DOCSLIB.ORG

An Examination of Late 19Th Century African

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

AN EXAMINATION OF LATE 19TH CENTURY AFRICAN AMERICAN SOCIAL WELFARE PIONEERING DEVELOPMENTS IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. by KAREEMA JAMILYA GRAY (Under the Direction of June Gary Hopps) ABSTRACT The study of social welfare pioneers in social work education is important in forming a foundation of understanding the origins of the profession for future social work practitioners and educators. Understanding our past determines actively our ability to understand our present. Social work as a profession directly impacts and influences the lives of people of all different racial, ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds; however, the social work pioneers that current social work education focuses on are predominantly White, Christian, and American. Research to date has started to focus on uncovering pioneering work that was conducted in some minority communities, but there are still large gaps in the literature that this study hopes to fill. This study examined the work that late 19th century African American social welfare pioneers were doing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The goal was to bring to light the fact that social work was in fact being done by more than just White, Christian men and women during the time period that social work was becoming a profession. The purpose of this study was to describe, critique, and discuss the roles assumed by African American social change agents during the Progressive Era in the late 19th century in the struggle for social rights, human rights, social and humanitarian service delivery for freed slaves and Blacks in Philadelphia, PA. There were four research questions directing this study: (a) what roles did late 19th century African American social change agents play in the struggle for social rights, human rights, and service delivery for freed slave and Blacks in Philadelphia, PA.? (b) what were the social service delivery systems that were developed and used by the early African American social welfare pioneers in Philadelphia, PA? (c) did these initiatives have any correspondence or parallels with other movements during this period? and (d) what, if any, cross racial alliances were negotiated and what bridges if any were built between Black and White reformers? This historical qualitative study utilized an approach from the social change theoretical base and included in-depth and extensive examination of documents and artifacts from social welfare change agents in Philadelphia, PA. The sample included documents and artifacts that had been previously categorized as being from African American men, women and organizations that were advocates for social change during the late 19th century. Analysis led to the conclusion that the work that was done in the Black community was just as important and relevant to social work as a profession as the work that was being done in the White community. This work deserves to be discussed and examined just as much as the work that currently dominates social work education. Recommendations for refinements of the analysis, implications on social work education, future evaluation and research are discussed. INDEX WORDS: Black pioneers in Philadelphia, Social welfare pioneers, Social change theory, Social change agents, Social work, Social change, Social conflict AN EXAMINATION OF LATE 19TH CENTURY AFRICAN AMERICAN SOCIAL WELFARE PIONEERING DEVELOPMENTS IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. by KAREEMA JAMILYA GRAY B.A., Lafayette College, 1994 M.S.W., The University of Georgia, 2003 A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ATHENS, GEORGIA 2009 © 2009 Kareema Jamilya Gray All Rights Reserved AN EXAMINATION OF LATE 19TH CENTURY AFRICAN AMERICAN SOCIAL WELFARE PIONEERING DEVELOPMENTS IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. by KAREEMA JAMILYA GRAY Major Professor: June Gary Hopps Committee: Cheryl D. Dozier Tony B. Lowe Electronic Version Approved: Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia August 2009 iv DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my ancestors and the many men and women who gave their lives in the fight for freedom and for social justice. It is on their shoulders that I stand today. I thank them for their determination, their resilience, their courage, their quest for social justice, and their unwillingness to back down or turn away from the struggles that people of color face in this nation. My hope is that this work can assist in this fight that continues today. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It has been a wild and crazy ride through the doctoral program and I cannot believe that this leg of the journey is almost complete. This has been an amazing experience and I would not be here without the family, friends, mentors and others, who God has placed in my life to support me, inspire me and encourage me – this was truly a group project! First and foremost I would like to thank God for the opportunity to be in this program and for guiding me through it. Without Him directing my steps, watching over me, providing and protecting me, I know that I would not be at this point. "Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you." Psalm 25:4-5 NLT I would like to thank my committee chair and my mentor, Dr. June Gary Hopps. It has been my honor and privilege to have had the opportunity to learn from such an extraordinary, generous, renowned and patient woman. She believed in me and supported me ever since I was a student in the MSW program. She had confidence in me when I had my moments of doubt and pushed me to heights that I did not know I could achieve. Thanks are also due to my other committee members – Dr. Cheryl Dozier and Dr. Tony Lowe who were always so giving and supportive. Dr. Dozier was incredible in her contribution to this project, her wisdom; her expertise and her feedback were invaluable to me. Dr. Lowe went above and beyond the call of duty as the methodologist and offered guidance and assistance in many aspects of the research. There are other faculty and staff at the University of Georgia who were incredibly supportive during my tenure in the program. Dean Maurice Daniels always had time to listen to vi me and give me feedback on my project, thank you. I am also grateful to: Dr. Adrian Anderson, Emma Mattox, Kat Farlowe and Dr. Kevin DeWeaver. I would also like to thank the staff of the Athletic Department’s Academic Program – Ludlow Lawson, Wally Richardson, Lynne Smith, Ted White, Eric Beverly, Solomon Hughes and others, your friendship and support was so important to me, thank you for providing a forum for me to give back a portion of what has been given to me. To the members of my cohort – Dr. Mike Humble, Dr. Denise Levy, Dr. Sandra Yudilevich, Steve King and Byungdeok Kang – we laughed, we cried, we caffeinated ourselves, but most importantly, we stuck together through every step of the way. This experience was made even more special because of you all. Your encouragement, your belief in me, your emotional and social support made the difference for me. A special thank you also goes to Natalie Pope for her constant encouragement and support. I have been truly blessed to have a network of friends without whom I would not have survived the perils of this program. Their endless love, support, motivation, and encouragement carried me through the tough times. Phil, Kim, Nichole & Brianna Proctor, Stephanie & Keith Dunn, Melvin & Donna Lee Moon, Jen & Jose Acosta, Zane Maraschiello, Angel Gibbs, David Roper, Scott Long, Alicia Schildwachter, Alaina & Dan Ankrom, Styron & Shana Penneywell, Ivano Newbill, Robyn Gary, Angela Spell and many others from the congregations of the Atlanta Churches of Christ and the Athens Church of Christ – thank you all from the bottom of my heart. This journey would not have been possible without the love and support of my family who were always there to listen to me, to encourage me, to challenge me, to motivate me, and to believe in me; my mother Dr. Cleora Levetter, my father Mr. Robert Gray Jr., my brothers David Levetter and Khalil Womack, my sister Sarah Levetter, and her children Cleopatra and Phillip, vii my aunt Cleopatra Anderson-Wright, and my cousins Rasheeda Wright, Cleo Anderson and Carla Anderson. My family always believed in me and encouraged me to pursue any dream that I had. They were incredibly understanding as my commitment to my studies caused me to miss many family holidays and get-togethers. I love you all more than words can express and I hope that I am able to make you all proud. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES....................................................................................................................... xiii LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... xiv CHAPTER I A DRIVE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE: PROGRESSIVES, BLACKS AND SOCIAL WELFARE.....................................................................................................................1 Introduction ...............................................................................................................1 A Drive for Social Change ........................................................................................2
Recommended publications
  • Japanese Immigration History

