African American History and Women Timeline 1900-1919

African American History and Women Timeline 1900-1919 The following is a timeline of African American womens history from 1900-1919. 1900 (September) Nannie Helen Burroughts and others founded the Womens Convention of the National Baptist Convention 1901 Regina Anderson born (librarian, Harlem Reaissance figure) 1902 Local white protests of the appointment of Minnie Cos as postmistress of Indianola, Mississippi, led to President Theodore Roosevelt suspending postal services to the town. (February 27) Marian Anderson born (singer) (October 26) Elizabeth Cady Stanton died (antislavery and womens rights activist) 1903 Harriet Tubman signed over her home for the elderly to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Harriet Marshall founded the Washington (DC) Conservatory, admitting African American students Maggie Lena Walker founded St. Lukes Penny Savings Bank in Richmond, Virginia, becoming the first woman bank president Sarah Breedlove Walker (Madam C.J. Walker) begins her haircare business Ella Baker born (civil rights activist) Zora Neale Hurston born (writer, folklorist) 1904 Virginia Broughton published Womens Work, as Gleaned from the Women of the Bible Mary McLeod Bethune founded what is today Bethune-Cookman College 1905 Niagara Movement founded (out of which the NAACP grew) National League for the Protection of Colored Women founded in New York Ariel Williams Holloway born (musician, teacher, poet, figure in Harlem Renaissance) Constitution of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW, Wobblies) included a provision that no working man or woman shall be excluded from membership in unions because of creed or color first outdoor tuberculosis camp in the United States was opened in Indianapolis, Indiana, sponsored by the Womens Improvement Club 1906 after a riot in Brownsville, Texas, President Theodore Roosevelt delivered dishonorable discharges to three companies of African American soldiers; Mary Church Terrell was among those formally protesting this action second meeting of the Niagara Movement met at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, with about 100 men and women in attendance Josephine Baker born (entertainer) Susan B. Anthony died (reformer, abolitionist, womens rights advocate, lecturer) 1907 Negro Rural School Fund was established by Anna Jeanes, aimed at improving education for rural southern African Americans Gladys Bentley, Harlem Renaissance figure, became known for her risque and flamboyant piano playing and singing Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller received the first federal art commission awarded to an African American woman for figurines of African Americans to be used at the Jamestown Tercentenniel Exposition 1908 call issued which resulted in 1909 founding of NAACP; women signers included Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Jane Addams, Anna Garlin Spencer, and Harriot Stanton Blatch (daughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton) in Los Angeles, the Womans Day Nursery Association was formed to provide care for African American children whose mothers worked outside the home Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority founded 1909 Nannie Helen Burroughs founded the National Training School for Women, Washington DC Gertrude Steins novel Three Lives characterizes a black female character, Rose, as having the simple, promiscuous immorality of Black people. (February 12) National Negro Conference 1910 second conference of the National Negro Conference forms the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), with  Mary White Ovington  as a key organizer holding a variety of offices 1910-1947 including as member of the Executive Board and board chair, 1917-1919; later women leaders included Ella Baker and  Myrlie Evers-Williams (September 29) Committee on Urban Conditions Among Negroes founded by Ruth Standish Baldwin and George Edmund Haynes 1911 Committee on Urban Conditions Among Negroes, Committee for the Improvement of Industrial Conditions Among Negroes in New York, and National League for the Protection of Colored Women merged, forming the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes (later just National Urban League) (January 4)  Charlotte Ray  died (first African American woman lawyer in the United States and the first woman admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia)   Edmonia Lewis  last reported in Rome; died that year or after (her death date and location are unknown) Mahalia Jackson born (gospel singer) (February 11)  Francis Ellen Watkins Harper  died (abolitionist, writer, poet) 1912 Virginia Lacy Jones born (librarian) Margaret Washington, newly elected president of the National Association of Colored Women, founded the periodical  National Notes 1913   Harriet Tubman  died (Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist, womens rights advocate, soldier, spy, lecturer) Fannie Jackson Coppin died (educator) (February 4)  Rosa Parks  born (April 11) federal government officially segregates by race all federal workplaces, including rest rooms and eating facilities (-1915) Ruth Standish Baldwin served as president of the National League on Urban Conditions Among Negroes 1914 Marcus and Amy Jacques Garvey founded the Negro Universal Improvement Association in Jamaica this moved later to New York, promoting a homeland in Africa and independence in America for African Americans (or 1920) Daisy Bates born (civil rights activist) 1915 National Negro Health movement began to offer services to black communities, serving and including as health workers many African American women Billie Holiday born as Eleanora Fagan (singer) 1916 1917 Ella Fitzgerald born (singer)   Gwendolyn Brooks  born (poet) (June 30)  Lena Horne  born (singer, actress) (July 1-3) race riots in East St. Louis killed 40 to 200; 6,000 had to leave their homes (October 6)  Fannie Lou Hamer  born (activist) 1918 Frances Elliott Davis enrolled with the American Red Cross, the first African American nurse to do so (March 29)  Pearl Bailey  born 1919 NAACP founded with a number of women signing the call;  Mary White Ovington  became the first chairperson Pearl Primus born (dancer) Sarah Breedlove Walker (Madam C.J. Walker) died suddenly (executive, inventor, philanthropist);  ALelia Walker  becomes president of the Walker company Edmonia Highgate died (fundraiser, after the Civil War, for the Freedmans Association and the American Missionary Society, for educating freed slaves)

