Reconstruction-Reconstruction-19001900

CottonCotton

At the end of the 1800s almost all At the end of the 1800s almost all Arkansas farmers still grew Arkansas farmers still grew cotton as their cash crop.cotton as their cash crop.

By 1880 they were growing more By 1880 they were growing more cotton than before the Civil War.cotton than before the Civil War.

But, the price of cotton kept But, the price of cotton kept going down.going down.

Price of CottonPrice of Cotton

Cotton was eleven cents a pound Cotton was eleven cents a pound in 1874.in 1874.

The price declined to five cents The price declined to five cents by the mid-1890s.by the mid-1890s.

At that price, it cost more to At that price, it cost more to produce cotton than it could be produce cotton than it could be sold for.sold for.

This was happening worldwide.This was happening worldwide.

Other Problems for Other Problems for FarmersFarmers

Due to the government keeping the Due to the government keeping the supply of money tight, it was hard for supply of money tight, it was hard for farmers to get loans.farmers to get loans.

The farmers had to move their crops to The farmers had to move their crops to market by railroads which charged high market by railroads which charged high prices.prices.

Because of these conditions more farmers Because of these conditions more farmers were going broke and loosing their land.were going broke and loosing their land.

Farmers ProtestFarmers Protest

These stark conditions moved These stark conditions moved farmers to organize.farmers to organize.

They knew some of the blame for They knew some of the blame for their problems lay with the bankers, their problems lay with the bankers, middlemen, railroads, and the middlemen, railroads, and the politicians.politicians.

The farmers’ protest movement The farmers’ protest movement spread all over the country with spread all over the country with Arkansas playing a key role.Arkansas playing a key role.

GrangersGrangers

The first effort to organize produced the The first effort to organize produced the Patrons of Husbandry, or Grangers.Patrons of Husbandry, or Grangers.

This began in the 1870s as a self-help This began in the 1870s as a self-help improvement clubs for rural men and improvement clubs for rural men and women.women.

They pushed for better homes and more They pushed for better homes and more varieties of crops.varieties of crops.

John T. Jones of Helena was chosen as John T. Jones of Helena was chosen as Master of the National Grange in 1875.Master of the National Grange in 1875.

His wife was elected the top national His wife was elected the top national office for women.office for women.

Greenback PartyGreenback Party

Times grew tougher and some Times grew tougher and some farmers began to think about political farmers began to think about political action.action.

In 1880, Arkansas farmers worked for In 1880, Arkansas farmers worked for the small Greenback Party.the small Greenback Party.

This group called for the U.S. This group called for the U.S. government to print paper money in government to print paper money in order to make money easier to obtain.order to make money easier to obtain.

They did not have much success.They did not have much success.

Agricultural WheelAgricultural Wheel

Farmers founded the Agricultural Farmers founded the Agricultural Wheel in 1882.Wheel in 1882.

They encouraged all farmers of all They encouraged all farmers of all races to join.races to join.

The Wheel wanted fairer taxes, The Wheel wanted fairer taxes, easier credit, better public schools, easier credit, better public schools, regulation of the railroads, and a regulation of the railroads, and a political process more open to the political process more open to the common man.common man.

The Vote DividedThe Vote Divided

The major result of the farmers protest The major result of the farmers protest in Arkansas was to remove African in Arkansas was to remove African Americans from voting and political Americans from voting and political power.power.

The movement had threatened to divide The movement had threatened to divide the white vote, which meant black the white vote, which meant black voter might hold the balance of power.voter might hold the balance of power.

Democratic leaders played upon this Democratic leaders played upon this fear and urged the people to take out fear and urged the people to take out their frustrations on African Americans.their frustrations on African Americans.

The Beginning of Jim The Beginning of Jim CrowCrow

In the 1890s the state legislature passed a In the 1890s the state legislature passed a series of measures that served to keep series of measures that served to keep African Americans from being involved in African Americans from being involved in politics.politics.

One act put control of the voting process One act put control of the voting process fully in the hands of the Democratic Party.fully in the hands of the Democratic Party.

A second law made it harder for people A second law made it harder for people who could not read or write to vote.who could not read or write to vote.

The toughest law required a poll tax at a The toughest law required a poll tax at a time when most Arkansans didn’t have time when most Arkansans didn’t have much cash.much cash.

