University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository Doctoral Dissertations Student Scholarship Winter 1996 "Getting America told": The black press and its dialogue with white America, 1914-1919 William George Jordan University of New Hampshire, Durham Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation Recommended Citation Jordan, William George, ""Getting America told": The black press and its dialogue with white America, 1914-1919" (1996). Doctoral Dissertations. 1928. https://scholars.unh.edu/dissertation/1928 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Scholarship at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. 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Photographs included in the original manuscript have been reproduced xerographically in this copy. Higher quality 6” x 9” black and white photographic prints are available for any photographs or illustrations appearing in this copy for an additional charge. Contact UMI directly to order. UMI A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor MI 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. "GETTING AMERICA TOLD": THE BLACK PRESS AND ITS DIALOGUE WITH WHITE AMERICA, 1914-1919 BY WILLIAM G. JORDAN BA, University of Lowell, 1984 MA, University of New Hampshire, 1991 DISSERTATION Submitted to the University of New Hampshire in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in History December, 1996 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 9717852 Copyright 1996 by Jordan, William George All rights reserved. UMI Microform 9717852 Copyright 1997, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED C 1996 William G. Jordan Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. This dissertation has been examined and approved. 21 Dissertation Director, Harvard Sitkoff, Professor of History J. william Harris, Associate Professor of History Robert M. Mennel, Professor of History Charles E. Clark, Professor of History Lester A. Fisher, Professor of English Date Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. DEDICATION For Wendy Aldrich Jordan and James Aldrich Jordan iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project could never have been completed without the support and guidance of many teachers, colleagues, friends, librarians, and family members. The dedicated members of the University of New Hampshire faculty provided me with excellent training for this work in their classes, seminars, and many one-on-one discussions. Without exception, these overworked scholars kept an open door and were generous with their scarce free time. Harvard Sitkoff was a tolerant and wise mentor and advisor, leading me through a master’s thesis, comprehensive exams, and the dissertation. In addition to reading many drafts, providing insightful criticism, writing numerous letters of reference (often at the last minute), and alerting me to opportunities in the profession, he provided informal instruction in the ways of academia which has been indispensable. William Harris's help invariably went beyond what I could have expected from a secondary member of both my master's thesis and dissertation committees. His comments on my writing have always been extensive and incisive, his advice straightforward and practical. Charles Clark provided indispensable instruction in writing a publishable journal article and in dealing with newspapers and communication theory. Robert Mennel directed my first research seminar at v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UNH, which also turned out to be the kernel of this dissertation. His comments and advice (especially on theory) were enlightening and he frequently guided me toward readings which broadened my understanding. Lester Fisher's instruction in African-American literature helped me to develop my approach to black writing and to come to see words as weapons. Numerous other professors in the UNH history department have provided help with their instruction, moral support, and friendship, including, but not limited to, Lucy Salyer, Jeff Diefendorf, Jeff Bolster, Laurel Ulrich, and John Cerullo. They belong to a long list of teachers who have influenced my development over many years with their dedication, idealism, and intelligence. That list must include Dean Bergeron and Joyce Denning of the University of Massachusetts Lowell, who inspired and supported me in my decision to pursue an academic career. Many fellow graduate students helped in both concrete and intangible ways with the genesis and development of this project. Long discussions with them helped me form my conclusions, and classmates in numerous seminars read drafts of proposals and chapters and offered invaluable advice. Perhaps most importantly, they were excellent friends, punctuating the long hours of study and isolation with humor, good conversation, and intellectual stimulation. Presenting a complete list of names here would be a daunting task, yet a few cry out for mention, including Pam Barksdale, Mike Foley, vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Stacy Hogsett, Ryan Maddan, Edith Murphy, Beth Nichols, and David Richards. I also owe extra thanks to Edith Murphy and Mike Foley, along with Joyce Denning and Julie Graham, who provided last minute copy-editing when I just could not read the dissertation one more time. Librarians, archivists, and other support staff also helped out at numerous points along the way. History secretaries Jeanne Mitchell and Lee Szeliga assisted in countless indispensable ways and provided a friendly and informal gateway to the department. Librarians at the Schomburg Center of the New York City Public Library and the special collections departments at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Boston University were all patient, courteous, and helpful, as were attendants in the microfilm rooms of B. U. and the Boston Public Library. At the UNH library, reference librarians answered countless queries with unvarying cheerfulness, microfilm room employees helped me manage the archaic copy machines, and Karen Fagerberg and Suzanne Seymour of the interlibrary loan department tracked down the microfilmed newspapers without which this project would have been impossible. They agreeably handled unusual requests and bent an occasional rule to help me out. This work is also a product of generous financial assistance from the UNH History Department, Graduate School, and Central Research Fund; the Colonial Dames of America; and the American Historical Association's Beveridge Grant. David vii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Levering Lewis and the Journal of American History affirmed the value of my research by providing the first recognition of it from outside UNH. And Mark Ellis's courteous disagreement helped me to focus my arguments while generating greater interest in the subject matter. Family members helped out in important ways. My parents and siblings--especially my sister, Jennifer LaMarca-- contributed occasional child care, enabling me to make trips to Boston-area libraries. Another sister, Nancy Jerauld, was always a phone call away with software support. And as always, the encouragement and support of my extended family and my friend Phil Brown were an emotional necessity. Last, but by no means least, my wife, Wendy Jordan, gave me her understanding, companionship, support, and seemingly limitless patience; and our