    Japanese Immigration History

    CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE EARLY JAPANESE IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES DURING MEIJI TO TAISHO ERA (1868–1926) By HOSOK O Bachelor of Arts in History Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado 2000 Master of Arts in History University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, Oklahoma 2002 Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate College of the Oklahoma State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY December, 2010 © 2010, Hosok O ii CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE EARLY JAPANESE IMMIGRATION TO THE UNITED STATES DURING MEIJI TO TAISHO ERA (1868–1926) Dissertation Approved: Dr. Ronald A. Petrin Dissertation Adviser Dr. Michael F. Logan Dr. Yonglin Jiang Dr. R. Michael Bracy Dr. Jean Van Delinder Dr. Mark E. Payton Dean of the Graduate College iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS For the completion of my dissertation, I would like to express my earnest appreciation to my advisor and mentor, Dr. Ronald A. Petrin for his dedicated supervision, encouragement, and great friendship. I would have been next to impossible to write this dissertation without Dr. Petrin’s continuous support and intellectual guidance. My sincere appreciation extends to my other committee members Dr. Michael Bracy, Dr. Michael F. Logan, and Dr. Yonglin Jiang, whose intelligent guidance, wholehearted encouragement, and friendship are invaluable. I also would like to make a special reference to Dr. Jean Van Delinder from the Department of Sociology who gave me inspiration for the immigration study. Furthermore, I would like to give my sincere appreciation to Dr. Xiaobing Li for his thorough assistance, encouragement, and friendship since the day I started working on my MA degree to the completion of my doctoral dissertation.
  • About Absalom Jones Priest 1818

