Deck 16: Conciliation, Agitation, and Migration: African Americans in the Early Twentieth Century

Question 1

Who was the most prominent black person associated with the NAACP in the early twentieth century?

A) Booker T. Washington
B) W. E. B. Du Bois
C) Frederick Douglass
D) Harriet Tubman

Answer 1

W. E. B. Du Bois

Question 2

What was Washington's nickname?

A) the "Book Man"
B) the Wizard of Tuskegee
C) the first black president
D) the Godfather

Answer 2

the Wizard of Tuskegee

Question 3

Who was described by one critic as the "Benedict Arnold of the Negro Race"?

A) Booker T. Washington
B) Frederick Douglass
C) William Trotter
D) Theodore Roosevelt

Answer 3

Booker T. Washington

Question 4

What book, written by W. E. B. Du Bois, was one of the major literary accomplishments of the twentieth century and contained his first formal attack on Washington?

Question 5

How did men like William Monroe Trotter feel about Booker T. Washington's efforts and views?

A) Since Trotter benefited from Washington's power by receiving a political appointment, he supported him wholeheartedly.
B) Trotter was responsible for the assassination of Washington.
C) They became vocal, intense critics of Washington's. They felt he was yielding too much to whites.
D) Trotter, as an influential white man, appreciated Washington's efforts.

Question 6

What was the role of the "Talented Tenth," according to Du Bois?

A) They were to be the artists and writers for blacks to emulate.
B) They were to go into the South and teach blacks there.
C) The top ten percent of blacks were to be responsible for working to achieve the civil and political rights of African Americans.
D) He thought the talented tenth should demonstrate the usefulness of agricultural and vocational skills to blacks.

Question 7

What was the significance of the Guinn v. United States case in 1915?

A) It outlawed segregation on public transportation.
B) It forced the law school at the University of Alabama to admit a black student.
C) It overturned the grandfather clause in Oklahoma.
D) It upheld several discriminatory laws restricting black voting rights.

Question 8

What methods did the NAACP use to try to gain black civil and political rights?

A) They worked within the court and legislative system, chipping away at discrimination, racism, and the Plessy v. Ferguson decision.
B) They attempted to use violence, secretly, several times, but abandoned it after the government began an investigation of the organization.
C) They would hold huge rallies, with jazz and blues music to attract followers.
D) They worked actively to discredit Washington, and to limit funding to Tuskegee.

Question 9

What is not true about Du Bois's and Washington's approaches to improving the condition of black men?

A) Du Bois did not think blacks should be submissive to whites and merely wait for change.
B) Du Bois was impatient with white supremacy, and with whites who accepted it.
C) Du Bois felt that agitation for political change should top blacks' lists of needs.
D) Du Bois and Washington actually did not differ greatly regarding tactics for racial improvement.

Question 10

Which of the following was not an element of Booker T. Washington's famous speech at the Atlanta Cotton States Exposition in 1895?

A) He thought that blacks should work for voting rights at the same time they were trying to impress whites with their hard work, cleanliness, and good morals.
B) He told blacks to accept their position in society, and to accept segregation.
C) He told blacks to work for economic gains in low-level jobs as a way to improve their status in the eyes of whites.
D) Washington felt that blacks should work first for freedom of speech and the press, and other rights would follow.

Question 11

What types of political activities was Washington supporting behind the scenes?

A) He tried to get the grandfather clause overturned in the courts.
B) He tried to improve conditions on segregated railroad cars for blacks.
C) He tried to both improve conditions for blacks on segregated railroad cars and get the grandfather clause overturned in the courts.
D) Washington actually supported white supremacy on a number of occasions.

Question 12

What did the Niagara Movement demand in 1905?

A) That blacks accept segregation for the time being, to stop the enormous number of lynchings against them.
B) That all black leaders stand with Booker T. Washington.
C) It was never able to unify on any one goal or idea, and broke up soon after its formation.
D) That blacks should protest vigorously for their rights, better schools, housing, and an end to racial prejudice.

Question 13

What type of political influence did Booker T. Washington have?

A) Very little, since white politicians of the time all felt blacks were socially inferior.
B) Washington actually had tremendous influence for a black man at the time. President Teddy Roosevelt respected him, and consulted with him regularly on political appointments.
C) Washington, like most blacks, was generally ignored by whites at this time.
D) Very little, since he felt blacks should not agitate for political equality.

Question 14

How did Du Bois's background shape his views, just as Washington's shaped his?

A) Du Bois was born in the South, but moved North, and realized what a difference there was between the two.
B) Du Bois was born free in the North, encountered little racism during his early years, and was incredibly intelligent and allowed to obtain a superior education.
C) Du Bois and Washington had very similar political views and ideas.
D) Du Bois was from a slave family with a history of provoking uprisings. He was, therefore, very sympathetic to the use of violence.

