Black and Progressive

Image Courtesy of the Library of Congress

W.E.B. Du Bois once wrote that African-Americans "may and must criticize America, describe how she has ruined democracy...and led her seats of justice astray."

Social, political and legislative reformers brought many changes to United States' society during the Progessive Era. However, the needs of African-Americans were largely ignored.

As a result, African-American men and women became reformers for their own community. African-Americans in the Progressive Era developed many methods of countering racism and sexism in society. These tactics included:

A group of African-American women formed the National Association for Colored Women in 1896. The national umbrella and local chapters spearheaded protests to lynching, unfair employment practices and also petitioned for suffrage rights.

African-American men formed organizations such as the American Negro Academy to highlight the intellectual prowess of the African-American race.

Although African-Americans suffered extremely during the Jim Crow Era, these are just a few of the gains made by men and women who were intent on making a way out of no way.

Suggested Reading

W.E.B. Du Bois

William Monroe Trotter

Lugenia Burns Hope