The Red Summer Riots - Essay Example

The Red Summer Riots al Affiliation The Red Summer Riots In America, the issue of racism and racial discrimination/ segregation was, and partly still is a controversial aspect; eliciting constant debate. This is because of the contexts in which it has thrived, segregating the American populace negatively in the end. The historical basis of the formation of the U.S.A has a fundamental impact on how these amongst other negative contexts, came to shape its history; resulting in various forms of social strife and imbalances. Accordingly, the city of Chicago became a form of ‘battle ground’, in which these imbalances were explicitly expressed often at a great cost to human life, property and social cohesion. Best symbolizing this was the Red Summer riots of Chicago – often referring to ‘the Awakening of Black America.’ This event was to change the face of American socialization, bringing to the fore, the contentious issue of racism and racial discrimination. This paper will analyze the primary documents on the race riots that occurred in the summer & fall of 1919 and factors led to the Red Summer. It will also address issues of race, politics, ideology, socioeconomics, and foreign affairs present in the urban violence that occurred and the role that the American media played in the Red Summer Riots. The Red Summer Riots portrayed a ‘boiling point’ in the nation’s long history of racial strife, through violent demonstrating against the African Americans’ long discrimination and oppression. In the summer and fall seasons of 1919, Chicago amongst a host of other populous cities became battlegrounds that witnessed continuous rioting. Not only was this mayhem experienced in the urban-city setting, but more so, in the rural areas of the South specifically those in the former confederacy, such as Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas and Georgia amongst others. As a result, millions of American lives were disrupted with hundreds (if not thousands) of people dying most of whom were African Americans. In the aftermath of the riots, thousands of individuals were injured, with many more being forced to flee from their neighborhoods and homes. In the overall context, not only was the social fabric affected in terms of civil unrest, but also in the form of economic depreciation. Various businesses did loss millions of American dollars to looting and general destruction of their premises (Gardiner, 1919). Different aspects present in the society during the Red Summer Riots such as the media (print and television) played a vital role in fueling the prevailing social contexts for instance racism. In such contexts, the media played a negative role of providing official accounts, regarding different issues; thereby intentionally misleading the public at large. The biased reporting, lazy and bad to some extent, was often apathetic as well as sensationalized; thereby worsening the often-bad situations present. An example would be the Phillips County, Arkansas ‘Uprising’, which according to the white media, necessitated suppression of the black sharecroppers from slaughtering the area’s white populace. Only later on, was it revealed that it was never a black plot, but rather, a violent white uprising, which resulted in the slaughter of hundreds of black sharecroppers. The above notwithstanding, other atrocities meted out on blacks, remained initially unreported, by both mainstream ‘white’ media and the then-prevailing nascent black press. A few journalists i.e. Carl Sandburg, did try portraying the real issues as exemplified by then-prevailing social contexts. Through the Chicago Daily News, a number of his articles portrayed a grave scenario, concerning both working and living conditions of blacks in Chicago. This amongst other social issues he reported, working substantially in the city’s South Side’s black neighborhoods. Concentrating on a host of issues such as housing; war psychology and politics; labor conflict, and migration, his articles proved eerily prescient (Cameron, 2011). These issues though often voiced by the minority black populace, they were rarely ‘aired’ in mainstream media, hence resulting in the larger American population’s ignorance vis-à-vis increased physical confrontations and agitation. Through his focus on the range of contentious issues affecting society, he portrayed astoundingly, how little mainstream media focused on the real issues behind social causes of prevailing racial tensions. In tackling issues such as equality of all under the law, within economic and social interactions, he portrayed the prevailing situations affecting minorities; not addressed in equal measure by the mainstream media. Thus, his contributions were critical in future reconstructive measures, aimed at easing racial tensions (Cameron, 2011). As portrayed by the New York Times (1919, July 28), the outbreak of these racial riots, in close succession throughout major American cities, was not sporadic; but rather as a resultant effect of then- prevailing situational contexts. As a result, the political contexts prevailing were affected, best being exemplified by the aspect of – Bolshevist agitation – being present within the black community; especially those in the South. Consequently, the effects of this agitation were bearing fruit, in the form of continuous social agitation for better rights and equal treatment of all American citizens despite their racial/ ethical affiliation. What was of concern was the fact that the violent outbreaks of racial animosity could be witnessed in various widely separated cities within a small period of time (New York Times, 1919, Race Riots). The influence of pacifist or pro-German propaganda, amongst the black communities present then, cannot be disputed as it acted as a form of background on which this minority group could sufficiently propagate their agenda. It is clear that this minority group did not associate itself with American citizenry, given their inclination towards political ideologies and philosophies that were anti-American