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The Black Worker, Volume 3

The Black Worker During the Era of the Knights of Labor

Edited by Philip S. Foner and Ronald L. Lewis

With a Foreword by Keona K. Ervin


Published over the course of six years, the eight volumes of The Black Worker: From Colonial Times to the Present contain a voluminous amount of archival material. Through their publication, Philip S. Foner, Ronald L. Lewis, and Robert Cvornyek birthed a new generation of Black labor history scholarship. Theirs was big, synthesis-style, social, political, intellectual, and institutional history that tried to capture as broadly as possible the patterns, trends, and themes that made race and class, and the Black labor experience, in particular, significant, shaping forces in United States history. With its compelling perspective on the salience of Black labor history along with its sheer breadth and depth, The Black Worker was and is required reading for students of labor and working-class history and African American history.


Prior to publication of The Black Worker, Black workers were largely absent from or mere footnotes in established histories; dominant narratives presented a “house of labor” occupied primarily if not exclusively by white, male, industrial workers. These accounts paid little attention to unions’ widespread practice of racial exclusion and discrimination, nor to attempts by Black workers to organize their own labor. Through its documentation of these practices, The Black Worker in no small part helped to bring about acknowledgment of these practices and the start of inclusiveness.


Inserting the voices and actions of the marginal into the canon of history was of monumental importance. By incorporating new voices into the standard chronology of American labor history, The Black Worker helped to push the field to revise its core keywords and conceptual underpinnings.

