The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, granted citizenship to African Americans and intended to guarantee equal protection for all citizens of the United States under the law, but that was neither feasible, nor was it accepted. The hostility of the atmosphere in the late 1890’s can be deemed intolerable for African Americans. The discrimination they faced, simply for their skin color was unjustified. Early African American activists realized this issue and made it their duty to help resolve the harsh lines of segregation in society. There were multiple tactics to achieve this, such as accepting inferiority. However, that was not a viable long-term solution for a nation already divided by race. Instead, African Americans were urged to unite as
