The Historical Memory Recovery Channel

The period immediately following the Reconstruction era in the United States, which lasted from approximately 1865 to 1877, saw the rapid growth of racism, segregation, and the establishment of Jim Crow laws in the South. This period of escalating racial discrimination and violence is often referred to as the “Nadir of American Race Relations.” Here are some key factors and developments that contributed to the growth of American racism during this time:

1. End of Reconstruction: The Reconstruction era aimed to rebuild the South and grant civil rights to formerly enslaved people. However, as it ended in 1877, Southern Democrats regained political control. This marked the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, leading to the abandonment of African American rights and the rise of white supremacists.
2. Segregation and Jim Crow Laws: Southern states enacted a series of discriminatory laws known as Jim Crow laws, which mandated racial segregation in public facilities, transportation, schools, and various other aspects of daily life. These laws enforced racial hierarchy and maintained white dominance.
3. Violence and Intimidation: The period was marked by extensive violence and intimidation against African Americans. Lynchings were widespread, and groups like the Ku Klux Klan used terror to suppress the political and economic advancement of Black citizens.
4. Disenfranchisement: Southern states implemented various tactics to disenfranchise African American voters, including literacy tests, poll taxes, and grandfather clauses. These measures effectively stripped Black citizens of their political rights.
5. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in the Plessy v. Ferguson case upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine. This ruling provided legal cover for continued segregation and discrimination.
6. Social and Economic Disparities: Discrimination extended to economic and educational opportunities. Black Americans were often limited to low-paying jobs, subpar educational facilities, and unequal access to resources.
7. Mass Migration and Urbanization: Many African Americans left the South in the Great Migration (from around 1916 to 1970) in search of better economic opportunities and less racial discrimination in Northern cities. This demographic shift had a profound impact on the North and contributed to the growth of urban Black communities.
8. Racial Stereotypes and Mass Media: Negative racial stereotypes and caricatures were perpetuated in popular culture, including in the minstrel shows and films of the time. These stereotypes reinforced harmful biases.

The period after Reconstruction was marked by significant setbacks in the fight for racial equality, and the gains made during the Reconstruction era were largely eroded. The racial discrimination and segregation that became deeply entrenched in American society during this period would persist for decades until the Civil Rights Movement of the mid-20th century challenged and dismantled many of these discriminatory practices.

Jack Johnson, whose full name was John Arthur “Jack” Johnson, was an African American boxer who is best known for becoming the first Black world heavyweight boxing champion. He was born on March 31, 1878, in Galveston, Texas, and he passed away on June 10, 1946.

Jack Johnson’s boxing career took place during a time of widespread racial discrimination and segregation in the United States, particularly in the early 20th century. Despite the racial barriers, Johnson rose to prominence as a highly skilled and charismatic fighter.

On December 26, 1908, Johnson achieved his historic victory when he defeated Tommy Burns in a fight in Sydney, Australia, for the heavyweight championship. This made him the first Black man to hold the world heavyweight title. Johnson’s victory had significant racial implications, and it stirred controversy and racial tensions in the United States.

Johnson’s reign as champion was marked by his flamboyant lifestyle, his penchant for fast cars, and his relationships with white women. His relationships with white women, in particular, led to legal troubles, as many states had laws against interracial relationships at the time. In 1913, he was convicted under the Mann Act (a law that prohibited the transportation of women across state lines for immoral purposes) for his relationship with a white woman, which led him to flee the country.

In 1915, Johnson lost his title to Jess Willard in a fight in Havana, Cuba. After losing the title, Johnson was eventually imprisoned due to a conviction under the Mann Act, but afterwards, he continued to box professionally. He never regained his former prominence, due to the rampant racism and bigotry, and was never given another chance to regain the title. He eventually retired from boxing in 1938, a year after Joe Louis became the first Black champion since Johnson was champion. Note: Until Joe Louis, the professional heavyweight title was unofficially ‘barred’ from Black boxers, from 1915 until 1937.

Jack Johnson’s contributions to the sport of boxing and his role in breaking racial barriers had a lasting impact on the world of professional sports and the broader struggle for civil rights and racial equality in the United States. He was posthumously pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2018 for his 1913 Mann Act conviction.

