The Crisis: Easter 1918

While browsing I found this gem in the collection of sources. This particular section talks about the need for educated, trained, and experienced workers to fill positions on field artillery. It also details the situation and actions of the republican party and the protests of black Americans. A detailed cont of deaths and arrests relating to race riots, and violence. There was also a Park that tax-paying black Americans helped pay for, but were denied access too.

This particular issue was printed during easter of 1918, a tilted magazine known as The Crisis. It holds articles, advertisements, and even images.

In the example below, you'll see the advertisement for specific jobs that are needed in the field artillery brigade. The Republican party and their actions towards black Americans and their congressmen. A count of deaths and arrests relating to race wars, and race riots. As well as an image of a park in Houston where tax-paying black Americans were not allowed to visit.

The Army positions that required trained and educated soldiers were for field artillery brigade. The need for educated soldiers is stressed in the advertisement. Where soldiers must possess the skills in order to assist in accurate shelling of targets. Here We see an example of the integration of black soldiers as seen in (module 14). Where Black Americans start to taste liberties and other freedoms while on tour and bring back this empowered sense of worth with them.

The second entry details the actions of the republican party forcing a defeat of a black American in a majority-black congressional district, in favor of a republican belonging to the lily-white movement. The party refused to nominate black Americans in other districts, and even tried to stop black American congressmen from running elsewhere.

Lastly the record of two different riots. The first involving soldiers and it being part of military law. Where a regiment of infantry black Americans responded to the violence and brutality of police by taking arms against them. This incident happened in Houston, Texas as seen reported here. The second being part of Civil law as it involved citizens. A series of labor and race-related violence erupted in East St Louis. Where white Americans massacred black Americans and their property. Also written in an earlier issue of The Crisis where it detailed more about the incident when it first happened. Both of these riots happened in the summer of 1917.

The value of this source may be easily missed, but it is a great indicator of the process and climate of how the change took place in America. It wasn't all one swoop of instant change. It was slow and took time, while in one place things changed, in others death and destruction took place. It was a battleground of race conflicts. We witnessed the need for black Americans to become part of the army. The discrimination of the republican party, and the violence of reactionary whites and blacks. Where tit for tat violence sprouted all across America. Some I haven't even heard of myself. The count of deaths and arrests was also important to show the real price, and sometimes the lack of justice in terms of arresting. I choose this piece because it covered four important incidents related to the start of race wars. Taking justice into our own hands can lead to reactionary and short-sighted judgments. yet it's also important to defend oneself in the face of violence and danger. With that information think about how you would deal with this predicament.

If you lived in this time period, with all that was going on. How do you think you would deal with a race war going on in your community?