Question 15

What is true about the early NAACP?

A) It was generally a fairly conservative organization, racially.
B) White leaders dominated it and financed it.
C) Because of Washington's opposition, it rarely took stands against the Jim Crow system.
D) Washington's spies set it up to crush the Niagara Movement.

Question 16

The Niagara Movement leaders stated, "We repudiate the monstrous doctrine that the oppressor should be the sole authority as to the rights of the oppressed." What does this mean?

A) Blacks wanted to have an active role in determining what they wanted, rather than leaving it all up to whites.
B) They thought violence was the only solution to blacks' problems.
C) They thought whites had no role in American politics.
D) They thought that blacks should become the oppressor over whites as the only solution to racism.

Question 17

How did Booker T. Washington react to the new Niagara Movement?

A) He openly attended and supported the group.
B) He paid newspaper reporters to criticize Du Bois.
C) He secretly paid money to support the group.
D) Although he didn't support the group, he did little to harm it.

Question 18

How did the typical Progressive reformer feel about racism?

A) Many didn't think about blacks at all.
B) Most were racist themselves. They showed little interest in altering white supremacy.
C) Many were very advanced in thinking about race. They thought blacks should be the equals of whites socially and politically.
D) Many agreed that blacks had the right to vote and have political power, but did not agree that blacks should have equal social rights.

Question 19

How did white people react to Washington's speech?

A) Many whites attacked and burned Washington's school for his threatening remarks.
B) Washington was generally ignored by most important whites.
C) Since it was so non-threatening, they thought it was sensible and praiseworthy. Many whites supported Washington's leadership.
D) Whites attempted to block Washington's message from ever reaching any blacks.

Question 20

What event caused uproar in the South, as a breach of racial etiquette by the president himself?

A) Roosevelt invited Washington to dinner.
B) Roosevelt shook hands with Washington.
C) Roosevelt invited Washington on a hunting trip with him.
D) Roosevelt slapped Washington in public, in front of several reporters.

Question 21

What is true about black women's support for women's suffrage?

A) Generally, since women's clubs were very conservative, they stayed away from the controversy of political issues.
B) Black women's clubs came out against women's suffrage. They felt that only men should exercise the right to vote.
C) They had long supported the issue, and understood that political power was needed to change discrimination in America.
D) Black women tended to be for suffrage only for very wealthy black women.

Question 22

What was the motto of the NACW?

Question 23

What political party did blacks generally support in the early twentieth century?

A) Republican
B) Populist
C) Democrat
D) Blacks were split between many parties

Question 24

What event made many southern black men think the Progressive Party might not help them gain rights in America?

A) when the Progressive Party supported the repeal of the Fifteenth Amendment
B) when the Progressives cheered news of each lynching in the South
C) when the convention of 1912 sang the "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
D) when the Progressive Party endorsed a leading member of the KKK as a candidate for president in 1912

Question 25

What was the result of Washington's scheming to destroy the NAACP?

A) He was successful-the NAACP was destroyed, and only returned with the beginning of the civil rights movement in the 1950s.
B) He severely damaged the NAACP, and it would not gain in members until the 1950s.
C) The NAACP eventually triumphed, in goals and tactics.
D) Washington was revealed as a poor leader, and lost much support among whites.

Question 26

In what were most early black women's clubs interested when they formed during the 1870s and 1880s?

A) women's right to vote
B) the abolition of slavery worldwide
C) generally, cultural, religious, and social matters
D) publicizing and criticizing domestic abuse

Question 27

What is true about the newly created Selective Service during WWI?

A) Almost 50% of all draftees were blacks.
B) About 13% of all draftees were blacks.
C) Blacks were excluded from the draft.
D) Only blacks were drafted during World War I. Whites signed up separately.

Question 28

How did Woodrow Wilson act toward black people when he became president?

A) Wilson was a firm believer that blacks and whites should be equal.
B) Wilson held southern views about race; he segregated federal offices to avoid friction between the races.
C) Although Wilson didn't personally like blacks, he did appoint substantial numbers of them to high offices in his administration.
D) Wilson did everything he could to restrict black voting rights and other political opportunities.

Question 29

What was the goal of the Urban League?

A) to help blacks as they moved into cities, with housing, discrimination issues, and medical care
B) to prevent blacks from moving into cities
C) to assist blacks moving from the city to the country with agricultural skills
D) to lobby for political gains for blacks

Question 30

How did General John Pershing acquire the nickname "Black Jack"?

A) He had commanded black troops in Cuba during the Spanish-American War.
B) He had segregated his troops by race during the Spanish-American War.
C) He had ordered several black soldiers shot for desertion.
D) He was an excellent poker player.