The Wilmington, North Carolina massacre, also known as the Wilmington Race Riot of 1898, was a violent and racially motivated attack on the African American community in Wilmington, North Carolina, that took place in November 1898. It was one of the most significant incidents of racial violence in the United States during the post-Reconstruction era.

At the time, Wilmington had a diverse and politically active population, with African Americans playing a prominent role in local politics. The white supremacist Democrats, who were in the minority, sought to regain control of the city and state government from the Fusionist coalition of Republicans and Populists, which included a significant number of Black leaders and voters.

In November 1898, white supremacists, led by prominent Democrats, orchestrated a campaign of intimidation, disinformation, and violence. They published racially charged editorials in the local newspaper and spread false information about an alleged “Black uprising.” On November 10, a mob of armed white supremacists, numbering in the hundreds, attacked the African American community in Wilmington. They burned homes, destroyed Black-owned businesses, and forced many Black citizens to flee the city. An unknown number of Black residents were killed or injured in the violence.

As a result of the massacre, the Fusionist government was overthrown, and white Democrats regained control of the city and state. This event marked the beginning of the era of Jim Crow laws and racial segregation in North Carolina. African Americans were effectively disenfranchised, and their political power was significantly reduced.

The Wilmington massacre is a tragic and significant event in American history, illustrating the racial tensions and violence that characterized the post-Reconstruction South. It’s also a reminder of the ongoing struggle for civil rights and racial equality in the United States.

This is one of the earliest appearances of Malcolm X on a Television Talk Show, with Lewis Lomax (1959). Malcolm X was still in the Nation of Islam and defending Elijah Mohammed’s teachings that the white man was the evil oppressor of the Black man. However, what is overlooked in his dialogue is the emphasis on SELF HELP, self preservation and self support in the Black community. From his perspective, the white man, judging from history, has never been the friend or supporter of people of color, thus the harsh rhetoric towards them in this early dialogue.

Source: Episode 02: Malcolm X The BMA: Malcolm X in an early appearance on a television talk show. Malcolm X in an early appearance on a television talk show. http://www.dubyakaygee.com/BMA/BMAepisode02.mp4 Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:39:04 -0500 Education no 00:08:07 black, african-american, history, media, archive, negro, BMA (Black Media Archive)

Note: The BMA (Black Media Archive) has been offline for years. It was a great source of Black History primary sources and information. One can watch all 350 plus episodes on the Internet Archive ( https://archive.org/ ): Type in Search: Black Media Archive.

“Mo’ Funny: Black Comedy in America” is a 1993 documentary that traces the cultural humor of African-Americans dating back to the minstrel shows in the early 1900s to the golden age of black comedies in the 1980s and 1990s. The documentary premiered February 9, 1993 on HBO.

This video is for educational purposes only.

This video may contain copyrighted material. This material is being made available in an effort to advance understanding of historical, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. that constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

Fair Use Disclaimer
HMRC may use copyrighted material which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. HMRC is making such material available for criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.
HMRC believes this constitutes a “fair use” of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the United States Copyright law.

Rock & Roll (U.S. title) or Dancing in the Street: a Rock and Roll History (U.K. title) is a 10-part American-British television documentary series about the history of rock and roll music produced by the BBC and WGBH, and which screened in 1995 on PBS in the United States and on BBC Two in the United Kingdom during 1996.

Part 1 and 2: The Renegades/ In The Groove:

Part 1: In the fifties, a new musical force appeared, shaking up clean-living America – rock ‘n’ roll. Following Fats Domino’s lead, Little Richard burst onto the scene in New Orleans. In Memphis, the new music also emerged, and a young Elvis Presley recorded his first songs.

Part 2: Girl groups, the surf sound, and perfect pop take over the charts.

Part 3: Shakespeares In The Alley

When Bob Dylan arrived in New York, he stirred up not only the placid world of folk music but also rock’n’roll, influencing everyone from the Beatles to the Byrds. Meanwhile in Britain, the Beatles were expanding on the legacy of the Shadows and skiffle to open out British rock music.

