New South Era 1877-1918

1877-1918 A. Identify the ways individuals, groups, and events attempted to shape the New South; include the Bourbon Triumvirate, Henry Grady, International Cotton Exposition, Tom Watson and the Populists. B. Analyze how rights were denied to African-Americans through Jim Crow laws, Plessy v. Ferguson, disenfranchisement, and racial violence. C. Explain roles of Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, and Alonzo Herndon in advancement of the rights of African Americans. D. Examine antisemitism and the resistance to racial equality exemplified in the Leo Frank case.

1906 Atlanta Race Riot September 22-24, 1906 Four false accounts of attacks on white women published in newspapers. Unemployed whites, fearful of the changing social order and threatened by successful African American business leaders, targeted Crystal Palace and other black run businesses. The mob killed two barbers and beat several men to death on street cars. The Georgia militia was called in. Blacks armed themselves in defense and some fought off attackers. Fighting continued. A bi-racial committee came together to end the riot.

Leo Frank Case Leo M. Frank, a Jewish man from New York and manager of the National Pencil Company, was accused of murdering 14 year old Mary Phagan, an employee. http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/02/leo.frank/index.html?eref=rss_us

County Unit System-* not 1 man, 1 vote What was the county unit system? Why was it so controversial? When did it end? Why? Instituted in 1917, system gave more power to rural, less populated counties than to urban ones. Due to the fact that Georgia was solidly Democratic, candidates who won the primary were guaranteed to win the election. Under system, counties divided into 3 categories and given a specific number of “unit votes.” When the rural counties voted as a block, they had more power than the more populous urban centers. *Declared unconstitutional in 1962

Progressive Movement Fight poverty Improve living conditions Progressives believe that government was best equipped to correct the ills of society. They believed that humans could keep improving society to make it better. Progressives wanted government to: Fight poverty Improve living conditions Reform prisons Improve working conditions Outlaw alcohol Extend voting rights to women Break up large corporations Regulate business

Jim Crow Laws & Plessy vs. Ferguson After the Civil War (1861-1865), most southern states and, later, border states passed laws that denied blacks basic human rights. It is not clear how, but the minstrel character's name "Jim Crow" became a kind of shorthand for the laws, customs and etiquette that segregated and demeaned African Americans primarily from the 1870s to the 1960s. http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/bf09.socst.us.const.plessy/plessy-v-ferguson/

Disenfranchisement Due to the lack of enforcement by the federal government, Southern states passed laws that prevented blacks (and poor whites) from voting. 1. Poll Taxes 2. Grandfather Clause 3. Literacy Tests http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/voting_literacy.html 4. White Primary—did not allow blacks to vote in the primary (where most major decisions took place.)

Racial Violence Rampant 1906 White Riot was one of the largest demonstrations of violence. However, Over 400 lynchings happened in Georgia from 1880-1930. (Often orchestrated by members of the KKK who were community members/leaders.) Some famous Georgians promoted racial violence as a necessary means. (Tom Watson & Rebecca L. Felton)

It’s an ugly part of our history in Georgia that cannot be ignored.