Search

Black Mail Blog

Black History: Special Delivery!!

Open Search
Tag

frederick douglass

NATIONAL EQUAL RIGHTS LEAGUE (1864-1921)

Black History: Special Delivery

Welcome To Black Mail…..where we bring you Black History:  Special Delivery!

The National Equal Rights League (NERL) was founded in New York in 1864.   It is considered one of the first human rights organizations in the country.  The National Equal Rights League was established at a National Convention of Colored Citizens in Syracuse, NY.  142 delegates attended representing 17 states and Washington DC.  The organization advocated for full and immediate citizenship for African Americans.  It is It’s formation during the Civil War was a catalyst for its focus on full citizenship as compensation for the service of African Americans in the military during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.  Founders of the organization including Henry Highland Garnet, Frederick Douglass, and John Mercer Langston, argued that the African American men engaging in military services should be given the right to vote and that both black men and women should have the right of full citizenship.  Over time NERL launched other organizations including the National Negro Bar Association, National Negro Business League, as well as investment groups. 

Continue reading “NATIONAL EQUAL RIGHTS LEAGUE (1864-1921)“ →
0

Harriet Tubman’s Letter of Endorsement From Frederick Douglass

Black History:  Special Delivery!!

 

fredrick-douglas-harriet-tubman
Harriet Tubman & Frederick Douglass

Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass are perhaps two of the most well-known African Americas of the Civil War time period.  The two shared mutual respect and admiration for one another.  Tubman and Douglass were both born enslaved.  Both lived on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and escaped slavery as young adults; Douglass in 1838 and Tubman in 1849.  After escaping enslavement both sat about, in their own way, to liberate other enslaved peoples. Continue reading “Harriet Tubman’s Letter of Endorsement From Frederick Douglass” →

4

1st African American Labor Union – Colored National Labor Union

Black History:  Special Delivery!!

Isaac_Myers
Isaac Myers

 

In 1866, Isaac Myers (1835-1891) formed the Colored Caulkers Trade Union Society.  The union was created when Myers and a group of African American ship caulkers was fired from their jobs when white workers protested their employment.  Myers and other union members pooled their resources and issued stock to raise money to purchase their own shipyard and railway, the Chesapeake Marine Railway and Dry Dock Company.  The company would eventually employ 300 black employees and be awarded several government contracts.  It would also employ some white workers as well.

In 1869 Isaac Myers and organized the Colored National Labor Union with 214 members after their attempts to merge with a white labor union were rejected because black workers refused to change their political party affiliation.   The CNLU was active in 21 states.  Myers was the first president of the CNLU.  The CNLU petitioned Congress to subdivide public lands and give portions of land to African Americans.  Their petition was unsuccessful.  Abolitionist and Civil Rights leader, Frederick Douglass was elected president of the CNLU in 1872.  Though seeking better pay and working conditions for their membership, the CNLU issued a written statement against the hiring and immigration of Chinese workers  feeling that Chinese laborers would threaten their employment opportunities. Anti-Chinese sentiment would continue to be codified by the U.S. government with further discriminatory legislation being enacted through the Anti-Coolie Act of 1862, and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.

Sources:

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/05/01/1520548/-Anti-Capitalist-Meetup-May-1-2017-mass-intersectional-direct-action-after-the-1st-100-days

http://www.blackpast.org/aah/myers-isaac-1835-1891

http://www.worldheritage.org/articles/Colored_National_Labor_Union

http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/colored-national-labor-union

 

0

Tuesday Trivia: Answer

Black History:  Special Delivery!!

answer

Which fact about African American Abolitionist Frederick Douglass is NOT true?

  1. He was a US Marshal
  2. His wife was Caucasian
  3. He was nominated as candidate for President
  4. He owned and operated an Abolitionist News Paper
  5. He was an ordained minister

THE ANSWER IS #3.  Frederick Douglass was not nominated as a candidate for president.  He was nominated as a candidate for Vice President. 

0

Tuesday Trivia: Test Your Knowledge

Black History:  Special Delivery!!

Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass

Which fact about African American Abolitionist Frederick Douglass is NOT true?

  1. He was a US Marshal
  2. His wife was Caucasian
  3. He was nominated as a candidate for President
  4. He owned and operated an Abolitionist News Paper
  5. He was an ordained minister
0

Answer To the 8/9 Trivia Question!

Black History:  Special Delivery!!

Question:

All of the men below escaped slavery.  Which person used his profession as a sailor as a way to escape slavery?

A) Lewis Williams

B) Matthew Henson

C) Fredrick Douglass

D) William Kraft

The answer is C.  Fredrick Douglass

In 1838, Douglass successful escaped from slavery.  He was 20 years old.  It was actually his second attempt.  2 years earlier he had attempted to escape but another slave told his master of his plan.  As a result he was jailed and then sent to Baltimore where he was hired out to work in the shipyards.  His cover was almost blown several times, but eventually he made it to freedom.  Another interesting fact to note is that upon escaping to freedom, is when he took the surname “Douglass” prior to that, his last name had been Bailey.

To read more about his escape, click on the link below:

http://www.history.com/news/frederick-douglass-escapes-slavery-175-years-ago

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑

%d bloggers like this: