African Americans in World War I

African Americans in World War I Fifty years after the end of the Civil War, the nation’s 9.8 million African Americans held a tenuous place in society. Ninety percent of African Americans lived in the South, most trapped in low-wage occupations, their daily lives shaped by restrictive â€Å"Jim Crow† laws and threats of violence. But the start of World War I in the summer of 1914 opened up new opportunities and changed American life and culture forever. â€Å"Recognizing the the significance of World War I is essential to developing a full understanding of modern African-American history and the struggle for black freedom,† argues Chad Williams, Associate Professor of African Studies at Brandeis University.      The Great Migration While the United States wouldn’t enter the conflict until 1917, the war in Europe stimulated the U.S. economy almost from the start, setting off a 44-month long period of growth, particularly in manufacturing. At the same time, immigration from Europe fell sharply, reducing the white labor pool. Combined with a boll weevil infestation that devoured millions of dollars worth of cotton crops in 1915 and other factors, thousands of African Americans across the South decided to head North. This was the start of the â€Å"Great Migration,† of more than 7 million African-Americans over the next half-century. During the World War I period, an estimated 500,000 African Americans moved out of the South, most of them heading for the cities. Between 1910-1920, the African American population of New York City grew 66%; Chicago, 148%; Philadelphia, 500%; and Detroit, 611%. As in the South, they faced discrimination and segregation in both jobs and housing in their new homes. Women, in particular, were largely relegated to the same work as domestics and childcare workers as they had at home. In some cases, tension between whites and the newcomers turned violent, as in the deadly East St Louis riots of 1917. Close Ranks African American public opinion on America’s role in the war mirrored that of white Americans: first they didn’t want to get involved in a European conflict, the quickly changing course in late 1916. When President Woodrow Wilson stood before Congress to ask for a formal declaration of war on April 2, 1917, his assertion that the world â€Å"must be made safe for democracy† resonated with African American communities as an opportunity to fight for their civil rights within the U.S. as part of a broader crusade to secure democracy for Europe. â€Å"Let us have a real democracy for the United States,† said an editorial in the Baltimore Afro-American, â€Å"and then we can advise a house-cleaning on the other side of the water.†    Some African American newspapers held that blacks shouldn’t participate in the war effort because of rampant American inequality. On the other end of the spectrum, W.E.B. DuBois wrote a powerful editorial for the NAACP’s paper, The Crisis. â€Å"Let us not hesitate. Let us, while this war lasts, forget our special grievances and close our ranks shoulder to shoulder with our own white fellow citizens and the allied nations that are fighting for democracy.†    Over There Most young African American men were ready and willing to prove their patriotism and their mettle. Over 1 million registered for the draft, of which 370,000 were selected for service, and more than 200,000 were shipped off to Europe. From the beginning, there were disparities in how African American servicemen were treated. They were drafted at a higher percentage. In 1917, local draft boards inducted 52% of black candidates and 32% of white candidates. Despite a push by African American leaders for integrated units, black troops remained segregated, and the vast majority of these new soldiers were used for support and labor, rather than combat. While many young soldiers were probably disappointed to spend the war as truck drivers, stevedores, and laborers, their work was vital to the American effort. The War Department did agree to train 1,200 black officers at a special camp in Des Moines, Iowa and a total of 1,350 African American officers were commissioned during the War. In the face of public pressure, the Army created two all-black combat units, the 92nd and 93rd Divisions. The 92nd Division became mired in a racial politics and other white divisions spread rumors that damaged its reputation and limited its opportunities to fight. The 93rd, however, was put under French control and didn’t suffer the same indignities. They performed well on the battlefields, with the 369th- dubbed the â€Å"Harlem Hellfighters†- winning praise for their fierce resistance to the enemy.    African American troops fought at Champagne-Marne, Meuse-Argonne, Belleau Woods, Chateau-Thierry, and other major operations. The 92nd and 93rd sustained over 5,000 casualties, including 1,000 soldiers killed in action. The 93rd included two Medal of Honor recipients, 75 Distinguished Service crosses, and 527 French â€Å"Croix du Guerre† medals. Red Summer If African American soldiers expected white gratitude for their service, they were quickly disappointed. Combined with labor unrest and paranoia over Russian-style â€Å"Bolshevism,† the fear that black soldiers had been â€Å"radicalized† overseas contributed to the bloody â€Å"Red Summer† of 1919. Deadly race riots broke out in 26 cities across the country, killing hundred. At least 88 black men were lynched in 1919- 11 of them newly-returned soldiers., some still in uniform. But World War I also inspired fresh resolve among African Americans to keeping working towards a racially-inclusive America that truly lived up to its claim to be the light of Democracy in the modern world. A new generation of leaders was born from the ideas and principles of their urban peers and exposure to France’s more equal view of race, and their work would help lay the groundwork for the Civil Rights movement later in the 20th Century.

Australia Ripples the Waters as It Relaxes Cross-Media and Foreign Essay

Australia Ripples the Waters as It Relaxes Cross-Media and Foreign Ownership Laws - Essay Example That pithy exchange from the past captures the essence of the present-day debate in Australia triggered by the government announcement of plans to deregulate media after 20 years of controls on foreign ownership and cross-media transactions. The Morley-Jones clash of views between the public service and business orientation of media deferred to old UK conditions, but the same hairsplitting still rings true today and continues to reverberate throughout the world as economic opportunities diminish and competition for scarce resources tighten up. Since almost all sectors of national economies have been served up for foreign interests in the universal drive to generate much-needed foreign investment, governments in many parts of the world, both developed and underdeveloped, are fixing their attention on the media industry as the last remaining enticement for foreign investors. As Australian Sen. Ron Walker puts it: "Media has become the last major industry begging for reform to bring it to the 21st century."2 By inference, the senator is batting for a new scheme that would keep Australian media in step with the times by allowing foreign investment into the arena. Australia is veering towards that exact direction, with the reforms on foreign media ownership and cross-media transactions programmed to take effect in 20073. ... This merger is called cross-media ownership in industry parlance. In the interim, the government conducts a nationwide multi-sector consultation in a desire to accommodate every viewpoint in the reform framework and thus hammer out a final policy that is acceptable to all. The more strident objections, as expected, come from the vanguards of press freedom and the citizens' rights to the widest sources of news and information brought to them without the biases of big business. Big businesses the media firms will indeed become if the set of current restrictions are pulled out. Thus, the debate now raging in Australia's media landscape centers on the basic question: Are the economic benefits promised by the entry of foreign media and liberalization of cross-media rules enough to justify placing at risk the spirit of competition and independence of media This essay weighs the pros and cons of the issue, ranging the Australian media reform plan against that of other countries exhibiting the same inclinations, if only to see which models it can use to improve a framework that would appeal to the cross-section of Australian society. II. Foreign Ownership of Media Under the Australian media reform plan, regulations on media ownership will be relaxed as they involve both Australian citizens and foreigners. All existing restrictions on foreign ownership and control of media will be abolished as well as relevant barriers contained in both the 1992 Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) and the Foreign Investment Policy under the 1975 Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act (FATA)4. Limits on simultaneous ownership of

Role Of Financial Resources Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Role Of Financial Resources - Coursework Example First, interest paid for loans causes the huge outflow of funds earned from the profit. Second, increased debts’ collection turnaround starves the firm off the funds required to meet short-term obligations hence resorting to borrowing. The firm needs to reduce the collection period to be less than 30 days and increase the stock turnover to avoid holding excess inventory that might not fetch the desired profit. The firm should reduce borrowing from the bank since interests are increasing the expense. The firm needs to increase efficiency by ensuring timely collection of debts. The firm operates at the loss when production is lower. As the production and sales increases, the profit increases until it can cover the total cost fully (Baker & Powell, 2005). A meeting point between profit and total cost, the firm can break-even and manage the cost by ensuring that any increase in variable cost such as increased in labor cost, is within the desired range such that profitability is no t affected. Although it is difficult to manage the fixed cost such as legal reserve, the firm needs to ensure availability of free cash flow by reducing debts and account receivables. The firm will have to grapple with lower profits as it increases costs because the marginal benefit keeps reducing with increased interests’ expenses and stock holding cost. Due to lack of efficient operations in handling the receivable, the firm will have wait for long to receive the money from debtors, thereby hurting profitability.

Harlem Renaissance Poets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Harlem Renaissance Poets - Essay Example It was not just any literary event but it brought up a great change in African-American culture. This movement was marked by various African-American writers, artists, and poets who produced some of the most extraordinary art work for black American artistic world. Most of the famous artists of Harlem Renaissance were affected by the double consciousness they faced after migration and this double consciousness is very much evident in their poetry. This article will discuss two of the most cherished poets of Harlem Renaissance and their contributions. Countee Cullen: Countee Cullen was one of the most famous poets in Harlem Renaissance and he is often remembered for his great contribution in African-American poetry. â€Å"Incident† is one of the most cherished poems from Harlem Renaissance. Countee Cullen tried to express his views regarding the social status and condition of African-Americans in his poems. According to English (1999), Incident is one of his most cherished creations which explain the experience of the poet while his stay in Baltimore and Cullen expressed distress of his experience in very simple manner. Langston Hughes: Langston Hughes is among the central figures of the Harlem Renaissance and this poem is the proof of his great wisdom and quality to ink his feelings. Langston Hughes was often known as a poet who loved to display the folk traditions of African-Americans. He was successful in expressing the feelings of his people and gave it a perfect literary form with his poetic skills. Unlike Cullen who ignored the African folks and their culture in his creations, Hughes left a huge impression of his love for African folks in his poems. Incident by Countee Cullen: In the initial lines of the poem, the child is happy with a joy in his eyes and his heart ready to learn the new experiences of life. But the child was called a â€Å"Nigger† by a white boy of his same age as in the

A path is made by walking on it. Mart.coms plan for implementation of Essay

A path is made by walking on it. Mart.coms plan for implementation of Category Management - Essay Example In recent years both large and small organizations are seeking to define an appropriate operating model, to establish a strong foundation for execution. The two key dimensions in defining an operating model are process standardization and process integration. As described in Ross et al (Ross 2006), 4 general types of operating models are 1. Diversification (low process standardization, low process integration) 2. Coordination (low process standardization, high process integration) 3. Replication (high process standardization, low process integration) 4. Unification (high process standardization, high process integration) Mart.com’s decision to implement Category Management reflects a significant organizational change in its Procurement process, a strategic decision made by Senior Management, to effectively compete in global market. The focus of this paper is on organizational change and management of the same, when a business undergoes, a significant process change as a result of corporate strategic decision (in our case Category Management). In this paper, we define ‘Category Management’, and its impact on Procurement in the organization’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) process. We briefly define and describe what is under the scope of this study and what primary processes and activities are of importance. We conclude this paper by defining the fundamental principles behind effective Category Management practice, and the process Mart.com need to undergo.... the fundamental principles behind effective Category Management practice, and the process Mart.com need to undergo, considering its current state and what management expects by implementation of Category Management process. Category Management In the overall Source To Pay process, Sourcing has two components – Category Management RFP and contracting In the context of this paper our focus is on Category Management, and what its impact on contracting. RFP process is not in scope for this discussion. As organizations have grown in scale and have become more global, need for Category Management arose from repetitive purchase of products and services with common characteristics. Category Management was introduced as part of strategic procurement needs for the global organization to remove inefficiencies from tactical procurement done by local divisions of an organization. The basic motivation for implementing global sourcing is to achieve synergy in purchasing. This synergy is achi eved when two or more business units combine their buying of similar items to gain higher purchase volumes, better prices and, as a result, competitive advantage through cost efficiency. Synergy is realized as business units exploit their interrelationships, share know-how and resources, coordinate strategies and pool negotiating power (Faes et. al. 2000, Vizjak 1994). The main question in achieving purchasing synergy is how to manage and organize purchases on a corporate level, without losing the proximity benefits of decentralized purchasing. There is a need for balanced approach which takes into consideration the need for having problem-solving capabilities close to where problems occur, cost containment in profit centers, and close relationships in selected collaborative supplier

Multinational corporation have great postive effects on developing Essay

Multinational corporation have great postive effects on developing countries - Essay Example Their investment in developing nations have improved the material well being of the people in these nations through access to better goods or services and improved wages. Studies conducted by the OECD reveal that developing nations tend to receive higher wages from multinationals than their local counterparts. The OECD report found that a person working for a multinational is likely to earn 40% more wages than their counterparts in local firms. This is especially true for workers in Latin America and Asia. MNCs are motivated by the need to retain more workers in order to reduce turnover costs (OECD 44). Not all such organisations intend to pay workers more for similar work. Instead, they do so because the nature of industries they invest in is capital intensive. Additionally, a number of them have fairly large operations which may require committed employees. It is for this reason that they tend to pay better rewards to workers than their peers in firms within the same industry. Irrespective of their motivations, the end result is better earnings (Dunning and Sairanna 5). Analyses conducted in developing nations concerning how wages change over time after foreign direct investment show that wages may increase by close to 20%. Indonesia enjoyed a 19% increase in wage labour owing to foreign acquisitions of local firms. The increase emanated from the use of modern techniques of production. Parent companies in the first world already had the technical expertise needed to enhance production. Therefore, workers accumulated new skills that were eventually used as a precursor for better pay (Hijzen and Swaim 8). If a person moves from a locally-owned firm to a foreign-owned one in a country like Brazil, they are likely to enjoy a 21% increase in earnings. The OECD Employment outlook report also shows that those who make the same transition in a country like Portugal can enjoy increases of about 14%. It is for this reason that many third world countries seem to be so

In the decade of 1970, women's fashion trend reveals there had a Essay

In the decade of 1970, women's fashion trend reveals there had a strong intertwined relationship with political events and socia - Essay Example Fashion and design changed from being an elite group associated culture, but developed to incorporate the different age groups and genders for nations’ population. The designers had to put an extra effort in their artistic and designed works, so that they could come up with appealing styles and produce more for the vast population within their nations, and across their boundaries where the demand existed. It was a spontaneous thing to do for the growing markets in America, Europe and British among others. Some designers could not keep up with the current trend of the time, others had to lose some of their authenticity and adjust to the new changes, while for other designers, it gave them an opportunity for entering the industry and popularizing their new ideas works. Fashion boosted women careers and confidence in their new changing roles in official positions and politics, gave feminists more vigor, played a key role in opposition towards the governments and their operations, influenced by music (hippies, punk and rock) and social cultures. Fashion and Women in Politics The period after the 1960s saw women venture in politics and official positions in the government. ... Power clothes for women that expressed their new absorption and ability to perform in different careers that had been attached to masculininity became the new fashion, and career guide embraced by most working women at the time and later in the 80s (Hill 123). The power suit was the great design of the period that was tailored into different looks to distinguish it from the men’s suit style and looks. The variations of the power suits either with the men like pants or the ladies skirts as well as the make in different colors made the outfit even more diverse, and acceptable for women in high demand markets. The professional look was promoted by the influencing fashion that saw women dress in designer blazers and pants, official jackets and skits sets among other lines of power suits as designed by Karl Lagerfield (â€Å"Fashion† thepeoplehistory.com). It demonstrated equality in work places and power opinion for the working women in their careers. While seeking their ri ghts, liberation, and being free from male supremacy in their societies, the women's movements in the 1970s gave an opportunity for women to dress in fashionable pants designed for women, as way of sending a political and social message to change the oppressive social structure and enhance equality. According to Coen, the 1970s second wave of feminism greatly contributed to power suit acceptance as female wear, with the suits exaggerating women’s shoulders, skirts and trousers worn with relaxed jackets indicated how women intended to climb the ladder of success and how their presences was a force to be reckoned (mancunion.com). The famous designs of Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) can demonstrate more with his influential work in