William Monroe Trotter, political leader and civil rights agitator was getting into heated political debates with adults when he was just 8-years-old.
Trotter graduated from Harvard University in 1895 and founded the Guardian newspaper in 1901. He met with President Woodrow Wilson on at least two occasions while Wilson was the U.S. president from 1913-1921. Trotter argued with President Wilson and accused him of catering to federal segregation. Trotter was bold on his stance for racial equality and for his time, that was extremely dangerous, but he was also highly respected.
Trotter was also not shy about criticizing the black elite which he was a part of. Black people who owned property were voting in Boston in 1780, more than 100 years before Trotter was born.
Trotter introduced generations of blacks to peacefully protest, the art of black activism, legislative wrangling, and civil disobedience. Lynching a black man a 100 years ago in the U.S. for a crime he may or may not have done without fear of the law by its perpetrators was as common as lies in todays White House.
Trotter was one of the first to advocate for the Dyer Bill in 1918. The Dryer Bill was eventually passed in 1919, which made it officially illegal to lynch someone anywhere in the U.S. Unarmed black people are now choked to death by cops.
“Black Radical; The Life and Times of William Monroe Trotter,” released this year was an excellent library read. I learned some nice facts about Boston. The city of Boston for example had integrated schools as early as 1855.
Kerri K. Greenidge, historian, and director of program in American studies at Tufts University eloquently wrote the following about Trotter; ‘Trotter was an inspiration to the black working class, encouraging them to embrace blackness and all its complexities.’
In 1912, heavy weight boxing champion, Jack Johnson was prosecuted under the Mann Act for alleged white slavery. Johnson, a black man was married to a white woman, and back then, many states passed laws that would not recognize interracial marriages across state lines. This whole Trump thing and his stupid red hat; Make America Great Again? News flash, what was so great about lynching and potential jail time simply for being in love?
Trotter lobbied unsuccessfully to ban 1915s movie “Birth of A Nation” based on a KKK book, the “Clansman.” “Birth of A Nation” was a hit movie then, and many claims is rejuvenated the KKK.
Trotter accused national press of fanning the flames of white fear, which fuels more and more injustice to non-whites.
In 1910, Jack Johnson was arguable the most popular black man in the U.S. and maybe the world. Johnson was the heavy weight boxing champion from 1908-1915. On July 4, 1910, Johnson defeated James Jeffries, dubbed the great white hope in Reno, Nevada in front or 20,000 people. Former President Theodore Roosevelt called for congressional legislation to ban interstate distribution of the fight film.
Trotter was indeed a pioneer for civil rights and this book is for everyone, not just African Americans. Intriguing, and even horrible historical facts are in this book. A solid 3.5 star read.
Mark Izzy Schurr
