Gk&app=desktop.
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