316 Chapter 13 | A Gilded AGe | Period Six 1865 –1898
Document 13.8 Reaction to African American Agricultural
Activism, St. Louis Globe-Democrat
1889Throughout the late nineteenth century, farmers formed local “alliances” to agitate for
economic and political rights. Below is a description of a local reaction to the Colored
Farmers’ Alliance of Tallahatchie, Mississippi.Of all the “... killings” charged up to Mississippi, the recent campaign in the
Tallahatchie country was the worst. The smallest estimate of the number shot is- The largest return of casualties is 200 dead. Probably 40 Negroes were mur-
dered before the work ceased. The sole offense which called for such a terrible
lesson was the organization of a Colored Farmers’ Alliance, and the attempt
to put in practice the plan of patronizing an Alliance store. Against the right
of the Negro to enjoy the benefits of the Farmers’ Alliance organization, the
white store-keepers and planters of the Tallahatchie country banded themselves
together. They began by exiling Cromwell, the agent of the commercial company.
The usual reports now went out that the Negroes were organizing and arming
for a race conflict. Then the killing began.... There was no battle. There was
no resistance by the Negroes. The white store-keepers and planters, armed with
Winchesters, rode through the country picking out their victims.... The con-
demned man was made to stand facing a tree, and a volley was fired at his back.
Then the white store-keepers and planters rode on to the next place. It is known
that at least 20 Negroes were killed in this way.... The outline of facts comes
from white men and Democrats.... When the white store-keepers and planters
had concluded their work they met and adopted the following resolutions:
“Whereas, it is the sense of this meeting that the organization known here
as the Colored Farmers’ Alliance is being diverted from its original or supposed
purpose,
“Resolved, that we, the planters and citizens of Tallahatchie River, hereby
request the Durant Commercial Company to desist from selling goods or loan-
ing money to said organization... and we hereby serve notice that goods or
other things shipped to the secretaries or managers of said Alliance shall not be
praCtiCing historical thinking
Identify: What images are the most prominent in this cartoon?
Analyze: What is the purpose of fire in this image?
Evaluate: Why is the image titled “Hopelessly Bound to the Stake”? What is the
creator’s argument here?topiC ii | discontents of the New economy 31714_STA_2012_ch13_307-326.indd 317 30/04/15 9:27 AM