““Whites Only”Whites Only”

The Democratic Party proclaimed that The Democratic Party proclaimed that its primary elections, which selected the its primary elections, which selected the party nominees, were for whites only.party nominees, were for whites only.

In a one party state like Arkansas, this In a one party state like Arkansas, this meant that the vote ended with the meant that the vote ended with the primary election.primary election.

No African Americans held any high No African Americans held any high offices after the 1890s.offices after the 1890s.

These laws also hurt poor white people.These laws also hurt poor white people.

Social SegregationSocial Segregation

On top of voting, there were severe limits On top of voting, there were severe limits being put on African Americans socially.being put on African Americans socially.

In all aspects of public and private life, In all aspects of public and private life, blacks and whites were kept apart.blacks and whites were kept apart.

Arkansas’s Separate Coach Law of 1891 Arkansas’s Separate Coach Law of 1891 said African Americans had to ride in said African Americans had to ride in their own car.their own car.

They were given separate facilities and They were given separate facilities and ate in separate restaurants. ate in separate restaurants.

U.S. Government AgreesU.S. Government Agrees

The U.S. Government went along with The U.S. Government went along with these customs of racial these customs of racial discrimination.discrimination.

Federal buildings in Arkansas, such Federal buildings in Arkansas, such as court houses, were fully as court houses, were fully segregated.segregated.

In the 1896 case of Plessy vs. In the 1896 case of Plessy vs. Ferguson, the U.S. Supreme Court Ferguson, the U.S. Supreme Court endorsed the practice using the phase endorsed the practice using the phase “separate but equal”.“separate but equal”.

Violence EruptsViolence Erupts

Legal approval of segregation allowed Legal approval of segregation allowed for whites in Arkansas to unleash pent-for whites in Arkansas to unleash pent-up anger for African Americans.up anger for African Americans.

This was sometimes expressed in This was sometimes expressed in violence.violence.

This sometimes turned to mobs This sometimes turned to mobs lynching a black person without trial.lynching a black person without trial.

In 1892, mobs killed 20 African In 1892, mobs killed 20 African Americans in Arkansas.Americans in Arkansas.

African Americans in ARAfrican Americans in AR

Most Arkansas African Americans Most Arkansas African Americans were still farmers, most were were still farmers, most were sharecroppers.sharecroppers.

To own land was a major goal. To own land was a major goal. 25% of African American farmers had 25% of African American farmers had

achieved that goal in Arkansas by achieved that goal in Arkansas by 1900.1900.

Scott Bond started off as a Scott Bond started off as a sharecropper, but in the end he owned sharecropper, but in the end he owned 21 farms and 12,000 acres.21 farms and 12,000 acres.

At the end of the 19At the end of the 19thth Century, Century, African Americans in Arkansas African Americans in Arkansas had developed their own banks, had developed their own banks, insurance companies, hospitals, insurance companies, hospitals, and old people’s homes.and old people’s homes.

By 1900 Arkansas had:By 1900 Arkansas had: 680 African American preachers.680 African American preachers. 400 teachers.400 teachers. 27 lawyers27 lawyers And 101 others in professions.And 101 others in professions.

African American African American ChurchesChurches

The center of the African American The center of the African American community in Arkansas was the church.community in Arkansas was the church.

It was the social and political center of It was the social and political center of life.life.

Preachers were seen as the leaders in Preachers were seen as the leaders in the black community and by whites as the black community and by whites as the spokesmen for the race.the spokesmen for the race.

When the African Americans need a When the African Americans need a place to organize in coming years, the place to organize in coming years, the church will be there for them.church will be there for them.

African American African American EducationEducation

Black Arkansans saw education as a road to Black Arkansans saw education as a road to a better future.a better future.

Although black schools weren’t as good as Although black schools weren’t as good as white schools, they were symbols of hope.white schools, they were symbols of hope.

To train their teachers, the state founded the To train their teachers, the state founded the Branch Normal College in Pine Bluff in 1875.Branch Normal College in Pine Bluff in 1875.

This was headed by J.C. Corbin, an African This was headed by J.C. Corbin, an African American man who had been superintendent American man who had been superintendent for the entire state during reconstruction.for the entire state during reconstruction.

Many other institutes of higher education Many other institutes of higher education were built in AR at this same time.were built in AR at this same time.

The Role of Women in ARThe Role of Women in AR

These were times of change for the role These were times of change for the role of women in Arkansas also.of women in Arkansas also.

