Abstract
A look at movements organized and carried out in Philadelphia aimed at economically empowering African Americans could be useful in assessing degrees of success toward identified objectives and in evaluating gains toward addressing the critical question of economic self-sufficiency. The African American community in Philadelphia has a lengthy history of social activism and was successful in establishing early legislation protecting African American employment rights. This paper surveys demonstrations in Philadelphia geared toward improving African Americans’ collective economic reality. Next, it assesses the success of the demonstrations in Philadelphia toward their desired objectives. Then, it analyzes the significance of these movements toward addressing the central concern of economic stability. Lastly, it recommends necessary shifts in objectives to adequately address economic self-sufficiency.
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Notes
Malecki, E. J. (1997). Technology and economic development: the dynamics of local, regional, and national change.
Arndt, H.W. (1987). Economic Development: The History of an Idea. The University of Chicago Press.
Schumpeter, J. (2011). The Theory of Economic Development: An Inquiry into Profits, Capital, Credit, Interest and the Business Cycle. Social Science Classics, Volume 1.
The author contends that the great migration is a form of an economic development movement. Charles S. Johnson’s survey of African American reveal that the overwhelming percentage of those relocating references the potential for economic mobility as the reasons for their move. While employment is on an individual level, the mass relocation of African Americans classifies this as a movement.
J Gammage, 2011 and McKee 2008 discuss the rise of liberal reformist in Philadelphia and its impact on deindustrialization.
For discussion on the transformation of governmental employment in Philadelphia refer to Sullivan, 1969; p.88. For a more in-depth analysis of the expansion of the private sector and new employment opportunities for African Americans in post-war Philadelphia refer to Mathew Countryman, 2006; G. McKee, 2008; Wolfinger, 2007.
For further insight on the increase in African American annual income refer to Leon Sullivan Build Brother Build pg. 86-97.
Commission on Human Relations. Your Chances for a Job in Philadelphia A promotional leaflet for the commission. The Philadelphia Branch of the NAACP URB 6/1/98 Box 4 Folder 98. Temple University Urban Archives.
Commission on Human Relations. Your Chances for a Job in Philadelphia A promotional leaflet for the commission. The Philadelphia Branch of the NAACP URB 6/1/98 Box 4 Folder 98. Temple University Urban Archives.
Wynn, Walter. 1954, November 4. A letter distributed on November 4, 1954 by Walter Wynn to Herman Fisher, President of Bucks County Branch of the NAACP discussing a collaboration of NAACP branches and the CEJO. The Philadelphia Branch of the NAACP URB 6/1/117 Box 5 Folder 117 Temple University Urban Archives.
Wynn, Walter and Charles Shorter. 1954, January 21. A letter from Wynn and Shorter to Mr. George Schermer, Executive Director of the Commission on Human Relations requesting a investigation into the restaurant industry. The Philadelphia Branch of the NAACP URB 6/1/98 Box 4 Folder 98. Temple University Urban Archives.
City of Philadelphia: Annual Report. 1953. Annual Report of the Commission on Human Relations for 1953. The Philadelphia Branch of the NAACP URB 6/1/98 Box 4 Folder 98. Temple University Urban Archives.
Shorter, Charles. 1954, November 17. Three letters from Charles Shorter to Maurice Spector of The Blum Store, Tomas Wriggins, President of B.F. Dawees, Inc. and Lewis C. Davis, President of Bonwit Teller and Co. requesting that the companies reveal their employment demographics. The Philadelphia Branch of the NAACP 6/1/117 Box 5 Folder 117. Temple University Urban Archives.
Ibid.
NAACP Philadelphia Branch Urban Archive Temple University; URB Box 4 Folder 98
The Philadelphia Branch of the NAACP URB 6 Box 4 Folder 98 Temple University Urban Archive.
, Urban League URB 1. Box 2 Folder 34. Temple University Urban Archives
, Urban League URB 1. Box11 Folder 199. Temple University Urban Archives. This is a NAACP report entitled Racism Within Organized Labor: A Report of Five Years of the AFL-CIO 1955–1960.
New Pittsburg Courier. Philadelphia Mayor Finds Negro Set to Fight. June 8, 1963
Philadelphia Tribune. Mayor Tate ‘Unhappy’ With CORE Pickets at His Home. April 16, 1963
Ibid
Ibid
Philadelphia Tribune. Mayor Tate ‘Unhappy’ With CORE Pickets at His Home. April 16, 1963
Ibid
Philadelphia Tribune, Mayor’s Office Sit-In Forces Building Trades Study. April 27, 1963;
Philadelphia Tribune. NAACP Levels New Blast At Bias in Post Office. July 20, 1963
Philadelphia Tribune. NAACP Selects PO, Greyhound As Next Targets. July 13, 1963.
Acknowledgements
Wife, Marquita Gammage, daughter Jalia Imani Gammage, son Justin T. Gammage Jr. and mother and father Frederick and Dorothy Gammage.
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Gammage, J. Black Power and the Power of Protest: Re-Examining Approaches for Radical Economic Development. Rev Black Polit Econ 44, 23–36 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12114-017-9246-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12114-017-9246-0