Ida. B. Wells was an investigative journalist who wrote during the post-Reconstruction era. She became one of the most politically influential female journalist during her time period. The sole reason for her writing was to advocate anti-lynching. Through all-encompassing research and statistics she successfully disclosed the truth about lynching with every gory detail intact. The Southern Horrors and Other Writings book is from a series that primarily focuses on the stereotypes that have developed on both race and gender, which fueled a lot of controversy between white and African American individuals. Throughout Wells editorials she presented the white justifications for lynching; however, the horror of the violence perpetrated against the
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At this point the laissez-fare approach was then instated in regard to the African Americans; however, the African Americans were severely deceived by the United States. They were guaranteed civil and human rights, but instead received an unfathomable hatred from the majority of white citizens. The violence was used in order to validate that African Americans could not vote. But violence was also attempted if African Americans tried to fuse themselves into the southern society. Lynching became one of the most common practices among the white southerners. The first excuse that white men used to justify the action of lynching against African Americans was to gain control, especially when there was mention of African Americans planning an insurrection. It was a “…necessity of the white man to repress and stamp out alleged ‘race riots’’ (Wells 76). Despite the forceful attempts to hurt the whites, it was the African Americans that got wounded or killed as a result. Women were even targeted as threats if they had any means of being part of the insurrection. However, there was evidence to believe that the alleged insurrections never actually occurred. With this newfound information the public viewers started to distrust the true motives behind …show more content…
The white community claimed that the only way to maintain the political order of the African American population was through the act of violence. Because of the 14th and 15th Amendment, African Americans were “…given the right to franchise, and, theoretical at least, his ballot became his invaluable emblem of citizenship” (Wells 76). It was the most basic right of all citizens. This was a huge stepping stone for the African Americans because before the Civil War, the voting rights in the United States was limited only to white male individuals. Once voting rights were open to all men of all races, the southern white men feared the idea of “Negro Domination”. They realized that their vote made a huge influence on matters regarding both state and national politics which is why white supremacist thoroughly removed African American citizen’s right to vote. As a result, a kind of silence prevailed; however, there were some African Americans who decided to act against white authority. They would then be confronted by bloodthirsty mobs. It didn’t help that the government did not provide any protection to those that act out. African Americans soon realized that if they voted they were putting their life at risk. Yet some were willing to do so in order to prove a point, maintain their manhood, and portray a sense of heroism to their community of African Americans.
At this point the laissez-fare approach was then instated in regard to the African Americans; however, the African Americans were severely deceived by the United States. They were guaranteed civil and human rights, but instead received an unfathomable hatred from the majority of white citizens. The violence was used in order to validate that African Americans could not vote. But violence was also attempted if African Americans tried to fuse themselves into the southern society. Lynching became one of the most common practices among the white southerners. The first excuse that white men used to justify the action of lynching against African Americans was to gain control, especially when there was mention of African Americans planning an insurrection. It was a “…necessity of the white man to repress and stamp out alleged ‘race riots’’ (Wells 76). Despite the forceful attempts to hurt the whites, it was the African Americans that got wounded or killed as a result. Women were even targeted as threats if they had any means of being part of the insurrection. However, there was evidence to believe that the alleged insurrections never actually occurred. With this newfound information the public viewers started to distrust the true motives behind …show more content…
The white community claimed that the only way to maintain the political order of the African American population was through the act of violence. Because of the 14th and 15th Amendment, African Americans were “…given the right to franchise, and, theoretical at least, his ballot became his invaluable emblem of citizenship” (Wells 76). It was the most basic right of all citizens. This was a huge stepping stone for the African Americans because before the Civil War, the voting rights in the United States was limited only to white male individuals. Once voting rights were open to all men of all races, the southern white men feared the idea of “Negro Domination”. They realized that their vote made a huge influence on matters regarding both state and national politics which is why white supremacist thoroughly removed African American citizen’s right to vote. As a result, a kind of silence prevailed; however, there were some African Americans who decided to act against white authority. They would then be confronted by bloodthirsty mobs. It didn’t help that the government did not provide any protection to those that act out. African Americans soon realized that if they voted they were putting their life at risk. Yet some were willing to do so in order to prove a point, maintain their manhood, and portray a sense of heroism to their community of African Americans.