Question 31

How did most African Americans feel about entering World War I?

A) Because of their past experiences, blacks criticized the war; they knew it would bring no gains for them.
B) Most supported it, and many served in the armed forces as a way to demonstrate their patriotism and loyalty.
C) Some blacks openly protested the war through marches and demonstrations.
D) Violence broke out in many cities across the United States as blacks protested unfair drafting practices.

Question 32

How did Booker T. Washington feel about the NAACP?

A) He liked the focus of the new organization, and worked to support it behind the scenes.
B) Washington completely ignored the NAACP.
C) He sent in aides and supporters to disrupt meetings, and attack Du Bois publicly.
D) Washington paid judges and juries to reject NAACP arguments in court.

Question 33

What provoked the formation of the National Federation of Afro-American Women?

A) black women's boredom with simple social clubs
B) black women's anger over racism toward them by a white journalist
C) the rape of a black woman by a white man in the South
D) the need for middle-class black women to earn money in domestic labor

Question 34

The NAACP and black newspapers generally supported the war effort. What did they want changed for blacks in the war?

A) They pushed for black officers to command black troops.
B) They wanted black women to be able to serve if they wanted to.
C) They wanted blacks to be exempt from service, since they had no rights at home.
D) They wanted black soldiers to be exempt from taxes.

Question 35

Which of the following is true about African American inventors in the early twentieth century?

A) Black inventors occasionally won in patent fights against whites.
B) Black inventors always got credit for their inventions.
C) Black inventors generally experienced less racism than other blacks, since science was color-blind even by this time.
D) There were no black inventors at this time.

Question 36

What was the first college sorority for black women?

Question 37

What was the first college fraternity for black men?

Question 38

What was true about the NAACP publication, The Crisis?

A) It was generally a very conservative publication, stressing acceptance of current racial conditions.
B) Edited by Du Bois, it generally contained strident language denouncing racism and demanding that blacks stand up for their rights.
C) It stressed blacks' need to obtain education in farming techniques.
D) The Crisis was very short lived, since it was very radical, and was driven out of business by the government.

Question 39

What was the main role of many Phillis Wheatley homes?

A) They were literature clubs, studying mainly black contributions to the arts.
B) They provided housing for single, black working women who were refused admittance to the YWCA.
C) They were educational facilities for young children.
D) They were centers to promote racial equality through protest.

Question 40

What was not true about the black upper-class in the early twentieth century?

A) They had wealth close to that of the very wealthiest whites.
B) They were often light skinned.
C) They were active in very exclusive social clubs, distancing themselves from the masses of blacks.
D) They were better educated than almost all other Americans of any race.

Question 41

How did military authorities keep Lt. Col. Charles Young, a black graduate of West Point, from commanding during WWI?

A) They could not. Young won a lawsuit allowing him to keep his command.
B) They had him shot in the leg by one of his white officers.
C) They said that he lacked the intelligence to command.
D) They forced him to retire, saying that he had high blood pressure.

Question 42

What provoked the 1906 race riot in Atlanta, Georgia?

A) Republican candidates did all they could to stir up racial animosity.
B) White people had been excluding blacks from coming into the city.
C) Whites were embracing stereotypical views of blacks as criminals, and especially of black men as rapists of white women.
D) A white sheriff accused a black man of raping a white woman.

Question 43

What is true about violence against blacks in America around the time of World War I?

A) World War I actually saw a decrease in violence against blacks as all Americans turned to support the war.
B) Violence against blacks during the war was often perpetrated by blacks themselves.
C) The violence expanded from the South to include the North as well.
D) While violence against blacks was widespread, it was limited to the South at this time.

Question 44

Which of the following is true about black migration destinations?

A) Black migration was generally evenly split between the North and California.
B) Many black families moved several times before settling down.
C) Black migrants universally found "heaven" in their destinations.
D) Black families almost always moved to Florida first, and then to other places.

Question 45

How were most black troops during World War I used?

A) Most were used as front line troops, taking the heaviest fighting so whites would not be killed in such great numbers.
B) Most were used in manual labor, in building roads and as cooks.
C) Black troops were not used during World War I.
D) Black men most frequently became aviators, and were highly sought after for their skill and bravery.

Question 46

What was the purpose of the Harlem Property Owners' Improvement Corporation?

A) Blacks were attempting to get improvements made to their homes, and to get the city to furnish them with public services like garbage pickup.
B) Whites were attempting to keep blacks out of Harlem.
C) Blacks were attempting to gain voting rights in that area.
D) Blacks and whites came together to work for educational opportunities for their children.

Question 47

How did Booker T. Washington react to the Atlanta Riot of 1906?