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Table of Contents

The Black Worker During the Era of the Knights of Labor: Volume III

  • Cover
  • Series Page
  • Title Page
  • Copyright
  • Foreword
  • Contents
  • Preface
  • Part I: The Condition of Black Workers in the South
    • Introduction
      • Blacks Testify before the Senate Committee on Relations between Labor and Capital, 1883
        • 1. Testimony
  • Part II: Should Blacks Join the Ranks of Labor?
    • Introduction
      • Conflicting Views
        • 1. Frederick Douglass on the Labor Question
        • 2. The Vital Labor Problem
        • 3. Proscribed
        • 4. Labor Upheavals
        • 5. Growth of the Colored Press
        • 6. John R. Lynch on the Color Line in the Ranks of Labor
        • 7. Land–Labor Problem
        • 8. The Colored Laborer Must Look to Himself
        • 9. A Word on the Labor Question
        • 10. A Case in Point
        • 11. A Knight is a Knight
      • A Black Leader's Advice to Negro Working Men
        • 12. The Negro Laborer: A Word to Him
  • Part III: Black Labor Militancy and the Knights of Labor
    • Introduction
      • Black Labor Unrest in the South
        • 1. Negro Strikers in Louisiana
        • 2. Labor Troubles
        • 3. The Labor Troubles
        • 4. The St. John Strikers
        • 5. Louisiana Strike
        • 6. Strike in Florida
        • 7. A Labor Riot in Missouri
        • 8. Working in Unison
        • 9. Labor vs. Capital
        • 10. The Labor Riots
        • 11. Another Police Murderer
        • 12. Cheering Words
        • 13. Murdered by a Mob
      • The Knights Organize Southern Blacks
        • 14. Assemblies of Colored Men
        • 15. Constitution for the Local Assemblies of the Order of the Knights of Labor in America
        • 16. Knights of Labor Meeting in Washington, D.C.
        • 17. Plain Talk to Workingmen
        • 18. Description of a Public Meeting
        • 19. Social Affair
        • 20. Baltimore Labor Parade
        • 21. First Black Assembly
        • 22. Black Cooperative Ventures
        • 23. The Richmond Co–Operative Soap Company
        • 24. Letter from a Black Knight
        • 25. Strides in the South
      • Black Workers and Knights of Labor Strikes, 1885 – 1886
        • 26. Paralyzed
        • 27. A General Strike
        • 28. Arbitrators at Work
        • 29. Labor Troubles at Galveston
        • 30. Arbitration in Galveston
        • 31. Boycott Renewed
        • 32. Congressional Report on the Labor Troubles in Missouri
        • 33. The Dangers of Organizing Blacks
        • 34. Colored Knights of Labor
        • 35. Striking Negro Knights
        • 36. Colored Knights of Labor in Arkansas
        • 37. The Futility of Strikes and Boycotts
        • 38. In Case of Necessity
        • 39. Stirred Up
        • 40. Sheriff R. W. Worthen
        • 41. Discharged
        • 42. Anonymous Threats
        • 43. A Card From the Fox Brothers
        • 44. War in Young
  • Part IV: The Knights of Lavor Convention in Richmond, 1886
    • Introduction
      • Terence V. Powderly, Frank J. Ferrell, and the Integrated Convention in Richmond, 1886
        • 1. Knights of Labor in Their Mettle
        • 2. Frank J. Ferrell's Introduction of Powderly
        • 3. Powderly's Address
        • 4. Powderly to the Richmond Dispatch
        • 5. The Colored Brother
        • 6. He Sits Among the Whites
        • 7. Social Equality of the Races
        • 8. Colored Knight Ferrell
        • 9. A Sample of National Reactions to the Knights Position on Social Equality
        • 10. The Mozart Association in Connection With the Color Question
        • 11. The Knights and Southern Prejudice
        • 12. J. M. Townsend to Terence Powderly
        • 13. Samuel Wilson to Terence Powderly
        • 14. James Hirst to Terence Powderly
        • 15. D. H. Black to Terence Powderly
        • 16. "Tradesman" to Terence Powderly
        • 17. Negro Press Committee to Terence Powderly
        • 18. A. O. Hale to Terence Powderly
        • 19. Letter From a White Virginia Knight
        • 20. At Work at Last
        • 21. Richmond and the Convention Held Up
        • 22. Resolutions of the Equal Rights League, Columbus, Ohio
        • 23. Resolution Adopted By an All–Black Local Assembly, Rendville, Ohio
        • 24. A Peaceful Parade
        • 25. Powderly on Race Rights
        • 26. They Will Find Out Facts
        • 27. Banquet in Honor of District Assembly 49
        • 28. The Mixed Banquet at Harris's Hall
        • 29. Disaffection
        • 30. How Their Stand Against Prejudice is Regarded By the Colored Press
        • 31. Mr. Powderly and Social Equality
        • 32. The Knights of Labor Show the White Feather
        • 33. An Imprudent Position on Social Equality
        • 34. Powderly's Straddling
        • 35. Importance of the Richmond Convention
