StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Columbia Avenue Riots - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The paper "Columbia Avenue Riots" highlights that agenda was clearly political in nature which was to push for black nationalism. Nationalism is equated with extremism and when combined with religion, it can result in fundamentalism and further radicalism that results in open violence…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96.4% of users find it useful
Columbia Avenue Riots
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Columbia Avenue Riots"

full Columbia Avenue Riots (religion, theology, and politics Culture and Memory 28 November Introduction The history of black nationalism is closely intertwined with its religious movement. A close examination will reveal that the Civil Rights Movement had it origins in the roots of a religious awakening among the black Americans and the pulpit served as the political rallying point for black nationalism. Most leaders of the Civil Rights Movement were either pastors or had some links to religious movements in their area and during their era. This is probably due to many of the blacks were not registered as voters and so black churches were used to help in promoting black political consciousness. It seemed to be the only avenue open to them due to so many discriminatory laws and practices despite the passage of many laws outlawing black discrimination in social, political, and economic spheres of life. In other words, discrimination was back then and even until now a very persistent problem that defied easy solutions. The race riots in Philadelphia were caused by some black activists who hijacked the sentiments or resentments of black people against a lack of equality and used these for their own ends. Discussion The city of Philadelphia in the mid-twentieth century had been divided into the white Philadelphia (southern portion) and the black Philadelphia (northern portion). This division is not only geographic but also economic and ethnic because the white southern Philadelphia in many ways was vastly superior to its northern part. White people in the southern portion had a better life in terms of economic opportunities, nicer neighborhoods with less crime, and had a more than fair share of good-paying jobs. This situation can be contrasted with its southern counterpart which had cheap government housing, more crimes, and less jobs to be had. Philadelphia has a great tradition in American history as it was the preferred city of the countrys Founding Fathers who often met in this city. The Declaration of Independence was made in Philadelphia in 1776 as well as the signing of the American Constitution in 1787. It is known as a place of religious and racial tolerance because it welcomes successive waves of immigrants from Europe such as the Dutch, then the English, and then much later, Swedes. They were soon followed in the next century by the Scots, the Irish, and German immigrants. The next century saw new arrivals from southern and eastern Europe such as the Greeks, the Poles, Italians, and Hungarians. Philadelphia became the second-largest city on the eastern seaboard after New York City and rivals it in terms of ethnical and cultural diversity. At one time during its heyday, Philadelphia surpassed Boston as the chief seaport in America. It was not surprising that many freed black American slaves choose Philadelphia as their destination because of its good reputation for racial and religious tolerance. Those black Americans who escaped the intolerable conditions in the South during the Jim Crow era saw a beacon of hope and freedom in Philadelphia which literally means in Greek as brotherly love. The black Americans saw Philadelphia has a tradition of being the seat of independence and they also saw it an appropriate place to launch their fight for real independence and equality from the constraints of racial discrimination. The big number of blacks who went to this city became known in black American history as the Great Migration and they brought along with them their religious practices and congregations such as the Baptists and Methodists. The big and sudden increase in the black population of Philadelphia also contributed to its problems. Moreover, its black population is a big proportion of its total state population and at one time Philadelphia had the fourth-largest urban concentration of black Americans in the nation. The ethnic diversity of Philadelphia compares favorably with New York City and can be called as one of the “salad bowls”of America but this rich heritage of racial equality is an illusion. Northern cities such as Philadelphia became overpopulated as black Americans tried to find a better life up north. This created an oversupply of unskilled labor for most industries such as textiles and in other sectors where the jobs were dirty, dangerous, low-paying, and in most instances requiring very few skills.1 This was probably a big shock for most blacks who had a high regard for Philadelphia because it was one of the few states which had abolished slavery quite early back in 1779. Blacks moved north to escape slavery in the South but soon realized a new version of slavery was also very prevalent which is racial discrimination. An estimated eight million blacks moved north during the Great Migration and many of them were enticed by exaggerated and unfounded reports of a new climate of freedom that even allows a black man to “talk back” to a white man without any serious repercussions. But the rapid expansion of black populations in the northern industrial cities such as Philadelphia created tensions as discrimination persisted as social and cultural geography in this era show a clear distinction between what was perceived by blacks and what was the reality.2 There were many reasons for black Americans in the north to be disappointed because they found out the plight they now have was almost very similar to the situation obtaining in the South. The social and cultural mix in Philadelphia between the blacks and the whites was very volatile already in mid-1960s as job hiring and promotions were not only discriminatory but also its neighborhoods were segregated by race. The famous connotation of Philadelphia as a “liberated city” did not exist in reality but in name only. Its public education system was in many ways unequal and segregated too while the citys police force was mainly white and the citys resources were not utilized equally but allocated in a discriminatory manner also. Black churches and religious congregations in Philadelphia provided fellowship, order, and stability to northern blacks upon their arrival and made their transition much easier. However, even if most black religious ministers were the most educated among blacks, they still fell short of what was required in a volatile situation such as that obtaining back then. In a sense, they failed to provide the moral authority normally given in black communities in the South. Communal ties present in the rural South were not present in the urban North and this absence of a sense of community gave rise to “riot liturgy” in lieu of religious chants because it was the only way to promote black nationalism. In other words, civil rights activism in the North was done through non-religious political groups unlike in the South where black church leaders took the lead in the Civil Rights Movement. Such an abdication of moral leadership allowed the Philadelphia race riot to occur because there was a political power vacuum. Conclusion People like Muhammad, Hall, and Mobley stepped into this vacuum to promote their own kind of black militancy by using religious techniques to gain followers. In effect, they had taken over the role of the religious pastors to advance civil rights but using violent means to do so. Their agenda was clearly political in nature which was to push for black nationalism. In many cases, nationalism is equated with extremism and when combined with religion, it can result into fundamentalism and further radicalism that results in open violence.3 It seems that America even today has not really learned its lessons on racial or ethnic tolerance because many of the factors that caused the riot of Philadelphia in 1964 are present still in its midst. Economic hegemony by whites is still prevalent as well as the white police brutality complained so often by the black communities still happen from time to time. Works Cited Berlin, Ira. The Making of African America: The Four Great Migrations. New York, NY, USA: Viking Penguin Group, 2010. Print. Cooley, Kelly. Nationalism, Ethnic Conflict, and Genocide: A Sociological Analysis of the Factors Contributing to the Armenian Genocide and the Jewish Holocaust. Reno, NV, USA: University of Nevada (Reno), 1996. Print. Frazier, John W. and Eugene L. Tettey-Fio. Race, Ethnicity, and Place in a Changing America. New York, NY, USA: Global Academic Publishing, 2006. Print. Lyons, Courtney Ann. “Burning Columbia Avenue: Black Christianity, Black Nationalism, and Riot Liturgy in the 1964 Philadelphia Race Riot.” Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies 77.3 (2010): 324-348. Print. Due: November 29, 2014 @ 12:15 p.m. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Columbia Ave. Riots Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words”, n.d.)
Columbia Ave. Riots Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/religion-and-theology/1668604-columbia-ave-riots
(Columbia Ave. Riots Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words)
Columbia Ave. Riots Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words. https://studentshare.org/religion-and-theology/1668604-columbia-ave-riots.
“Columbia Ave. Riots Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/religion-and-theology/1668604-columbia-ave-riots.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Columbia Avenue Riots

