In the next chapters of Blood Relations, we no longer discuss the emigration of Africans and Caribbean immigrants to the U.S. but rather their settlement. These immigrants, finally in Harlem, begin to diffuse into the culture through various mediums. First and foremost, it is through churches, some that have been founded years prior to the immigrant wave, and some that are founded by these incoming immigrants. Other than churches, there were benevolent societies that sought to help incoming immigrants by offering jobs and housing. Beyond churches and societies, the black immigrants joined the political scene of harlem, although this scene was limited to mainly the elite financially stable and was overall still run by the corrupt Tammany Hall. One political individual, Marcus Garvey, a native of Jamaica is discussed in great detail due to his contribution to the harlem community and his notorious ideology and Pan-African plot. Furthermore, these chapters take a look at the gambling society of harlem and the wealthy bankers that capitalized on it, yet returned back to the community. Finally, the chapters discuss the contributions of Caribbean immigrants to Harlem’s newspapers, literature, arts, and history.
Chapter 4 of Blood Relations emphasizes the importance of religion in the Harlem community. Incoming foreigners, most of whom came from islands that practiced various forms of Christian religion, were attracted in masses to the available churches. One church, the African Methodist episcopal was a hub for almost 60,000 members, a portion of who were Caribbean islanders. If the available churches did not attract the Caribbean immigrants, then they would found there own, and base those churches on their home island’s practices. Churches however were not only for the practice of religion however. These churches were social clubs through which immigrants where able to communicate with other immigrants and natives. In doing so, immigrants were able to maintain a sense of their homeland and to also assimilate to the Harlem American society. Churches that were financially well-off, such as the AME, were able to further their image as social clubs by financing weekly dances for Harlemites. These dances attracted new members, but also kept current members interested and close-knit. Other institutions were also created to benefit immigrants. Labeled as “benevolent societies”, these organizations were founded to support incoming immigrants by offering jobs, housing, and community gatherings. Through such institutions, Caribbean and African immigrants were able to more easily diffuse into the American society.
Chapter 5 of Blood Relations discusses the Political scene in Harlem during the influx of Caribbean and African Immigrants. In this chapter we learn that Caribbean immigrants and the native blacks did not get along in the political scene due to differing ideologies. Specifically, native blacks believed the immigrants were too radical in their mindset and beliefs. Even if the two groups did come to a consensus, it would have made no difference considering that they did not have power in politics. People of color were not given voice as they had no representation and disallowed to have any. Still however, political figures grew in the black community, most of them however were of the black elite. Tammany hall, the local government was supremely corrupt at the time, and of course had a discrimination of blacks. However, the organization realized the growing number of possible black voters and thus sought to employ black politicians that severed their interests. However, the politicians they funded would further cause detriment as positions were given due to favoritism and nationality. Caribbean politicians would seek to avoid giving black natives positions if even they deserved it. This caused further political discourse between black natives and the incoming immigrants.
Chapter 6 of Blood Relations focuses on the political scene in the streets of Harlem. Specifically, there is a focus on the stepladder as a medium through which orators were able to express their political positions in the streets of Harlem. Due to the limited restrictions of speech on the streets, many of these orators would discuss topics unspoken off in political halls. Many would discuss the oppression of the black Americans and some would discuss socialism. Female orators even preached from the stepladder. These brave women would also speak of topics previously unspoken of, such as the rights of the black woman, and birth control. The street corner was a unique political scene. Through this medium, the identity of the orator need not be introduced, thus an audience cannot preach hatred of the speaker’s background because they do not know it. Furthermore, an audience could decide whether they disliked or liked an orator on the spot, without having to listen if they wished not to. Thus the street corner was a place only for ideas, and through the preaching of ideas, many orators rose to prominence. One such orator was Jamaican born Marcus Garvey who preached of black nationalism. The impact of the stepladder was not limited to the street corner however, as the ideas discussed led to gatherings afterwards, for example socialist gatherings, and even to organizations such as the African Blood Brotherhood. Therefore the street corner was arguably a vital and useful part of Harlem politics. The only thing stopping an individual from speaking would have been weather. Through the stepladder, unknown politicians were able to rise to power through street support and contentious yet significant ideas were able to discussed freely.
