My project was about what protesting strategies Ella Baker and Robert F. Williams used during the civil rights movement. I was interested in this topic because I wanted to learn more about protesting and civil rights. Baker advocated for nonviolent protesting because she grew up with her grandmothers influence. Her grandmother was a former slave herself, so she told Baker stories of when she was a slave. This caused Baker to develop a strong sense of social justice from a young age. She actually disagreed with Martin Luther King's idea of "leader-centered" style of protest as she preferred "group centered-leaders". On the contrary, Williams didn't mind using violent protesting strategies. He, like Baker, grew up with his grandmother's influence. She was also a former slave so she told him tales about her time as a slave. He also witnessed a police officer beating a black woman until she was bloody, to which he then dragged her down the street to put her in jail. He was also taught armed self-defense at a young age by his grandparents. This caused him to believe violence was a justified form of justice.
English: I researched who Ella Baker and Robert F. Williams were. I also researched what accomplishments they both achieved in their lifetimes. I also researched how to make a good infographic. Click to see view the links.
www.canva.com/design/DAFyYDnp81c/7muZYtTIVwUH8xW5aiF1PQ/edit?utm_content=DAFyYDnp81c&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton
www.canva.com/design/DAFyYDnp81c/7muZYtTIVwUH8xW5aiF1PQ/edit?utm_content=DAFyYDnp81c&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton
Social Studies: I researched a little bit more about Ella Baker and Robert F. Williams youth so I could find out a little more on their perspective of protesting. I then researched how to write a good essay. In my essay, I gave background on both Baker and Williams. Meaning, a little bit about their youths, where they went to school, and what organizations they were in. Then, I start to compare the two. And finally, I give my opinion on who's strategy worked better.
Ella Baker and Robert F. Williams were both active protesters in the 1960s. However, they had different morals and beliefs that caused them to protest in different ways. Baker only used non-violent protesting strategies. Whereas Williams used both non-violent and violent strategies when protesting.
Ella Josephine Baker was born on December 13, 1903 and died on December 13, 1986 (Wikimedia Foundation, 2023). Baker grew up with her grandmother telling her stories about what it was like to be a slave. Her grandmother told her about the time she was whipped for refusing to marry a man her slave owner chose for her (Wikimedia Foundation, 2023). This caused Baker to develop a strong sense of social justice. Baker also saw her family and friends supporting each other through good times and bad times (Boomer, 2022). This caused Baker to realize that people were strongest when they had a strong support network (Boomer, 2022). Baker studied at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina (Boomer, 2022). When she was a student, she challenged school policies that she considered unfair (Who was Ella Baker?). In 1927, she graduated as class valedictorian and moved to New York City to begin joining social activist organizations (Boomer, 2022). During her time as a non-violent protest advocater, she joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP, 1938-1953), the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC, 1957-1960), and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC, 1960-1966) (Wikimedia Foundation).
Robert Franklin Williams was born on February 26, 1925 and died on October 15, 1996 (Britannica, 2023). While Williams was just a young boy, he practiced armed self-defense with his grandparents. When Williams was just 11 years old, he witnessed police officer Jesse Helms Sr. beating and dragging a black woman, bloodied through the streets to jail (Williams, Robert Franklin). He grew up with his grandmother’s influence as she was a former slave herself (Scott, Agan, 2022). With his grandmother’s stories and political observations, he was aware of racial injustice at a young age (Stanford University). All of this caused Williams to have a different perspective on what justice is/should be like. He was drafted into the Army for 14 months during World War II (Stanford University). Williams joined the NAACP in the 1950s and early 1960s (Scott, Agan, 2022). He identified as a Black Nationalist and advocated for armed self-defense (Scott, Agan, 2022). Williams is also known for his publication Negroes with Guns (Scott, Agan, 2022).
