The Experience Of Minorities In The 1920's

Booker T. Washington and Marcus Garvey shared some similar ideologies, however to a large extent Washington’s philosophies contradict Garvey’s outlook on African American society. Washington was known for accommodating the white people’s desires. For instance, “he advised African Americans to accept segregation, work hard for the friendship of whites, and achieve economic equity”. Washington probably encouraged African Americans to accept their circumstances, because he knew that fighting against norms would be a difficult task to accomplish and he wanted the race to better themselves through hard work during an era of prejudice. This belief contradicts Garvey’s ideas, because Garvey believed that pleasing the white man was the issue that prevented African Americans from being viewed as equals in the society. Although both men believed that working hard would gain Blacks an advantage in their community, Washington advocated for satisfying the white man while Garvey’s thoughts of Black Nationalism lied in the separate rights of Blacks and keeping the white man out of their way to success. Garvey’s ideology to promote economic equality of the black race was not liked by the white race, and compared to Washington’s policy of accommodation and gradual progress, was more acceptable to whites.

Inspired by his viewing of The Birth Of A Nation, the second Ku Klux Klan was founded by William J. Simmons, a former Methodist preacher. The Klan emerged during the “nadir of American race relations” however the growth of the Klan developed in response to new anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, anti-Semitic and prohibitionist agendas as a result of contemporary social beliefs. Members of the Ku Klux Klan promoted patriotism and the ideals of “One hundred percent Americanism”. They attacked modernist views, criticizing bootlegging, motion pictures and homosexual relationships, demanding stricter morality and a return to “pure” living.

Marcus Garvey, was born in Jamaica in 1887 and is considered to be the father of the Black Nationalism Movement. During the early 1900’s, after reading Booker T.

The Ku Klux Klan, also known as the KKK, was thriving in its second generation during the 1920s. The Ku Klux Klan was reborn by William J. Simmons, with the intentions of creating a world with only one race. Simmons’ inspiration came from the film, “Birth of a Nation”. The Ku Klux Klan became more hateful and violent than ever, creating a sense of fear among not only African-Americans, but Jews, Catholics, and immigrants too.

After World War I ended, the 1920’s brought on dramatic political and social changes. For most people, the 1920’s brought them more conflict. They did not like the new changes and were trying to keep them from happening. However, for a small group of young people the 1920’s was a great time to make progress and move forward from the conservative norm. After women got suffrage, they pushed through the double standards and tried and got jobs in factories and offices, instead of only doing domestic work. African Americans pushed through the discrimination they were facing and moved to the northern states, where they got better jobs and better opportunities to pursue their dreams in literature, art, music, and stage performance.

     Marcus Mosiah Garvey was born into a poor family on August 17, 1887 at St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica. Marcus was born the youngest of 11

The 1920’s marked a period of great racial tension throughout American Society, with the period often regarded as a melting pot due to such strains and tensions. The immigration of new, non-protestant immigrants such as Catholics and Jews since the turn of the century had brought about large scale unease due to the sheer number of immigrants. Combined with Mexicans, Orientals as well as a rapidly growing black population, these minority groups were to suffer at the hands of those concerned with the values of White, Anglo-Saxon Protestants, with these values playing a fundamental role in the American way of life.

Before one woman refused to head to the back of the bus, before there was a voice to peacefully express the dream, before Jim Crow was scared away, there were organizations, fighters and events that contributed to the advancement of African Americans. As W.E.B. Du Bois provided the diving board that would allow blacks to dive into the pool of equality, he is found at the origin of the Civil Rights Movement. The Pan-Africanism movement, the rage following the Red Summer, and the Great Migration continued the efforts of W.E.B. Du Bois. The bold and striking words and actions of Marcus Garvey showed whites that blacks would not be called an inferior race any longer. Following World War II, many bounds toward racial equality were

According to Marcus Garvey, the “Negro’s greatest enemy” were white people and politicians. Essentially, politicians, of every race, were blocking his efforts. Garvey communicated that there was no solution to this problem, unless black people created their own country. This would have given them economical and social freedom. Since God was their inspiration, it was always intended that everyone was free, and not was not to be enslaved by others. Garvey thought that no one should ever feel superior, when it came to race. Although, Garvey did not outright convey who the “enemy” was, it can be interpreted that white people were the enemy.

