PART I: THE CONDITION OF BLACK WORKERS IN THE SOUTH
BLACKS TESTIFY BEFORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON RELATIONS BETWEEN LABOR AND CAPITAL, 1883
PART II: SHOULD BLACKS JOIN THE RANKS OF LABOR?
1. Frederick Douglass on the Labor Question
5. Growth of the Colored Press
6. John R. Lynch on the Color Line in the Ranks of Labor
8. The Colored Laborer Must Look to Himself
9. A Word on the Labor Question
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
BLACK LABOR UNREST IN THE SOUTH
1. Negro Strikers in Louisiana
THE KNIGHTS ORGANIZE SOUTHERN BLACKS
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.
18. Description of a Public Meeting
22. Black Cooperative Ventures
23. The Richmond Co–Operative Soap Company
24. Letter from a Black Knight
BLACK WORKERS AND KNIGHTS OF LABOR STRIKES, 1885–1886
29. Labor Troubles at Galveston
32. Congressional Report on the Labor Troubles in Missouri
33. The Dangers of Organizing Blacks
36. Colored Knights of Labor in Arkansas
37. The Futility of Strikes and Boycotts
43. A Card From the Fox Brothers
PART IV: THE KNIGHTS OF LAVOR CONVENTION IN RICHMOND, 1886
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
4. Powderly to the Richmond Dispatch
7. Social Equality of the Races
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
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
27. Banquet in Honor of District Assembly 49
28. The Mixed Banquet at Harris’s Hall
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
35. Importance of the Richmond Convention
36. A Footnote on Frank J. Ferrell
PART V: SUPPRESSION OF THE BLACK KNIGHTS
OPPOSITION TO THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR IN SOUTH CAROLINA
1. Industrial Slavery in the South
AN OVERVIEW OF THE KNIGHTS’ 1887 SUGAR STRIKE IN LOUISIANA
8. A Planter’s View: Excerpts From the William Porcher Miles Diary
9. Conflict in the Louisiana Sugar Fields
12. Sugar Labor – The Strike Inaugurated
13. Protection From Riot and Violence
16. Backbone of the Strike Broken
19. Labor Troubles in the Sugar Districts
21. The Teche Troubles – Planter Shot by Striker
24. The Labor Troubles – Killing of Negroes
25. The Sugar Strike – Negroes Threaten Sheriff
31. Sugar Planters’ Association of Louisiana
32. Labor Troubles in Lafourche
34. Peace Restored – Troops at Thibodaux
36. The Sugar District Troubles
37. The Thibodaux Riot – Three More Dead
38. Thibodaux – Ringleader’s Surrender Not Accepted
42. A Northern View of the Thibodaux Troubles
43. Colored People – Denounce Killings
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
CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO THE BLACK WORKER IN THE POWDERLY PAPERS
3. Robert D. Dayton and Gilbert Rockwood to Powderly
6. Gilbert Rockwood to Powderly
9. An Open Letter on Race to Powderly
10. “The South of To–Day,” by Powderly
12. Powderly to J. M. Broughton
18. Alexander Walker to Powderly
19. D. B. Allison and Edward Gallagher to Powderly
25. V. E. St. Cloud to Powderly
26. W. H. Sims, M.D., to Powderly
27. J. M. Broughton to Powderly
29. S. F. S. Sweet to Powderly
30. George H. Williams to Powderly
32. Fourth of July Celebration Announcement
36. Andrew McCormack to Powderly
40. Hillard J. McNair to Powderly
41. J. A. Bodenhamer to Powderly
45. Powderly to Rev. P. H. Kennedy
46. Samuel G. Searing to Powderly
47. Powderly’s Open Letter to Secretary of the Treasury Charles Foster
PART VII: RACE RELATIONS WITHIN THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR
RELATIONS BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE KNIGHTS FROM THE 1886 CONVENTION TO 1889
2. Ida B. Wells Describes a Knights of Labor Meeting in Memphis
10. Letter From A Colored Knight
DEPORTATION: THE KNIGHTS’ SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE BLACK WORKER
16. A Black Worker to James R. Sovereign
17. Opinion of the Chicago Colored Women’s Club
PART VIII: BLACK FARMERS ORGANIZE BLACK ALLIANCES
THE COLORED FARMERS NATIONAL ALLIANCE AND COOPERATIVE UNION, 1890 – 1891
1. History of the Colored Farmers’ National Alliance and Cooperative Union
4. Why Has the Negro of the Plantation Made So Little Progress?
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
14. The Colored Alliance: Annual Address of the National Superintendent
17. J. J. Rogers to Elias Carr
18. W. A. Patillo to Elias Carr
19. J. J. Rogers to Elias Carr
22. Colored Farmers Alliance Meets
26. Afro–Americans and the People’s Party
29. When Thine Enemy Speaks Well of You
30. The Southern Alliance—Let the Negro Take a Thought
32. Endorsed By the Colored Farmers
THE 1891 COTTON PICKERS’ STRIKE
33. The Cotton Pickers—A Formidable Organization
37. The Cotton Pickers’ League
46. President L. L. Polk – Probability of a Third Party
48. Negro Cotton Pickers Threatening
52. The Cotton Pickers’ Strike
53. Blacks in Brakes—Lee County Riots
PART IX: OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF BLACK LABOR MILITANCY
THE SAVANNAH WHARF WORKERS’ STRIKE, 1891
9. Bringing in Labor – Strikers’ Places Being Filled
10. The Mistake of the Strikers
12. Strikers to Resume Work This Morning
BLACK AND WHITE UNITY: THE CHICAGO CULLINARY ALLIANCE
22. The Chicago Waiters’ Strike
23. History of the Union Waiters’ Strike