Ella Baker advocated for the younger generation. She believed every day people needed to be their own leaders, as well as that young people had a very strong chance at reforming society and their standards due to her childhood experiences (Who was Ella Baker?) (Wikimedia, 2022). She only ever believed in nonviolent protests. She also disagreed with Martin Luther King’s leadership as she advised student activists to promote “group-centered leaders” rather than “leader-centered” style of protesting (Williams, Robert Franklin). However, Robert Williams advocated for justice in itself. He believed that “[we] must meet violence with violence” and that “It has always been an accepted right of Americans, as the history of our Western states proves that where the law is unable, or unwilling, to enforce order, the citizens can, and must act in self-defense against lawless violence.” (Williams, Robert Franklin) (Negroes with Guns).
There is a lot of controversy surrounding whether or not one protesting strategy worked better than the other. While Baker experienced a lot of discrimination, she still continued to only protest peacefully. She influenced many future leaders including Julian Bond, Diane Nash, Stokely Carmicheal, Curtis Muhammad, Bob Moses, and Bernice Johnson Reagon (Wikimedia Foundation, 2022). Baker was inspired by the historic bus boycott in 1955, so she co-founded the organization to raise money to fight against Jim Crow Laws in the South (Who was Ella Baker?). Baker organized a meeting at Shaw University where the SNCC was founded (Who was Ella Baker?).
Williams took a different approach to protesting. I think his way of protesting was a little more effective than Bakers. In 1958, Williams defended two black boys (aged 7 and 9) after they were put in jail and beaten in Monroe when a white girl kissed each of them on the cheek (Wikimedia Foundation, 2023). Fortunately, after the case was covered internationally due to Williams, authorities eventually pardoned the boys. However, the state never apologized (Wikimedia Foundation, 2023).
In conclusion, I think Robert F. Williams protesting strategies worked a little better. Based on Williams experiences growing up his morals were different from Ella Bakers, causing them to protest differently. I think both strategies were effective but I think Baker inspired people more than actually accomplishing something. Williams took more action when protesting and I think that made his strategy more effective.
Boomer, L. (2022, July 9). Life story: Ella Baker. Women & the American Story. https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/ella-baker/
Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, August 29). Ella Baker. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella_Baker
Who was Ella Baker?. Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. (n.d.-a). https://ellabakercenter.org/who-was-ella-baker/#:~:text=Baker%20studied%20at%20Shaw%20University,began%20joining%20social%20activist%20organizations.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Robert Williams". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Williams. Accessed 25 October 2023.
Williams, Robert Franklin. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute. (n.d.). https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/williams-robert-franklin
Scott, J. and Agan, K. (2022, September). Williams, Robert Franklin. NCpedia. https://www.ncpedia.org/williams-robert-franklin#:~:text=4.0%20international%20 license.-,Robert%20F.,the%20 struggle%20for%20civil%20rights.
Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, October 16). Robert F. Williams. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Williams
Ella Josephine Baker was born on December 13, 1903 and died on December 13, 1986 (Wikimedia Foundation, 2023). Baker grew up with her grandmother telling her stories about what it was like to be a slave. Her grandmother told her about the time she was whipped for refusing to marry a man her slave owner chose for her (Wikimedia Foundation, 2023). This caused Baker to develop a strong sense of social justice. Baker also saw her family and friends supporting each other through good times and bad times (Boomer, 2022). This caused Baker to realize that people were strongest when they had a strong support network (Boomer, 2022). Baker studied at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina (Boomer, 2022). When she was a student, she challenged school policies that she considered unfair (Who was Ella Baker?). In 1927, she graduated as class valedictorian and moved to New York City to begin joining social activist organizations (Boomer, 2022). During her time as a non-violent protest advocater, she joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP, 1938-1953), the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC, 1957-1960), and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC, 1960-1966) (Wikimedia Foundation).
Robert Franklin Williams was born on February 26, 1925 and died on October 15, 1996 (Britannica, 2023). While Williams was just a young boy, he practiced armed self-defense with his grandparents. When Williams was just 11 years old, he witnessed police officer Jesse Helms Sr. beating and dragging a black woman, bloodied through the streets to jail (Williams, Robert Franklin). He grew up with his grandmother’s influence as she was a former slave herself (Scott, Agan, 2022). With his grandmother’s stories and political observations, he was aware of racial injustice at a young age (Stanford University). All of this caused Williams to have a different perspective on what justice is/should be like. He was drafted into the Army for 14 months during World War II (Stanford University). Williams joined the NAACP in the 1950s and early 1960s (Scott, Agan, 2022). He identified as a Black Nationalist and advocated for armed self-defense (Scott, Agan, 2022). Williams is also known for his publication Negroes with Guns (Scott, Agan, 2022).
