Katherine Alexander

Library Assignment

19th Century Rhetoric

February 26, 2009

 

My library project began with the idea of searching for any examples of African American religious life in the Southwest.  I realized I would have a difficult time finding anything on this tradition which, until recent times, has been largely oral as I found in my previous research experience.   I then began looking for traces of the early African American presence in New Mexico. 

The first items that emerged in the microfilm folder that I examined were several photos of cavalry encampments.  I provide descriptions, along with URLs, of these encampments:

·       1891    Tenth Cavalry at campsite on Diamond Creek.  African American members of U.S. Army unit standing and sitting under the trees; mules and horses are tied in groups: tent in background at right.  Negative plate, 1891.  Made in 1891.  http://econtent.unm.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/pictitems&CISOPTR=451&CISOBOX=1&REC=9

·       1891    Tenth Cavalry at Diamond Creek. Tenth Cavalry at campsite on Diamond Creek. African American members of U.S. Army unit standing and sitting at campsite. Two soldiers sit on ground in front of tent, others stand behind. Printed from 1891 negative plate. http://econtent.unm.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/pictitems&CISOPTR=452&CISOBOX=1&REC=8

·       1891    Tenth Cavalry at Silver Monument.  This picture shows a large group of men, some, some on horseback, in forest site with mining equipment and buildings.  This group of African American soldiers now includes Indian Scouts as well as they are positioned at the Silver Monument mine South of Winston, New Mexico.  The photo shows broken stones in the foreground and a large piece of mining equipment at the left.  An Indian man is standing at the center.  There are wooden and canvas structures at the right.  Printed from negative plate. 

·       http://econtent.unm.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/pictitems&CISOPTR=453&CISOBOX=1&REC=1

I did a bit of further research on the Tenth Cavalry and learned that it was indeed the cavalry of the Buffalo Soldiers.  In his early career, General John Pershing (Black Jack) took of a troop of the 10th Cavalry Regiment (one of the original Buffalo Soldier regiments), composed of African-American soldiers under white officers.   Though he was unsympathetic to Native Americans, Pershing was an outspoken advocate of the value of African American soldiers in the U.S. military. (http://www.buffalosoldiers.com/)

The next box contained photos with descriptions from the Spanish Civil War.  I learned that African American soldiers were sent to fight there.  In this box, I found a group of pictures from 1938 of African American soldiers which I had copied and sent to me by e-mail.  The captions label the pictures:  African American Military Personnel, Negro m.g.crew, LW Battalion.  These photos are shown below (see other attachment):

I did some further research on line and found that this group of soldiers, called the Abraham Lincoln Brigade, numbered about three thousand volunteers who fought against fascism in Spain.  In addition to about 80 African Americans, this unit included Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and European ethnic groups.  As these soldiers fought against the Nazi Master Race in Spain, they were treated with prejudice and loathing at home not only by their fellow white soldiers, but also by the people at home.  http://www.alba-valb.org/resources/lessons/world-war-ii-letters  

This box also contained pictures of white soldiers, dead children and adults, and pictures of battle sites, and posters.  Below is a summary:

Battle of Belchiro       September 1937

Fuentes de Ebro          1937

Quinto                         November 1937

Ambire                        1937  Poster in background:  “Hasta Expulsara Los Facsinsos”

Terul                           February 1938  War Propaganda Posters-Text not readable on photo

Cuevos                        1938

Argente                       1938-The cold is evident as soldiers are wrapped in blankets.

The Retreat, Mora Nueva, Grandissa, Crossing the Ebro

MacKenzie Papineau Battalion Picture  1837-1937  “Destroy el Fascismo. O scras su esclavo.”

The most shocking folder in this group contained pictures of children bombed by the Germans and Italians.  Pictures were sent to the Vatican in protest. 

Following this research, I activated another search of newspapers where African Americans are written about. 

An article in The Colored American 7:44 (February 3, 1900) addresses “A Southern Pastime” as it addresses lynching.  The article begins as a scathing satire as it suggests:

“To improve the monotony attendant upon Lynching Bees in the South, I beg most respectfully to suggest to the red-handed gentlemen?  who engage in that pleasing diversion, a few changes in their methods which are too common place.  First class lynching parties for 1900 should have as honorary members, the governor of the state, the attorney general and the prosecuting attorney of the county in which the lynching occurs.”  The author suggests a “grand nigger roast (American Fashion) at which a big burly Negro will be artistically roasted until life is extinct.  After his last gasp, the superintendant of the village Sabbath school and a committee of ladies, including the injured lady, in whose honor the exhibition will be given, will serve choice cuts of roast darkey to those desiring souvenirs of the occasion.  A small charge of 10 cents per slice will be made to those who may desire portions of the Negro’s heart or liver.  An extra charge of 25 cents will be made for the teeth of the darkey which will make very pretty watch charms.”  The second part of the article asks:  Has the Federal Government the power to protect American citizens?  The article of a petition signed by 3,200 African Americans protesting the lynching and burning of African Americans. 

Anna J. H. Cooper, who is featured in our class text, With Pen and Voice, is also mentioned in an article where there is also a drawing of her.  The article states, “Mrs. Cooper of Washington, in her pathetic paper (my interpretation here is that the paper is pathetic because it speaks of the manner in which Cooper’s fellow African Americans were being treated) on the Negro conditions in America that calls itself Christian and democratic has already shown that the negro was the most stable element in transatlantic energy and labors; rightly treated and honored he would be a splendid force in American education. The Colored American 7:41 (January 27, 1900). 

The final segment of my report might be titled “In the Margins.”  I believe much can be gleaned regarding a civilization based on items surrounding the text in periodicals and other publications.  I found advertisements for “mystic face bleaches and concoctions for straightening and lengthening the hair.”  Advertisements for these products are on every page of The Colored American.  They are accompanied by pictures of African American women mysteriously made white by bleaching creams and suddenly they have hair as long as Lady Godiva.  There are also advertisements for a History of the Colored Soldiers in the Spanish-American War.  A letter from Theodore Roosevelt also declines an invitation to a dinner in a letter to the periodical.  Another article speaks at length as to what the African American should be called in America. 

My conclusion in this study is that the researcher frequently does not find what was originally sought.  However, the items found, though seemingly peripheral at first, are at once valuable to the study at hand.  I am grateful for the opportunity to have looked at these documents.