Guerilla insurency and insecurity in Colombia: the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia

Guerrilla insurgency and insecurity in Colombia: the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia The political scene in Colombia has over the years been marred by conflicts between the government and revolutionary guerrilla movements.... ... ... ... Guerrilla insurgency and insecurity in Colombia: the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia The political scene in Colombia has over the years been marred by conflicts between the government and revolutionary guerrilla movements....
12 Pages (3000 words) Essay

Organizational Behavior - The Vancouver 2011 Stanley Cup Riots

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR- THE VANCOUVER 2011 STANLEY CUP riots Introduction People's behavior in a set up is largely affected by environmental factors in their immediate societies.... This paper seeks to discuss organizational theories that are applicable to the Vancouver Stanley cup riots in the year 2011.... Need for power is also explained through the influence that resulted into the riots.... The need was further manifested in the association with the individuals who caused the riots....
3 Pages (750 words) Research Paper

Latin America's Economic Progress

According to a study conducted by Luisa Blanco and Robin Grier within the period between 1971 and 2000, in 18 Latin American countries there were 451 political assassinations, 217 riots, and 113 crises that threatened to destabilize the sitting government (Blanco & Grier, 1).... [Instructor Name] Latin America's Economic Progress The economic progress in Latin America since independence in the early 19th century has been disappointing....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

Drug Trafficking Cartels

United States, columbia, and Mexico are countries that are suffering from crimes of organized cartels dealing with drug trafficking all over the world.... The paper also compares the rate of drug trafficking between columbia and Mexico and their impacts in the world.... It is for this reason that Mexico and columbia has identified the country as their best destination for selling their drugs.... During the reigns of president Bush of America, columbia and America organized a five-year plan that aimed at cutting or reducing narcotic production by half....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

The Principle of Justice

It provides an avenue for people to seek their fair share of what they believe they deserve.... etributive justice provides an avenue for the offended to seek some sort of revenge on the person who committed a wrong.... British columbia (Attorney General) and Auton (guardian ad litem) v.... British columbia (Attorney General) provide instances where the law satisfies the concept of justice (SCC).... British columbia (Attorney General), the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) ruled in favour of the appellants by implicating the government for denying them equal rights as disadvantaged members of society (63)....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

The paper "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals" states that the paper has provided a comprehensive outlook of PETA, highlighting the organization's policies, attributes, tactics, membership, and effectiveness.... Analysis of these dimensions has shown that PETA is effective.... ... ... ... The organization has achieved historic milestones in the protection of animals abused by individuals, governments, and institutions, and these breakthroughs have inspired major improvements in millions of individual animals' lives....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Historical Development Of Panama

Spanish explorer Rodrigo de Bastidas was the first European to see the Isthmus of Panama in 1501 when he sailed from Cadiz a year earlier to search for gold.... The paper "Historical Development Of Panama" discusses the history of Panama from Vasco Nunez De Balboa to the present.... ... ... ... The Indians were forced to abandon their homes along the coast to the internal mountainous areas....
10 Pages (2500 words) Term Paper

Food Frontiers and International Relations - Columbian Exchange

The paper "Food Frontiers and International Relations - Columbian Exchange" is an outstanding example of a family and consumer science essay.... In 1492, after the voyage of Christopher Columbus, the exchange of unknown plants, animals and diseases among the Old World and New World that took place is called Columbian Exchange....
11 Pages (2750 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us