in nature. Accordingly, there was a presupposition amongst the white elite, of the presence of both intelligent management and direction of these communities in stirring up this opposing feelings and resultant causes of action (New York Times, 1919, Race Riots). Not only was violence witnessed in the two aforementioned cities i.e. Chicago and Washington D.C, but also in other cities such as Arkansas, as is provided by the New York Times (1919, Oct.13). Importantly so, was the fact that the state did play a vital role in the production, and subsequent export of cotton primarily to Europe. In this regard, there was negative influence on the socio-economic output of the region, as a direct result of the violent racial riots. While sources from the region portrayed a ‘Negro’ insurrection as being the primary cause of the trouble, it was later to be pointed out that cotton pricing issues were the cause of the violence witnessed (New York Times, 1919, LAYS RIOTS TO COTTON ROW). The issue at hand was that as sharecroppers, the black communities were entitled to at least half their produce; to be sold in whatever manner they saw befitting. This was especially in regard to the need for the blacks to repay whatever loans they had, as a way of settling their accounts. Above all, it is the representation of these affected sharecroppers, against bad economic practices that was evidently the cause of subsequent trouble. This was as a result of the white elite farmers’ practices of unfairly appropriating the harvested cotton crop when applying its marketing and sale. This was often carried out without the consent of the affected black sharecroppers (New York Times, 1919, LAYS RIOTS TO COTTON ROW). Politics did play a crucial role, in the Chicago riots. This was majorly influenced by prevailing ideologies, with the period witnessing different examples of political preferences. In addition, was the aspect of socio-economic separation/ inequity, where as a result of increased influxes of blacks from the south, necessitated the ‘bulging out’ of the city’s ‘Black Belt.’ Already congested, it gradually stretched into what was once considered a ‘choice white-residential district.’ As a result, the continuous encroachment led to bitter feelings and subsequent protests. Attributable to this was the fact that the immigrating black populations, often did not have family units, hence the lawlessness and presence of vices that were to follow (Gardiner, 1919). In terms of political representation, gradually the black populace grew bolder, asking for both electoral seats in the city council as representative of the gradually widening ‘black belt’ of the city. Through gradual inclusion in the political affairs of their region, both black and white populations started living together, engaging in various activities (and vices), within this black belt area. The notoriety of these conditions i.e. in the gambling casinos and all-night cabarets finally resulted in radical actions that lead to their closure. Mayor Thompson, who despite his pro-German ideological inclination, was favored by the black populace of the city, was re-elected again; resulting in some revision of the prevailing city council by-laws (Gardiner, 1919). This was in regard to the closure of the cabarets and casinos, amongst other places of vice; which were invariably blamed for enhancing the black population’s disrespect for the law and authority. Conclusively, it was deemed that the existing political class, led by amongst others Mayor Thompson, had intentionally fostered the then prevailing crime conditions; which ultimately led to the notorious Red Summer riots in the city. This lack of law and order, gradually inculcated into the existing populations there, and specifically so within the ‘black belt’ may perhaps be the reason why the riots witnessed continued for quite a while, with damage to property, future business prospects and individual lives (Gardiner, 1919). Our present day perspective of the American society is that of a ‘color blind’ nation; where greater measures prevail, having been instituted to mitigate the effects of racism and discrimination. However, while some of the issues on the agenda have been addressed, there still remain deeply rooted maladies, which trace their roots to the historical colonial and slave eras. Black Americans have to some extent, continuously fallen victim to various aspects of discrimination mainly on issues of labor, equity under the law, civil rights and social welfare. The media continues playing host to the debate, fueling various discussions on the issue of race and racial discrimination. References Cameron, M. (2011). Carl Sandburg’s Reporting Foretold the Chicago Race Riots of 1919. Retrieved August 4, 2014 from http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/article/102671/Carl-Sandburgs-Reporting-Foretold-the-Chicago-Race-Riots-of-1919.aspx Gardiner, F (1919). VICE AND POLITICS AS FACTORS IN CHICAGO RIOTS: Negroes and Whites. New York Times (1857-1922). ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times. Retrieved August 4, 2014 from https://blackboard.uoregon.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-8156983-dt-content-rid-13544610_1/courses/201304.47681/Vice%20and%20Politics%20NYT%20Aug%203%201919.pdf The New York Times (1919). LAYS RIOTS TO COTTON ROW: Colored Association Denies Any Real Uprising of Arkansas New York Times (1857-1922). ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times. Retrieved August 4, 2014 from https://blackboard.uoregon.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-8156982-dt-content-rid-13544609_1/courses/201304.47681/Lays%20Riots%20To%20Cotton%20Row%20NYT%20Oct%2013%201919.pdf?target The New York Times (1919) Race Riots. New York Times (1857-1922). ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times. Retrieved August 4, 2014 from https://blackboard.uoregon.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-8156981-dt-content-rid-13544608_1/courses/201304.47681/Race%20Riots%20NYT%20July%2028%201919.pdf?target=blank Read More