1877 Compromise and Disenfranchising the African American Workers
In South, Blacks got freedom but they never gained equality. Despite radical attempts of Republicans during Reconstruction, southern blacks struggled with unemployment, illiteracy and poverty. With waning reconstruction efforts condition of free men further worsened. With closing of Freedmen’s Bureau, restriction on voting like literacy tests and poll taxes further proliferated and racist violence further spread. In 1880, Discrimination in southern states intensified after passing of Jim Crow Laws. This law started to segregate public accommodations like steamboats, trains, schools and streetcars, and Blacks were forbidden or restricted to access restaurants and theatres.
African American Life after Reconstruction
Blacks left unemployed and penniless started to move to major cities to work. In late 1800s, urban black population started increasing as a result of migration. Other ex-slaves attempted establishing their farms but due to lack of equipment and resources they were eventually rented their lands to other tenant farmers in sharecropping system. In late 1860’s slave-filled plantations were replaced by sharecropping system and became the driving influence in growth of southern economy. In this system, poor whites and ex-slaves rented land from owners of plantation and in exchange of land use and equipments these farmers gave close tohalf of their yield to plantation owners. This system ensured no sharecropper was able to assemble money for financial independence.
Jim Crow Laws and Segregation
Civil Rights Act was passed in 1875, racially discriminating blacks in public places like railroads, theaters and hotels was prohibited. There were many challenges to this law in courts. In 1883, under the ruling of Supreme Court Civil Rights Act was invalidated bas it tackled social rights rather civil rights. In addition, Court also noted Fourteenth Amendment protects people from violating civil rights in the basis of states rather actions. Due to this decision of court, many southern state laws started enacting legalization of segregation in public accommodations like hospitals, schools and restaurants.
Losing the right to vote
With Reconstruction ending, African-American influence did not end in Southern states. Blacks kept serving in state legislation till late 1800s and some were elected after 1877 to Congress, although from entirely black districts. This changed in 1890s with racial discrimination started to take hold and prospected alliance in elections between blacks and whites possibly threatening structure of power. With Fifteenth Amendment, African-Americans were ensured of their right vote but South came up with other means to get blacks disenfranchised.
In 1890, Mississippi constitution enforced voting limitations aimed at African-American. Limitations included disqualifying convicted individuals even those upheld for minor crimes, residency requirement, Literacy test and Tax payments (inclusive of poll tax). Though there were loopholes but they favored white people who otherwise would have been ineligible for voting. Examples include, person who is illiterate can be allowed to vote if he “understood” constitution and Grandfather Clause adopted in Louisiana, allowing men whose grandparents and parents were eligible for voting on 1st January 1867. Blacks were not allowed to vote in Southern states during this time.
Role of Compromise of 1877
In 1876, after election and before 1877 inauguration, leaders of Democratic and Republican hammered a compromise in secret solving impasse of election which addressed several outstanding problems (“Hunter”). As per this agreement, Southern Democrats accepted Republican candidate Rutherford B Hayes as the next president provided agreement over following issues:
- Withdrawal of Federal soldiers in South from remaining positions.
- Enacting Federal laws to spur Southern Industrialization.
- Appointment of a Democrat candidate in Southern states to patronage position.
- Appointment of Democrat in Cabinet.
This compromise led to end of era of Reconstruction. Promises made by Democrats of South for protection of political and civil rights of African-Americans were never kept and with federal interference ending in affairs of Southern states blacks voters were disenfranchised. In 1870s, series of legislations were passed in South which segregated Whites and Blacks on public accommodations. These segregations played major role in governing life in Southern states till 1960s when it was ended through civil rights movement (“History”).
Role of Trade Unions and Samuel Gompers
Initially, Black workforce who was emancipated found themselves in influential situation as they had marketable skills. By 1865, population census of occupation had 100,000 black mechanics compared to 20,000 white mechanics. When AFL (American Federation of Labor) started it allowed anyone to join as President Gompers allowed everyone from socialist, radical, unskilled, limited skilled, women, immigrants and African-Americans to admit. This scenario changed by 1890 as AFL started to accept white workers mostly who were skilled and started to organize them into unions. AFL started with Democratic policy which applied to all workers, this policy was eliminated and discrimination started against African-Americans. Policy was thrown out when AFL accepted IAM (International Association of Machinist) and merged together discrimination started with African-American workers. AFL started approving segregated locals along with affiliates, which excluded black workers from membership in union and employment.