    About Absalom Jones Priest 1818

    The Reverend Absalom Jones November 7, 1746 – February 13, 1818 The life and legacy of The Reverend Absalom Jones, first African American priest of The Episcopal Church is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, his faith, and his commitment to the causes of freedom, justice and self-determination. Jones was born into slavery in Sussex County, Delaware on November 6, 1746. During the 72 years of his life, he grew to become one of the foremost leaders among persons of African descent during the post-revolutionary period. In his younger years in Delaware, Absalom sought help to learn to read. When he was 16, his owner Benjamin Wynkoop brought him to Philadelphia where he served as a clerk and handyman in a retail store. He was able to work for himself in the evenings and keep his earnings. He also briefly attended a school run by the Quakers where he learned mathematics and handwriting. In 1770, he married Mary Thomas and purchased her freedom. It was until 1784 that he obtained his own freedom through manumission. He also owned several properties. During this period, he met Richard Allen, who became a life-long friend. In 1787, they organized the Free African Society as a social, political and humanitarian organization helping widows and orphans and assisting in sick relief and burial expenses. Jones and Allen were also lay preachers at St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, PA where their evangelistic efforts met with great success and their congregation multiplied ten-fold. As a result, racial tensions flared and ultimately they led an historic walk out from St.
  • Saint Katharine's CIRCLE

    Saint Katharine's CIRCLE

    National Shrine of Saint Katharine Drexel www.KatharineDrexel.org Saint Katharine’s CIRCLE Quarterly Newsletter Volume III, #2 May 2016 Page 1 Annual Feast Day Celebration – March 6, 2016 Sr. Donna Breslin, SBS, president of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, presents Fr. Paysse with the St. Katharine Drexel National St. Elizabeth Chapel was filled with Sisters of the Justice Award. Blessed Sacrament and friends for the Annual Feast Day Mass for Saint Katharine Drexel and the National Justice Award. The main celebrant for the Mass was Archbishop Charles Chaput, Archbishop of Philadelphia. This year’s award was presented to Rev. Wayne Paysse. As Executive Director of the Black and Indian Mission Office (2007 –2015), Father Paysse served as an advocate on the national scene for African American, Native American, and Alaska Native people of God. He coordinated three organizations within its scope of administration: Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions (established 1874), Commission for the Catholic Missions (established 1884) and Catholic Negro-American Mission Board (established 1907). Fr. Paysse was also part of the collaborative Robert Gutherman (left) and Amy Wall (center), recipients of a divine miracle effort working on the cause of the canonization of attributed to St. Katharine Drexel’s intercession, celebrates the saint’s feast Saint Kateri Tekakwitha who was canonized by Pope day Mass with Amy’s brother Jack, his wife Christina and their daughter Benedict XVI on Sunday, October 21, 2012. Katharine. Photos by Sarah Webb “We can never be grateful enough for the Blessed Sacrament.” SKD Page 2 News from Around the Country How lucky we are to have these wonderful highlights to share with the whole country of St Katharine Drexel’s ~ Enjoy these happenings St.
  • Weekly Anglo-African the Pine and Palm

    Weekly Anglo-African the Pine and Palm

    Weekly Anglo-African and The Pine and Palm Excerpts from 1861–1862 Edited and Introduction by Brigitte Fielder, Cassander Smith, and Derrick R. Spires for Just Teach One–Early African American Print Introduction subscription agents) coalesce against a common enemy: James Brigitte Fielder, Cassander Smith, and Derrick R. Spires Redpath (1833-1891) and Haitian emigration. At the same time, this transition speaks to the precariousness of newspaper funding, as Thomas Hamilton (1823-1865) was forced to sell Resolved, That we firmly, flatly, uncompromisingly the Weekly Anglo-African to James Redpath, who then oppose, condemn and denounce as unfair and unjust, as unwise rebranded the Weekly for a new purpose. It speaks to the and as unchristian, the fleeing, colonizing efforts urged by interracial and international character of the newspaper James Redpath, the white, seconded by George Lawrence, Jr., business more broadly and the importance of tracing financing. the black, who is employed by him. Hamilton, for instance sought funding for the Weekly Anglo- Resolved, That we do not deny the right of Mr. James African from a wide range of sources: white abolitionist Redpath and a Boston firm of white gentlemen to give eleven supporters such as John Jay, Jr, black activists such as James hundred dollars for the “Anglo-African,” and for Mr. Redpath McCune Smith, selling books out of his offices, and borrowing to bind Mr. Thomas Hamilton, the late proprietor thereof, not against a life insurance policy he took out on himself for that 1 to issue another paper for circulation among the colored purpose. Throughout these efforts, no one questioned people; but we do declare that he is not justified in the Hamilton’s status as the paper’s proprietor or the paper’s status deceptive policy of placing at the head of the paper, like the as a black newspaper.
  • Sample Pages

