After intense and diligent reading of text that attempted to understand the beginnings of the early organized Black Community, I’ve come to a quandary. As early Africans in America began to climb the turbulent mountain of equality, internal issues also emerged. The million dollar question, should we STAY or should we GO. Studying intense arguments from members of the early Black leadership, those of Samuel Cornish and John Russwurm, Henry Highland Garnet and James McCune Smith, we see that the ideology of emigration was debated then, as much as it is now. As suffering persisted, men within the community that used to dismiss the thought, began to change their tune.
As members in the Black community began to gradually come out of slavery in New York, the Gradual Emancipation Act, the task of creating an autonomous community began. Members such as William Hamilton, William Miller, and Peter Williams Sr., laid the framework for others to follow. At this time while still clinging to their African heritage, they began to promote education among the newly “free” populous, in addition to establishing churches, mutual aid societies, and schools. Excited by the passage of the law, the community gathered in celebration. With joy, Peter Williams Sr. said to the masses, “may the time speedily commerce, when Ethiopia shall stretch her hands; when the sun of liberty shall beam resplendent on the whole African race.” Though seemingly the battle for freedom was won, the war for true liberation was just beginning.
From the earliest stages of America we fought for equal rights for Africans and her descendants. Black leadership’s task was the amelioration of the social condition of the people, as well as the enhancement of the mind via proper education. One of the stereotypes of the time was Blacks were insolent and prone to violence. Through moral uplift and the promotion education, leaders hoped, these steps would sway whites into accepting the Black population as true American citizens. A rational individual would’ve already come to the conclusion that Black members of this country had already shown their worthiness. Especially, in regards to our patriotism and willingness to assist this country in times of war. During the American Revolution, the Black community had shown it’s loyalty to America, taking up arms in the War of 1812. So, there shouldn’t have been any sense of dubiety on the part of white folks. It was clearly convenient amnesia. There certainly wasn’t any confusion when whites used Black armies to assist in conquering the Caribbean. Still, after all the bloodshed by Blacks, doubt of our citizenship remained.
Another strategy was to assimilate into “American” culture. To be more like white would mean to no longer looking to Africa as our homeland, but to America. The ideology of moral uplift in some ways promoted the discontinuation of some of the African traditions that came with us on those ships. One was the grand parading and celebrations. Some say these actions encouraged attacks from whites within the community who couldn’t stomach the idea of Black racial solidarity. Also, others suggested to take the word “African”, out of our organizational names and instead use the words “colored” with “negro”, or advocate the use of organizational names that held no racial designation. This was to prove to whites what we were ready to pledge allegiance to America only.
We began to join societies created by white folks, such as the Manumission, Wilberforce and American Colonization societies. There whites suggested the best ways to fight against slavery but it seems their intentions were double-sided. Some of those same whites were slave-holders themselves. Their main goal, was to rid America of free blacks, in order to maintain their grasp on the black still enslaved in the south. Some went so far to say, free Blacks were more of a nuisance than those of us in shackles. Why? We gave hope to those enslaved that one day they could be free.
Disillusioned Black leaders became recalcitrant with the white organizations and formed their own. These organizations fought against colonization, even chastising those Blacks who even tried to suggest its potential. The fetish of white paternalism began to infuriate leaders within the Black community to the point where the recommendations of white leadership, began to overshadow those of Black leaders. Colonization was an absolute show stopper, however emigration was still on the table, especially to places like Haiti, the newly free Black republic.
Many Blacks travelled to Haiti with the convincing of Henry Highland Garnet. On the other hand, leaders such as John Russwurn promoted Liberia as an option, drawing harsh criticism from his peers. Russwurm, as he wrote in the Freedom’s Journal had denounced colonization, but a series of events changed his mind. Still, with some resistance, members of the Black community were reluctant to emigrate. Thoughts of leaving their brethren in the South behind in shackles led many to reject leaving America all together.
With the constant attacks on the Black community, some Black people became discouraged. Though they had a quasi-freedom, they still lacked the basic forms of citizenship. Discrimination plagued the early black community, and will the lack of adequate suffrage, they couldn’t challenge the legislature to change it. Frequent conventions were held to draft resolutions to take before lawmakers, although the majority of them were denied.
Black people were constantly tormented. For example, the African Grove Theatre, a place Blacks created for themselves was shut down and its owner and patrons beaten, because the sight of black progress infuriated the white community. The segregation of local transportation was also an issue. It is ridiculous that violence and lives could be lost for something as simple as riding in a street car. There were numerous cases involving incidents pertaining to Black passengers complaining of mistreated on train cars.
The Anti abolition riots of 1834 saw a mob of men of Irish decent, some in black-face, go on a killing spree. They destroyed Black business, homes, schools, and churches. Whites became so out of hand that a militia had to be formed to stop them. The excuse for the riot was trivial. Whites who were against the growth and independence of the Black community feared racial cohabitation.
Also evident was the hatred for the Anti-Slavery movement itself. The passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, seemed to make matters worse. Free Blacks feared being snatched up by blackbird gangs and sold down south into slavery because at the time New York was a rest stop for those escaping the horrors of the South.
The issues the our ancestors faced in the early 19th century never disappeared, but only morphed into new and improved forms of oppression. The New Jim Crow, police brutality, unarmed Black men killed, and the newly organized “Black Identity Extremist” task force are all modern examples of this same sadistic terror. These tactics are promoted by a government that has shown throughout history, its inability to protect Black folks as full citizens. The revolution may not be televised but terror on the black population is! How many of our Black men have we seen gunned down by this insane system? Even With video evidence, there always seems an avenue for the oppressor to escape the grasp of lady justice. The Washington Post in 2016, discovered that, 34 percent of unarmed people killed were black males. Morbidly ironic is the fact that Black men make up only 6 percent of the U.S. population. It would not be a stretch to say things haven’t changed.
We have to challenge ourselves, as a community, to find the final solution to this problem. With some of the Black population seemingly allergic to voting, how else are we going to accomplish the task of taking charge of our destiny in America? Without the power of legislation, to change laws, policies, and procedures, we’re still at the mercy of the system. We’ve done everything they’ve asked, joined their military, worked for free, and accepted their version of god, some even denouncing their heritage. Still, our acceptance as members of this society, has an asterisk next to it. The majority of white folks in this country will never shed the filthy skin of white supremacy. As I’ve stated in my last article, this hypocrisy is needed in order for this country to survive.
The Black community continued to demonstrate their humanity to an evil part of the American population who were unquestionably ignorant of it. The same conclusions however, were birthed over and over. The emotional roller coaster they faced, had deleterious effects on the mind of blacks, both in bondage and freedom. The irony and hypocrisy at times seems unreal. The Black community was about facilitating the creation of amazing leaders, activist, and educators, but the white supremacy found ways to silence them. How then could they have the audacity to admonish and condemn our lack of organization?
Furthermore, they burn down our communities and schools and ask, why you aren’t building your own? At the perennial stages of our development and industrial consciousness, the white rage always grows from the seed of racism and white supremacy to sabotage the Black communities’ growth. What more has to be done to attain this liberty I was told about in speeches and lectures, from those who promote accommodation and assimilation? What haven’t we tried, with absolute effort? This daunting task will require men and women with pride and resilience to continue the work of Peter Williams Jr., Martin Delany, Paul Cuffe, Elijah Muhammad, Marcus Garvey, and Malcolm X. Ase’
Posted By: Seneb Williams
Friday, June 29th 2018 at 5:55AM
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