In 1886, AFL was formed under the leadership of Samuel Gompers and activism of Jewish union in Europe. Under Jewish leadership of American Labor Movement policies were implemented to ensure Black laborers were not allowed any economic prospects and possibility of employment. President Samuel Gompers, American Federation of Labor was successful in bludgeoning a only-whites policy of hiring for industrialists which would remain the same for the coming century in United States (“zionistjewfedreserve”).
Gompers had such a significant role in organized labor movement in United States after Reconstruction that even his harshest critics call this era as "Age of Samuel Gompers" (“zionistjewfedreserve”). From 1880s when he assumed the leadership of AFL and till his death in 1924, he has an unparallel influence on American Labor policy which condoned hiring of Black people.
In case of absolute necessity, in locations and occupations of concentration of black majority, American Federation of Labor membership was approved of unions which were strictly segregated. This like before became an attempt of AFL in controlling Black workers and not a push to uplift their economic status. In some cases, Black locals were allowed to work and contract but they were highly segregated as contracts negotiated by AFL mentioned hiring of only local whites. Trade licensing (carpenters, plumbers, etc) imposition issued by AFL boards headed by whites intended to further exclude Black tradesmen and artisans. By 1905, AFL admitted the sole intention to do so is to ensure the Black artisans were eliminated from the crafts.
Samuel Gompers was even willing user of violence to ensure Blacks were removed from American workforce. In 1917, White labors strikes under Gompers charged against hiring of Blacks "has reached the point where drastic action must be takento get rid of a certain portion of those who are already here" (“zionistjewfedreserve”).
In space of a week, Whites started a bloody violence which included stoning, lynchings, rapes, shootings, human torching, amputations, iron-pipe beatings, axe-murders and home burnings which culminated in death of 200 Blacks and 8 whites and $7 million worth of property destroyed. This led to more than 10,000 blacks fleeing south and their homes.
A St. Louis Star report mentioned that Blacks were flushing out of burning homes and many of them were screaming, running and for their life and for mercy. Many rioters ganged up and chased Negros through streets to finish them. Groups of whites jeered and laughed while witnessing pain and terror in the streets of people. An arrested criminal said "I have killed my share of niggers today. I have killed so many I am tired and somebody else can finish them" (“zionistjewfedreserve”).
Conclusion
In South, Blacks got freedom but they never gained equality. Blacks left unemployed and penniless started to move to major cities to work. Black also suffered with losing their civil right and right of voting. Compromise of 1877 led to end of era of Reconstruction. Promises made by Democrats of South for protection of political and civil rights of African-Americans were never kept and with federal interference ending in affairs of Southern states blacks voters were disenfranchised. In 1886, AFL was formed under the leadership of Samuel Gompers and activism of Jewish union in Europe. Under Jewish leadership of American Labor Movement policies were implemented to ensure Black laborers were not allowed any economic prospects and possibility of employment.
References
“Society in the South after Reconstruction”. http://www.sparknotes.com/testprep/books/sat2/history/chapter11section4.rhtml. sparknotes.com. Web. 2013
Houghton, Mifflin & Harcourt. "African‐Americans after Reconstruction". http://www.cliffsnotes.com/more-subjects/history/us-history-ii/american-society-and-culture-18651900/africanamericans-after-reconstruction. cliffsnotes.com. Web. 2013
"Compromise of 1877". http://www.history.com/topics/compromise-of-1877. history.com. Web. 2013
"The Jew Involvement in the World's Slave Trade, Especially in America". http://zionistjewfedreserve.com/custom2_1.html. zionistjewfedreserve.com. Web. 2013
Hunter, E. "Compromise of 1877". http://compromiseof1877.com/info/info.htm. compromiseof1877.com. Web. 2013
