-- The Niagara Movement was founded by W. E. B. Du Bois and William Monroe Trotter. It was a black civil rights movement. It was named this because they expected to cause a “mighty current” of change and their first meeting was near Niagara Falls. To me this name sounds very appropriate and with goals like that they would be able to accomplish a lot.
-- In 1905 Du Bois and Trotter led a group of followers to the Fort Erie Hotel on the Canada side of Niagara Falls to discuss the end of racial discrimination and civil liberties. No one knew for sure why they met in Canada but some believe that they weren’t allowed to stay in Buffalo which to me sounds a very likely reason. They also wanted to meet in a secluded place away from their troubles. 29 attended this meeting.
-- Between their two meetings they published a Declaration of Principles. In this they listed the progress they wished to make for Negros, women’s suffrage, civil liberty, equal economic opportunities, decent housing, and equal access to education. Another goal was to get equal justice in the court system. There were many other goals listed on my last source.
-- The second meeting was at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The members of this movement met for three days and they discussed how to get civil rights for blacks. Du Bois described it is as “one of the greatest meetings that American Negroes ever held” (Du Bois). This took place at Storer College and they all marched to Murphy’s Farm nearby and performed a ceremony of remembrance for John Brown’s quest ended. John Brown had tried to free four million black slaves and he died here at this historic fort. This seems to me like a good place to meet because they were trying to continue Brown’s quest.
-- In 1908 the Niagara Movement allowed their first white member to join. By 1910 the Niagara Movement had split into group in 21 states. However they weren’t able to continue financing themselves and whoever was still a member joined with the NAACP.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAniagara.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niagara_Movement
http://www.yale.edu/glc/archive/1152.htm
Founders
Some members
Comments