By Andeni Cunningham
The Niagara Movement has its beginnings in Buffalo- but not too many people know about the civil rights movement. Buffalo State College is trying to change that.
The centennial of the Niagara Movement is being commemorated with a lecture series put on by BSC and other local organizations. The lecture series:
- is free to students and the general public
- offers discussions about historical figures who played a role in the Niagara Movement
- brings an alternate way of educating the public about civil rights in the early 20th century
The Niagara Movement is credited with being the forerunner to the NAACP and is the first organized civil rights movement of the 20th century. Buffalo was home to the early beginnings of the Niagara movement, and is very important to the city’s history. The Niagara Movement laid the foundation for other civil rights movements and leaders such as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.
The Niagara Movement started out with a small group of prominent African-American men. They met in the home of Mary B. Talbert, a member of Buffalo’s Michigan Street Baptist Church. The group of men included W.E.B. DuBois, John Hope and William M. Trotter. The group soon grew and eventually they planned to have a conference that would come to be known as the Niagara Movement. They were unable to secure accommodations in Western New York, and were forced to meet in Canada instead.
Some issues discussed included:
- African-American men’s suffrage rights
- ways in which African-Americans could become educated
- other civil rights issues of that era
Dr. Felix Armfield, history professor at BSC, has had a major role in the organization of the series. He says he is happy with the reaction and audience turnout the series has received. The series featured 10 lectures that began last September and will end this month.
“I am satisfied with the lecture series. I am also very glad that we have seen more and more youth coming to the programs. It shows that we are making a difference,” said Armfield.
Alton Spencer is a Medaille College student who heard about the lecture series from one of his classmates.
“I thought it was going to be boring, but it was quite interesting. I left being more interested in the issues that Booker T. Washington and Dubois had,” said Spencer.
The lecture series is held at various locations and times. Different speakers are also present at every lecture.
Andeni Cunningham can be reached at: CUNNAR66@mail.buffalostate.edu
|