    Sample Pages

    GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE Moving Remembrances of 50 American Catholics COMPILED AND INTRODUCED BY Carol DeChant TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION by Carol DeChant ................................................. 13 I. WE REMEMBER OUR HEROES The Happiest Man on Earth: Chaplain Mychal Judge, NYFD by Reverend Michael Duffy ....................................... 23 An American Original: Mother Katharine Drexel by Anthony Walton ................................................ 33 A Hero’s Last March: General William Tecumseh Sherman author unknown .................................................. 43 The “Opposing General’s” Valor: President John Fitzgerald Kennedy by President Ronald Reagan ...................................... 51 A Saint for Our Age: Dorothy Day by Jim Forest ....................................................... 57 A Eulogy to Whitefeather of the Ojibway: Larry Cloud-Morgan by Patricia LeFevere .............................................. 71 Plain-Spoken, Practical, Taking Care of Business: Major David G. Taylor by John Taylor ..................................................... 75 II. WE REMEMBER FAMILY Aloise Steiner Buckley, R. I. P. by William F. Buckley, Jr. ......................................... 85 Remembering Pup: William F. Buckley, Jr. by Christopher Buckley ............................................ 90 Every Gift but Length of Years: John F. Kennedy, Jr. by Senator Edward Kennedy ..................................... 97 The Golfatorium: Meditation on a Mother Dying by Thomas Lynch ................................................
  • Absalom Jones (1746 – 1818)

    Absalom Jones (1746 – 1818)

    ABSALOM JONES (1746 – 1818) The first person of African descent ordained a priest in the United States 13 February 2021 11:00 am CATHEDRAL OF THE INCARNATION 50 Cathedral Avenue Garden City, New York 11530 MASS OF THANKSGIVING Commemorating the Life, Ministry and Witness Of Absalom Jones The Right Reverend Lawrence C. Provenzano Bishop of Long Island, Presiding The Rev. Canon Dr. Lynn A. Collins Preaching Hosted by the Diocese of Long Island and the Black Clergy Caucus 2 ORDER OF WORSHIP THE PRELUDE THE PROCESSIONAL HYMN 3 THE OPENING ACCLAMATION Bishop + Blessed be God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. People And blessed be God’s kingdom, now and forever. Bishop Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. People Amen. THE COLLECT Bishop The Lord be with you. People And also with you. Bishop Let us pray. et us free, heavenly Father, from every bond of prejudice and fear; that, S honoring the steadfast courage of your servant Absalom Jones, we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of the children of God, which you have given us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. People Amen. THE LITURGY OF THE WORD THE HEBREW SCRIPTURE READING Isaiah 61: 1 - 4 he spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has T sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to provide for those who mourn in Zion -- to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
  • Black History Trivia Bowl Study Questions Revised September 13, 2018 B C D 1 CATEGORY QUESTION ANSWER

    Black History Trivia Bowl Study Questions Revised September 13, 2018 B C D 1 CATEGORY QUESTION ANSWER