        • 36. A Footnote on Frank J. Ferrell
  • Part V: Suppression of the Black Knights
    • Introduction
      • Opposition to the Knights of Labor in South Carolina
        • 1. Industrial Slavery in the South
        • 2. Fighting the Knights
        • 3. Much Bitter Feeling
        • 4. The Trouble in the South
        • 5. Hoover's Negro Dupes
        • 6. Free Speech in the South
      • An Overview of the Knights' 1887 Sugar Strike in Louisiana
        • 7. The Knights Strike Sugar
        • 8. A Planter's View: Excerpts From the William Porcher Miles Diary
        • 9. Conflict in the Louisiana Sugar Fields
        • 10. Sugar Labor – Demands
        • 11. Sugar Labor
        • 12. Sugar Labor – The Strike Inaugurated
        • 13. Protection From Riot and Violence
        • 14. Labor Troubles
        • 15. Laborers Shot Down
        • 16. Backbone of the Strike Broken
        • 17. The Teche Troubles
        • 18. Deserted Cane Fields
        • 19. Labor Troubles in the Sugar Districts
        • 20. The Sugar Strike
        • 21. The Teche Troubles – Planter Shot by Striker
        • 22. Gone to Work
        • 23. Nine Men Killed
        • 24. The Labor Troubles – Killing of Negroes
        • 25. The Sugar Strike – Negroes Threaten Sheriff
        • 26. The Sugar Strike
        • 27. Labor in the South
        • 28. The Louisiana Strikes
        • 29. The Knights of Labor
        • 30. Sugar Plantation Laborers
        • 31. Sugar Planters' Association of Louisiana
        • 32. Labor Troubles in Lafourche
        • 33. Riot at Thibodaux
        • 34. Peace Restored – Troops at Thibodaux
        • 35. The Thibodaux Riot
        • 36. The Sugar District Troubles
        • 37. The Thibodaux Riot – Three More Dead
        • 38. Thibodaux – Ringleader's Surrender Not Accepted
        • 39. The Thibodaux Troubles
        • 40. The Militia in Thibodaux
        • 41. The Sugar Strike
        • 42. A Northern View of the Thibodaux Troubles
        • 43. Colored People – Denounce Killings
        • 44. Outrages in Louisiana
        • 45. The Sugar Riots
        • 46. W. R. Ramsay to T. V. Powderly
        • 47. Labor's Pageant – Workingmen of New Orleans on Parade
      • Congressional Reaction to the Louisiana Sugar Strike
        • 48. From the Congressional Record
  • Part VI: Grand Master Workman Terence V. Powderly and the Black Worker
    • Introduction
      • Correspondence Relating to the Black Worker in the Powderly Papers
        • 1. Powderly to Wm. J. Stewart
        • 2. Powderly to Brother Wright
        • 3. Robert D. Dayton and Gilbert Rockwood to Powderly
        • 4. Joe B. Kewley to Powderly
        • 5. Powderly to M. W. Pattell
        • 6. Gilbert Rockwood to Powderly
        • 7. Powderly to S. T. Neilson
        • 8. John R. Ray to Powderly
        • 9. An Open Letter on Race to Powderly
        • 10. "The South of To–Day," by Powderly
        • 11. John R. Ray to Powderly
        • 12. Powderly to J. M. Broughton
        • 13. John R. Ray to Powderly
        • 14. P. M. McNeal to Powderly
        • 15. Powderly to Thomas Curley
        • 16. Tom O'Reilly to Powderly
        • 17. Powderly to W. H. Lynch
        • 18. Alexander Walker to Powderly
        • 19. D. B. Allison and Edward Gallagher to Powderly
        • 20. R. W. Kruse to Powderly
        • 21. H. G. Ellis to Powderly
        • 22. R. W. Kruse to Powderly
        • 23. J. A. Belton to Powderly
        • 24. C. V. Meustin to Powderly
        • 25. V. E. St. Cloud to Powderly
        • 26. W. H. Sims, M.D., to Powderly
        • 27. J. M. Broughton to Powderly
        • 28. Frank Johnson to Powderly
        • 29. S. F. S. Sweet to Powderly
        • 30. George H. Williams to Powderly
        • 31. Petition to Powderly
        • 32. Fourth of July Celebration Announcement
        • 33. Powderly to J. M. Bannan
        • 34. Powderly to J. O. Parsons
        • 35. Powderly to C. A. Teagle
        • 36. Andrew McCormack to Powderly
        • 37. B. W. Scott to Powderly
        • 38. Powderly to B. W. Scott
        • 39. B. Stock to Powderly
        • 40. Hillard J. McNair to Powderly
        • 41. J. A. Bodenhamer to Powderly
        • 42. C. C. Mehurin to Powderly
        • 43. C. E. Yarboro to Powderly
        • 44. John Derbin to Powderly
        • 45. Powderly to Rev. P. H. Kennedy
        • 47. Powderly's Open Letter to Secretary of the Treasury Charles Foster
  • Part VII: Race Relations within the Knights of Labor
    • Introduction
      • Relations between Black and White Knights from the 1886 Convention to 18891. No Color Line Wanted
        • 2. Ida B. Wells Describes a Knights of Labor Meeting in Memphis
        • 3. A Florida Strike
        • 4. Persecution
        • 5. Knightsville is Solid
        • 6. Glorious 4th
        • 7. He Is On Our Side
        • 8. A Cruel Negro