The state constitution of 1874 finally The state constitution of 1874 finally honored a woman’s right to own property honored a woman’s right to own property in her own name.in her own name.

Life for rural women was still very hard Life for rural women was still very hard though.though.

Often the female school teachers were Often the female school teachers were the only women with money of their own. the only women with money of their own.

Growing cities in Arkansas offered Growing cities in Arkansas offered more freedom to many women.more freedom to many women.

Because of greater wealth in cities Because of greater wealth in cities these women had the time, chance these women had the time, chance and skills to improve their status.and skills to improve their status.

By 1880s women in cities were By 1880s women in cities were forming clubs often for civic reform forming clubs often for civic reform goals.goals.

TemperanceTemperance

Much of this reform focused on the Much of this reform focused on the temperance movement, the effort to temperance movement, the effort to reduce or outlaw the use of alcohol. reduce or outlaw the use of alcohol.

The efforts of women’s groups in The efforts of women’s groups in Arkansas helped to enact a series of Arkansas helped to enact a series of laws from 1881 to 1897 that tightened laws from 1881 to 1897 that tightened local control over alcohol.local control over alcohol.

By 1900 42 of Arkansas’s 75 counties By 1900 42 of Arkansas’s 75 counties had fully banned the sale of liquor.had fully banned the sale of liquor.

Progress at the End of the Progress at the End of the CenturyCentury

The number of newspapers and magazines The number of newspapers and magazines in Arkansas tripled from 56 in 1870 to 257 in Arkansas tripled from 56 in 1870 to 257 in 1900.in 1900.

There were many writers and novelists There were many writers and novelists coming from AR.coming from AR.

Much of the frontier violence after the Civil Much of the frontier violence after the Civil War was gone.War was gone.

Judge Isaac Parker, “The Hanging Judge”, Judge Isaac Parker, “The Hanging Judge”, cleaned up the area.cleaned up the area.

In 21 years, Parker convicted 9,500 outlaws In 21 years, Parker convicted 9,500 outlaws and sentenced 88 outlaws to death by and sentenced 88 outlaws to death by hanging.hanging.

AR was slowly becoming more AR was slowly becoming more urban.urban.

By 1900 there were 15 places in the By 1900 there were 15 places in the state with more than 2,500 people.state with more than 2,500 people.

Those places had 8.5% of the Those places had 8.5% of the state’s population.state’s population.

Still, only three cities had Still, only three cities had populations greater than 10,000: populations greater than 10,000: Pine Bluff, Fort Smith, and Little Pine Bluff, Fort Smith, and Little Rock.Rock.

Technical advances that made life Technical advances that made life easier were showing up in cities in easier were showing up in cities in AR.AR.

Little Rock got its 1Little Rock got its 1stst street car in street car in 1876.1876.

Ice plants opened in Little Rock, Ice plants opened in Little Rock, Batesville, and other places in 1877.Batesville, and other places in 1877.

Electric street lamps came in 1888.Electric street lamps came in 1888. In 1892 Little Rock started a full-time In 1892 Little Rock started a full-time

professional fire department.professional fire department. Some cities had opera houses.Some cities had opera houses.

Spanish-American WarSpanish-American War

When the U.S. went to war in 1896, When the U.S. went to war in 1896, Arkansans were once again ready to Arkansans were once again ready to serve.serve.

The state produced two regiments of The state produced two regiments of volunteers, but they only got as far as volunteers, but they only got as far as training before the war ended.training before the war ended.

With a new surge of patriotism caused by With a new surge of patriotism caused by the war, people believed the hatreds the war, people believed the hatreds caused by the Civil War and caused by the Civil War and Reconstruction were finally over.Reconstruction were finally over.

A New CenturyA New Century Arkansas faced a new century with severe Arkansas faced a new century with severe

handicaps. handicaps. The restrictions of the new constitution The restrictions of the new constitution

joined with Jim Crow laws, hampered joined with Jim Crow laws, hampered progress.progress.

The result was that the state did not respond The result was that the state did not respond to the wishes of the people.to the wishes of the people.

These also furthered segregation.These also furthered segregation. The unfairness and awkwardness of keeping The unfairness and awkwardness of keeping

a dual society would soak up huge amounts a dual society would soak up huge amounts of human and fiscal resources.of human and fiscal resources.

Arkansas was in short supply of both.Arkansas was in short supply of both.