African-American U.S Civil Rights Organizations in 19th and 20th Centuries

Civil Rights Organisations in the U.S. was basically a series of nonviolent events that were meant to bring about equality for Americans according to the law. In other words, these were movements or political struggles to end discrimination and racial segregation against African-Americans and other disadvantaged groups in the U.S. As they exposed the prevalence of racism, and of course its cost, they attracted both legal and social acceptance (Landau 3).

Their leaders were influential figures who worked very hard for the implementation and promotion of civil liberties, political freedom and human rights (Axelrod 17). They protected individuals from discrimination and repression by private organisations and government and ensured positive participation of political and civil lives of its individuals in the state. Some of the civil rights they fought for include: the right to vote, freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly (Axelrod 17).

National Negro Business League (NNBL), now known as National Business League is one of the organisations which has been advocating for African-American interests. It was formed in 1966 by a Negro known as Booker T. Washington (Coleman 16). Its main agenda was to facilitate the black people’s business ideas and serve as a meeting point for like-minded people. It promoted the economic and financial advancement of the blacks in the U.S. Though, not many black people became great entrepreneurs, it is one institution that helped foster racial and self-help solidarity (18).

Another movement which brought the Afro-Americans together was the National Association of Colored Women Club, NACWC. It was founded in 1896 in Washington D.C. by Josephine St. Ruffin under the motto ‘Lifting as we climb’ (Coleman 86). Its main aim was to inspire women to venture into various activities of National interest such as the fight against discrimination.

 African Blood Brotherhood for African Liberation and Redemption, ABB is another significant radical U.S. black liberation movement that was established in 1919, also in New York City (Coleman 102). Its founder, journalist Cyril Briggs, started it as a propaganda movement. The group was terminated in the 1920s after creating the attention of the American communist movement.

The National Urban League, NUL, with the initial name ‘National League on Urban Conditions among Negroes’, is a civil rights movement with its headquarters in New York City. It is one of the largest and oldest Afro-American community-based organisations which deal with matters to do with racial discrimination on behalf of the African Americans. Among others, it was founded in 1910 by Edmund Haynes and Ruth Baldwin. When Eugene Jones took the leadership in 1918, the organisation gained a lot of momentum in cracking down the barriers that stood for the black people employment. Its name changed in 1920 with renewed efforts to enable the black Americans realises civil rights, parity and economic reliance.

NUL’s other agenda was based on social service, civil rights and social activism. It also counselled black migrants, assisted them to find housing and jobs.  NUL became quite instrumental in training black social
workers.

The Universal Negro Improvement Association, UNIA, of Marcus Garvey became popular in the 1920s for organising new communities in the North, and also among the other internationalist-minded "New Negro" people. His movement pointed in the opposite direction from the mainstream of fighting for civil rights. Instead, he crusaded for striving for integrated black people society around the world. His movement led to the creation of Pan-Africanism also known as Garveyism. Garvey became the most popular of all leaders who fought for African-Americans, Black people in the Caribbean and also African in Africa. He encouraged economic independence and alternative for white Jesus for black people. He encouraged a return to Africa if not physically, then at least by the spirit.
According to Capshaw (56), the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is largest and oldest rights movement, and throughout its existence it has been in the forefront, fighting against discrimination and racial segregation, advocating for equality regardless of colour or race.  Through its activities and endeavours, the movement has brought the promise of democracy, participation and integration to African-Americans. However, during the period of its existence of more than hundred years, NAACP has encountered unrelenting repression from the white supremacist and other antiracist groups (52).

 NAACP was formed immediately after the famous race riots in Springfield, Illinois which was initiated by a young journalist William English Walling to call for discussion on the rising temperatures of racism in America (53). This led to a National Negro Conference in the June of 1909. In attendance were social reformers, white philanthropists, anti-lynching crusader Wells-Barnett, racial editor William Monroe and most importantly, anti-racial activist W. E. B Du Bois (54). This conference marked the beginning of NAACP, though its name was adopted later.

Unified in their opposition against racial injustices, the NAACP began a program of lobbying and speechmaking to publicise their grievances. They also launched a magazine called ‘The Crisis’, edited by Du Bois (55). The organisation attacked racial inequality and segregation in courts, winning a major court decision in 1915 and 1927, allowing the black minority to vote and against ‘all whites’ primary, respectively(56).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Axelrod, Alan. Minority rights in America. Washington, DC: CQ Press, 2002. Print.

Capshaw, Katharine. "The Black Arts Movement." Civil Rights Childhood (2014): 154-211. Web.

Coleman, Jeffrey Lamar. "Civil Rights Movement Poetry." The Cambridge Companion to American Civil Rights Literature (n.d.): 143-58. Web.

            Landau, Elaine. Civil rights movement in America. Place of publication not identified: Children's                         Press, 2007. Print.