The Freedom Charter Called for Equality in South Africa

The Freedom Charter Called for Equality in South Africa The Freedom Charter was a document ratified at the Congress of the People held at Kliptown, Soweto, South Africa in June 1955 by the various member bodies of the  Congress Alliance. The policies set out in the Charter included a demand for a multi-racial, democratically elected government, equal opportunities, the nationalization of banks, mines, and heavy industries, and a redistribution of land. Africanist members of the ANC rejected the Freedom Charter and broke away to form the Pan Africanist Congress. In 1956, following extensive searches of various homes and confiscation of documents, 156 people involved in the creation and ratification of the Freedom Charter were arrested for treason.  This was almost the entire executive of the African National Congress (ANC), Congress of Democrats, South African Indian Congress, Coloured Peoples Congress, and the South African Congress of Trade Unions (collectively known as the Congress Alliance). They were charged with high treason and a countrywide conspiracy to use violence to overthrow the present government and replace it with a communist state. The punishment for high treason was death. The Freedom Charter and Clauses We, the People of South Africa, declare for all our country and the world to know that South Africa belongs to all who live in it, black and white, and that no government can justly claim authority unless it is based on the will of all the people. -The Freedom Charter Here is a synopsis of each of the clauses, which list various rights and stances in detail. The People Shall Govern: This point included universal voting rights and the rights to run for office and serve on governing boards regardless of race, color, and sex.All National Groups Shall Have Equal Rights: Apartheid laws will be set aside, and all groups will be able to use their own language and customs without discrimination.The People Shall Share in the Countrys Wealth: Minerals, banks, and monopoly industries would become government-owned for the good of the people. All would be free to ply any trade or profession, but industry and trade would be controlled for the well-being of the whole people.  The Land Shall Be Shared Among Those Who Work It: There will be land redistribution with assistance to peasants to farm it and an end to racial restrictions on ownership and freedom of movement.  All Shall Be Equal Before the Law: This gives people rights to a fair trial, representative courts, fair imprisonment, as well as integrated law enforcement and military. There will b e no discrimination by law for race, color, or beliefs. All Shall Enjoy Equal Human Rights: People are granted the freedom of speech, assembly, the press, religion, and education. This addresses protection from police raids, freedom to travel, and abolishment of pass laws.There Shall Be Work and Security: There will be equal pay for equal work for all races and genders. People have the right to form unions. There were workplace rules adopted including a 40-hour work week, unemployment benefits, minimum wage, and leave. This clause eliminated child labor and other abusive forms of labor.The Doors of Learning and Culture Shall Be Opened: This clause addresses free  education, access to higher education, ending adult illiteracy, promoting culture, and ending cultural color bans.There Shall Be Houses,  Security  and Comfort: This gives the  right to decent, affordable housing, free medical care and preventive health, care of the aged, orphans, and disabled.Rest, Leisure and Recreation Shall Be the Right of All.There Shall Be Peace and Friendship: This clause says we should strive for world peace by negotiation and recognition of rights to self-government. The Treason Trial At the treason trial in August, 1958, the prosecution attempted to show that the Freedom Charter was a Communist tract and that the only way it could be achieved was by overthrowing the present government.  However, the Crowns expert witness on Communism admitted that the Charter was a humanitarian document that might well represent the natural reaction and aspirations of non-whites to the harsh conditions in South Africa. The main piece of evidence against the accused was a recording of a speech made by Robert Resha, the  Trasvaal  Volunteer-in-Chief, which appeared to say that volunteers should be violent when called upon to use violence. During the  defense,  it was shown that Reshas viewpoints were the exception rather than the rule in the  ANC and that the short quote had been taken completely out of context. The Outcome of the Treason Trial Within a week of the trail starting, one of the two charges under the Suppression of Communism Act was dropped. Two months later the Crown announced that the whole indictment was being dropped, only to issue  a new  indictment against 30 people- all members of the ANC. Chief Albert Luthuli and Oliver Tambo were released for lack of evidence. Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu (ANC secretary-general) were among the final 30 accused. On March 29, 1961, Justice FL Rumpff interrupted the defense summation with a verdict. He announced that although the ANC was working to replace the government and had used illegal means of protest during the Defiance Campaign, the Crown had failed to show that the ANC was using violence to overthrow the government, and  were therefore  not guilty  of treason. The Crown had failed to establish any revolutionary intent behind the defendants actions. Having been found non-guilty, the remaining 30 accused were discharged. The Ramifications of the Treason Trial The Treason Trial was a serious blow to the ANC and the other members of the Congress Alliance. Their leadership was imprisoned or banned and considerable costs were incurred. Most significantly, the more radical members of the ANCs Youth League rebelled against the ANC interaction with other  races  and left to form the PAC. Nelson Mandela, Walter  Sisulu,  and six others were eventually given a life sentence for treason in 1964 at what is known as the Rivonia Trial.