    Black History Trivia Bowl Study Questions Revised September 13, 2018 B C D 1 CATEGORY QUESTION ANSWER What national organization was founded on President National Association for the Arts Advancement of Colored People (or Lincoln’s Birthday? NAACP) 2 In 1905 the first black symphony was founded. What Sports Philadelphia Concert Orchestra was it called? 3 The novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin was published in what Sports 1852 4 year? Entertainment In what state is Tuskegee Institute located? Alabama 5 Who was the first Black American inducted into the Pro Business & Education Emlen Tunnell 6 Football Hall of Fame? In 1986, Dexter Gordan was nominated for an Oscar for History Round Midnight 7 his performance in what film? During the first two-thirds of the seventeenth century Science & Exploration Holland and Portugal what two countries dominated the African slave trade? 8 In 1994, which president named Eddie Jordan, Jr. as the Business & Education first African American to hold the post of U.S. Attorney President Bill Clinton 9 in the state of Louisiana? Frank Robinson became the first Black American Arts Cleveland Indians 10 manager in major league baseball for what team? What company has a successful series of television Politics & Military commercials that started in 1974 and features Bill Jell-O 11 Cosby? He worked for the NAACP and became the first field Entertainment secretary in Jackson, Mississippi. He was shot in June Medgar Evers 12 1963. Who was he? Performing in evening attire, these stars of The Creole Entertainment Show were the first African American couple to perform Charles Johnson and Dora Dean 13 on Broadway.
  • Martin Luther King Request

    Martin Luther King Request

    Project: Assassinations - Martin Luther King Request: Client: Date: DATE SUBJECT / EVENT SEARCH PHRASE LINKS ASSETS General 30,701 Martin Luther King (all) Martin Luther King VIDEOS 1,363 Martin Luther King (All) STILLS 24,055 Martin Luther King (Archival) STILLS 5,217 MLK NOT Martin Luther King VIDEOS 66 Early life Notable people 1,668 Father: Martin Luther King (Snr), a Baptist minister Martin Luther King Snr VIDEOS 4 Martin Luther King Senior STILLS 192 Mother: Alberta Williams King, a schoolteacher Martin Luther King mother VIDEOS 1 Alberta Williams King STILLS 9 Wife: Coretta Scott (aka Coretta Scott King) (m. 1953) Coretta Scott VIDEOS 38 Coretta Scott STILLS 1400 Corretta Scott NOT Coretta VIDEOS 2 Corretta Scott NOT Coretta STILLS 8 Friend: Benjamin Mays Benjamin Mays (Archival) STILLS 14 Education 3,311 Education: Morehouse College in 1944, graduated in 1944-48 Morehouse College VIDEOS 8 1948 Morehouse College STILLS 2,709 King forged a lifelong friendship with his teacher, Benjamin Mays (Archival) STILLS 14 Benjamin Mays Postgraduate study: Crozer Theological Seminary in 1948 Crozer Theological Seminary VIDEOS 1 Pennsylvania Crozer Theological Seminary STILLS 2 Postgraduate study: then, in 1951, at Boston 1951-55 University's School of Theology (received doctorate in Boston University VIDEOS 238 1955) Boston University [custom date STILLS 267 range: up to 1960] (Archival) King became pastor of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in 1954 Dexter Avenue Baptist Church VIDEOS 2 Montgomery, Alabama Dexter Avenue Baptist Church STILLS 70
  • Changemakers: Biographies of African Americans in San Francisco Who Made a Difference

    Changemakers: Biographies of African Americans in San Francisco Who Made a Difference

    The University of San Francisco USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and McCarthy Center Student Scholarship the Common Good 2020 Changemakers: Biographies of African Americans in San Francisco Who Made a Difference David Donahue Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.usfca.edu/mccarthy_stu Part of the History Commons CHANGEMAKERS AFRICAN AMERICANS IN SAN FRANCISCO WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE Biographies inspired by San Francisco’s Ella Hill Hutch Community Center murals researched, written, and edited by the University of San Francisco’s Martín-Baró Scholars and Esther Madríz Diversity Scholars CHANGEMAKERS: AFRICAN AMERICANS IN SAN FRANCISCO WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE © 2020 First edition, second printing University of San Francisco 2130 Fulton Street San Francisco, CA 94117 Published with the generous support of the Walter and Elise Haas Fund, Engage San Francisco, The Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good, The University of San Francisco College of Arts and Sciences, University of San Francisco Student Housing and Residential Education The front cover features a 1992 portrait of Ella Hill Hutch, painted by Eugene E. White The Inspiration Murals were painted in 1999 by Josef Norris, curated by Leonard ‘Lefty’ Gordon and Wendy Nelder, and supported by the San Francisco Arts Commission and the Mayor’s Offi ce Neighborhood Beautifi cation Project Grateful acknowledgment is made to the many contributors who made this book possible. Please see the back pages for more acknowledgments. The opinions expressed herein represent the voices of students at the University of San Francisco and do not necessarily refl ect the opinions of the University or our sponsors.
  • Black History