Chapter 7 of Blood Relations discuses the legacy of Marcus Garvey. Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican born immigrant who supported creating a united African community. He sought to do so for the benefit of Africans, believing that together they are powerful and can aid one another economically and politically. However, he believed that after uniting the African people, that together they must travel “back” to Africa and create their own society free of white oppression where they can rise to power as to challenge the strongest nations in the world, specifically the United States. Being a strong orator, he was actually able to gain a massive number of supporter through his preaching of basic human rights for all, and the promise that the new African society would provide such rights and all the needs for its people. He also preached that, economically, the new African nation would be equal. Garvey wanted his new nation to be run completely by Africans, thus they would have their own economy, government, press, and so on. Garvey was also a believer in racial purity. He disliked the intermixing of black people, especially the mixing of African Americans and Caribbean islanders. He even met with the Ku Klux Klan, as he understood their plight for white purity. He agreed that whites should maintain their purity, and blacks should maintain their own purity and that is why they must move to Africa. Garvey even funded a ship, the “Black Star Liner” as opposed to the White Star Liner to take him and his supporters back to Africa. In the end however, Garvey’s dream was never fulfilled as he was deported to Jamaica, technically for mail fraud. However the true reason behind his deportation was that he was actually gaining a large following and uniting the blacks of Harlem. This was seen as threatening by the white government because they found the the united blacks are dangerous to their society of oppression. Thus, to stop any possibility of an uprising, the government issued a deportation of Garvey and thus ended the dream and the unity. Although Garvey was bat-shit crazy, his overall goal in united blacks was understandable considering what was their current situation of oppression, disunity, and poverty under a white government.
Chapter 9 of Blood Relations focuses on an important part of history in the Harlem community: the numbers racket. The numbers game was similar to the lottery, in that players would choose three numbers, and if those numbers were picked at a drawing time, the player would win some money; simple, yet detrimental. This is because the game was extremely addicting to Harlemites. Harlemites would play the game weekly, spending all of their wages on the seemingly easy game in hopes of winning big money. However, rarely did any one ever win as mob bosses and bankers of the likes Casper Holstein supremely rigged the game to insure limited winners, and infinite profits. No matter however, mob bosses like Casper Holstein were benevolent bankers in that they gave back to the community. Holstein would fund community projects and would help people with financial problems. Furthermore, he would donate wealth to those struggling to make ends meet. Through such generosity, bankers like Holstein gained massive respect from the community even if the numbers game was illegal. Racketeers also fought back against authorities and kept white mobsters, like Dutch Shultz, out of the underground Harlem economy. An example of this would be Madame Stephanie St. Claire who was one of the most powerful female bosses in Harlem. She was greatly admired in Harlem for her courage and for her opposition to the oppression blacks faced. The numbers game raises the question of whether these bosses were actually generous or rather greedy. This is because the game was addicting to many people and cost them their wages, but the mob bosses would give back to the community. I think I would regard them as benevolent because they weren’t stealing from Harlemites, but rather offered a service and sought to benefit the community.
Chapter 10 of Blood Relations discusses the impact Caribbean Immigrants had on the media in Harlem. Caribbean immigrants were famous for writing in black newspapers such as Opportunity and Negro World. These newspapers would preach the problems blacks faced in the Harlem society and would oppose the oppression of the government. More so however, they provided entertainment. Claude McKay was known for writing book reviews in newspapers, and his reviews were constantly circulated and read. Other than newspapers, Caribbean writers would write books that highlighted the struggle between immigrants and the native blacks. From these books, it seemed that native blacks had a resentment of the incoming immigrants, labeling them “monkey chasers,” and discriminating against them through jobs and housing.Some immigrant writers went somewhat too far in their views, for example Edgar Grey. He highlighted the struggle of dark skinned Caribbean Islanders and stated that black natives were discriminating against his dark skin and those like him. He states, ” If it comes to the place where, these white men’s children think they are going to deprive black men and women of representation, when they are qualified, because of the blackness of their skins, let us speak right here and now, and say that it is going to be a most bitter and vicious war.” Furthermore, Caribbean Immigrants contributed to the arts in Harlem. One of Garvey’s ex-wives, Amy Garvey, wrote plays. Another playwright was Eulailie Spence who received an award for her play The Whipping. Caribbean immigrants also contributed to music, for example Sam Manning, introduced the calypso genre of dance to Harlem. Finally, through literature, Harlemites gained a new pride and desire of their African heritage. Author J. A. Rogers was a self-taught historian who published books discussing the past lives of Africans. His books were massively circulated and more than 20 editions for each was printed. His book One Hundred Facts About the Negro went through 18 editions in the first eight. This shows the immense interest black americans had of their past, which isn’t surprising. This is due to the fact that most black immigrants and some natives were of 3rd, 4th, or even more generations, and did not know of their African ancestry. Thus, authors like Rogers answered and sparked immense interest in black americans for knowledge about their past.
This book has presented me with a great deal of information which was previously unknown to me. Considering that I commute to Harlem almost every day, it seems right that I should learn about its past and the pasts of the residents that lived here. As I walk to school train station I will try to locate the plethora of places mentioned by Irma Watkins-Owens. I look forward to visiting the Caribbean community of Flatbush.
