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The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is Founded
The NAACP was founded in 1909. This civil rights organization was created in order to respond to the issue of lynching that was still an occurrence in 1908. It helped African Americans come together against the violence that they were enduring. White Liberals, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villard, called a meeting to discuss the racism. Sixty people including seven African Americans attended the meeting. -
The founding of the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA)
The organization was founded by Marcus Garvey, who worked to promote Colored pride. It was originally founded in Jamaica but its influence was felt most in the urban black cities of the United States after Garvey came to Harlem. It was created to help give educational and industrial opportunities to African Americans. The founding of the UNIA was a further promotion of the racial pride that existed during the Harlem Renaissance. -
The Great Migration
The Migration of Blacks into the North from the South after the Reconstruction period that followed the Civil War because the white supremacy had returned. Extreme acts of violence, many committed by the KKK, poor economic conditions, and poor treatment in the South increased African Americans' desire for a new life which they found in the industrial lifestyle of the North particularly in the city of Harlem. However, racism was not outlawed in the North and it still thrived. -
Claude McKay's poems are published in Seven Arts
Two of Claude Mckay's poems were published the white literary journal Seven Arts. The goal of the journal was to transform American life through the arts. McKay's publication made it so African American culture was also recognized for its ability to transform life through the arts. -
The Silent Protest Parade
The parade was organized by the NAACP in New York. Between 8,000 and 10,000 African Americans marched against lynching and anti-black violence. The march was caused by the East St. Louis Riot in May and July of 1917. The intention behind the march was to sway President Woodrow Wilson to make an anti-lynching legislation and to promote anti-racism cases but unfortunately federal discrimination increased during his presidency. -
The March of the 369th Regiment
The March was a courageous and nonviolent procession of an all black regiment from World War I who served the country just as devotedly as white soldiers. The reason for the March was to make a statement about their service during the war and that their service should be equally appreciated. -
The Red Summer
During the summer of 1919, there were violent attacks largely based on racism and hate of blacks. One of the riots in Chicago was started because a white policeman refused to arrest the white men involved in a crime and instead arrested a black man. Although the Ku Klux Klan had ended in 1869, violence and lynching was still present. -
Shuffle Along
An entirely black cast musical that had a surrounding plot on a comical mayoral race. The show got many positive reviews, and gave some of its actors their start to their international fame. Shuffle Along transformed musical theater into something completely original, thrilling and daring. White writers and composers then wanted to produce their own take on black musicals and it caused the start of the jazz movement as well. -
African Orthodox Church founded
The African Orthodox Church was founded by George Alexander McGuire. The purpose of the creation of the Church was to make a type of state church for the UNIA and to further promote black religious symbolism. The AOC spread to Africa and ties to the involvement in African cultural nationalism. -
The Civic Club Dinner
An event that was originally supposed to celebrate Jessie Fauset's new book but ended up being a celebration of the arts for all races. This caused white publishers to not only want to support and expose just white writers, but black writers as well. Due to the recognition that Jessie Fauset received, the unknown minority writers' voices were now being heard.