    Black History

    G UIDE TO FREE EVENTS IN WASHINGTON, DC | FEBRUARY 1 - 28, 2018 DC | FEBRUARY IN WASHINGTON, FREE EVENTS UIDE TO Black 2018 History MAYOR MURIEL BOWSER DC COMMISSION ON THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES & DC BLACK HISTORY CELEBRATION COMMITTEE Mayor Muriel Bowser, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities and the DC Black History Celebration Committee are proud to present this guide to events in Washington, DC for the month of February 2018. This guide is also available online at dcarts.dc.gov. Events listing information subject to change; contact the event’s organizer for additional information. s a Harvard-trained historian, Carter G. Woodson, like W. E. B. Du Bois before him, believed that truth could not be denied and that reason would prevail over prejudice. HisA hopes to raise awareness of African American’s contributions to civilization was realized when he and the organization he founded, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), conceived and announced Negro History Week in 1925. The event was first celebrated during a week in February 1926 that encompassed the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. The response was overwhelming: Black history clubs sprang up; teachers demanded materials to instruct their pupils; and progressive whites, not simply white scholars and philanthropists, stepped forward to endorse the effort. By the time of Woodson’s death in 1950, Negro History Week had become a central part of African American life and substantial progress had been made in bringing more Americans to appreciate the celebration. At mid–century, mayors of cities nationwide issued proclamations noting Negro History Week.
  • "Citizens in the Making": Black Philadelphians, the Republican Party and Urban Reform, 1885-1913

    "Citizens in the Making": Black Philadelphians, the Republican Party and Urban Reform, 1885-1913

    University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations 2017 "Citizens In The Making": Black Philadelphians, The Republican Party And Urban Reform, 1885-1913 Julie Davidow University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations Part of the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Davidow, Julie, ""Citizens In The Making": Black Philadelphians, The Republican Party And Urban Reform, 1885-1913" (2017). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 2247. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/2247 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/2247 For more information, please contact [email protected]. "Citizens In The Making": Black Philadelphians, The Republican Party And Urban Reform, 1885-1913 Abstract “Citizens in the Making” broadens the scope of historical treatments of black politics at the end of the nineteenth century by shifting the focus of electoral battles away from the South, where states wrote disfranchisement into their constitutions. Philadelphia offers a municipal-level perspective on the relationship between African Americans, the Republican Party, and political and social reformers, but the implications of this study reach beyond one city to shed light on a nationwide effort to degrade and diminish black citizenship. I argue that black citizenship was constructed as alien and foreign in the urban North in the last decades of the nineteenth century and that this process operated in tension with and undermined the efforts of black Philadelphians to gain traction on their exercise of the franchise. For black Philadelphians at the end of the nineteenth century, the franchise did not seem doomed or secure anywhere in the nation.
  • Octavius V. Catto Nineteenth Century Philadelphia Black Militant: Octavius V

    Octavius V. Catto Nineteenth Century Philadelphia Black Militant: Octavius V

    OCTAVIUS V. CATTO NINETEENTH CENTURY PHILADELPHIA BLACK MILITANT: OCTAVIUS V. CATTO (1839-1871) BY HARRY C. SILCOX* ONE OF the least mentioned figures in Pennsylvania's struggle for 0 human rights during the Reconstruction Era is black teacher Octavius Valentine Catto. He was the one leader around whom Philadelphia blacks rallied and the one that the state's Radical Republicans most consulted. Possessor of a combative and aggressive nature, Catto was linked with every important black movement of the day. His assassination in the election riots of 1871 only served to enhance his popularity and make him a martyr still remembered with pride by black Philadelphians. No less a figure than W.E.B. DuBois was taken by Catto's youthfulness, militancy, and courage on behalf of black causes. To him, Catto's death was a tragedy for urban northern blacks. Despite this acclaim, few historians of the Reconstruction Era be- sides DuBois have even mentioned Catto in their writings. This oversight can be traced to a number of factors. Catto, at the time of his death, was a local figure just emerging on the national scene, thus appearing at first glance to be a rather unimportant black leader. Ignoring men like Catto, historians chose to devote most of their attention to events taking place in the south. This view of Recon- struction history tended to minimize the importance of events taking place in the north. Catto's rise to power in an urban black community of the north offers another view of blacks previously hidden by the mass of writings on Reconstruction in the south.