A) He became an outspoken opponent of the use of violence by blacks.
B) He said that black resistance would only lead to more black deaths, and urged racial harmony.
C) He decided to support liberal arts education, as a way of preventing violence.
D) He advocated the use of self-defense and violence in the Atlanta Riot, since blacks had been attacked first.

Question 48

What did the Springfield Riot of 1908 lead to?

A) the imprisonment of over 300 blacks
B) the creation of the NAACP
C) W. E. B. Du Bois's death at the hands of white police
D) Washington being beaten by police, after he was mistaken for a rioter

Question 49

What initially drew many blacks to the Harlem area of New York City?

A) The area had been a way station on the underground railroad, and it had a vibrant history of black protest.
B) Because builders were unable to sell to whites, they sold to blacks to avoid bankruptcy.
C) They were forced into the area by whites who wanted them out of more expensive areas.
D) For almost a century, the area had numerous powerful black politicians.

Question 50

What did many of the race riots of the early twentieth century not have in common?

A) Whites were generally afraid that black newcomers would steal jobs and opportunities from them.
B) Police would often contribute to the violence themselves.
C) Frequently, whites would level accusations of some type of sexual misconduct against black men.
D) They generally led to some sort of improvement in race relations.

Question 51

What prompted the Houston Riot in 1917?

A) Black soldiers were disgusted over the racist treatment they received at the hands of the police in the segregated city.
B) Houston police raped a young black woman.
C) Houston police killed a small black child.
D) Blacks in the city burned city hall in an attempt to protest racism and discrimination.

Question 52

What role did police play in many of the race riots, including those of Chicago, Elaine, and Houston?

A) Police generally tried to assist the blacks in any way they could.
B) Police tried to be neutral enforcers of the law.
C) They were often either the cause of the trouble, or helped the rioters.
D) Police completely ignored the riots, allowing violence to go unchecked for some time before stepping in.

Question 53

World War I was supposed to be a war "to make the world safe for democracy." With all this language, how did Americans apply these ideals to the treatment of blacks?

A) They didn't. Americans continued to hold onto racism, and reacted violently against blacks.
B) After the war, blacks gained substantial rights, as the Civil Rights Movement began in the 1920s.
C) Many Americans began to question racism and its ideas after the war.
D) Although the military was integrated during World War I, few other democratic changes were made.

Question 54

What did blacks find advantageous in Chicago?

A) an area where no other blacks had come yet, so the area was open to settlement
B) some political influence, including black politicians at the local, state, and national levels
C) a complete lack of racial tension over jobs and housing
D) several black politicians, including a black mayor in the early 1900s

Question 55

How did the French troops and people feel about black soldiers?

A) The French were just as racist as white Americans, often refusing them even ammunition for their guns.
B) They praised their ability and courage, and asked for more black troops.
C) The French virtually ignored the blacks in France, since they were able to do so little in combat.
D) The French organized and "liberated" black troops from the army, giving them asylum in France and full voting and social privileges.

Question 56

What were Du Bois's views of World War I's effects for black people after the war?

A) He thought that they demonstrated their valor, intelligence, and bravery and that it was a great success for blacks.
B) He was very demoralized, and thought that he shouldn't have supported the war so wholeheartedly.
C) He was glad that black soldiers were integrated with white troops during World War I.
D) He thought that blacks should have deserted the army and gone to Africa during the war.

Question 57

What area became known as the "Negro Capital of the World"?

A) Chicago
B) Philadelphia
C) Charleston, South Carolina
D) Harlem, New York City

Question 58

What is true about black migration between 1910 and 1940?

A) Quite a few blacks migrated, but not as many as had after the Civil War.
B) Blacks were unable to migrate because of strict laws in the South forbidding this.
C) Black migration was usually limited to black women only, since men could find no jobs.
D) About 1.75 million blacks left the South, doubling the population of blacks outside that region.

Question 59

What reaction did the NAACP have to the violence of the East St. Louis riot?

A) The NAACP instigated the violence inadvertently after a rally.
B) It condemned the violence and refused to have anything to do with the blacks in that city for some time.
C) It sent members in to investigate, publicized the issues, and organized a silent march in New York City as a protest.
D) They began a legal case against the mayor of the city, which resulted in the desegregation of public transportation.

Question 60

What is true about segregation in the North?

A) The North was not segregated by race at all.
B) Segregation and discrimination against blacks was worse in the North than the South.
C) Although the North had laws against discrimination of blacks, enforcement was often overlooked.
D) The North's segregation laws only allowed certain facilities, like water fountains and bathrooms, to be segregated.

Question 61

What was true about job opportunities for black men and women after migration?

A) Black men were often refused work in even unskilled jobs.
B) Black women had more opportunities, since northern industries were so desperate for labor.
C) Some young black women were drawn into prostitution to make a living.
D) Both black men and black women generally had the same opportunities.