Ella Baker advocated for the younger generation. She believed every day people needed to be their own leaders, as well as that young people had a very strong chance at reforming society and their standards due to her childhood experiences (Who was Ella Baker?) (Wikimedia, 2022). She only ever believed in nonviolent protests. She also disagreed with Martin Luther King’s leadership as she advised student activists to promote “group-centered leaders” rather than “leader-centered” style of protesting (Williams, Robert Franklin). However, Robert Williams advocated for justice in itself. He believed that “[we] must meet violence with violence” and that “It has always been an accepted right of Americans, as the history of our Western states proves that where the law is unable, or unwilling, to enforce order, the citizens can, and must act in self-defense against lawless violence.” (Williams, Robert Franklin) (Negroes with Guns).
There is a lot of controversy surrounding whether or not one protesting strategy worked better than the other. While Baker experienced a lot of discrimination, she still continued to only protest peacefully. She influenced many future leaders including Julian Bond, Diane Nash, Stokely Carmicheal, Curtis Muhammad, Bob Moses, and Bernice Johnson Reagon (Wikimedia Foundation, 2022). Baker was inspired by the historic bus boycott in 1955, so she co-founded the organization to raise money to fight against Jim Crow Laws in the South (Who was Ella Baker?). Baker organized a meeting at Shaw University where the SNCC was founded (Who was Ella Baker?).
Williams took a different approach to protesting. I think his way of protesting was a little more effective than Bakers. In 1958, Williams defended two black boys (aged 7 and 9) after they were put in jail and beaten in Monroe when a white girl kissed each of them on the cheek (Wikimedia Foundation, 2023). Fortunately, after the case was covered internationally due to Williams, authorities eventually pardoned the boys. However, the state never apologized (Wikimedia Foundation, 2023).
In conclusion, I think Robert F. Williams protesting strategies worked a little better. Based on Williams experiences growing up his morals were different from Ella Bakers, causing them to protest differently. I think both strategies were effective but I think Baker inspired people more than actually accomplishing something. Williams took more action when protesting and I think that made his strategy more effective.
Boomer, L. (2022, July 9). Life story: Ella Baker. Women & the American Story. https://wams.nyhistory.org/growth-and-turmoil/growing-tensions/ella-baker/
Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, August 29). Ella Baker. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ella_Baker
Who was Ella Baker?. Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. (n.d.-a). https://ellabakercenter.org/who-was-ella-baker/#:~:text=Baker%20studied%20at%20Shaw%20University,began%20joining%20social%20activist%20organizations.
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Robert Williams". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Williams. Accessed 25 October 2023.
Williams, Robert Franklin. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute. (n.d.). https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/williams-robert-franklin
Scott, J. and Agan, K. (2022, September). Williams, Robert Franklin. NCpedia. https://www.ncpedia.org/williams-robert-franklin#:~:text=4.0%20international%20 license.-,Robert%20F.,the%20 struggle%20for%20civil%20rights.
Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, October 16). Robert F. Williams. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Williams
Art: I researched flowers and their different meanings. I used lavender, violets, tiger lily, peony, black rose, and cotton in my project. Essentially, lavender and peonies represent peace. While violets, tiger lilies, and black roses represent hatred/anger/resentment. For my project I used a piece of board and painted the background an off-white. The off-white represents the fresh start that African Americans were getting. I then painted a vase on it with cracks and water spilling out of it. The water leaking out represents African American culture is finally escaping the 'cage' or repression they were facing. On the left side I put the peony, along with violets, lavender, and tiger lilies to represent Ella Baker. On the right side, I put a black rose, violets, and tiger lilies to represent Robert F. Williams.