The 1920’s was a great and important decade for the United States. After World War I, the United States went through events and changes that, overall, made the United States a much better place to live. New advances in technology and industry improved American life in more ways than just one. Americans had better wages during this time, more leisure time, and overall, had a better life than ever before. In addition, the 1920’s advocated social and cultural change as well. During this time period, the United States did not return to Normalcy, and instead developed attitudes that changed the life of the people of the United States forever thanks to social changes, cultural changes and changes in technology.

The Roaring Twenties is seen as a peak in American life the creation of the Model T, flappers, and speakeasies made American living fun. On the other hand, The Ku Klux Klan, a group of white Americans with a strong protestant belief and racist mindset, made American living difficult for those they saw unfit, such as blacks, catholics, those involved in an interracial relationship, the mentally challenged, immigrants, radicals, and those with psychological problems. The Ku Klux Klan was revived in the 1920s by Colonel William Joseph Simmons “after seeing D.W. Griffith’s film “Birth of a Nation”, which portrayed the klansmen as great heroes (Ku Klux.” The Klansmen prided themselves in their lifestyle. “It is said that “the KKK’s presence was

The period between 1865 and 1945 saw some of the most dramatic social, political and economic changes in America. The key issue of black civil rights throughout this period was advocated and led by a range of significant, emotive and inspiring leaders. Marcus Garvey was a formidable public speaker and is often named as the most popular black nationalist leader of the early twentieth century. He believed in pan-Africanism and came nearer than any other black leader in mobilising African American masses. He was hailed as a redeemer and a “Black Moses” who tried to lead ‘his people back to freedom’. However, arguably although

The 1920s were a crossroads for African Americans, just freed from de jure slavery but still under the very yoke of oppression they were looking for the path that would give them true freedom not only from their former slave masters but the freedom to live a full and equal life in America. In search of these answers the black world of the 1920s nominated three philosophers and educators, not by trade but by right, to lead them to true freedom, equality, and progress, those are Marcus Garvey, Booker T. Washington, and W.E.B. Dubois. And these three had drastically different viewpoints on how the black race should develop and grow within, or outside of, America. Marcus Garvey, the father of modern Black Nationalism, saw black salvation as something

Marcus Garvey was the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). This association offered principles and a viewpoint for Negro self-reliance and African reclamation in the 1914’s. Garvey and a few of his followers organized events in New York City, the Harlem chapter of the UNIA. During one of his speeches, in August of 1921, also known as The Handwriting Is on the Wall, Garvey emphasized the need of the emancipation of the Negro race (p.31, pp. 2) when he said, “We have come to the conclusion that speedily there must be an emancipated Negro race everywhere…” He showed strength by telling his audience that he recognized how many before him fought to be accepted and not to be second citizens. He was fighting for the emancipation of all Negros from the thoughts and actions of others, which were influencing the actions of his “brothers”. He compared it to the Irish when he stated, “…the Irish are determined to have liberty and nothing less than liberty.” Garvey wanted the same for the African people, he would warn his followers during his speeches that “The handwriting is on the wall…,” meaning the Negro community needed to pay attention to what was going around them, and to know when to act and react. He further discusses his vision of the need of a united African community, so “…Africa could be free from coast to coast” (p/31, pp. 4). He pleaded for his followers, his “brothers”, his Negro community not to give up. His strength of showing them that he too

Marcus Garvey was important because he aided in inspiring a mass movement amongst African Americans. Garvey make efforts to show African Americans economic empowerment meanwhile sharing the importance of taking part in politics and have greater impacts. Along with these many accomplishments, his biggest accomplishment was becoming the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League in Jamaica. Garvey came to the United States in 1916 and launched the New York Division of the UNIA the following year. This association started off with merely thirteen members and exponentially grew to approximately 3500 members. Garvey has reached new heights of power within his career in the late 1920s when he headed an international convention in Liberty Hall, containing frequent delegates in attendance from 25 countries. Garvey also led a parade of over 50,000 throughout all of Harlem.