Part 4: Respect

An examination of the birth of soul music, from Ray Charles’s first adaptation of gospel through Sam Cooke’s death to the start of the Motown empire and, in Memphis, the sound of Stax Records.

Part 5: Crossroads

In the early sixties Chicago blues is adopted by British listeners and the music of artists such as Muddy Waters gives birth to a succession of new British rhythm-and-blues artists.

Part 6: Blues in Technicolor

In 1966, San Francisco became the centre of rock’s psychedelic era. Meanwhile in London, Pink Floyd were emerging with an experimental new sound.

Part 7: The Wild Side

Musicians are left nursing a hangover after the failure of the summer of love. Into the breach step some of the most outrageous figures yet to grace a rock stage, like The Doors,Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop and David Bowie.

Part 8: Make It Funky

In the seventies, James Brown’s musical innovations earned him the sobriquet of the godfather of funk. This episode remembers the revolution he instigated, plus the work of other funk figureheads such as Sly and the Family Stone, Bootsy Collins and George Clinton. (This was episode eight for the PBS version of the series).

Part 9: Punk

In the mid-seventies, the American music business was shaken out of its complacency by the eccentric sounds of artists like Jonathan Richman. But it was when the anarchic style was picked up in Britain by bands including the Sex Pistols and the Clash that the punk revolution really took off. (This was episode nine for the PBS version of the series).

Part 10: The Perfect Beat

The Perfect Beat/Techno and Planet Rock (1980s thru early 1990s)

Bluesland: A Portrait of American Music presents a swinging look at the history and highlights of a rich musical heritage. Rare footage and concert films fill out this 90-minute documentary. As the soundtrack for the downtrodden, the blues has blossomed in folk circles. The characters that populate its landscape are both brilliant and tragic. Such artists making appearances in Bluesland: A Portrait of American Music are Bessie Smith, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Dinah Washington, Leadbelly, Big Bill Broonzy, and Sonny Boy Williamson. Writers Albert Murray and Robert Palmer discuss the evolution of the blues.

This video is for educational purposes only.

This video may contain copyrighted material. This material is being made available in an effort to advance understanding of historical, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. that constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

Fair Use Disclaimer
HMRC may use copyrighted material which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. HMRC is making such material available for criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.
HMRC believes this constitutes a “fair use” of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the United States Copyright law.

RESPECT YOURSELF: THE STAX RECORDS STORY chronicles the birth of Stax Records, soul music, and the “Memphis sound.” During a time when the United States was segregated and the struggle to end racial discrimination and extend civil rights to African Americans was raging, Stax was racially integrated and eventually became one of the most successful black-owned companies in the nation. The label launched the career of soul greats Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the MG’s, the Staple Singers, and others. Through classic performances and interviews with Stax artists, founder Jim Stewart, and many others associated with the record company, the film tells the story of America’s preeminent soul label.

This video is for educational purposes only.

This video may contain copyrighted material. This material is being made available in an effort to advance understanding of historical, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. that constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

Fair Use Disclaimer
HMRC may use copyrighted material which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. HMRC is making such material available for criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, or research.
HMRC believes this constitutes a “fair use” of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the United States Copyright law.

Fame in the 20th Century is a 1993 BBC documentary television series and book by Clive James. The book and series examined the phenomenon of fame and how it expanded to international mass media proportions throughout the 20th century. The series first aired starting in January 1993, with 8 episodes divided in roughly 8 decades, from the 1900s to the 1980s. Each episode highlighted world-famous people during that part of the century. James delivered interesting and amusing comments about the portrayed celebrities and the various ways they became famous.

In the United States, the series were broadcast on PBS and in Australia on ABC,^[1] though some footage was occasionally cut if the rights to it were too expensive. The series has never been repeated on television since, which James attributes to the fact that “every inch of footage in the gigantic compilation belonged to some agency legally equipped to charge the Earth.”^[2] He further points out that the book contains “the text almost exactly as I read it out on screen… but I took care even at the time to write it as if it might have to survive on its own.