The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
was founded in 1909. A movement began in 1905 when a group of
African-Americans met to address the efforts of post-Civil War
southern legislators to take away the rights of “people of
color” to vote. The group met on the Canadian side of Niagara
Falls because US hotels were segregated, and become known as
the Niagara Movement. The NAACP was initially founded as a
separate group but influenced by the Niagara group, many of
whom joined the NAACP when their group disbanded. The Race
Riot of 1908 in Springfield, Illinois was said to be a major
catalyst that resulted in the formation of the NAACP. Incor-
porated in 1911, the organization’s charter stated:
“To promote equality of rights and to eradicate
caste or race prejudice among the citizens of the
United States; to advance the interest of colored
citizens; to secure for them impartial suffrage;
and to increase their opportunities for securing
justice in the courts, education for the children,
employment according to their ability and complete
equality before law.”
Some other cultural events of the period:
The Picture of Dorian Gray – Oscar Wilde (1891)
Tess of the D'Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy (1891)
Ellis Island opens to receive immigrants (1892)
SEE Ellis Island VIDEO
Pledge of Allegiance was first recited in unison by
students in US public schools (1892)
A tailors' strike in New York City brings attention
to sweat shops (1894)
The Time Machine – H.G. Wells (1895)
Klondike gold rush begins (1896)
SEE Goldrush VIDEO
Spanish-American War (1898)
At Koster and Bial's Music Hall in New York, public
sees its first movie (1896)
"The Entertainer" by Scott Joplin (1902)
“Futurism” founded in Italy (1909)
Boy Scouts founded (1910)