        • 9. A Pittsburgh Strike
        • 10. Letter From A Colored Knight
        • 11. Mustering Up Courage
        • 12. An Active Part
        • 13. Lively Southern Knights
        • 14. Knights of Labor
      • Deportation: The Knights' Solution to the Problems of the Black Worker
        • 15. Speak Out
        • 16. A Black Worker to James R. Sovereign
        • 17. Opinion of the Chicago Colored Women's Club
        • 18. Our Labor Problem
        • 19. On Deportation
        • 20. Epitaph
  • Part VIII: Black Farmers Organize Black Alliances
    • Introduction
      • The Colored Farmers National Alliance and Cooperative Union, 1890 – 18911. History of the Colored Farmers' National Alliance and Cooperative Union
        • 2. The Order System
        • 3. Southern Grangers
        • 4. Why Has the Negro of the Plantation Made So Little Progress?
        • 5. Laying Out the Work
        • 6. Farmers of West Florida
        • 7. H. H. Perry to Elias Carr, President, Colored Alliance of North Carolina
        • 8. The National Alliance Advises
        • 9. Gen. R. M. Humphrey Writes From Pulaski, Tennessee
        • 10. The National Alliance Organ of the Colored Alliance
        • 11. The Alabama Mirror Notes a Gratifying Fact
        • 12. The National Alliance
        • 13. Election Bill
        • 14. The Colored Alliance: Annual Address of the National Superintendent
        • 15. Unsavory Senator
        • 16. The Race Problem
        • 17. J. J. Rogers to Elias Carr
        • 18. W. A. Patillo to Elias Carr
        • 19. J. J. Rogers to Elias Carr
        • 20. People's Party Convention
        • 21. A Great Absurdity
        • 22. Colored Farmers Alliance Meets
        • 23. The Convict Lease System
        • 24. Camp Meetings
        • 25. Notice
        • 26. Afro–Americans and the People's Party
        • 27. Split Among Whites
        • 28. The Rankest Bourbon
        • 29. When Thine Enemy Speaks Well of You
        • 30. The Southern Alliance--Let the Negro Take a Thought
        • 31. Social Equality
        • 32. Endorsed By the Colored Farmers
      • The 1891 Cotton Pickers' Strike
        • 33. The Cotton Pickers--A Formidable Organization
        • 34. Negroes Form a Combine
        • 35. Colored Cotton Pickers
        • 36. Not a Bit Alarmed
        • 37. The Cotton Pickers' League
        • 38. Won't Hurt Georgia
        • 39. This State is Safe
        • 40. Gathering Cotton
        • 41. The Georgia Pickers
        • 42. President Polk's Menace
        • 43. Still Snatching Cotton
        • 44. It Did Not Develop
        • 45. A Flash in the Pan
        • 46. President L. L. Polk – Probability of a Third Party
        • 47. The Exodus of Negroes
        • 48. Negro Cotton Pickers Threatening
        • 49. Delta Troubles
        • 50. A Bloody Riot in Arkansas
        • 51. Blood and Terror
        • 52. The Cotton Pickers' Strike
        • 53. Blacks in Brakes--Lee County Riots
        • 54. Race Riot in Arkansas
        • 55. Nine Negroes Lynched
        • 56. Prisoners Lynched
        • 57. The Arkansas Man Hunt
        • 58. Force Against Force
        • 59. Wholesale Lynching
        • 60. The Arkansas Butchery
        • 61. Frightful Barbarities
        • 62. Those Wholesale Murders
        • 63. Peace Prevails
        • 64. All Serene Now
        • 65. There Was No Lynching
  • Part IX: Other Expressions of Black Labor Militancy
    • Introduction
      • The Savannah Wharf Workers' Strike, 1891
        • 1. They Strike Today
        • 2. To Patrol Under Arms
        • 3. One Thousand Men Out
        • 4. The Strike Ordered On
        • 5. The Strike Spreading
        • 6. To The Public
        • 7. Progress of the Strikers
        • 8. Strikers Won't Give In
        • 9. Bringing in Labor – Strikers' Places Being Filled
        • 10. The Mistake of the Strikers
        • 11. The Strike is Settled
        • 12. Strikers to Resume Work This Morning
        • 13. Badly Advised
        • 14. Strikers Splitting Up
        • 15. Strikers Are Still Out
        • 16. The Strike At An End
        • 17. The Strike Ended
        • 18. Looking Over Things
        • 19. The Alliance in Line
      • Black and White Unity: The Chicago Cullinary Alliance
        • 20. Limited Options
        • 21. The Limited Movement
        • 22. The Chicago Waiters' Strike
        • 23. History of the Union Waiters' Strike
        • 24. Leaders of the Cullinary Alliance
  • Notes and Index
  • Notes
  • Index

Metadata

  • isbn
    9781439917701
  • publisher
    Temple University Press
  • publisher place
    Philadelphia, PA
  • restrictions
    CC-BY-NC-ND
  • rights
    Copyright © 1978 by Temple University—Of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education

    First published 1978. Reissued 2019.

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