Primary Source Analysis Post #2 The Crisis Magazine

Caden O’Farrell

October 17, 2020

History 110

Prof. Klann

Primary Source Analysis Post #2

1. I choose to do my primary source analysis on The Crisis magazine. The Crisis magazine was made by the NAACP. One of the reasons I chose this article is because I saw W.E.B Du Bois’s name, who I had recently read about on the class blog. Du Bois was a founder of the NAACP as well as an editor of The Crisis magazine. The specific article I chose in this publication focused on the treatment of black soldiers in World War One. Were African American soldiers treated equally in WWI? If not, to what extent were they discriminated against?

2. https://transcription.si.edu/view/22594/NMAAHC-2012_84_3_005

I chose an article in the The Crisis magazine linked above. The NAACP started the magazine in 1910 and it was published until 1923. The magazine was made in Baltimore, MD. The Crisis became a very popular magazine throughout the African American community all across America. It is also known as one of the oldest African American publications.

3. This issue of the magazine was released in July of 1919. This is directly after WWI had ended and after the Versaillies peace treaty was signed on June 28th 1919 by the allied and central powers. This publication also took place during the Segregation Era. The Ku Klux Klan was in full effect at this point in time, being operational in 27 states. African American service in WWI was controversial from many viewpoints. The Module 14 blog post states, “The army uniform that black veterans wore connoted authority, power, manliness, and respect—making it appealing for blacks and threatening for southern whites”. This well expresses some of the tension dynamics and rapid societal view changes that were caused by WWI.

4. This is a high valued piece of history because of the time period and subject matter. This article focused on the mistreatment of African Americans in WWI. The source being The Crisis magazine also increases the value of the piece because we know this article reached a large audience and had a strong influence. The time period of which is after WWI, but also in the midst of “Red Summer.” Red Summer was a series of racial riots and attacks by white supremisits that took place in 1919. These events created havoc across America with many lynchings, mobs and deaths. I think this article is an important part of history because it shows the time period from the perspective of the African American community and adds context to what was happening during the time.

5. Do you think African American soldiers were treated better in WWII than WWI, if so, what do you believe caused the change?