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U.S. History 1877-Present Videos 173 videos

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U.S. History 1877-Present 2: Responses to Jim Crow 760 Views


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Description:

Today we'll learn about opposition to Jim Crow and how Booker T. Washington could have been one of those rich self-help gurus in today's world.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:04

There were many ways that black Americans resisted Jim Crow some

00:08

undermined the system without appearing to do so like Cooper secret double [Double agents wearing glasses and hats]

00:12

agents many chose to play it cool they carefully navigated through the complex

00:16

maze of rules and restrictions trying to make sure they in their families had a [Man and woman in a maze]

00:20

future Booker T Washington, a former slave and spokesman of black vocational

00:26

learning was their guru he encouraged self-help and you know going with the [Washington giving a speech]

00:31

flow Booker T hoped this would help his people get an education, get better jobs

00:36

and ultimately gain economic independence... Booker T Washington

00:40

believes black citizens had to worry about proving themselves worthy of

00:44

social equality before they could fight disenfranchisement in segregation he's

00:50

quoted as saying the whole future of the Negro rested largely upon the question

00:54

as to whether or not he should make himself through his skill intelligence

00:58

and character well Booker T's approach was kind of like a secret sneak attack [Man appears from thick grass]

01:02

on the system of oppression not all african-americans were particularly

01:06

thrilled with Washington's sneak attack scheme young people were feeling bolder

01:11

than Washington unafraid of white authority and not wanting to play by [Black Americans protesting segregation]

01:14

white rules...... Well many blacks were coming to believe that white resentment and

01:21

retaliation was unavoidable on the road to success the intimidation harassment

01:26

terrorism and violence they endured convinced them that the American Dream

01:30

did not apply to them for them it was the American Nightmare and yet there

01:35

weren't cries of viva la revolucion why not well first of all there were a few [People protesting in the street[

01:40

little mini revolutions but they were sporadic and unorganized and they just

01:44

led to more white violence anti-black violence was everywhere so rising up

01:49

wouldn't exactly have been a winning strategy white lawmakers, business owners, [People in a meeting room]

01:54

employers, landlords, educators, religious leaders and politicians were all

01:58

encouraged they were racist jerks but at least they learned the value of

02:02

cooperation black women and men who were too on top of their game were

02:06

immediately shoved back down because a black person being as successful as a

02:11

white person that sounded like crazy talk... From the

02:15

late 19th century through the 1950s federal government put on a blindfold [Uncle Sam wearing blind fold]

02:19

when it came to the treatment of blacks in the south and really throughout

02:22

America the feds basically said well you guys are on your own good luck we're

02:28

guessing African Americans were about as surprised as a kid who's sick of her [Young girl playing with a Jack-in-the-box]

02:31

jack-in-the-box

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