theNadir

I refer to the ”Nadir of race relations," which extended from 1890 to about 1940.

In his famous book Folkways , published in l906, sociologist William Graham Sumner wrote,

"The mores of the South were those of slavery in full and satisfactory operation ...

The McKinley administration used the same rationale: our military governor over the islands, William Howard Taft, said "our little brown brothers" would require at least half a century of white supervision before they would be capable of democracy.

Such faulty analysis then became part of the Nadir itself, bolstering the ideology of racism, along with eugenics, Social Darwinism, and other intellectual currents of the time.

We apply inconsequential labels to parts of this period—Gay Nineties, Roaring Twenties—but except for professional historians, most Americans don’t even learn the name of this much more important epoch.

[If one were to] ask, "Who was the first jockey inducted into the Jockey Hall of Fame?"

Here Native Americans lost the last shards of their independent nationhood and sank into their Nadir period for certain.

Affluent residents wanted to have labor nearby—someone to stoke the coal furnace at 6 a.m. to warm the house for the day-—a maid, and maybe a gardener.

It provided a potent rationale not only for class privilege but for racial superiority as well, Once the fatal events of 1890 took place, whites across the country had to rationalize them, Again, cognitive dissonance played a key role.

Three events late in 1890 prompt historians to date the onset of the Nadir precisely at that time.

McKinley had no cogent reply.

To Sumner, the disturbance of the racial hierarchy between 1864 and 1890 was the problem, not its reestablishment.

Third, throughout December and into January Southern Democrats in the U.S. Senate filibustered to death a proposed federal elections bill, it was designed to give the federal government power to curb the "annual autumnal outbreaks"“ of violence during Southern elections, Democrats had defeated civil rights measures in the past, of course, and when they did, they tried to tar Republicans as "nigger lovers" In past years, Republicans had responded that African Americans had a right to v...

What prompted the erosion of this antiracist majority?

They could hardly say "I am an American; l believe in freedom and democracy and equal rights for all," since they had acquiesced in Mississippi's action, So they had to say ”I believe in freedom and democracy and equal rights for all—except nonwhites."

If 45.7% of the African Americans in an average city moved to predominantly white neighborhoods, the city would be perfectly integrated.

Well after Hayes, during the "Fusion era," from the end of Re construction to the 1890s, Republican administrations continued to show at least some concern for the rights of African Americans.

Antiracist idealism had largely been spawned by the Civil War, During the wan the United States found itself fighting not only to hold the country together, but also to end slavery As early as 1862, U.S, troops were going into battle singing "Battle Cry of Freedom" and "John Brown’s Body."

Such faulty analysis then became part of the Nadir itself, bolstering the ideology of racism, along with eugenics, Social Darwinism, and other intellectual currents of the time.

When D=0, integration is perfect Every census tract has exactly the same racial composition as every other census tract.

Affluent residents wanted to have labor nearby—someone to stoke the coal furnace at 6 a.m. to warm the house for the day-—a maid, and maybe a gardener.

The key clause was that a prospective voter be able to give a "reasonable interpretation" of any clause in the state constitution.

This increasing stratification sapped America’s historic belief that ”all men are created equal."

Doing likewise became the dream of many Republicans, a goal that was hard to reconcile with the party’s for- mer talk of social justice.

Between 1887 and 1897, the United States annexed Hawaii; the process for it to go from independent kingdom to U.S. territory took a full decade.

The consequence has been forty years of economic, social, and political discord."

Antiracist idealism had largely been spawned by the Civil War, During the wan the United States found itself fighting not only to hold the country together, but also to end slavery As early as 1862, U.S, troops were going into battle singing "Battle Cry of Freedom" and "John Brown’s Body."

Third, throughout December and into January Southern Democrats in the U.S. Senate filibustered to death a proposed federal elections bill, it was designed to give the federal government power to curb the "annual autumnal outbreaks"“ of violence during Southern elections, Democrats had defeated civil rights measures in the past, of course, and when they did, they tried to tar Republicans as "nigger lovers" In past years, Republicans had responded that African Americans had a right to v...

Some communities passed ordinances that barred African Americans after dark or kept them from owning or renting property Still others used informal means, harassing and even killing African Americans who violated the rule, Some sundown towns kept out ]ews, Chinese, Mexicans, Native Americans, and other groups.

It provided a potent rationale not only for class privilege but for racial superiority as well, Once the fatal events of 1890 took place, whites across the country had to rationalize them, Again, cognitive dissonance played a key role.

We apply inconsequential labels to parts of this period—Gay Nineties, Roaring Twenties—but except for professional historians, most Americans don’t even learn the name of this much more important epoch.

Second, immigrants posed a continuing problem for Republican antiracists.

After that battle, a New York soldier wrote home:

"They charged and recharged and didn't know what retreat meant They lost in their two regiments some 400 men as near as I can learn.