Analysis Of 1893 Chicago World's Fair By Ida B. Wells

Enraged by both the politics and feelings of exclusion, some African American’s, led by Ida B. Wells, an African American journalist and civil rights leader called for others in the black community to boycott the fair in the hopes of gaining a more prominent role for the group. This sentiment was not however felt by most. Haiti’s representative for the fair, Frederick Douglass disagreed and strongly urged for African Americans to participate in order to demonstrate that regardless of the hurdles imposed upon them, the Black community will continue to display themselves and the progress that they hope to achieve. Both came up with a plan to publish a pamphlet that would speak in detail about the African American perspective on how the fair was being managed. The pamphlet would eventually become titled The Reason Why the Colored American is Not in the World’s Columbian Exposition: The Afro-American’s Contribution to Columbian Literature. In an excerpt from an 1890 news article, one black Chicagoan states that “[African American exhibitors] do not wish to be swallowed up in the great Exposition Buildings as would be the case were they to exhibit in common with the white …show more content…
While the fair was meant to serve as a display of unity and peace, the presence of racial tensions was apparent. Many communities, such as the Polish, the German’s, and African American’s witnessed first-hand the barriers that came as a result of racism and segregation. Each faced their own tribulations on account of the fair, though nevertheless utilized the exposition to tackle the issue head-on. Indeed, the fair, having occurred more than a century prior stands as a picture of America during the late 19th century and how the country treated the many diverse racial communities in its